Rich died of cancer in 2/07, but we'll always remember our buddy. Rich could sling the steel and bag the bugs with the best of them. His famous finger getting bitten off episode was the stuff legends were made of. Not many guys I know will pose grinning with a piece of their finger...and then throw it overboard. I'll always remember him smoking those cheap cigars, laughing it up and talking that smack about showing the youngsters how it's done.

Fair winds and following seas, Rich.

Holy S#%t! We need to hear that story!


Edit: I suppose that is not really appropriate although I would love to hear the story. My heart goes out to his family even though I did not know him, but I know what it's like to lose a good friend.
Roger

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Man, I remember the day that story posted. Sorry to hear the news. Please let his family know that his dive friends have honored him and his life. Do you have his birthdate?

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I think Rich was the first person I met through that old board. It was a few months before the 2004 St. Pete Open and Rich and his buddy didn't have a ride so we invited them to join us. The Open was fairly rough that year and we dove hard. We all had a great time and I was impressed with Rich's ability to shoot, enthusiasm and energy to dive dive dive. I remember Trey and I both saying that we hope when we're his age were still out there whacking fish like he was.

We dove with Rich a couple more times up in his neck of the woods in Crystal River and did really well with the normal inshore hogs, gags, and cobia. I always chuckled to see Rich light up his cigar as soon as he was out of the water, reminded me of my Dad and his cigars.

God Bless Rich and his family, he was a great man that will be missed.

Bryan

It's a story worth repeating, and I think Rich would appreciate it living on.

By request:

Fearless Diver gives 8lb Lobster the Finger

Our second day of sport season aboard Rich Cain's 26' C-Hawk, “The Impaler” started out normal enough. The first drops produced a few bugs, but most were full of eggs. I surfaced with an empty bag despite having nabbed six lobsters and sending them back under the ledge. On second drop Rich was a little slow dropping because he jumped in without his gloves. Ken threw him his own gloves and down Rich went. Thirty minutes later, Rich was on the surface and we motored over to pick him up. As he handed his gear up he said something that sounded like, “the f*cker bit me.” We were all a little puzzled, but were quickly distracted when Rich threw his bag containing a monster, 8-lb lobster on the deck.

When Rich got on board he pulled his gloves off and revealed a pinky finger sans one side all the way back to the base of the fingernail. Ken (who had loaned him his gloves) found a lump in the finger of his glove and there it was, the rest of Rich’s fingertip. First-aid was rendered by those on the crew who could handle the site without getting freaked out. Rich opted not to do any more dives, but he’s so hardcore he didn’t even consider heading for the beach.

Evidently, it was an epic undersea battle with this bug. Rich found it up under a ledge in 90’ and was pulling on it with both hands. The bug wasn’t going to come away without a fight, and when Rich stuck his finger too close to the business end of that thing’s choppers, it was game on. He said it had him so tight that he had to rip his finger out of its mouth. Once out of the ledge the bug was so big Rich had to break its legs off to fit it in the lobster hotel.


Rich posed for the pics above and threw the end of his finger overboard.

Rock on.

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Rich was the first person I met over at Grogan Land. I would always run into him at Birds Underwater, the dive shop he got his fills and bought gear from. Super nice guy. even had a trip planned to Jupiter with him and Virgil at one point. I found the site over the lobster /finger ordeal and signed up. RIP Rich

Who was his buddy that was a firefighter? Is he still shooting fish?

I think that's "fireman Jim", and yes, I think he's still at it.

Rip and yes that is one hell of a story

I sall it on the OTHER site and laffed my ass off

Jon

Rich and his exploits were well known in our neck of the woods...RIP Rich

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Fred H. Shomer RIP 11/19/07

he was truly a man among men, rich took me spearfishing the first time 3 years ago. took time to show me how and along the way showed me how to enjoy life to the fullest. shortly before he took the final spearfihing trip, i went to mexico with him an other friends, that was the best. i will miss my old buddy. see you on the bottom, no bug to big. thx rich