Hit by a seal in San Diego

[davocean]

Well, lobster season opened a couple weeks ago, and I've been doing alot of night diving for them the last couple weeks.
Saturday night I was having one of my best bug dives ever, lobbys everywhere, I had 5 w/in 10 minutes of going down, good size ones too.
I had just turned to look at #6 and drawing up slowly when WHAM!!
Hit across my back, felt a hard jerk pull me back, and snap.
I turned around, shined my light, nothing there, and my goody bag full of lobby's was gone, and my heavy duty spring loaded steel leader clip was shattered.
I've been hearing alot of stories about the seals getting pretty comfy boarding yaks,(sometimes sinking them) and stealing fishermans catch while reeling in, but this was a first for me, never been robbed while diving, and pretty spooky at night.
So much for cute and furry equals friendly!!

 

[yousmellsfishy]

Wow!! :eek1:

 

[Patwa]

woah.....crazy story!

in other news, what's your favourite way to cook up a lobster??

 

[davocean]

I worked at a fish market back in HS, and I do what they taught me.
I boil in SW when I get home, but only cook half way through, like 4 minutes(I was taught head first in boiling water is most humane way)
I usually cool them down right away under running water and then put them in the freezer for later, maybe put a couple in the fridge for cooking next day.
I BBQ them on the grill the rest of the way w/ butter and garlic, seasonings, like 4-5 minutes depending on size.
This seems to be best way IMO.
Boiled all the way usually is a lil mushy, BBQ can be dry, combo works perfect.
OK, guess I should get some pics on here to make interesting, my last catch.

Ans each year I usually do a big BBQ w/ friends, this is a few dives worth on the grill.

 

[thewire]

wow nice...do you need permit to catch them?

 

[davocean]

Just fishing license, and lobster report card filled out, hands only unless hoop netting, no spears, traps of any kind, and a gauge to check for legal size, and 7 is the limit.

 

[Patwa]

omg omg....you're killing me, man! that looks crazy delish!

just to clarify...

1. you cook halfway in boiling water for 4 mins
2. then you freeze for eats later on...
3. when it's time to eat, you toss it on the BBQ? do you cut the lobster in half, lengthwise? do you detach the carapace and ONLY cook the tails (as per your second pic)? what happens to the carapace? please don't tell me you throw that away

details, man, DETAILS!? haha

Zach

 

[davocean]

Haha, well, I do thaw them before cooking on Q.
Prep varies depending on how late I come home and how tired I am.
If I plan to make a big display about cooking for peeps next day or so, I'll just put lobby's in a pot and cover w/ damp towel, put in fridge, they'll stay alive 2-3 days that way.
Then I may cook whole, but alot of peeps freak on that, so just depends on situation.(last girl I invited for lobby's told me she puts PETA stickers on the local lobster tanks!LOL, didn't work out, and she was BUGGIN on how I cook them!)
But really on pacific lobster, there is very little meat other than tail, so to split it's alot more mess and cleanup than just ripping tail off after boiling.
I know sometimes people like to make a sauce w/ the inards, or stuff that area, rarely do I go through all that.

 

[davocean]

Double post

 

[billsreef]

Glad the few seals around here stay away from people

 

[snorvich]

Damn, that made me HUNGRY. Off to dinner.

 

[curlykid]

wow, a seal robber! those lobsters look so tasty, i love the way you cook them, but, before you BBQ, do you marinate in garlic and butter? Or, do you just drizzle it on will cooking?

 

[davocean]

Glad the few seals around here stay away from people

The seals right here mainly tick off and rob fisherman, this was first diver hit I know of so far.(lucky me)
But my friends up in northern Cal say they have been a fairly serious issue w/ the boarding and sinking of kayaks, and especially kayak fisherman, where they have sunk yaks that were a couple miles off shore, leaving a serious swim, and at least one guy drowned from it.
Some think they are running from whitey's, and therefore luring whitey's near.
I know it's their place before mine, but that still doesn't make me happy I lost 5 fat bugs and a good back w/ nice clips and lobby gauges.(and a clean pair of undies!)
But then again, coulda been worse.

 

[davocean]

wow, a seal robber! those lobsters look so tasty, i love the way you cook them, but, before you BBQ, do you marinate in garlic and butter? Or, do you just drizzle it on will cooking?

I melt butter w/ seasonings and pour it on top, let soak in shell, cook face up so it kinda holds butter, cooks it in.
Just before done I usually turn over and press for grill marks.
Tonight at my brothers, his wife pitched in king crab.
Poorest I've been in years but I'm eating ok!LOL

 

[Patwa]

goddam, son!!! next time i'm in San Diego, i'm calling you up!

hey do you ever go abalone collecting??

Zach

 

[davocean]

We can't collect them in Southern Cali.
My friend does up in Nothern Cal, not sure where the cut off point is, sometimes we trade abs for bugs, but that doesn't spread as far around here or last long.

 

[billsreef]

Some think they are running from whitey's, and therefore luring whitey's near.

Our seal populations have been increasing, with them also sticking around for more of the year. Along with that has been an increase in Great White sightings.