Surfer graced by jumping dolphin at Rincon Point
CARPINTERIA, Calif. - An iconic video clip captured last month during a classic day of surfing at the Queen of the Coast has gone viral.
Dozens of surfers were out in the water, including Baron Spafford, a well known Santa Barbara photographer. On this particular day he was at the other end of the camera, on his long board, enjoying a beautiful wave.
Chris Keet, Founder of Surf Happens, was coaching and filming his students out surfing.
At one point, Keet zeroes in on Spafford. Roughly eight seconds into the clip, a dolphin jumps out of the water ahead of Spafford's board, not once but three times.
"Having been surfing for well over 55 years, it's definitely one of my most memorable waves, not because of the size of it or the unique hollowness of it but the experience I had with the dolphin," said Spafford.
The ocean encounter lasted nearly half a minute. Spafford told News Channel 3-12 that nearby surfers were excited for him while watching the moment unfold.
"At the beginning of the wave the dolphin was actually drafting directly under my surfboard. As I look down, I've got this dolphin swimming with me, looking up at me and then it decided to go forwarded and came out of the wave, twice. And then, the third time, it got into too shallow water and left."
The longtime surfer and professional photographer gave kudos to Keet.
"It was very kind of him to share that video with me. He's one of the top surf coaches in California, if not the world, and he just happened to be pointing the camera my way, in my direction and captured that beautiful wave. So, thank you, Chris. I certainly appreciate having this memory down on film."
