10ft “Doomsday Fish” Washes Ashore, Cursing San Diego Surf Town

During a recent walk on a San Diego beach, a woman came across a dark omen. At Grandview Beach in Encinitas, an oarfish had washed ashore – a 10-foot, serpentine, ghoul of a sea creature often called the “doomsday fish.”  

Per a report from Scripps Institution of Oceanography:

“Just when you thought the oarfish hype had died down … Look what decided to make another appearance!

“Last week, another oarfish washed up on Grandview Beach in Encinitas and was spotted by Scripps Oceanography PhD candidate Alison Laferriere. This cool creature is a bit smaller than the one recovered in La Jolla this August, measuring roughly 9 to 10 feet long. Ben Frable, manager of the Scripps Oceanography Marine Vertebrate Collection, jumped into action and contacted the NOAA Fisheries Service team to recover the specimen and transport it to the Southwest Fisheries Science Center.”

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It certainly is a creepy specimen. But why is it considered a bad omen?

According to Atlas Obscura: “The unusual fish isn’t a serpentine sea monster, but, for some believers, it’s far more frightening. Oarfish typically live in deep water, at depths up to 3,300 feet. According to Japanese legend, the sight of them in shallow waters is an omen of earthquakes. The belief dates back to the 17th century, when the ghostly fish was known as ryugu no tsukai, a ‘messenger from the sea god’s palace.’”

And why has this strange creature shown up? Well, according Frable from Scripps:

“It may have to do with changes in ocean conditions and increased numbers of oarfish off our coast. Many researchers have suggested this as to why deep-water fish strand on beaches. Sometimes it may be linked to broader shifts such as the El Niño and La Niña cycle but this is not always the case. There was a weak El Niño earlier this year. This wash-up coincided with the recent red tide and Santa Ana winds last week but many variables could lead to these strandings.”

Surfers beware?