David Nadas

We were settled in for the Masters Par 3, watching the rain come down sideways in torrents, when the weather decided to make things personal; the boat canopy was flying off. I went out to battle the gusts, but the tropical depression had brought more than just wind; it brought a rare visitor to the Intracoastal.
Gliding through the water by the dock was a beautiful spotted sea hare (Aplysia dactylomela). I ran in to get my phone, my old life as a marine biologist collided with my inner George Costanza. I captured the footage, but the “sea” demanded a sacrifice. As I climbed into the boat, my phone slipped into the murky depths.
Thankfully, Meredith witnessed the plunge. I ran inside, grabbed my mask and went in after it, successfully retrieving the phone—still functional—from the bottom of the canal. I emerged with the footage intact with a few oyster shell battle scars from the ladder rungs. A frantic, terrific ten minutes, of which the accompanying footage will prove the sacrifice was well worth it.