New Smyrna Beach angler the real-life savior of cetacean in 'Dolphin Tale'
23.09.11
This is where the testimony starts. Before the news stories about the dolphin with prosthetic flukes. Before the flick picture show about the plucky dolphin that changed lives.
It starts with Jim Merciless, an avid fisherman and auto-repair shop holder. A big guy with a moustache who doesn't look 71 and lives within look of the ocean in New Smyrna Beach.
About 7 a.m. Dec. 10, 2005, he put his flats row-boat, a 16-foot Bay Craft, in at the usual place, the descent on Mosquito Lagoon at Canaveral National Seashore. Near Turtle Swell and the ranger station. It was a cool December morning, about 50 degrees. The abundance was choppy, 5-7 foot waves, according to the preceding day's marine forecast.
Iffy weather. But it was Saturday and Brute is a regular fisherman in these waters. A bad day is a day when he doesn't get his boat wet.
He hadn't motored more than 400 feet when he found something that would become the fortunes of a Florida aquarium, inspire numerous word stories, a documentary and this week, a feature film.
Source: Daytona Beach News-Journal