Until I dropped the gas regulator from the Magma grill over the side. I was just trying to unscrew it, but it detached on a different part of the mechanism than where I thought, and over it went. Decapitation was imminent, because who knows how hard it would be to replace that part.
So I stripped down to my skivvies and jumped in to get it. I probably should have just stripped and jumped without thinking about it, but then I realized I had no way to get back up on to the dock. So we got a swim mask and the ladder, and in I went. Honsstly, I almost talked myself out of it, but then I realized that "the day I jumped in to the Winter ocean" made a much better story than "the day I dropped something and had to replace it." Sploosh.
It was...cold. I mean, it was the Pacific in February, it's gonna be cold, right? The first shock was so harsh it was like getting punched in the kidneys. I had a strong and immediate instinct to get the heck out, but I pushed it down into my innards (where hopefully it would keep them warm) and swam down. And there it was! I grabbed the thingy, swam up and pitched it over the side. I struggled with the ladder a bit getting over the side - a combination of blubber (protective, warm, protective, wonderful blubber!) and lack of flexibility post-injury. But eventually I flopped aboard like unto a gaffed fish. Then there was towel and beer and and a fixed grill.
So that was the day I jumped into the ocean.