The first flasher didn’t come from a shop.
It came from another diver.
David appeared through a local freediving chat—
one message passed along, a name mentioned, nothing formal.
They met at Catalina.
He moved like someone who belonged in open water.
Relaxed. Confident. Unconcerned with explaining himself.
At some point, he reached into his gear and handed something over:
a short PVC pipe, rough and improvised.
“This is for attracting yellowtail,” he said.
And then—without waiting—
he threw it.
The flasher left his hand, cut through the surface,
and started sinking.
David kicked off and kept moving,
as if the exchange was already complete.
Only then did the realization hit.
“Wait—how do you use it?”
“This is my first blue-water dive… just so you know.”
The words came out late.
Half question, half confession.
There was no explanation.
No pause.
Just trust—and deep water.