Editor:
Marine Reserves can’t come soon enough for me. I’m with Norm Cole (“Angler Welcomes Ban, Eyes Recovery,” July 15); leave the weapons behind and snorkel out to our kelp forest.
Over the July 4 weekend I witnessed a number of violations to our marine habitat. Here are just a few of them. Walking around the point at Shaw’s Cove I encountered fishermen with nearly a dozen mussels they had ripped form the rocks to use as bait. While out swimming off Fisherman’s Cove I came across two speared Garibaldi. Then I saw two spearfishermen walking through the tidepools with their fins on entering the water from the rocks instead of from the beach where it is safer for them and less destructive to the habitat. Later when swimming past these same spearfishermen, I realized one of their spear guns was pointed straight ahead at me and my friend. When I asked him if he would point his gun down and not straight ahead in our direction, his response was “shut up you *x@#?x#x”. I for one will not miss having to share the water with these offenders and their lethal weapons.
Snorkeling enables us to see an amazing variety and abundance of marine life, from sardines and senoritas that dart away from you, kelp bass that stare you down, beautiful Garibaldi that stand their ground and defend their turf, large schools of sargo and white sea bass, graceful bat rays “flying” through the kelp and maybe even the elusive giant black sea bass (I’ve seen one!) or a playful harbor seal. The water is nearly 70 degrees. What are you waiting for?
Sandy Dildine, Laguna Beach
