Sea Power - Hail Holy Queen

Saturday, October 30, 2021

Remarkable Diving Feat: True Story. Spring 2015 Santa Catalina Island-Little Harbor


As a ranger, I hosted a friend from the mainland and thought of catching a good size and tasty fish for my friend and campers.  So, I set off in my wet suit, diving mask, snorkel and speargun from the shore to 250-300 yards out at the edge of the deep blue and kelp forest. 

I caught a nice big sea bass (12 lbs.), inflated my buoy, and bagged the bass. Then I heard a muffled human voice through my head wet suit.  Just as I was turning to look, a kayak hit me in the side of the head and ran me over.  I blacked out and sank in to the tall kelp.  I woke, to what was about three seconds later.  My lungs and stomach were filled with sea water.  

Without panicking I made my way up toward the light of the surface when my left fin (over 36 inch long) got stuck in the tall kelp. I used my fish killing knife from my forearm to cut the kelp.  Then my left leg thigh viciously cramped in excruciating pain.  With one leg, I made it to the surface.  I belched sea water and begun a self-Heimlich to purge more water. 

I then heard the mumble of the human voice again.  I turned and the kayak was again heading my way.  It was my guest who hit me but couldn’t stop.  I couldn’t speak so I stuck the “finger” out with both hands.  She turned away to shore. 

The cramp was still raging so I laid on my back like a sea otter hoping it may pass.  It did not.  Fuck it!  I have one good leg, so I grabbed my buoy and fish and swam on my back with the one good leg.  Made it to shore 30-40 minutes and collapsed on the shore in exhaustion.  

A couple approached me and said they saw it all and feared I would drown.  “We screamed for the ranger, and he didn’t come”, they said.  I am the ranger, I replied.  Near death experience number 3.  Sea Power - Remarkable Diving Feat is my soundtrack.

Ranger Gary