Onlookers Hold Breath as Diver Reclaims Mark

It took two tries, the first of which, on Sunday, threw a scare into a crowd of onlookers, but Francisco “Pipin” Ferreras reclaimed his title of “Deepest Man Alive” Tuesday, setting a world breath-hold record of 440 feet during a 2 1/2-minute plunge off Cabo San Lucas.

On Sunday, the 6-foot-3, 220-pound Cuban exile who lives in Florida, failed in his bid to dive 440 feet, blaming it on a large crowd. Hundreds of spectators aboard a flotilla of more than 50 boats had gathered to watch. Ferreras remained underwater for 4 1/2 minutes during a dive that was supposed to last 2 1/2 minutes.

He finally emerged, to the cheers of his supporters, then explained that the boats, some of which were attached to his diving platform, had drifted in the wind, making it impossible for him to reach his planned depth.

A cable descending from the platform was supposed to guide Ferreras and a weighted sled into a 985-foot canyon and to the marker at 440 feet, but when the platform drifted the cable wrapped around a pinnacle--an underwater rock spire. Ferreras’ support crew of scuba divers stopped him as he was about to slam into the pinnacle at 395 feet.

“My assistant divers down there stopped me,” Ferreras told Televisa, the Mexican television network covering the event. “They gave me a [breathing] regulator and that’s how I got back up.”

On Tuesday, Ferreras, 34, who had not announced the date or time of this dive, slipped into a calm sea and rode his sled down into the blackness, overcoming pressure so great that the blood in his arms and legs was forced to his brain, his chest and into his lungs--a reaction triggered by the body to prevent their collapse. His heart slowed to fewer than 10 beats per minute.

On reaching the record depth, breaking the mark of 430 feet held by Italy’s Umberto Pelizzari, Ferreras inflated a balloon and blasted to the surface. Pelizzari and Ferreras have been passing the record back and forth, Pelizzari having broken Ferreras’ previous record of 428 feet in September.

FRESHWATER REPORT

LAKE PERRIS--Largemouth bass biting, mainly on purple plastic worms at dam and island. Some trout taken at the launch ramp and some large bluegill biting near the marina.

CORONA LAKE--Lots of big trout and some limits. Largest, 12 pounds 5 ounces by Jeff Farnham, Corona, trolling a black Roostertail.

SANTA ANA RIVER LAKES--Lake recently received transplanted trout, catfish, hybrid striped bass and white sturgeon from a draining Anaheim lake. Trout best bet, with several in the 10-pound range being caught. Largest, 16-7, by Julio Ortiz, Orange, on chartreuse Power Bait.

LAKE CACHUMA--Trout picking up but still a little slow, biting mainly for trollers using Needlefish lures at Cachuma Bay and dam. Red-ear perch biting on night crawlers at Cachuma Bay. Some bass, most taken at 30 feet on jigs.

LAKE CASITAS--Lots of small bass. Largest, 7 pounds 8 ounces by Scott Watson, Camarillo, on Worm King lure. Crawdads getting most. Catfish good, biting at 90 feet. Leonard Gibson, Oak View, 18-pound catfish, on mackerel at Deep Cat.

PYRAMID LAKE--Striped bass action fair for trollers using surface lures at island. Evening best bet. Paul Machovec, West Covina, seven- and four-pound stripers, on Shad-Rap lure at island. Crappie bite fair from docks, mini-jigs best.

LAKE PIRU--Trout fishing fair for trollers using Needlefish and Rapalas along east shore and at dam. Few limits.

CASTAIC LAKE--Largemouth bass fishing slow to fair in upper and lower reservoirs. Mike Woernley, Canyon Country, 10-9, 8-7 and seven-pound bass, on trout-pattern lure in upper lake.

SAN DIEGO CITY LAKES--Miramar: Trout fishing fair with Power Bait and small spinners. Largest 5-1. Other species slow. Murray: Largemouth bass and trout action slow to fair. San Vicente: Catfish action slow, but one 38-15 was caught. Largemouth bass best bet.

LAKE SKINNER--Striped bass biting at dam, inlet and south shore. Luis Lujan, San Jacinto, 17-2 striper, on homemade lure at south shore.

SALTWATER REPORT

The Times accepts and publishes the catch count as a public service. Any responsibility for accuracy is that of the landing operator.

SAN SIMEON--12 anglers (1 boat): 1 lingcod, 18 red rock cod, 15 rock cod, 115 assorted rockfish.

MORRO BAY (Virg’s Landing)--21 anglers (1 boat): 4 lingcod, 10 red rock cod, 200 rock cod, 50 rockfish.

AVILA BAY (Avila Beach)--9 anglers (1 boat): 12 red rock cod, 63 assorted rock cod, 1 lingcod.

SANTA BARBARA (Hornet’s Landing)--8 anglers (1 boat): 21 calico bass, 8 sand bass, 3 rockfish, 1 white sea bass.

VENTURA--32 anglers (2 boats): 313 rockfish, 14 sculpin, 1 sheepshead, 29 whitefish, 2 blue perch, 9 lingcod, 4 cow cod, 30 sole.

OXNARD (Cisco’s)--35 anglers (2 boats): 2 cow cod, 180 rock cod, 10 red snapper, 60 rockfish, 5 sculpin, 1 sheepshead, 10 whitefish.

PORT HUENEME--30 anglers (2 boats): 192 rock cod, 14 calico bass, 1 sheepshead, 2 halibut, 36 sand bass, 3 whitefish, 2 sculpin.

MARINA DEL REY--56 anglers (4 boats): 3 halibut, 52 sand bass, 175 sculpin.

REDONDO BEACH--40 anglers (2 boats): 3 calico bass, 17 sand bass, 1 cabezon, 22 perch, 7 red snapper, 20 sculpin, 58 whitefish, 3 halibut, 40 mackerel, 65 rockfish.

SAN PEDRO (L.A. Harbor Sportfishing)--35 anglers (2 boats): 1 white sea bass, 35 calico bass, 18 sand bass, 2 trigger fish, 4 black croaker, 6 rockfish, 12 sculpin, 10 sheepshead, 17 whitefish, 19 perch. (22nd St. Landing)--13 anglers (1 boat): 28 calico bass, 33 sand bass, 9 sculpin, 15 whitefish, 5 sheepshead, 40 blue perch, 13 rockfish.

LONG BEACH--26 anglers (3 boats): 8 yellowtail, 1 calico bass, 3 sand bass, 2 halibut, 165 whitefish, 7 sheepshead, 79 perch, 12 sculpin, 46 rockfish.

SEAL BEACH--24 anglers (1 boat): 51 whitefish, 8 sheepshead, 244 perch, 19 sculpin, 69 rockfish, 21 red snapper.

NEWPORT BEACH (Newport Landing)--13 anglers (1 boat): 1 sand bass, 10 rockfish, 130 sculpin, 2 sole, 35 mackerel. (Davey’s Locker)--27 anglers (2 boats): 11 calico bass, 26 sand bass, 14 sculpin, 4 sheepshead, 1 rockfish, 3 sole, 40 blue perch, 1 black croaker.

DANA WHARF--57 anglers (2 boats): 1 bonito, 9 calico bass, 7 sand bass, 32 mackerel, 30 rockfish, 2 sculpin, 7 sheepshead.

OCEANSIDE--41 anglers (1 boat): 9 calico bass, 27 sea bass, 1 halibut, 75 sculpin, 4 sheepshead, 200 mackerel.

SAN DIEGO (Seaforth)--54 anglers (3 boats): 24 bonito, 8 calico bass, 12 sand bass, 118 rockfish, 140 mackerel, 1 sheepshead, 28 sculpin. (Islandia)--29 anglers (2 boats): 13 whitefish, 2 bonito, 1 sheepshead, 6 sculpin, 83 rockfish, 180 mackerel.

TROUT PLANTS

LOS ANGELES COUNTY--Legg Lake. VENTURA--Lake Casitas, Lake Piru, Rancho Simi Park Lake. SAN LUIS OBISPO--Atascadero Lake.