[Rhodes22-list] Snakes on a boat

[Michael D. Weisner]

John,

When canoeing, my pack always has a pair of Gentle Giant Tongs (collapsible 
variety) just for such occasions.  These tongs allow you to remove the snake 
without going swimming in the process.  These critters seem to crawl or drop 
in (from overhead trees) at the worst times.  Never been bit and all of my 
unwanted passengers have been escorted out without damage to them, 
passengers, me or the canoe.  The tongs are so much easier to use than the 
hooks or loops.  The jaw is lined with rubber to protect the snake and get a 
good grip without a lot of pressure.  They reach about 3-1/2', plenty for 
the snakes that you might find in a boat.

Mike
s/v Shanghai'd Summer ('81)
Nissequogue River, NY

From: "John Lock" <jlock at relevantarts.com>Sent: Thursday, July 24, 2008 4:51 
PM
> Snake pics reminds me of the encounter I had early this spring on my
> boat.  Over the winter, leaves tend to blow in from shore and
> accumulate under the cockpit seats.  So when spring arrives I always
> have the chore of cleaning them out.
>
> I had just finished doing that particular chore and went down to the
> boat several days later to take some parts down.  When I stepped into
> the cockpit and the boat rocked, I heard what sounded like leaves
> rustling under the seats again.  I thought "That can't be, I just
> cleaned under there".
>
> So I leaned down to look and found a 3-foot banded water snake curled
> up in the corner.  The "rustling" sounds was him moving around when
> the boat started rocking.  OK, so now the problem becomes how to get
> him out.  Fortunately I had made a snake stick several years ago at
> the old house for removing such critters.  Just a nylon strap looped
> at the end of a stick.
>
> So I fetched that and snagged him around the body and hauled him on
> deck.  He happily flopped back into the water.  Not sure how long
> he'd been in there, coulda been 3-4 days.
>
> Anyway, next day I caught him again!  This time he had just crawled
> across the dock line and was making himself comfortable up on the
> coaming.  That's when I figured out what had happened previously.  He
> was hauling himself out to the sunny spot near the stern to warm up
> in the mornings.  A passing wake must have knocked him into the cockpit 
> before.
>
> Removal was easy this time.  He took off like a... warm
> snake!  Hasn't been back since.
>
> Cheers!
>
> John Lock
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> s/v Pandion - '79 Rhodes 22
> Lake Sinclair, GA
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>
> __________________________________________________
> To subscribe/unsubscribe or for help with using the mailing list go to 
> http://www.rhodes22.org/list
> __________________________________________________
>
>