A recreational dive in Monterey Bay turned into a once-in-a-lifetime moment when a diver encountered a rare creature, a deep-sea species seldom seen alive. The sighting, reported by SFGATE, quickly captured the attention of marine enthusiasts and myth-watchers alike.
A Rare Encounter With The Mysterious King-Of-The-Salmon
For Ted Judah, what began as a casual dive off McAbee Beach became a moment of awe and wonder. The waters of Monterey Bay were unusually clear on the morning of December 30, which prompted him to deviate from his usual dive routine. “I decided to just put my face in the water and look at everything,” he told SFGATE. As he peered into the unusually transparent sea, something strange and shimmering caught his eye. “There was an undulating thing” attached to a blade-like shimmer, he said. Within moments, he surfaced and told his wife: “There is something really amazing down here.”
The king-of-the-salmon, a rare, ribbon-like fish typically found at depths around 3,000 feet, is not something divers normally encounter near the surface. The juvenile specimen Judah saw was estimated to be only 8 or 9 inches long, but its metallic body, spiky head appendages, and otherworldly movements made it feel like a creature from a different world. Judah, an experienced diver with decades in the water, was immediately struck by the creature’s elegance and intelligence. As he approached, the fish shifted its body to remain almost invisible, presenting its narrowest angle. “It was like he knew how to be invisible,” Judah reflected. He was eventually able to shoot video using a GoPro, capturing rare footage of this elusive species.
This juvenile king-of-the-salmon fish was spotted Dec. 30 in Monterey Bay. Courtesy of Ted Judah
Legends, Earthquakes, And The Deep-Sea Mystery
The sighting may have delighted Judah, but for others, it stirred up deeper emotions. In Japanese folklore, ribbon fish, including the king-of-the-salmon, have long been associated with impending natural disasters like earthquakes and tsunamis. These deep-sea creatures are believed to surface before seismic activity, earning nicknames like “doomsday fish”. Although there’s no scientific evidence to support the superstition, the myth continues to echo in communities around the Pacific Ring of Fire.
As reported by SFGATE, sightings of this species alive in shallow water are extremely rare. Most encounters occur when the fish washes ashore, dead or dying. That’s what makes Judah’s dive so unique, not just that he saw the fish alive, but that he watched it interact with its environment, ascend toward the light, and eventually slip back into the depths on its own terms. It was a moment of profound connection, one that underscores the mystery and fragility of Earth’s ocean ecosystems.
King-of-the-salmon spotted by Ted Judah. Courtesy of Ted Judah
A Life Shaped By The Sea
For Judah, the encounter was not a random stroke of luck, but rather the result of a lifetime lived close to the ocean. Raised in Petaluma, California, Judah’s father, an avid diver, introduced him to the underwater world at the age of 8. His first wetsuit was handmade, and his first dive was an abalone expedition. The ocean was never just a destination, it became a second home. In 1996, during an advanced open-water dive course in Monterey, he met the woman who would become his wife. Together, they explored the Californian coastline until they paused diving to raise their daughter.
Recently, the couple rekindled their passion for diving, participating in volunteer work with the California Academy of Sciences, urchin removal to protect kelp forests, and aquarium maintenance. During a trip to Catalina Island over the holidays, they visited the underwater memorial of Jacques Cousteau, a symbolic pilgrimage. On the return journey, a spontaneous decision to dive in Monterey led them to this unforgettable moment. “I thought, ‘I don’t want to ask any more of you. You’re an amazing creature.’ And I let him go.”
Nature’s Gift In A Changing Ocean
This encounter is more than just a personal milestone, it’s a reminder of how much of the ocean remains unseen and unexplored. As climate patterns shift and human impact deepens, moments like this become more meaningful. Judah’s story highlights how critical it is to foster a connection with nature, not through extraction or domination, but through observation and respect. After releasing the fish, the couple continued their dive, spotting local marine life, kelp fish, greenlings, decorator crabs, amid the lush forests of underwater vegetation.
Judah later admitted he couldn’t stop thinking about the fish. The image of its shimmering form lingered in his mind. “I have to get home and look at this footage,” he recalled saying. For someone who has spent his life underwater, this brief encounter seemed to encapsulate everything that keeps him returning to the sea, curiosity, humility, and gratitude.