TAMPA, Fla. — A Tampa Bay man continues to dive for shark teeth after being attacked by an alligator nearly two years ago.
Jeffrey Heim was diving in the Myakka River in May of 2021. He was diving alone when a seven-foot gator attacked him.
"I knew it was alligator mating season, but I was just a little too cocky and overconfident at that time," said Jeffrey Heim.
‘An inch away from death’: Tampa diver replays frightening moments of alligator attack
"I am lucky to have learned from that mistake and live through it, but it was so close to killing me right there," he recalled.
Heim dives for shark teeth and other fossils in numerous places, including rivers and the Gulf of Mexico.
He keeps some of his locations a secret.
"My hunts are centered around the Megalodon shark tooth. That's my passion. That's everything I dream about, everything I think about," said Heim.
Main Street Rocks on South MacDill Avenue sells some of his shark teeth and fossils.
"I supply all the local fossils that I find across our area in Florida," he said.
Heim is going to be a guest speaker at this year's Sharks Tooth Festival in Venice on Saturday, April 22, at 11:30 a.m.
The festival will be held on April 22 & 23, 2023, from 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
"I’m going as a fan too, so I want to experience all the beautiful shark teeth. This is the shark tooth capital of the world. You’re going to see some of the best shark teeth in the world," said Heim.
"Every single tooth is different. They’re like a snowflake with colors with quality with size with species, so many different variables."
