I'm not sure that this belongs in this forum, but we don't have a "weird coincidence" forum so here is it. This is one of the most remarkable "small world" experiences I've ever had.
In August 1997 (16 years ago) a guy named Ed Kerslake posted on the Freedivelist. He was a Welshman with a PhD in some sort of pharmaceutical field, and worked at
Allergan Pharmaceuticals in Irvine. He said he didn't have too much experience but would like to hook up with someone to dive, so I invited him on a trip to Catalina with another FDL member, Bob Jones. About half way to the island, we spotted a kelp paddy with some yellowtail under it and told Ed that he could take first dibs. He had a Riffe Hawaiian, probably not the most ideal gun for yellowtail. Apparently his girlfriend had just given it to him for his birthday, and he asked us how he was supposed to cock it. Bob and I looked at each other with the same thought- "holy shit, I guess he doesn't have much experience." But we had to admire his balls. Here he was, a beginner with no experience, and he was about to jump into a thousand feet of water with no land in sight. I can't recall the details, but after missing a few, he did manage to shoot his first yellowtail that day.
Four days later, he brought his smoking girlfriend along and we headed for San Clemente Island. It was an El Nino year with lots of dorado, and about 10 miles from the island we spotted a paddy that was loaded with them. I gave his girlfriend a quick tutorial on running the boat, and Ed and I jumped in. Almost immediately he shot one, and his girlfriend said it jumped clear of the water with the shaft in it. Not many guys get a yellowtail on their first trip and a dorado and a yellowtail on their second trip, but Ed did. Unfortunately, for the rest of the summer his luck went south, and he paid his dues in arrears. By the next season, he had taken a job with a consulting firm in Boston and we lost contact.
OK, fast forward to the present. My daughter has been married to a German for 13 years and lives in Germany. Her husband Holger has been doing some consulting work for a company in Cambridge, MA for a couple of years, and the CEO of that company was in Germany for meetings last week. Holger and the CEO were chatting in a car riding from a meeting back to a hotel, and the CEO mentioned that he used to free dive. Holger said that his father-in-law was a free diver and lived in SoCal. The CEO said he used to dive with a former Marine in SoCal. Holger said his father-in-law was a former Marine. So as you have guessed by now, the CEO is Ed Kerslake. Holger gave Ed my cell number and he called to reminisce about our trips together.
What are the chances? What a small world it is.
Ed just got back to Cambridge and emailed me this photo. I don't seem to have any of my own, or I would have been sure to include one of his girlfriend.
I can't believe how much younger I looked 16 years ago. Oh well.
In August 1997 (16 years ago) a guy named Ed Kerslake posted on the Freedivelist. He was a Welshman with a PhD in some sort of pharmaceutical field, and worked at
Allergan Pharmaceuticals in Irvine. He said he didn't have too much experience but would like to hook up with someone to dive, so I invited him on a trip to Catalina with another FDL member, Bob Jones. About half way to the island, we spotted a kelp paddy with some yellowtail under it and told Ed that he could take first dibs. He had a Riffe Hawaiian, probably not the most ideal gun for yellowtail. Apparently his girlfriend had just given it to him for his birthday, and he asked us how he was supposed to cock it. Bob and I looked at each other with the same thought- "holy shit, I guess he doesn't have much experience." But we had to admire his balls. Here he was, a beginner with no experience, and he was about to jump into a thousand feet of water with no land in sight. I can't recall the details, but after missing a few, he did manage to shoot his first yellowtail that day.
Four days later, he brought his smoking girlfriend along and we headed for San Clemente Island. It was an El Nino year with lots of dorado, and about 10 miles from the island we spotted a paddy that was loaded with them. I gave his girlfriend a quick tutorial on running the boat, and Ed and I jumped in. Almost immediately he shot one, and his girlfriend said it jumped clear of the water with the shaft in it. Not many guys get a yellowtail on their first trip and a dorado and a yellowtail on their second trip, but Ed did. Unfortunately, for the rest of the summer his luck went south, and he paid his dues in arrears. By the next season, he had taken a job with a consulting firm in Boston and we lost contact.
OK, fast forward to the present. My daughter has been married to a German for 13 years and lives in Germany. Her husband Holger has been doing some consulting work for a company in Cambridge, MA for a couple of years, and the CEO of that company was in Germany for meetings last week. Holger and the CEO were chatting in a car riding from a meeting back to a hotel, and the CEO mentioned that he used to free dive. Holger said that his father-in-law was a free diver and lived in SoCal. The CEO said he used to dive with a former Marine in SoCal. Holger said his father-in-law was a former Marine. So as you have guessed by now, the CEO is Ed Kerslake. Holger gave Ed my cell number and he called to reminisce about our trips together.
What are the chances? What a small world it is.
Ed just got back to Cambridge and emailed me this photo. I don't seem to have any of my own, or I would have been sure to include one of his girlfriend.
I can't believe how much younger I looked 16 years ago. Oh well.