By Boots McGhee
Editor’s note: When an unexpected wave flipped Christy Banez off her standup paddleboard in Monterey Bay, Boots McGhee came to the rescue. Here’s his story.
•••
Last Saturday, I got a message from pal Neal Kearney. He asked me if I was going to the Woodies on the Wharf and that he was doing an article for Santa Cruz Vibe magazine and needed pics. I told him yes. Success. That was Saturday.
Sunday, Carm and I went to Kumu Lorraine’s Festival of Life at Roaring Camp. Organizers asked if I’d take professional pics. I shot for nearly 4 hours. It was magnificent. The organization, the dances, the music, the crowd of family and friends, seemingly hundreds of folks giving love and support. It was a highlight of my long photographic “career.”
That night I processed woodie pics and the dozens and dozens of beautiful pics from the Festival of Life. I was fried from all of it. The emotion, the assignment obligation, the moments captured from tears, to laughter, to awe.
Monday, Carm and I went to the airport and picked up Christy Mulleta Bañez’s family of 3, Jericho Bañez and their son and two of their friends, Anna Marie Caberoy Lpt, and Olivia, all originally from the Philippines and now teaching in southern Arizona. We had met Christy in Escalante, a tiny village in the northeast corner of the island of Negros in the central Philippines. The village consisted of Saldavia (Carm’s maiden name) and Mulleta (Carm’s middle name). Carm’s dad Phil had returned to the village and brought his Italian wife Carmela to live and “prosper” there.
Christy was 7 years old at the time and we were so endeared with her and her family and how they watched over Phil and us when we visited in the early-mid 80s. As the internet progressed and Facebook became available to them, we kept in distant contact.
Nine months ago, she received a visa to teach in Arizona and traveled to a near border town leaving her son and husband. There, she met Olivia and Anna who traveled here to Santa Cruz with them. She received a visa for husband and son to come to Arizona just recently.
At our home in Seacliff, Christy’s husband cooked incredible meals for us. Carm’s brothers Michael Saldavia and Richard Saldavia, niece Kim Saldavia, longtime friend Nancy Nisperos, (who brought Pancit) along with several of our neighbors ate authentic adobo, chicken cordon bleu, and various other dishes. It was as if we were in that tiny village 40 years ago.
During the week, we took the five of them all around Santa Cruz. From the Cement Ship to the Santa Cruz wharf to see sea lions, to Roaring Camp to ride the train and view the redwoods (they couldn’t believe it). The locomotive broke down on the return trip but it seems things happen like that back in their home in the Philippines and it’s just a matter of patience and acceptance.
Thursday, they all wanted to go in the ocean. I fitted them in wetsuits the best I could and had a small life jacket for Christy’s boy. I packed my van, now called “The Boot Jeepney” or “Bootney” with SUPs and boogie boards. I decided Capitola was the easiest to enter and exit the water and Carm showed them how to start from shore as I gave instructions on the sand. They were amazed at Carm’s ability.
I paddled my board and each adult took a turn at paddling on their knees several hundred feet from the beach. They all did pretty well on their knees and, of course, fell when attempting to get to their feet. All laughing and game to try again.
The swell was quite small with an occasional 1-2 foot set of two waves. The last to go was Christy. She made it out easily, not knowing what to do with the paddle but we were greeted by Carm and ventured further out. After 20 minutes, it was time to go in. Christy paddled on her knees toward shore. I told her to take her leash off as I didn’t want it near her in the little shorebreak.
She did that but didn’t follow my command to wait until I deemed it safe to paddle in. She continued in.
I looked over my shoulder and there was the set of the morning. A south swell will do that. Calm, nothing for 20-30 minutes. Then a set of waves will make its way in.
She was caught as I yelled for her to roll off her board to let the first wave take it away from her. But having no experience in the ocean, I realized she was pleading for help. I paddled like a demon and bailed my leashless board and leaped toward her as the next wave hit.
I wrapped her in my arms shielding her from the next wave, telling her to hold her breath as 2 or 3 more 3-foot waves pounded us. I looked up and two young lifeguards, a woman and man, came to the rescue to make sure I had her safe in the knee-high water.
She was scared and said, “Thanks for saving me Uncle.”
I told the lifeguards the last time I was in the water with her was on a tiny island off their main island in the Philippines and that she was seven– 40 years ago. They were blown away and happy all was safe.
Our adventures weren’t over. That afternoon, we all went to the Surfing Museum. I gave a private tour until Mary Verutti (longtime friend and attendant) let in 15 or more people waiting outside. I went from the 1885 Hawaiian Princes panel through the ‘30s, ‘40s, ‘60s and present-day pics and board technology and then the shark attack display. I looked up and everyone had followed behind our group listening to every word I said with many using their phones to record my descriptions of each panel display.
Then I finished my speech with the Jay Moriarity panel, explaining what a great human being he was. How he nearly died with a horrendous wipeout at Maverick’s at 16 years old and how much he was loved in the surfing community. I said he died in the Indian Ocean practicing long breath-holding techniques.
And that’s when it hit me.
I looked around at all the faces, young and old, near and dear, including Mary at the counter, and I suddenly welled up and started crying. I couldn’t help it. I couldn’t hold it back. Everything we’d been through that day and all these people listening to me took over me.
Christy’s boy, who she named CJ Bootz Bañez nine years ago, grabbed me, put his arms around me and said, “It’s ok uncle.”
I’ve never felt the love from someone as much as Bootz, his family and their teacher friends. Jay gave me that, too.
We took them to the airport Friday and off they went to Arizona. No ocean, no redwoods, no seabreeze. They loved our weather, our area, our home. Bootz said it was the best vacation ever. It was mine, too.
•••
Photos
When an unexpectedly high wave flipped Christy Banez off her stand up paddle board in Monterey Bay, Boots McGhee came to the rescue.
Christy Banez, on her paddle board, launches from Capitola Beach.
Boots McGhee with namesake CJ Bootz Banez, 9, visiting from the Philipines.
Reunited after 39 years (from left): Boots McGhee, Carm McGhee, and Christy Banez with husband Jericho and son CJ Bootz Banez, 9.
Boots McGhee shields Christy Banez, in the ocean after an unexpectedly high wave flipped her board, from the next wave.