Pay it Forward...A tribute to Dads Day

[settingsteel]

Well tomorrow its Dads day and aside from wishing all the fathers here the best I'd like to share an experience I had with my father that changed my life, I hope to here similiar experiences from you guys too!

The person that introduced me to spearing was my Pops, and everytime I recall our adventures in the ocean together it brings back some GREAT memories of not just bonding with the old man, but of learning both respect for the ocean, and skills that will be everlasting. Back in the day early seventies we'd wake up about 5'ish, my dad would load up his gear...Cressi mask, Farallon Snorkel, Cressi Rondine L fins, spearpole, and his famous "commando" rubber 2 man raft and we'd head over to virginia key, we'd wrap around Jimmys and go towards the NE end. We'd arrive right at sunrise, head do some stretching exc. and tell me how important that was to prevent cramps, he'd have me fetch his pole and proceed to check the point and tell me how imp. it was to keep that sharp and then the bands....he'd spit up his mask, put the raft in, throw me in the raft and swim out with the raft tied to him...he'd dive from sun up till about sun down- short break inbetween where we'd grill some fish on a stick on the beach, then back in the water...he'd shoot a fish swing the pole to me I'd take it off, in the cooler it'd go, and on to the next...till this day I'm in wonderment how he had the energy to dive all day towing me around on that raft...but he did...and man did he get fish...its funny cuz he'd have a specific number of fish of each species he'd shoot and once he got his limit he would move on to the next...the one that always gave him the hardest time were these little silver speedsters called mojarras (great eatin fish btw)...it was such a great experience to be out there with my pops, today I look back and see I too have followed a similiar path with my son now 15...and can't help but "lecture" him on the same stuff my dad lectured me on...sure times my have changed, topo has too, and regs, lets not even go there...but one thing still remains the same...sharing the experince with your dad and passing it on to your son, thats timeless!

Happy Fathers Day!

[Mr. X]

A great post for Father's Day Settingsteel . I wonder how many kids would be willing/patient enough to sit in a dinghy all day while pa dived below? (Perhaps their sense of self preservation is more developed).

[island_sands]

Settingsteel,

Great post. I am very close to my Dad (yes I am Daddy's girl) and he is 70 now. He is very fit and doesn't look his age at all. He is in the US with my Mom visiting my brother who will hopefully give him a good time today and spoil him a little bit. I will see him in July on their way back to SA just before I leave for holidays.

Your post triggers up some good stuff. And I really, really, dread the day when my Dad is nt going to be around anymore.

Have a great day
Sara

[Marwan]

great post tone!!..
we dont celebrate fathers day here, only mothers day!, such a female sexist place the middle east is !

[Marwan]

my dad didnt teach me about spearing, but he taught me a lot of other great stuff like:
respect for others, good manners, taking care of people i love/care about, riding a bike, swimming, love for the sea through boating and angling, encouraged me in the various sports i played and gave me the education to get me to a decent place in life as well as a lot of of good times throughout the years..all of which i intend to pass on to my son, along with some spearing i hope


P.S. i suggest hat we move this post to the beachbar i dont think its spearo specific, im sure others would like to contribute too