Posted by seahunt on July 27, 2001 at 13:20:24:
Well Richard, I guess it's time you knew the truth about how I got the
name BDF instead of your silly insinuation without knowing what you are
talking about.
Don't anybody read this if your skills are not up to reading a page of text.
I'm not sure why I never posted this before, except that maybe it was
too personal and from too special a time. It's too bad that Freddy is no
longer with us. He'd find you amusing.
So where did my nickname 'BDF' come from and what was it's real meaning?
You've wondered, but certainly don't know. In a way it's a complement.
I talked to Lee the other night. He and Shel were there when that name
was given to me. Let me tell you the truth that you certainly have no idea
of.
It was the early 80's. It was the time of the Animals. It was the time
of the Dive Boat Peace, Mike Roach, Bill Magee and diving the Badlands
deep off the west end of Nic. It was the time of Wayno, The Czar and
big bugs. While divers had been going to the Badlands (also called the
Flats and the Freeway) for a long time, it was Bill Magee that really
opened it up. Before that it was just a bit deep for much comfortable
diving with the current gear. Gear had gotten just a bit better with
BC's, AL 80's and LP Steel 95's such that it was more practical to dive
the 80 to 90 foot range. Before that, a steel 72 only allowed short
visits for very good divers. Well, Bill had assembled the best hunters
in California and they were up to the challenge. We would spend all day
diving tank after tank there. Computers were really what made it
practically possible. Tables basically did not allow for repetitive
diving at that depth. It made computers quite popular.
Anyway, it made for serious, devoted divers that kept Bill's boat full,
especially the Animals trips.
Well, probably the most colorful of the Animals was Freddy. He was either
the best or second best hunter and he was either the most obnoxious diver
or second most. The crew of the Peace did not really like him and I on the
boat together. I had first dived with him in 1973 and since then we had
pestered each other. In any case, it was Freddy's habits to name people
starting with himself, The Czar. He usually called people by the names of
animals, like 'Reseda Rat' and 'Catfish'. It was sort of like an initiation
into the Animals. You had been named by Freddy.
Well, one rough day at the Badlands, I was walking to the stern of the
Peace, along the Starboard rail. As I got to the back of the cabin, I
got knocked off balance by a swell and spun around towards the center
of the boat. I fell right into Freddy's lap where he sat in a chair. He
squaked and screamed 'get off me'. I sorta smiled, but that is not a
good place to stay. Freddy is a smallish guy, but not to be trifeled
with. Still, I just couldn't resist just sitting there for a bit. He
then screamed 'get off of me you big dumb f***er'. Well, I had been
named by Freddy. He shortened it to BDF for convenience, but the spirit
was there.
That was some fun diving and some great people to dive with.
Enjoy the diving, seahunt