3.11.2011 Tsunami Crew (chaeki mini video)

 

 

 

Nicely done gentlemen.  How was the surge?  Were the fish holed up or were any out and cruising around?

Good times!!!!!!!!!!!

Frikkin horrible natural disaster....luckily for us, the impact was small enough at SWS that it still was relatively safe to get out and play!

I had PMed the fellas the day before and said I had bought a sixer of Mighty Arrow Pale Ale (by New Belgium Brewing) that would go to whoever got the biggest eel, or biggest fish if no eels were wrangled. I saw the sixer in the store and thought the name was great for a spearo BBF!!

 

Fish were ALL holed up...managed two smallish kelpies, a chunky blue and my PB speared cabbie at 18.5 inches. The Cabbie had three abalone in its belly...two with the shells still on!!

I missed a shot at the same cabbie in the back of a cave earlier, and after I retrieved my dive board that was being washed out to sea and clipped it to Brian's yak, I beelined back to the same cave and this time my Mighty Arrow found its mark!!

 

I also shot a BIG eel right in the neck, but he managed to beat me in the underwater wrestling match that ensued and he got away. 

I managed to win my own six-pack with the cabbie, but have a feeling Alameda was being kind and let me win! 

Food on the beach was NUTZ!!! Ate so much, I didn't even eat dinner later!!

Thanks to everybody who came out to the beach and to the party the next day...really appreciate your friendship!!

 

Sincerely,

Jim

 

Good thing you stopped that cab's abalone poaching operation!!!

Who knows how many more undersized/out of season abs he was hiding in his cave!

 

I gotta get this off my chest. There is a fine line between bravery and bad judjment. Imo you guys crossed it. Knowing there was a tsunami warning following a 9.0, and knowing the geography of the carmel canyon, imo you guys made an obviously bad call and got lucky.
I'm not trying to piss on anyones parade. I'm totally cool with anyone making any call they want.
Since Adams incident I've made a decision not to shy away from discussing what I see as risky behaviour. I'm no expert on risk and hell, people who know me know I've made some bad calls with consequences. The trick is to learn from mistakes.

Dont blame Chaeki blame Jim!

I'm not blaming anyone for what they did. Everyone has the right to take the risks they wish to. I am advising the inexpierenced to use expierenced mentors when dealing with dangerous situations. Possibly I should start a thread on "safety first".

Why dont you come show us?

Im not a guide.

Great video chaeki, as always!

Sharky, you raise some good points.  I guess it's the new guy's responsibility to ask some pointed questions as to how the mentor can help them in case they get into trouble.  But if someone posts a public invite to take people diving then they should know what to do in case someone gets into trouble. 

I understand you aren't bagging on one person or this one trip, and that you're more concerned about the decision making processes for trips as well as the possible repercussions of a (someone relatively inexperienced) taking even more inexperienced divers out.  All valid points.

Nate

Sharky just to clarify a little we did not head out till security came  by and and said the warning had been lifted. Yes the swell was not normal by any means but it was easy to find the pattern and adjust to it. Those that were totally new stayed close to shore and did not wear weight belts.I kept my kayak anchored in the middle of the dive zone so anyone could use it to rest.
Your concerns are not unjustified and I welcome your comment but these guys all in good fun have left out some details.