Last weekend was quite eventful for a group of kayakers and snorkelers who stumbled upon a beached oarfish in La Jolla Cove. The rare 12-foot-long creature, described in historical records as a "sea serpent", added some unexpected excitement to the otherwise peaceful sea outing. This find marks the 20th oarfish to be documented in California since 1901, a tidbit provided by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography.

Following the discovery, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries Service and the California Sea Grant teamed up with local lifeguards to carefully relocate the deceased fish for scientific study. Ben Frable, senior collection manager of marine vertebrates at Scripps, said, as per Patch, "We rarely interact with them, so each specimen can provide valuable information about these unique creatures and open ocean ecosystems in general".

Connections between these rare sightings and environmental events have long tingled the curiosity of scientists and the public alike. There's an ancient Japanese legend linking oarfish appearances to impending earthquakes, a notion that cannot help but rear its head following the coincidence of the discovery of the fish and a 4.4-magnitude earthquake that struck Los Angeles earlier this week, as outlined by Patch.

The marine community is eager to study the cause of death and to understand more about the oarfish's diet, bone structure, and role in the deep-sea food chain. Frable expanded on the find's significance, stating, as cited by Patch, "Having this specimen here will allow future generations to continue to ask questions and learn from this amazing fish."