Long distance (expedition) hunting

[ole1291]

Hello to all of you,
I am currently living in Sri Lanka, me and some friends (you could call us purists) have decied to go spear fishing on coral reefs that are about 5km away from the shore, so far you could say there is nothing unsual, what is, is that we intend to do that without any help from a boat. We want to swim the 5km to the reef, carrying our spear gun, fish bag and buoey/life jacket all the way and then swim again the 5km back home (hopefully with our bags full of delicious fish).
My first question is what kind of fins should we use for such a task, I mean by that, what fins are best for long distance surface (on your back) swimming with some equipment to drag? Given the distance to swim (min 10 km + the hunting) our priority is fully surface perfomance regardless of under water hunting performance, so what would you recomend?

My second question has to do with shark danger, the waters where we will be swimming has a reputation of having quite alot of sharks (the dangerous one being mako and to a lesser extent hammerheads) and even some sea snakes. If we were only there for a quick fish I would not be worried but since we are going to be swimming pretty far away from the coast (with bags full of dead fish on the return) and for a long time I do not want to take any chance so I think at least one of us should have a spear gun which is: small enough that it can be turned fast in the direction of danger and powerful enough to kill or at least damage a mako shark enough to dissuade him from pressing an attack. Do you have any ideas on a gun that could fullfill this role?
But of course our goal is not to kill sharks, if we can avoid meeting them in the first place we would be much happier. I have read that you can buy some electric devises that are supposed to frighten sharks away, do they work? and how? do they work on every type of sharks or only some species? Can you recomend any?

Well that s many questions, I hope at least some can be answered as this small expedition is dear to my heart and I would feel much safer if I had the right equipment.

[foxfish]

Well ole firstly welcome to db & secondly I am a bit lost for words!
The obvious answer is use a boat, I am sure you have your reasons?
Whatever I am also sure your post will bring some suggestions, I will sit back & watch.

[Pastor]

Where in Sri Lanka are you dude?

Use a boat mate, there are some serious currents off Sri Lanka.

[Jonny250]

Hi Ole, welcome.
Seriously, like the pastor says, if you can, use a boat or kayak (i cant even swim 500yards, let alone 5km! so good luck if you try that). why can't you use a boat?

[Marwan]

Ole, your profile doesnt say much about you, but i feel that you might not have tried spearfishing before, not so sure about long distance swiming either.. i may be wrong..
1 - Have you tried a 10KM swim before , in seas with currents, surf etc...?
2 - Have you tried spearfishing before?

The way i see it if your answer is NO to both or one of these questions, then your quest would be more long term then immediate..i would imagine that you would be taking A VERY BIG RISK, trying this now or later for that matter..versus going with a boat or maybe a kayak..
I say start with getting long fins used for freediving like omer ice fins which are especially good for long surface swims..learn how yo use them first and train for long distance swims...to reach a 10 KM swim comfortably in a pool, you are talking about several months of training
2- Start learning some basic freediving and spearfishing techniques..use resources from here on deeper Blue there are many...but the golden rule is TAKE YOUR TIME and PROGRESS IN SLOW STEPS...
3 - Start learning the area a bit more, i dont know how practical that is...are the reefs only 5kms away or are there closer ones, that you can start with? once you learn about the area and species, you get an idea of the kind of gun that would work
4 - Shark repellents, maybe a shark shield (look it up) but thats been debated too as being ineffectve at times, it would be your best bet maybe, or a power head that would fit on your spear...
5 - The dangers youre up against are not mainly sharks in my opinion...i can see a lot of dangers in your scenario having more to do with things like, fatigue, dehydration, muscle cramps, sea currents,hypothermia and yes sharks, all could be fatal..if you consider the time it will take to swim 5km spearfish and get swim back 5km draging fish, float etc.. if anything happens to you or your mates during that time, youre pretty much messed up...
6- to avoid any inconvenience like broken rubber band, mask strap, spear etc... you will need to be packing a lot for such a journey, water, food spare stuff, which would add considerable difficulty to the already very chalenging swim

I just hope im painting a more realistic picture and the things you need to consider if you are going to attempt this, and my final advice is to really get a boat or if you dont want any engines, try paddling across with a kayak, if conditions allow for that..
hope you make the right choice here and use a boat
Cheers mate and be safe..

[foxfish]

I spent 3 months in Hikkaduwa during the mid eighties, fishing, surfing, diving & all the other things a back packer does! (I was also ill for two weeks, recovered & was ill for another two weeks)
Anyhow there was a big shark fishing industry going on at the time & dynamiting the reefs was popular as well!
Arr the memories come flooding back - we got ripped off about 20 times, one of my mates got stabbed in the shoulder while out in the surf, some child molester got beaten up to an inch of his life in front of our eyes & we all had a great time!!
Actually Srilanka was beautiful & we did have a great time just a bit to stressful at times!

[MahiMan]

Seems like most the responses here are very reasonable, I agree with Marwan's response. I personally think its more of a reckless trip rather than a solid one. Considering all the variables such as current, fatigue, equipment failure, gear, outside elements, and the dangers of freediving... along with having dead fish on a stringer.. it just seems like a suicidal mission to me. Can it be done? I would imagine yes with proper training and experience but is it reckless?... I think so and can yield dire consequences.

Is there a restriction on boats or maybe power boats?? Its been mentioned here already but if thats the case a kayak may be an alternative worth pursuing.

[chris the vis]

Firstly as mentioned above a boat or kayak will make your journey a lot easier!!!
If you however really have the dying urge to burn off some excess energy and want to attempt it make sure you chat to the local fisherman and found out about the local currents and conditions. You may even be able to use some of the prevailing currents/tides to your advantage and do at least part of the trek as a drift dive? Before committing yourselves to the swim study the weather patterns well...the sea is unforgiving and shows no mercy. Check this site Photography Blog - Roger Horrocks is a freelance photographer specialising in environmental and underwater photography for news, editorial, and read the section entitled marine trekking, these guys did something similar just over a greater distance with a bit more backup! I think it would be easier with this kind of setup even if only one or two of you tow necessities, which you'll invariably need. plus then there's a place to keep fish outa water.
Lastly I assume you guys are pretty much diving fit and ready to handle whatever surprises the sea can conjure up.
that's it for now..Goodluck!

[ole1291]

Well first of all, thanks for all the replys.
I have gotten a few similar questions from different posters so I ll try to answer them in bulk.

1)Marwan you ask me if I have have ever tried a 10km swim before and the answer is yes, I have done it in Norway in the north sea WITH a life vest on, finns and even a small rucksacks filled with junk to simulate equipment. It was in the open sea though a strech of islands were conveniantly placed on my way in case I got to tired (which I never did). The swimming lasted 6 hours and though I was a bit tired at the end I still felt like I could swim an extra 5 km without problem maybe even 10 though that is less sure. My main problem was that although I was wearing a wet suit, I started feeling quite cold near the end (it was summer and the water was around 18 celcius) .
Now in Sri lanka the water temp is usually between 24 and 27 celcius, for a normal swim you do not need any wet suit but for such a long time I think I should get one, but I do not know what model would be the most appropriate with long sleeves and leg or without, 3 or 5 mm ?

It has too be stressed what a huge difference having fins and a life vest on makes for such a swim, previously I and a friend had swam on fraction of the strech I did (maybe 1.5 or 2 km) without any equipment, just a zodiac following us, and I must say I was totally exhausted, I could not swim much more. Having a life vest means you can stop in the middle of the ocean and rest without problem and that your head is always out of thet water for breathing (plus the added safety if things go wrong), having fins means you use your powerful and durable leg muscle instead of your weak arms for propulsion. It is amazing how long you can keep going swimming on your back with a slow regular kick in the water, it s almost like walking.

2)On the other hand you ask me if I have ever done some spear fishing and to be honest the answer is no. Normal fishing I have done alot of, scuba diving too, sailing, ocean kayaking and lots more to do with water etc... I have tried and done them all but spear fishing I have yet (and am eager) to try. I am not going to go on that expedition before a month and a half, in the mean time there will be plenty of time to start with some more orthodox spear fishing, but since I have to buy a gun first and since they are not cheap I thought I would ask for advice before purchasing one.
You also ask me about my profile, well I am 23 years old man from Norway and work for an ngo in Sri lanka, I am in good physical condition and I have recently started training by swimming with my pair of standard scuba diving fins an hour or two in the sea daily. My friends (all ngos too) have a similar profile though some might have more reservation about the whole enterprise.

Our Swim will take place on the east coast which is the quiet coast during this half of the year so I am not too worried about currents and that stuff. Nonethless it would be good if we could find some chart for these, I have looked on the internet for a web site with that kind of info but so far have not found anything. For navigation I will be taking my GPS (in water proof container of course) and we will all carry a bottle of water each and maybe some small snacks. My friends will all take standard spear guns for fishing but I want something which I feel confident is capable to deal with a shark since I feel responsible for their safety as I came up with the project in the first place. A power head would be great but I thought that stuff was only used by navy seals and couldn t be purchased by the public. As for the shark shield, I am only concerned that it works on the big sharks as I feel confident that as group of a couple people, the small sharks should leave us alone, anyway the only sharks dangerous to man that are reported are the hammerhead and mako which are not small to begin with.

I am going to look up the fins you talked about, it might be a valuable purchase if they prove more effecient than scuba diving ones. I thought that given the equipment we are carrying scuba diving fins which are designed for a swimmer carrying alot of drag would be more appropriate but I am not that much of an expert in that area and I ll follow any advice that is given to me on the matter.

Lastly some people have said the whole project is reckless. But that is the whole point: the challenge, taking a boat would destroy that aspect and turn the adventure into a run of the mill fishing trip. You are only young once and life is not meant to be zero risk all the time. Anyway I don t think that this expedition is very dangerous given that many people have swam much longer distance without any of the equipment we ll be using.
It s a moderate risk, just enough to give you a little thrill and make the expedition more exiting.

[Marwan]

Ole, some things here still dont add up:
1 - if you want a big gun to handle sharks, it may be an inappropriate gun for the actual spearfishing (too powerful). You need to know more about the conditions and the species you will be after and this will determine the best gun..
2 - Power heads are avaialable commercially in the US, they are classified as personal protection devices..the casing is sold commercially, bullets that go in it are not im afraid..and you also have to check the local laws there to ensure that its acceptable
3 - SHarkshield will probably be the better bet, all members will need to wear one, the whole odea of fending off sharks for the rest of the group is not very practical in my opinion...shark shields are expensive though...and NO you cant have one and huddle closely to eachother...
4 - Using a GPS with water proof casing, towing gear and swimming this long distance is not very practical, as you can see too many stuf to deal with if anything goes wrong that you have to deal with and say drop the GPS, the water or any of the vital items, this could be fatal...
5 - You really have to get some spearfishing and freediving practice before you do this, i dont know how recent you did your 10km swim and if the others of your team are as capable or have done it before, but it seems that 1 and a half months is a very little window to get these right...
6 - If the temp is between 24 to 27, then maybe 1.5mm wetsuit, i think a 3mm will be a lot for that and you may over heat, but then again i never tried being in the water for 8 hours so dont know for sure..
7 - Theres a thin line between wreckless and irressponsible, nobody is calling you names i think, just trying to talk some sense into you, since you seem to be leading others in this, you should know what youre up against, so that you dont feel sorry later..i ask you to please look at this as experience from others which you should use to your advantage.. You swam that 10K before with a life vest and a boat in your tow for emergencies, now you will be with a fellow diver either wearing or towing weight belts (which you need for spearfishing), along with other stuff, like float, fish, water, snacks, spare gear

Again please consider kayaking at least, its not easy by any means over that distance and still requires physical training as well as the freediving and spearfishing training..but you get to reduce some of the risks at least..maybe aim for that and if it gets too easy after a while try for the swim, at least by then you would have known the area better and increased a lot of the skills and probably narrowed down your packing requirements...i really do not recommend your original plan and find it quite dangerous for you and your friends, thats quite different from adventurous, and NO not all adventures need to involve this degree of risk..

[beamjoel]

Olie,

Welcome to DB. After reading all the replys to the your question, have you noticed one common factor in them all. BAD IDEA!! This coming from divers from all different parts of the world and of all different levels. Now if this many different people can agree on the same thing dont you think it might be advise worth taking.

I am sure you are in well enough shape and it reads as though that you have had other water / ocean experiance but the challanges that spearfishing can bring change each trip, and seeing as you mentioned that you had a little over a month the get some work in with a speargun? Not enough time.

I am always ready for the next big adventure too but please take some advise from this forum, not just the advice on equipment and techniques but SAFETY as well.

Good Luck

Joel

[MahiMan]

Originally Posted by ole1291

Lastly some people have said the whole project is reckless. But that is the whole point: the challenge, taking a boat would destroy that aspect and turn the adventure into a run of the mill fishing trip. You are only young once and life is not meant to be zero risk all the time. Anyway I don t think that this expedition is very dangerous given that many people have swam much longer distance without any of the equipment we ll be using.
It s a moderate risk, just enough to give you a little thrill and make the expedition more exiting.

Pretty sure that would be me, it is just a personal opinion hopefully you didn't take it the wrong way. I do see your point but I hope you understand going out on the water is already a risk.... swimming 5km with a bunch of gear and other individuals to worry about is an added risk.... spearfishing with that amount of gear and not losing it just adds to it, fatigue is another factor, etc. Swimming a certain distance is very different than swimming+freediving+spearfishing+distance+drag from gear+injured/dead fish+current+out side elements= not a very giving formula. I'm sure you know this already but weather is unpredictable sometimes, which is a factor you must consider as well. Seems to me your after a thrill which is fine, but I'm sure you can get a thrill out of this trip with some kind of kayak/small water craft. Its really up to you, I just don't see it turning out for the best. Either way good luck with the trip, and if you do pull it off consider yourselves quite fortunate.

[spaghetti]

People in this forum are too respectful and polite to mention the Darwin Awards, but this is actually worth a nomination to the Darwin Awards. Oh, yes it is!
Too many things can go wrong. No spearo with experience and awareness of what he's doing would ever do such a thing.
And anyway: paddling a kayak in the silence of an open tropical sea will be poetic enough, and hunting on a 5km off shore mako infested coral reef will be adventurous enough, to satisfy your craving for a special day.
Get a kayak and have fun

[Pastor]

Shame you're on the east side, there is a professional spearo in Negombo. Can't you hire one of the fishermen to take you out there. I appreciate that finding kayaks and the like isn't as straight forward as it is back home but there are boats running trips out of places like Pottuville and Trinco

[T2K]

dude, do you have a death wish? there are so many things that could go wrong. if none of you have any families and no one is going to miss you when you die then go for it. it sounds like you have a very limited understanding of the ocean. are you aware that there are currents that can move faster than you can swim? also, i think its impossible for you to carry adequate water to prevent dehydration. you need some more time with the ocean(a few years at least) before you will understand how crazy your idea is. anyway it sounds like your have a great adventurous spirit. i would hate to see that wasted by doing something stupid that gets you killed. my advice would be to start small. learn basic freediving techniques. work on dry static breatholds. get some entry level freedive gear and spear stuff. continue your other conditioning. do a bunch of shoredives(within a few hundred meters of shore), then maybe look into getting a fisherman to take you to some outer reefs. once you get acustom to the area you could rethink some sort of spearfishing marathon. also read about shallow water blackout.