Greg Madrigal
11-29-2007, 10:22 PM
Headed outta the usual Huntington Harbor during an extremely hi tide Tuesday with my buddy Scott. We were heading out into pristine conditions. The water was moving into the harbor, the air temp was a perfect 71degrees at 9am, and water was around 59 degrees. As we headed out of the harbor just in front of the fuzz (aka Harbor patrol), we spotted this poor fella. Apparently, he got tangled in some fishing line and now, was doomed to die a VERY unpleasant death. This sign is near the very tip of the rock jetty that protects HH. Nobody is allowed on it, and is VERY inaccessible anywho. The poor guy was flapping, then resting, flapping, then resting. It was KILLING ME to see him tangled and hanging upside down knowing it was a death sentence caused by my favorite pastime.
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l191/gregmadrigal/PB261561.jpg
We circled around and around trying to come up with a plan. Everything seemed to b working against us. First, the fuzz. Second, this portion of the harbor is CLOSED at all times to anything other than traversing in a motorized craft to or from the ocean. The Seal Beach Navel Weapons Station calls this home, and they load armament onboard military ships like this one that was docked...This ship is watched over EXTREMLY WELL, by a fast small ARMED boat. Not sure if he could see me from where he was at to the harbor entrance... DANGIT?! Look closely, and you can see the small armed boat in front of the ship.
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l191/gregmadrigal/PB271567.jpg
Lastly, the swells rolling in, and trying to get close enough to those jagged boulders is like playing russian roulette. The swells were unpredictable, and dangerous, as sharp barnacle encrusted boulders suddenly emerged as the water rushed away, or a large swell would rush in carrying water (or my Boat) up onto the rocks only to leave them high-n-dry a moment later.
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l191/gregmadrigal/PB261560.jpg
I circled and circled the outside of the jetty thinking that we should just get on with the trip. We debated a plan. Should we leave, or try. Trying just seemed impossible! The fuzz was still within a mile (Binocular range) and moving out to sea slowly. We almost left a few times, but I kept looking for a way.
I kept thinking that even if I could get close enough, the rocks would be slippery, and I'd be making a trip to the ER.....Ayayay....What to do?!
Suddenly, the fuzz guns it and gets outta sight pretty quick. I decided to check out the rocks on the inside. I did the illegal, and darted inside the mouth to quickly find the perfect spot. There was a large boulder overhanging the water. It was flat(ish) on top dry, and not slippery. Most importantly, there were no dangerous submerged rocks below it. This allowed me to get up within stepping distance. The swells were far calmer her too. Scott grabbed a pair of side cutters, and hunched at the bow as I positioned the boat into our boulder. All the while I am HOPING we don't get busted!
Scott leaps and makes it!
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l191/gregmadrigal/PB261562.jpg
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l191/gregmadrigal/PB261563.jpg
I throw it into reverse so I don't crash into the rocks. At the same time I am super-relieved that he didn't slip on the first step. The rocks were very uneven, so it took him a bit to reach the trapped bird that was only 30 feet away from the drop-off point. He reached up, and snipped the line.
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l191/gregmadrigal/PB261564.jpg
The bird fell 3 feet to the rock belowched up, and snipped the line. The bird fell 3-4 feet to the rock below. He sat there exhausted and just looking around.
I yelled to Scott to cut the remaining line from his injured foot. He complied, then hastily returned for a picture perfect reboard.
We zipped off to L.B. to fish the outside of the Breakwall. We managed 2 mack-attack to beat the skunkola. Then these guys showed up for the brunch-time entertainment.
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l191/gregmadrigal/PB261565.jpg
We decided to target halibut, so we bought some race horse sardines at the bait barge. We drifted in and around Island White for a few hours for no luv, 'cept the 3 short bites that Scott farmed!LOL!
Headed back th HH to drift some more. I've had some pretty good luck there in the last few weeks.
No luv there either tho, so we packed it in around 2:30pm.
It really was a glorius day, and I just chalk that up to "Time on the water" as far as the fishing was concerned.
I call the other thing, Karma.... :D
Peaceful & Happy Holiday to all my fellow FNN'ers.
GM
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l191/gregmadrigal/PB261561.jpg
We circled around and around trying to come up with a plan. Everything seemed to b working against us. First, the fuzz. Second, this portion of the harbor is CLOSED at all times to anything other than traversing in a motorized craft to or from the ocean. The Seal Beach Navel Weapons Station calls this home, and they load armament onboard military ships like this one that was docked...This ship is watched over EXTREMLY WELL, by a fast small ARMED boat. Not sure if he could see me from where he was at to the harbor entrance... DANGIT?! Look closely, and you can see the small armed boat in front of the ship.
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l191/gregmadrigal/PB271567.jpg
Lastly, the swells rolling in, and trying to get close enough to those jagged boulders is like playing russian roulette. The swells were unpredictable, and dangerous, as sharp barnacle encrusted boulders suddenly emerged as the water rushed away, or a large swell would rush in carrying water (or my Boat) up onto the rocks only to leave them high-n-dry a moment later.
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l191/gregmadrigal/PB261560.jpg
I circled and circled the outside of the jetty thinking that we should just get on with the trip. We debated a plan. Should we leave, or try. Trying just seemed impossible! The fuzz was still within a mile (Binocular range) and moving out to sea slowly. We almost left a few times, but I kept looking for a way.
I kept thinking that even if I could get close enough, the rocks would be slippery, and I'd be making a trip to the ER.....Ayayay....What to do?!
Suddenly, the fuzz guns it and gets outta sight pretty quick. I decided to check out the rocks on the inside. I did the illegal, and darted inside the mouth to quickly find the perfect spot. There was a large boulder overhanging the water. It was flat(ish) on top dry, and not slippery. Most importantly, there were no dangerous submerged rocks below it. This allowed me to get up within stepping distance. The swells were far calmer her too. Scott grabbed a pair of side cutters, and hunched at the bow as I positioned the boat into our boulder. All the while I am HOPING we don't get busted!
Scott leaps and makes it!
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l191/gregmadrigal/PB261562.jpg
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l191/gregmadrigal/PB261563.jpg
I throw it into reverse so I don't crash into the rocks. At the same time I am super-relieved that he didn't slip on the first step. The rocks were very uneven, so it took him a bit to reach the trapped bird that was only 30 feet away from the drop-off point. He reached up, and snipped the line.
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l191/gregmadrigal/PB261564.jpg
The bird fell 3 feet to the rock belowched up, and snipped the line. The bird fell 3-4 feet to the rock below. He sat there exhausted and just looking around.
I yelled to Scott to cut the remaining line from his injured foot. He complied, then hastily returned for a picture perfect reboard.
We zipped off to L.B. to fish the outside of the Breakwall. We managed 2 mack-attack to beat the skunkola. Then these guys showed up for the brunch-time entertainment.
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l191/gregmadrigal/PB261565.jpg
We decided to target halibut, so we bought some race horse sardines at the bait barge. We drifted in and around Island White for a few hours for no luv, 'cept the 3 short bites that Scott farmed!LOL!
Headed back th HH to drift some more. I've had some pretty good luck there in the last few weeks.
No luv there either tho, so we packed it in around 2:30pm.
It really was a glorius day, and I just chalk that up to "Time on the water" as far as the fishing was concerned.
I call the other thing, Karma.... :D
Peaceful & Happy Holiday to all my fellow FNN'ers.
GM