Close Encounters

[MalibuGuru]

Speaking of Leo Carrillo, a friend and I were sailing around a white buoy for about 30 minutes, until we realized it was a dead guys (naked) rear end sticking up out of the water. You could only imagine our shock and horror.

During the prior 30 minutes, I encountered multiple seals, dolphins, birds, a killer whale and a Grey (or Blue) whale. What was even more curious, is that the whale was just outside the rock circling the dead guy. My friend went to shore to fetch the LG's and I sailed circles around the guy for about 20 minutes. It seems the marine mammals were as bummed out as I was...or at least curious. As I circled the body, the whale would come up swimming sideways with one eye on me. It was eerie for sure. I kind of got the feeling he felt sorry for me, as if I'd lost a loved one.

How's that for a story? The dead guy had driven off PCH at dusk the prior day, with his GF. She survived. There is a makeshift memorial to him just up the road. I drive by often, and wonder, why he was naked. Hmm..

[windward1]

To show how close to shore the Humpback Whales come off of Santa Cruz, look at this pic captured from the Wharf WebCam that aims at Steamer Lane. Those are Homosapiens in the foreground and up on the point. Those are Sea Lions on Seal Rock (Apparently inappropriately named). And that is a Humpback Whale breaching out beyond the rock and to the left of it.
[/img]

[sailwave]

Back in the 80's in San Diego, I was on a Windsurfer standard slogging north along the coast toward Pacific Beach Pier. I saw the water go dark under me and then lighten up again, then about 20 yards in front of me a huge whale surfaced and blew his hole. Smelled like a massive fishy sewer leak, rather disgusting. I stayed on my reach and saw him surface again way in the distance.

[charclew]

Several times I have met elephant seals in or just outside Bodega Harbor. There is nothing like reaching in the channel at high speed and having a 2,000 lb elephant seal nonchalantly pop out of the water just 3-4 ft away to get a good look at me, swimming at the same speed, and then dive down. They are really big!

[flpnhndl]

Let's see..
-Dolphin. On a full plane. Saw him coming up for air a few 100 yds in front of me, figured he would do what they always do, skadaddle as he hears you chattering closer. All of sudden he surfaces for air maybe a board's length in front of me crossing 90 deg to the nose of the board. I squat way down, lean way back, and, BUMP!. Almost went over the handlebars had I not been aware of his proximity. Don't think the fin hit him or I would have gone over. This was odd for a dolphin.
-Stingrays. Sun was in front of me so there was reflection on the surface and no way to see underwater objects but it was spring and we see tons of them that time of year. They swim in flotillas just beneath the surface and I had seen them all day on the opposite reach. That one sent me over the handlebars and through a new 9.0 race sail.
-School of bull redfish feeding on surface. Could see them schooling. Again, was able to anticipate contact. Tried to pull up but still felt some bumps. No catapult.
-Ghost crab pot in shallow water. Knew I was in about 2-3 ft of water but forgot it was low tide. Big gust and was enjoying the adrenaline rush of acceleration, flat water, yeah! D'OH!! Slam!. Faceplant. On that one I was pissed because it was a dead stop and I knew it had to be something a human dumped in the water. I waded back over in the shallow water till I saw something and pulled up a crab pot. Water was clear but was over a grassbed so the chickenwire just blended in. Walked it several 100 yds to the beach. All the while some dude on the beach was watching me curiously as I was yelling profanities to nobody but myself and carrying a crabpot.
-Walmart bags. They lurk just under the surface but don't sink and when your fin snags one you get sudden deceleration.
-Needlenose fish. Look like small garfish. They swim on the surface. Have snagged two. Get slight thump, sudden deceleration, know you got something on the fin more than weeds. Get to some shallow water and jump off and there's a poor fish folded in half comes floating out from under the board.
-Turtles. Lotsa close encounters within feet but they can scoot pretty fast when they see you coming-good eyesight when on the surface.
-Jet skis and boats. Nothing funny about this. This is the most frequent encounter. The humans are easily dumber than the sea creatures.

[techno900]

Late summer in Dallas, TX, the alligator gar are frequently on the lake surface. I have 6 gar silhouettes pasted on the back of my formula board since that is how many that I have taken out with my fin. I should add that all six took me out as well, going over the nose instantly upon contact. None of the gar were larger than 4', but they stop you dead in your tracks anyway.