. >> reporter: down below the surface of the pacific ocean on the far side of california's catalina islanda silent current, strange how it flows up to the swelling coastline of santa barbara, then just before the open sea turns back to glide again past the storied island with one sunny day in may 2006 someone in it. >> i have a saying that i'd rather be lucky than good. >> reporter: ken clark of the l.a. sheriff's department has been at it a long time. as has robert martindale, more than 50 years between them. but nothing like the case that literally floated to them on a lonely reach of ocean out by catalina, would never have had the case at all, except. >> we were lucky that we had some boaters leaving newport beach going to catalina ie lsla and they came upon a body floating in the water. >> reporter: just happened to see it? >> just happened to see it. >> that's a big ocean out there. >> reporter: the sailors had spotted a flock of shrieking sea gulls penchrched on a body. it looked like it had been in the water a long time. >> it was in extreme decomposition phase, bloated. >> reporter

. ♪ >> reporter: down below the surface of the pacific ocean off catalina island is a silent current.ange, how it swells up to the coastline of santa barbara, and just before the open sea, turns back to glide again past the storied island. when, one sunny day in 2006, someone was in it. >> i have a saying that i'd rather be lucky than good. >> reporter: ken clark of the l.a. sheriff's department has been at it a long time as has robert martindale, more than 50 years between them, but nothing like the case that literally floated to them on a lonely reach of ocean out by catalina. would never have had the case at all, except -- >> we were lucky we had some boaters leaving port beach going to the island, and they came up on a body floating in the water. >> reporter: just happened to see it? it's a big ocean out there. >> just happened to see it, absolutely. >> reporter: so the chances of it being seen are a needle in a hay stack? >> very slim. >> reporter: they spotted seagals on a body. >> it was in extreme decomposition phase, bloated, and barnacles already. >> reporter: already? >> ye