I ran out of stories about San Diego so went to my archives inside my Carlsbad storage bin. I thought some of my followers might like a fish story. It came from a story I wrote in 2011, about one month after I moved into the El Loco Hotel on Broadway. (The Old YMCA, built in 1924)
"I caught over thirty fish in one and a half weeks. You should have seen the Maui Maui, at least seven feet long, and the Blue and Yellow Fin Tuna!"
I turned around to find out where that booming voice came from, only after I put down my McDonald's coffee-if you could call the water coffee. I waited for this heavy set man to finish his cell phone call.The second floor of the terminal then offered inexpensive eateries in a lunch court. Then, I had an unobstructed view to the San Diego sky line-but no more.
"Where did you catch the fish?" He turned around eager to tell me his adventure.
"I spent $1,700 on the Polaris which sailed out of the Point Loma Landing, down the Baja Coast, and on to Cedros Island. For every Yellow Tail, or Yellow Fin, another escaped my hook. After we brought the fish up, an employee would spike his head disabling his thinking and cut off its gills to remove its blood."
The gentleman from Colorado mentioned he was a forensic lawyer in heavy demand. "The judges knew when I needed a vacation so made sure my testimony would not conflict with future dates in court."
"After the catch, the fish were salted and some given to the ship hands. They did a great job making the best sushi I had ever eaten. When we returned the fish were taken to a plant and then sent to my home in Denver. It meant fish for most of the year."
His eyes widened and in no way could I get Captain Ahab to shut up. I let Mike do the talking since he had me on his hook and could not release the bait.
'We gave the cooks some of the Tuna. With it they prepared Yellow Tail Jerky. They soaked the fish in Olive Oil and then lemon. It tasted great! Our fish was stored below deck with an separate compartment for each of us. The fish were first dipped in salt water to keep them fresh. He called it the way of preparing fish "chachuma" or the way they prepared the sushi."
My mouth watered and my stomach growled for fish. He mentioned the name of Aleos Rock where he went fishing one one of three trips each year.
"They guy next to me pulled up the biggest catch. He landed a twelve foot Thresher shark. Several trucks waited for us at the Point Loma Landing. The trucks picked up the fish and took our catch to a plant in San Diego. There the meat was cut and packed for shipment back to Colorado Springs.
In the course of our conversation, Mike told me as a forensic psychologist he was highly respected by lawyers and judges. "They make sure my three fishing trips a year don't conflict with their court cases or my hunting trips. I have been at it for over thirty years."
"My wife of thirty years would rather stay home and watch soaps on T.V. The one trip we took to Africa she remained in the five star hotel and wined and dined. Also, I hunt for deer and bear. I use a 20 gauge shot gun and my daughters enjoy the real meat without the hormones."
Just before leaving on his Delta flight, I asked him why he enjoyed hunting so much
"I enjoy leaving my high stress job for a natural one. The wild beckon me. My best friend Jake takes a mule and climbs ten miles to his cabin. He sits and writes a book every summer"
After we parted, I left for a nap, then a train ride to Carlsbad where I wrote the fish story. I caught me a whopper of a fish story without throwing in my line-and it didn't cost me a dime.
Now it is 1914, and I spend one day a week at Ocean Beach. I'd rather be there than anywhere. The fisherman are all happy-no matter how many lines they have in the water. Even though my asthma keeps me from fishing, I dream about it. Besides, I have made friends with the Pelicans, Storks and enjoy a cup of hot chocolate at the Wow cafe.
"I
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