DIVE DRY WITH DR. BILL #751: PLAYING CATCH AT PIRATE'S COVE
Having been out of the water since July due to my cancer, I have to "dive dry" by talking to SCUBA friends down at the dive park or reminiscing about past dives I have done. This week I'm thinking back to the early 1970s and a dive I did with my student (and friend), Chris Conrad.
Chris is the son of actor William Conrad of "Cannon" and "Jack and the Fatman" not to mention being the original Matt Dillon in the radio version of "Gunsmoke," narrator for the Rocky and Bullwinkle TV show and a host of other credits. Chis was not into acting, although he did play roles in school plays. His interests were in marine biology and photography.
The two of us set off from the school campus at Toyon Bay and motored out to Long Point. We planned to dive Pirate's Cove that day and were already suited up. Chris set the anchor securely since we had no topside observer to man (this was before women attended the school) the boat while we dove.
Once we descended, we began exploring this interesting site, dived in the past by "Mike Nelson" (Lloyd Bridges) himself of "Sea Hunt" fame. Hmmm, I wonder if my friend Zale Parry was with him in that episode. I'll have to e-mail her. As Chris and I were exploring the site, an inquisitive harbor sea (Phoca vitulina) pup approached us.
The harbor seal gave us a curious glance, then dove to the bottom. It picked up a sea cucumber (Parastichopus sp.) in its mouth and brought it up to us. Then it dropped it in front of me and the cuke sank to the bottom. I descended to get it and brought it up, then released it toward the seal. Since the pinniped had fins rather than arms, it had to follow it to the bottom and retrieve it so it could return to us with its "toy."
We played catch like this for several minutes. Heck, if the seal pup had real hands, it might have been drafted to play in the outfield for my beloved Chicago Cubs or possibly as a wide receiver for my great uncle George Halas' Chicago Bears! Now I have to admit this constant up and down in the water column was not good diving practice as I was experiencing constant changes in water pressure. Eventually the seal tired of this play and wandered off in search of a jack mackerel or crab.
Chris and I kicked over to a large crevice in the rocks to explore it. I put my head inside and braced myself against the surge by placing my flippers... er, hands... on each side of the opening. Suddenly I was sucked into the crevice by the surge, and later expelled, performing a reverse somersault as I was spit out into the open. Chris tells me that a giant moray followed me out of the crevice! I don't remember if I saw it or not as I was quite shocked.
I verified this about two months ago when Chris and his wife Janet flew down from Seattle to join me when I received REEF Check's "Hero of the Reef" award. We have remained close friends since he graduated from the Toyon school back in 1975. As I grow more "mature," I can't always trust my memory so it is good to have someone who can verify an event. Otherwise I might just have to rely on making up a thrilling story to tell... but this is not such a case!
© 2017 Dr. Bill Bushing. For the entire archived set of 750+ "Dive Dry" columns, visit my website Star Thrower Educational Multimedia (S.T.E.M.) Home Page
Image caption: Long Point and juvenile harbor seal on rocks; harbor seal under water and sea cucumber in diver's hands
Having been out of the water since July due to my cancer, I have to "dive dry" by talking to SCUBA friends down at the dive park or reminiscing about past dives I have done. This week I'm thinking back to the early 1970s and a dive I did with my student (and friend), Chris Conrad.
Chris is the son of actor William Conrad of "Cannon" and "Jack and the Fatman" not to mention being the original Matt Dillon in the radio version of "Gunsmoke," narrator for the Rocky and Bullwinkle TV show and a host of other credits. Chis was not into acting, although he did play roles in school plays. His interests were in marine biology and photography.
The two of us set off from the school campus at Toyon Bay and motored out to Long Point. We planned to dive Pirate's Cove that day and were already suited up. Chris set the anchor securely since we had no topside observer to man (this was before women attended the school) the boat while we dove.
Once we descended, we began exploring this interesting site, dived in the past by "Mike Nelson" (Lloyd Bridges) himself of "Sea Hunt" fame. Hmmm, I wonder if my friend Zale Parry was with him in that episode. I'll have to e-mail her. As Chris and I were exploring the site, an inquisitive harbor sea (Phoca vitulina) pup approached us.
The harbor seal gave us a curious glance, then dove to the bottom. It picked up a sea cucumber (Parastichopus sp.) in its mouth and brought it up to us. Then it dropped it in front of me and the cuke sank to the bottom. I descended to get it and brought it up, then released it toward the seal. Since the pinniped had fins rather than arms, it had to follow it to the bottom and retrieve it so it could return to us with its "toy."
We played catch like this for several minutes. Heck, if the seal pup had real hands, it might have been drafted to play in the outfield for my beloved Chicago Cubs or possibly as a wide receiver for my great uncle George Halas' Chicago Bears! Now I have to admit this constant up and down in the water column was not good diving practice as I was experiencing constant changes in water pressure. Eventually the seal tired of this play and wandered off in search of a jack mackerel or crab.
Chris and I kicked over to a large crevice in the rocks to explore it. I put my head inside and braced myself against the surge by placing my flippers... er, hands... on each side of the opening. Suddenly I was sucked into the crevice by the surge, and later expelled, performing a reverse somersault as I was spit out into the open. Chris tells me that a giant moray followed me out of the crevice! I don't remember if I saw it or not as I was quite shocked.
I verified this about two months ago when Chris and his wife Janet flew down from Seattle to join me when I received REEF Check's "Hero of the Reef" award. We have remained close friends since he graduated from the Toyon school back in 1975. As I grow more "mature," I can't always trust my memory so it is good to have someone who can verify an event. Otherwise I might just have to rely on making up a thrilling story to tell... but this is not such a case!
© 2017 Dr. Bill Bushing. For the entire archived set of 750+ "Dive Dry" columns, visit my website Star Thrower Educational Multimedia (S.T.E.M.) Home Page
Image caption: Long Point and juvenile harbor seal on rocks; harbor seal under water and sea cucumber in diver's hands
