Renowned South Bay waterman Taras Poznik received a waterman’s send off Saturday morning at the Topaz Street jetty in Redondo Beach, where he surfed when he wasn’t diving or skippering the Dive N’ Surf charger Island Diver. The charter fishing boat New Del Mar anchored off the jetty carrying hundreds of family members and friends while an equal number paddled out from the beach on surfboards to the stern of the boat. Bagpiper Eric Rigler, who performed on the soundtrack for “Brave Heart,” performed a traditional mourning song at the foot of the jetty.
Following the paddleout, the New Del Mar took Poznik’s fishing friends fishing off of Palos Verdes while the other mourners went to a wake at Dive N’ Surf.
Poznik’s body was found in roughly 40 feet of water off of Palos Verdes, on April 9, two days after he was reported missing. He had borrowed friend Paul Hugoboom’s Whaler to go free diving. The Los Angeles County Coroner concluded Poznik died of shallow water blackout, which results from an imbalance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood system.He had turned 40 on St. Patrick’s Day.
Contributions to a fund for Poznik’s two children, Desiree and Alexander, may be made at GoFundMe.com/Taras Poznik.
