So Monday I finally got back in the water after being landlocked by the metaphorical bars of the UCSB midterm season. I also received constant phone calls from my mother telling me not to go into the "shark infested waters" that the SB coast has become... It was a school wide holiday and all classes were cancelled even though the actual holiday was the day before.
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Noice Day! |
The Swell had finally died down, and the water looked perfect. Clear day, no wind, the sun was out, and we were all so happy. Ben, Frank and I were the only Wots who made the journey. It was pretty hot outside, so we were all like, "How Cold could it be?!?!" We suit up on the beach, Ben, in full dive gear, frank in a wet suit and gloves, and then there was me. BOARD SHORTS, gloves, and a rash guard to protect me from what I thought wouldn't be that cold of water. We grab the guns and the backwards walk begins. Ben's in first, then frank, and then I'm still on the beach messin with the GoPro.
I hear ever so faintly.. "It's Cold! You should grab that hood...."
Do I listen? No.. The little voice in my head says, "It can't be that cold... Besides, the hood will constrict your neck, and that's no fun!" I was wrong. Ohhh so wrong. I finally feel the liquid ice submerge my feet and chills run up through my entire body and I immediately regret this decision. But I continue anyways. I go into a full paddle hoping my movements will warm up my body. Nope. I was literally frozen. not really. but still. My swim is going sooo slow, but then for some reason, i feel this heat burning inside of me and soon by entire body is warm again. I thought about what this could be, and I realized that I had mastered my Chakras from sub-zero meditation. My Chi was fueling by body's furnace and I was ready for battle.
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Chi'd up from the feet up |
After I warmed up, I finally got a chance to look at my surroundings. The water was so cleeean. Super clear and fresh. We had 10-15 feet of vis up top, and down below it opened up to around 20. We were exploring the wrecks, and we discovered structures that we had never seen before. We were so excited, it was like we just discovered the long lost Atlantis. There was this circular clearing, with a tower of kelp right in the middle where all the fishes seemed to congregate. It was like town hall for the fishes. I swear I saw a couple shops open, a nice checkers table where the old opal eye played, and a brothel filled with female sheepshead.
Started searching for some dinner; I was looking for scallops, but I have never seen them nor caught them in the wild, so I really had no idea what to look for or what to do. Long story short, I didn't get any. I did stumble along a nice sized brown Lingcod though:
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Brained. |
I see dis foo chillin under this ledge right,
I pull out my gat
I says, "Yo, what you reppin homie?"
He gives me dat stink eye
So you know what I do next?
I cock my gat to the side
Aim it horizontal like
and Pull dat TRIGGER.
Your done son.
I bag dat sucka and keep on my way.
In the Meanwhile, Ben has been stalking calicos like hes playing Hardcore Black Ops with the Ghost Perk on. He bagged a pretty decent sized buddy, but it wasn't until the ride back that he bagged his personal best calico. This delectable treat that Ben brought down had seen many wars before. There was a big chunk taken out of his back that had been healed over. He was a seasoned vet. Battle was no stranger to him, but he had never met Big Ben on the battle field. He was also done..son.
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Fancy Ben |
Ben ang his Big O' Calico.
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Frizz Spearin |
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The days slaughter. |
Frank all day had just been searching for elusive swimmers with his pole spear. Though many dives past has he come up with lunch, this was the dive that convinced him that he must attain a gun. We will wait for Christmas, when Franks mom will deploy a spear gun into the hands of the warrior Frank. Then, the WOTS will be unstoppable.
Video Coming SOON!