Rock West’s Marine division is spearheaded by Eric Thorstenson. His love of ocean sports goes back decades. Eric’s first trip to Lands End at the tip of Baja California was 1981 when he traveled from San Diego, CA to Cabo San Lucas, driving 1,000 miles south on a two lane highway. He was roughing it in a 1965 GMC metal dashboard pickup truck with cab over camper. Drawn in by Baja’s majestic beauty, sheer landscapes, pristine beaches, colorful sunrises and sunsets, coupled with its raw, wild coastline, Eric has since made countless subsequent trips exploring, surfing and diving remote locations up and down this amazing peninsula.
An ardent believer in sustainable fishing, Eric is extremely mindful assessing each fishing ground he hunts prior to taking fish. He primarily targets Pelagic fish (migratory open ocean fish), and when hunting reef fish, he only takes when he sees or knows there are several more of the same target species within the area he’s hunting. He also only takes for personal family and friends consumption, and abides by local fishing rules, regulations, and laws.
Eric spent the end of 2021 through New Years 2022 in the Los Cabos, Mexico area surfing and spearfishing in his favorite spots. He considers himself extremely fortunate, lucky, and honored to find and capture this beautiful fish. (Eric was out testing new Rock West composite fin prototypes. Coincidence?)
What: Baqueta Grouper
Where: Los Cabos
Hunting Depth: 15 – 20 meters
How: Apnea (Breath Hold) Spearfishing
Why: Testing Rock West Marine’s new prototype composite fin blades
When: December 29, 2021
Every dive this trip Eric heard the reverberating sounds of Humpback whales communicating with each other. Eric says it’s difficult to articulate the feeling he gets listening to, feeling these awesome mammals communicate in the water. Diving the same general fishing area, the following day, Eric was buzzed by a juvenile Humpback whale. The whale came within a 10-meter distance away from him. The whale was so close, Eric saw every detail as it slowly cruised by disappearing into the blue… a priceless moment.