We asked our NJ listeners what they’ve encountered in the ocean

Did you catch Eric Scott’s article on what three guys who had been fishing from a boat off the coast of Sea Isle City ran into? They were on their way back and a mile offshore when they came across this magnificent creature.

Yep, what Hooper in “Jaws” called an eating machine and a miracle of evolution. The Great White shark.

The one Jim Piazza saw from the boat along with his son and a friend was passive. Good thing since this was estimated at 12 feet long. Their boat by the way? 23 feet.

Now there’s a father/son memory forever.

So we asked our New Jersey listeners if they ever encountered a shark or what other crazy creatures they’ve spotted. Here are just a few.

Lee was surf fishing near an old jetty near Beach Haven. He was knee-deep in the water when out of nowhere only 5 feet away a huge seal sprang out of the ocean and just stared him down. It stood frozen that way for several seconds before slipping back into the water without a trace. Lee says he thinks the seal was just as surprised by him as he was of it.

Wes was on the beach at Seaside Heights years ago and suddenly saw literally hundreds of stingrays riding in the waves as they raced towards shore. He said each was easily 2 feet wide.

Christina had a cool experience in the Caribbean. Not only did several dolphins join her in the ocean swimming alongside her like fighter jets escorting a plane, they did this for a solid hour.

Tommy not only saw a baby sea turtle while snorkeling in St. John, he even rubbed its belly. Another time in Crystal River, Florida he swam up close and very personal with manatees.

John saw a leatherback sea turtle 200 yards off the coast of Vero Beach, Florida. These things grow to a monstrous size if you weren’t aware.

Then there was Denise. She went to a lagoon in Manahawkin and spotted a small Portuguese man-o-war. But when we say small, keep in mind a full-grown man-o-war can have tentacles 165 feet long.

You’re gonna need a bigger boat.

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Jeff Deminski only.

You can now listen to Deminski & Doyle — On Demand! Hear New Jersey’s favorite afternoon radio show any day of the week. Download the Deminski & Doyle show wherever you get podcasts, on our free app, or listen right now.

Click here to contact an editor about feedback or a correction for this story.