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CANOE VICTIM SALUTED; MOURNERS REMEMBER MAN'S DEEP LOVE FOR OCEAN, BEACH.


Byline: David Greenberg The creator of this article, or someone who has substantially contributed to it, may have a conflict of interest regarding its subject matter.
It may require cleanup to comply with Wikipedia's content policies, particularly neutral point of view.
 Daily News Staff Writer

There was a cloudless sky and a gentle early morning breeze that John Deblin would have savored.

It was a time when he should have been walking his dog along Silver Strand Beach Silverstrand Beach is an isolated beach neighborhood located in the city of Oxnard, California. It is bounded on the south/southwest by the Pacific Ocean and the waters of the Channel Islands Harbor; on the east by the United States Navy Base at Port Hueneme and on the north by  before joining friends for an outrigger outrigger, canoe-type vessel with a wood or bamboo float attached to the side of the craft and extending out over the water. The term outrigger also refers to the float itself.  canoe excursion through the Pacific Ocean he loved so much.

Instead, 400 relatives and friends gathered on the back hills of the beach and the rocks outlining the Channel Islands Harbor's north jetty jetty: see coast protection.  to bid a Hawaiian-style farewell to the 50-year-old Silver Strand Silver Strand is a name used for some beaches:
  • Silver Strand (Ireland) (An Tráigh Bhán) is a beach in south west County Donegal, Ireland
  • Silver Strand (San Diego) is an isthmus with a beach in San Diego County, California
 resident.

``If you knew John, you knew how big he was, inside his heart and outside,'' said Ben Taitai, a longtime friend, during a memorial ceremony.

Taitai, 50, was the steersman on a 40-foot canoe that capsized Jan. 3, sending himself, Deblin and four other members of the Channel Islands' Outrigger Canoe Club crashing into the rolling seas.

Deblin died that day of hypothermia hypothermia

Abnormally low body temperature, with slowing of physiological activity. It is artificially induced (usually with ice baths) for certain surgical procedures and cancer treatments.
, and paddler Scott Sullenger, 35, disappeared while trying to swim to shore.

Taitai, Michael Davis Michael Davis or Mike Davis may refer to:
  • Michael Davis (philosopher), (born 1943) author, Professor of Philosophy at Illinois Institute of Technology, areas of interest: philosophy of law, applied ethics, political philosophy, and moral theory
, 29, Justin Heard, 28, and Tino Rico, age unknown, survived the ordeal.

Mourners, many dressed in jeans, sweats and sandals or sneakers sneakers
Noun, pl

US, Canad, Austral & NZ canvas shoes with rubber soles

sneakers npl (US) → zapatos mpl de lona; zapatillas fpl 
, wearing leis and grasping mugs of coffee Saturday, said they were still shocked by the loss of two experienced, physically fit outriggers.

``They all knew what they were doing,'' said 46-year-old Camarillo resident Ed Whittenberg, a friend of Deblin's for five years. ``(The accident) was a fluke fluke, parasitic flatworm of the trematoda class, related to the tapeworm. Instead of the cilia, external sense organs, and epidermis of the free-living flatworms, adult flukes have sucking disks with which they cling to their hosts and an external cuticle that . They had been out on extreme conditions many times. It was routine. John was in superb condition. I don't think he had an ounce of body fat.''

Jerred Olsen, 29, of Oxnard, who grew up with Deblin's son Brett, said the elder Deblin nearly lost his life four years ago when his canoe capsized in Ventura Harbor.

``It was the courage, the heart he had to press on,'' Olsen said. ``They don't make people like him anymore. He was one-of-a-kind, really remarkable.''

The crowd began the public ceremony at 8 a.m. gathered around a makeshift shrine: three-legged stands holding two wreaths and a large, framed color photo of Deblin sporting his ever-present smile, as well as bouquets of flowers below.

About 30 surfers and a dozen canoeists on several outriggers paddled through the north jetty and about 100 yards out in the ocean - where trouble began Jan. 3 - and held a private ceremony, placing leis in the water to celebrate Deblin's life and love of the ocean. ``For all you people on this beach, you keep it as your beach,'' Brett Deblin called out to onlookers from a canoe before the trek out to sea.

``(Deblin) loved it here.''

Debi Rickert has said she will scatter the ashes Scatter the Ashes was an American Post-Hardcore band signed to the Epitaph label, consisted of four members. Their music could be compared to that of Cave In, Joy Division, Glassjaw, Refused and The Cure due to its heavy and atmospheric sound.  of her 17-year companion on the Hawaiian island of Kauai, where the couple had planned to retire in August.

``The heart of the community is in the heart of these men - Scott and John - and the heart of these men is in the heart of the community,'' said Linda Marshall, 51, of Oxnard. ``The love we had for these men is reflective here. It's a tragedy, but once again we are coming together.''

CAPTION(S):

4 Photos

PHOTO (1--Color--Ran in Conejo and Simi Editions only) Mourners gather Saturday at Silver Strand Beach in Oxnard to remember ocean lover John Deblin, who was killed when his canoe capsized in cold water Jan. 3.

(2--Color--Ran in Conejo and Simi Editions only) Friends of John Deblin hug at Silver Strand Beach in Oxnard on Saturday during a memorial service for the veteran canoeist, who died in a mishap (language) MISHAP - An early system on the IBM 1130.

[Listed in CACM 2(5):16, May 1959].
 Jan 3.

(3--Ran in Valley Edition only) Ben Taitai, a longtime friend of John Deblin's who was steering the outrigger on the ill-fated trip, wipes away tears while speaking at Deblin's memorial ceremony Saturday.

(4--Ran in Valley Edition only) Some of the mourners who gathered at Silver Strand Beach in Oxnard head out to sea on longboards to lay flowers on the water.

Phil McCarten/Daily News
COPYRIGHT 1999 Daily News
No portion of this article can be reproduced without the express written permission from the copyright holder.
Copyright 1999, Gale Group. All rights reserved. Gale Group is a Thomson Corporation Company.

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Publication:Daily News (Los Angeles, CA)
Date:Jan 10, 1999
Words:658
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