Am having trouble here!!!

[atheuma]

Hey Im kinda new to spearfishing.... I live on an island in the mediterranean called Malta (south of Sicily)...but im kinda having trouble reloading the gun (the rubber sling is too hard to put on the latch) and also my ears starts hurting with pressure after diving for about 2 -3 metres, i am a freedriver...also there are a lot of jellyfish this year and i dont wear any suit...but anyways is there a technique of how you guys relaod the gun and what about the ears? I am using a Mares Explorer 50 (yeah i know its small)

[Adrian]

Hi atheuma,
Your problems are typical of those entering the art There's loads of information on both topics, the search function will be extremely useful for you if you search with the words "equalization" (check out the equalization forum first,) and "loading a speargun". Of the two, equalization issues are more important because if you don't do it right you can break your eardrums, and that will keep you out of the water for several weeks as well as possibly permanently leesening your hearing and weakening your eardrum.

One thing I've found that helps me load a speargun is having a good chest loading pad on my suit, this takes away any pain from the loading and gives me the confidence to really pull hard. Look in the beginning hunting section, I think this question has been covered there as well. If you don't use a suit, double up some neoprene and use it to place on your chest where you load the speargun, the sole of an old flipflop could also work, you'll need to tie it to your wrist or make a belt of some sort. Consider getting a suit as well if you can, apart from protecting you from jellyfish it'll keep you warmer and you'll be able to stay in the water for hours. But then you'll also need a weightbelt and learn how to weight yourself correctly. These issues are all covered in the forums, so happy hunting, and don't hesitate to ask if you have more questions.

Adrian

[garett]

If you keep diving in such manner you:
1. - Will damage your ears. How badly - depends of different factors.
2. - If you keep diving with damaged ears, or if you will not properly manage ventilation of your lungs - you can simple die…
I would suggest you to stop diving immediately and to complete some at least basic diving course. You can try to learn all this stuff by yourself using books and internet, but most likely you will go through the all mistakes.

When you learn well how to go down and how to come back to the surface safely – keep practice it without gun for a while, just watching marine life. Same time try your gun in the pool or in the shallow water on some static target. When you understand basics of fish behavior – take your gun with you under water.


P.S. Always keep with you few spare tips and spears.

[davidbugeja]

I am from Malta too. I go to delimara and yep jellyfish are a problem this year. I too use a Mares Explorer 75 but. It is very very hard to load but with some training and usage you will get the hang of it.

About the ears try diving a little bit deeper every time. By time that will help you remove the pain. Also try holding your nose and blowing gently trough it. That will help a little bit.

About the Mares. I suggest you visit a shop and buy a beuchat rubber which are softer and make it easier to load. I also replace my wishbone as the Mares Wire Wishbone are not 100% Safe. I have had a friend who had an injury with them.

[Adrian]

Originally Posted by davidbugeja

About the ears try diving a little bit deeper every time. By time that will help you remove the pain. Also try holding your nose and blowing gently trough it. That will help a little bit.

Err, actually no to the first part (if it means going down deeper without equalizing) and yes to the second. Lets make it clear that we do not "ride" the ears. That means, once you feel the pressure, it's already time to equalize as David says, with the Valsalva, or the Frenzel later on once you have more experience. If you keep going down without equalizing while feeling the pressure until it turns painful, first it becomes a lot harder to equalize and second both the pressure of the water or the increased pressure that you need to exert (unless you are one of the lucky ones who can equalize hands free) can easily burst an eardrum. In fact, people have burst eardrums while just feeling the pressure yet no pain. It's not worth risking when with a little patience and practice you can learn to equalize easily.

[davidbugeja]

Yes i meat going down deeper with equalizing. Meaning not to keep going down unless you equalize. Practicing really helps to equalize as adian pointed out.

Goodluck and happy diving!