by Moss
4/19/07
We all know that the chilly, choppy, freezing-frickin’ cold waters off the Mendocino coast is no place for the weary. And, freaky shit happens all the time up there. But the last two days (really a 25 hour stretch) brought three deaths by drownings in three separate incidents, but with strange, coincidental ties. Indeed, there are quite a few abalone divers sporting for their fave delight this time of year, and I’m aware of annual drownings, but this one seemed connected somehow. The first two happened yesterday, at approximately the same time, seven o’clock AM. One victim was a woman who was diving off of Lighthouse Road, she was 60 yrs. old and was a known frequent diver. The seventy year old man, diving in Casper, CA, 35 miles north, was with a group, uncovering abalone at low tide. He also died at roughly seven AM. The third, also diving off of Lighthouse Road in Point Arena, said to be a Laotian immigrant, was diving with his girlfriend and another friend, when he too drowned in choppy surf.

Note to kids up in Mendocino:
Chill out on getting in the water for a little while until the surf swells chill.