Search for Fisherman Called Off

Timothy Meek was disabled, living alone in motel rooms and unable to afford repairs to the 18-foot boat that was the means of his existence. A dory fisherman stationed at the base of the Newport Beach Pier, he was also struggling every day to bring in enough of a catch to make a difference.

In a heartbreaking example of a father’s love, Meek, 33, cast out his lines one more time Sunday morning, in waters that were perhaps too chilly and too choppy to be navigated at all, in the hope of making enough money to buy his 2-year-old son a bicycle for Christmas.

The fisherman of more than 11 years was presumed dead Monday after search crews failed once again to find him in the 52-degree waters off Newport Beach. A friend and fellow fisherman who was with Meek at the time of the accident said a dislodged plug in the bottom of the boat caused the vessel to fill with water and sink, leaving both men paddling in jeans and T-shirts some three miles out. Neither had a life jacket.

“It happened so fast,” said Russell Jensen Jr., 32, his voice still hoarse from screaming for help during Sunday’s accident. “The boat just went right in.”

The Coast Guard called off the search late Sunday for the father of two. But two of Meek’s friends returned to the ocean early Monday, scouring the water and finally locating the lines and nets he had set before he disappeared.

While they hauled them back in, Meek’s estranged wife, Terri Meek, stood on the beach and gazed at the ocean. Separated from her husband for the last year, Terri Meek said Timothy always tried to provide for their boys and wanted to make this Christmas extra special by giving their younger son a bicycle.

She and her 16-year-old son remembered this spirit as they waited on the coastline Monday, refusing to let go of hope.

“We believe in Jesus and we still believe in miracles,” Terri Meek said.

Once on shore, the friends admired Meek’s unclaimed catch, which would have been the envy of the dory fleet: buckets and buckets of halibut and shark, mackerel and kingfish.

“He had a great set,” said Steve Escobar, a fellow fisherman who had known Meek for six years, referring to the haul.

Meek was described by friends as a religious man whose wooden fishing locker at the Newport Beach Pier was emblazoned with a metaphoric image of the ichthys, the Christian fish symbol. Despite epilepsy, a paralyzed left arm and other physical problems, he was a serious and hard-working fisherman, they said.

“He loved to fish,” said his older son, Tim Meek, Jr. “I used to work with my dad. I love to fish too. I love the ocean. But I don’t know how I’d feel if I go back into the water.”

In the last year Timothy Meek’s epilepsy worsened, and it prevented him from working steadily. But with the holidays approaching, he decided to resume fishing Sunday, the first time in a month, despite the fierce winds and perilous waters.

He and Jensen set out to sea at 7 a.m., aiming to bring in a hearty catch. They cast 3,600 feet of line, covering about a quarter-mile of ocean.

But the waters grew rough, tossing the boat around, Jensen said. Somehow, the vessel’s cork plug came loose and disappeared. Both men watched in horror as the ocean rapidly consumed the boat, making it impossible for them to free the only life preserver.

Jensen, of Norwalk, clutched an empty gasoline tank to keep himself afloat. He hollered for help, and managed to swim to another boat that he saw in the distance.

“It seemed like forever,” said Jensen, who was briefly hospitalized Sunday for hypothermia. Meek was nowhere in sight.

When he and his rescuers returned about an hour later, only the bow of the dory was above the water’s surface, he said.

The Orange County Harbor Patrol conducted another search of the ocean Monday, focusing on the stretch of water between Huntington State Beach south to the entrance of Newport Harbor, said sheriff’s Sgt. Andy Decker. They called off their efforts after several hours and had no plans to resume the search today.

“We found nothing,” Decker said. “We’ll continue to check the area as we are out there, I’m sure, but we haven’t turned up anything at this point.”

Officials said Meek likely could only survive three to five hours in the frigid water. Rescuers later found his blue-and-green jacket and towed to shore his nearly submerged boat.

Fishermen of the historic dory fleet were forlorn and quiet Monday, grieving over the loss of one of their own and unable to shake the grim realization of the dangers of their job.

The fact that neither man was wearing a life jacket concerned Coast Guard officials, who warned that even the most experienced boaters are vulnerable at sea.

“It’s such a small step to take when you’re going out there,” said Petty Officer Kerry Kingery. “But it can make all the difference in the world.”

Dory fishermen--named after the type of boats they use--have been casting in Newport Beach waters for more than a century. The Dory Fishing Fleet, founded in 1891, has 10 boats and is the last such fleet in the country, according to a plaque at the site.

On any given day, the fishermen open their outdoor market to the public, fileting and selling yellowtail at $3 per pound, sculpin, shrimp, crab and other seafood.

Despite the search being called off, Terri Meek, 38, tried to remain hopeful Monday and encouraged her family to do the same.

“I’m not giving up,” she said, holding her son Thomas, 2, in her arms. “It’s been a long ordeal, but I’m not giving up hope.”

Nearby Newport Beach residents stopped by the landmark dory fish market and offered their condolences and even donations. One man took it upon himself to start a bank account for the family.

“There are a lot of people who want to help,” said Chris Welsh, who opened the account at Union Bank of California’s Bayside branch.