Can anyone help this guy?

[John Rawlings]

This is turning quite rapidly into a case of "Alls Well That Ends Well", and for that, we should all be quite pleased.

Blane is getting his reel back, joined NWDC, and is planning on becoming a diver at the earliest opportunity - Brian, already an active diver, is sending the reel to Blane and has joined our NWDC community here - plus there has been a lot of positive public attention given to divers in general.

Despite these overall extremely positive outcomes, there can and will be differing opinions that will be expressed here regarding the dives and the boundary zone, amongst other things. It's inevitable and to be expected.

I'm certain that I speak for the moderators here when I say that while we encourage active discussion and the expression of differing opinions the rules of civility must, and will, continue to be applied. We are extremely fortunate to have gained two new members from the exact opposite end of the spectrum in this situation. Our expectation is that everyone involved in this discussion will be treated with civility even when there is disagreement.

Fair enough?

- John

[Joshua Smith]

Hello all,
I am that dirty rotten sob that found Blaine's reel. He sent me a link to this site last night. To make a very long story short. I was diving with a bunch of buddies at Seacrest and noticed not a sole on the pier and new the ferry was not operational. So, I talked my buddies into a short detour to the pier to see what we could see (and find) I figured it would be interesting since it normally does not see any diving. I found the rod and reel and thought how cool is that. I left it there and continued our dive within the park boundries. At the end of the dive I still had 500 pounds of air left and swam back to get the rod and reel. For some reason I decided to take only the reel. I surfaced and cleaned her good in fresh water in the sink at the pier. I showed it to all the divers that were hanging around because I thought I salvaged it. I really liked the reel and had many offers to buy it from friends but I kept it because it was starting to feel special to me. It started to bug me that I left the rod down there so I returned the following Monday. (Original dive was thursday) Isearched for the rod but it was gone. Now I know why. I appreciate all those that kept an open mind about what happened to the reel. However, I do understand the negative comments about whoever took it since there are a lot of unsavory people out there. I was wary of giving Blaine any contact info because I did not know him.But, since you all give him a good opinion I feel better about that. I am glad the reel is going to find its way back to such a deserving person. I guess I'm a member now so I just may see ya around sometime, Brian

Hey, Brian- welcome to the site. I would like to echo John's post above, and ask that any negative comments be withheld- a precious heirloom will find it's way back to it's owner, and I'm really happy about that.
Brian- for what it's worth, a post like yours would normally get a lot of negative attention, for two reasons- diving inside the boundary line, and continuing a dive w/ 500 psi remaining. Those are "hot button" issues w/ a lot of divers around here; but we feel that it would be inappropriate to discuss them in this thread. So please, everyone- let's just not do it, this one time.

[spatman]

my faith in humanity has been restored! thank you, brian!

and congratulations, blane on getting the heirloom back!

great job all around! :smt038

[BDub]

Brian-

A HUGE thanks for getting the reel back to Blane.

This is an awesome ending to this story, and I really appreciate your efforts in getting Blane's reel back to him.

Brian

[enchantmentdivi]

OK, shame on me for temporarily thinking the worst of the person who found the reel. In today's world, it's kinda hard not to jump to the worst conclusion sometimes. I apologize.

Thank you Brian for doing the right thing and returning it once you found out the situation!

Congrats Blane on getting your heirloom back!

It would be great if Q13 did a follow-up story--great human interest piece for sure.

[edm81363]

HI Brian -

Welcome to the site. Huge kudos for doing the right thing and getting the reel back to Blane.

I'm very happy that this story had the best possible ending.

-Ed
(I've also updated the media.)

[BASSMAN]

:occasion5:
Welcome to Brian and Blane!
I just want to say...
"Thank you Brian and Congrats to Blane!"

[airsix]

Welcome to the club, Brian. We are glad to have you here. Shame on me for jumping to conclusions. I'm very happy about the turns this story has taken. You're here, Blane gets his reel and wants to start diving... Things are looking up.

-Ben

[LCF]

Not to hijack this thread (which I suspect has run its course, anyway), but Ben, judging from the new avatar, you need to plan another weekend on our side of the mountains!

[airsix]

Not to hijack this thread (which I suspect has run its course, anyway), but Ben, judging from the new avatar, you need to plan another weekend on our side of the mountains!

You aren't kidding. I'm very thirsty for some PNW brine.
Maybe in April (and May, and June...)

-Ben

[Sounder]

Another Update... :occasion5:

I heard from Blane this afternoon around 4:45pm. He called to let me know that he had his grandfather's reel back in his hands and he sounded extremely happy. He wanted to be sure we knew how much he appreciated all the members of the NWDC and the dive team.

There will be a follow up story tonight on KOMO and Fox Q13 reporting the story's conclusion, including another interview with Blane... WITH his reel this time!!

You guys rock!!

[Penopolypants]

I ran into Blane tonight at Cove 2 just after the Komo4 interview and just before the Q13 interview. Boy was he happy! He showed me the reel....it's quite a piece of equipment. Beautiful, well-built, surprisingly heavy, and everything was working smoothly.

He promised he would hang on to it this time. But, he knows where to turn if it goes under again.

[BDub]

it's quite a piece of equipment. Beautiful, well-built, surprisingly heavy, and everything was working smoothly.

That's what she said...(sorry, as a fan of "The Office", I couldn't pass that one up!)

I ran into Blane tonight at Cove 2 just after the Komo4 interview and just before the Q13 interview. Boy was he happy!

That's very good news. What a great ending!

[Sounder]

I'm glad he was so happy. I could hear his smile through the phone this afternoon.

Hopefully the media will post the report on their website again (it's getting to be the time when I turn into a pumpkin)... it was unfortunate that KOMO didn't have it on their website.

Hey Ed - what are the chances of getting copies of the news reports??

Ed deserves a lot of credit too... he arranged all the media coverage and was invaluable in directing the media and ensuring they didn't say things about our "oxygen tanks" or other inaccurate things. Thank you Ed for all your work on this. We're fortunate to have you aboard and I look forward to working with you on future diving-related PR stuff.

[Sounder]

it's quite a piece of equipment. Beautiful, well-built, surprisingly heavy, and everything was working smoothly.

That's what she said...(sorry, as an "Office" fan, I couldn't pass that one up!)

I can't believe I missed that one!! ](*,) ](*,)

[somedaydiver]

It's Home safe and sound, thanks to Doug, Ed, each and every one of you and one nice, honest man Brian. "Homosapian Amphibia" the best species ever. Thanks Everyone, you rock See you in the water someday soon! Blane
-Bdub, could you send me your contact info?

[Pez7378]

Can anyone help this guy? YES THEY CAN!!

I just have to say, I am so proud to call you all my friends! Blane, Welcome to the CLUB! Brian, Welcome to the CLUB! Honestly, many of you know, I work with some pretty bad dudes, and I've seen some "skullduggery" in my time.(I can't really afford that word, it's on loan) But for some reason I knew this was different and would turn out well. I even told Joe that the reel would turn up somehow, somewhere and Blane would get it back.

Brian, what you did was admirable, and decent. Should you choose to hang around here at NWDC, you will find that there are many good people here, just like you. And we LOVE TO DIVE! So it would be great to see the both of you Saturday the 22nd at 0900am at Redondo for the NWDC Club/Big Buddy dive. If not for the diving then come on down for some of Penelopes famous? BBQ...........weiners! Tell me that doesn't sound like fun!?!?

[Penopolypants]

Well, at least I don't have to tape anything to my barbecued wieners!

Pez, am I gonna have to add you to my list of people that I trounce after Sounder?!

it's quite a piece of equipment. Beautiful, well-built, surprisingly heavy, and everything was working smoothly.

That's what she said...(sorry, as a fan of "The Office", I couldn't pass that one up!)

Badump bump bump.

Okay, that was really funny!

Homosapian Amphibia....that rocks.

[Nwbrewer]

I found something to replace W.P. as my title! Nailer, can this be added to the list of the ones in rotation that show up automatically? Homosapian Amphibia

Blaine, you can get ahold of Bdub here - http://www.frogkickdiving.com/

Jake

[enchantmentdivi]

A picture is truly worth a thousand words... All I can come up with right now is WOW because I'm smiling too much looking at that awesome pic!!!!

[Sounder]

Yes, come out to meet more of the NWDC folks on March 22nd at Redondo. We'll be arriving around 9am-10am or so and doing a couple dives. If you're not diving, and want to come out for P-Pant's BBQed WP's, they should be quite tasty and we'd love to have you. Mrs. Sounder will be there around lunch time and won't be diving and it sounds like Valerie may do the same.

Hope you all can make it!

[edm81363]

Hi all -

I just posted the news coverage of the dive to recover the lost fishing reel at Cove 2;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0616997IGs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioFZH4y9qyE

-Ed

[Sounder]

Hi all -

I just posted the news coverage of the dive to recover the lost fishing reel at Cove 2;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0616997IGs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioFZH4y9qyE

-Ed

That's fantastic!! Thanks again, Ed, for all your work with the media stuff. You deserve a lot of credit for the happy ending too.

[scottsax]

Did Blane ever start diving? Did anyone ever dive with Brian?

[Sounder]

Did Blane ever start diving? Did anyone ever dive with Brian?

He called me to thank us for searching for it and subsequently drumming up the media attention that got it returned, but after that I never heard from him.