Posted by seahunt on January 09, 2003 at 13:20:12:
It can be a small world if you are a serious diver.
About 30 years ago, I went to San Nicolus Island for the first time, on the Golden Dabloon,
chartered by the Aloha Dive Shop.
I went in with Larry and a kid that was about 14 years old, named Chris.
I got lucky and grabbed a big red ab, then a 9 1/2 pound lobster.
Then Chris found a big bug. I saw it from a distance. He grabbed for the bug and it went
back into its hole and then shot out again, as they sometimes will. It hit Chris in the
chest and made him do a backflip under water. Larry and I went for it and I got it. It
was just 12 pounds. A big bug.
Well, later that day, Chris asked if I would sell him a bug. At that age, a bit of game can
smooth the parents a lot. So I gave him a nice bug. Anita, a dive master on the boat, saw
it and mentioned it to some people that did me some nice favors later on.
All in all, a great dive and a great memory... on my site too.
Anyway, I'm back in LA and was gonna dive tomorrow and needed
a part, so I was checking in at some local dive
shops. They were all here years back, except a new one called Aloha. I called and sure
enough, it was named after the original Aloha shops. I didn't have the time, but I went by
there anyway and was talking with the owner. He remembered the original Aloha dive shops
well. I asked if he knew Baby John. Oh, he did. He was who taught him to hunt. Now Baby
John was a character and one enthusiastic diver, if not the sharpest pencil in the box.
He loved diving. We were talking about the people we knew from back then and there. The I
asked if he was on the Golden Dabloon for the Nic trip. "Yes". I asked if someone had given
him a lobster. "Yes". I couldn't believe it. This dive shop owner/senior instructor was the
kid I was diving with 30 years ago. We had quite a conversation.
Enjoy the diving, seahunt
.
A couple of big bugs.