Diving with my Heroes (vid on page2)

Some of you guys may have met my good friends Jim and Robert Okumoto in the past.

I know they know at least bloodbath, FishMaster1, Cochino, cnew83, DaveW, Porky and sledge...

The Okumoto brothers were the first guys to ever take me ab diving over 10 years ago and I have stayed in touch with them since then.

Jim is an outstanding diver and one of the toughest guys I know...a few years ago a sneaker wave threw him into a washrock and ripped his foot almost clean off...he managed to swim to shore, climb up a steep cliff and crawl about half a mile to the parking lot...and then drive himself to the hospital.

Robert has a heart of gold, is a cancer survivor, and while he doesn't get in the water anymore really enjoys coming out and spending time on shore and having a beer or two with us after we are done.

I have dove with Jim mutiple times around Point Arena, Albion, Fort Ross, Timber Cove and Monterey areas. Whenever we dive together I try and learn as much as possible from him...he has a ton of experience so when he speaks I listen and I have learned a LOT just from watching him as well.

I consider both of them two of my personal heroes so was excited when Robert emailed me and invited me to come diving with them on Sunday.

Actually went to the same spot where Jim broke his foot (see attached gruesome pic) and was blown away that Jim was able to get himself out of the water there let alone up the cliff and back to the parking lot! Guy is tough!!

The spot is very exposed and getting in was challenging but I used kayakjacks awesome Absnatcher2000 board and duck dived through the waves easily enough and got out and clipped off to some bull kelp heads.

Visibility was decent (about speartip) but the surge was VERY strong even at depth...that combined with a head cold made diving tough for me. 

Found one big ab in a small horizontal crack but could barely guage it and decided to leave it alone because I think I would have just mutilated it and killed it if I tried to pop it.

Jesse shot one nice grassy (I didn't see any fish to speak of) and Jim got three 9+s...but after several hours in the water no one had found a ten, which is what we all were really looking for.

I told Jesse I was gonna go hunt out a little deeper to try and get away from the surge, and to either keep diving with Jim O. or to come with me. He stayed with Jim O., and I swam out to some bull kelp heads I could see offshore aways...

Really nice structure and promising looking cracks and holes and overhangs...spot an ab and leave my gun to mark the area and head up to get some air...

When I dive back down again...I can't find the ab? Maybe I imagined it? 

Two more dives and still don't see it...

Ok, one last dive and then I'll move on...drop down and look up and under a little overhang and there it is...can tell it is a big one and get my ab iron under it and try and pop it but it is a stubborn SOB...keep pulling the iron and finally the rock breaks and I head to the surface with the ab with a nice sliver of rock still stuck on the foot. 

Let out a whoop of joy, swim over and show Jim my prize and he is super stoked for me! 

Hunt around a little bit more but the rest of the guys (Jim, Jesse, and two newer divers who I am trying to get to join NCKA  ) are already on shore so I head in as well.

Time the sets and with a little help from Jesse manage to get up the rocks safe and sound.

Tag the ab, strap the gear on my back and hike up the cliff carrying my precious ab cargo like a football tucked under my arm. 

Felt really cool to get to the top of the cliff and show my prize to Robert and Jim and share high fives with them!!! 

Back at the cars we had a few beers and took a few pictures before saying our goodbyes and heading home.

Very special day for me to be able to get a 10 inch ab (my 4th ever) while with the Okumoto brothers! They were both super proud of me and have always been supportive and encouraging of me.   

Here are a few pics (including some older ones of Jim's gnarly injury and of the brothers at past hookups) and I will work on the video tonight.

 

Sincerely,

Jim

ps...vid here: 

Stealing a line from one of the great divers when he replies to a great adventure/catch.........HELL YEAH!!!!   Well deserved. 

Dude you are on FIRE!!!
GS8 was your 1st and you are already on your 4th............Congrats bro!

I've heard this story told once before but pictures are worth a thousand words.
Yikes that's gnarly........that guy is an animal 

Beautiful Jim, Love those guys, glad you had fun!

Glad you were able to dive with Jim! Hope to see hall you guys soon.. Great job on that nice ab bro!! You guys dive Albion?

Congrats on the 4th trophy Ab.  Thanks for sharing the story and pictures Jim.

very cool 
...except the broken foot..yuck....knarly dude there....arghhhhh

great pics as usual Jim
thanks for posting

Thanks guys!

Glad you were able to dive with Jim! Hope to see hall you guys soon.. Great job on that nice ab bro!! You guys dive Albion?

They both asked about you Andy!!

We were in Sonoma County...stopped by TC on the way back and saw some of the fellas (Tiny, Chadrock, RockRoach, VK, Andy K, Piski, Sean Morley etc)

Long day trip...but worth it.

 

 

Sincerely,

Jim

Right on bro! It was nice to see you yesterday. Next time spend a couple days!

Congrats Jim.
Four so far is awesome.

Great find. You sure got around this weekend. 

Awesome Jim! Was this the first time your mentors dove with their grand-mentee?

That is an awesome story. Congrats!! I can't wait to try diving next year!

way to go Jim. you are a beast....

Here's my little vid....the dive board is a custom board built by our very own kayakjack...I won it at a silent auction for Mooch several years ago at Albion.

Thanks again Jack!!



 

Sincerely,

Jim