Cornwall 2011

[EpicBE]

Is anyone sailing down to the Isles of Scilly around the 10th of August and fancy taking along a hitchhiker?

Was planning on going next week but plans have since changed so now going beginning of september. Its a shame as you'd have been more than welcome to come with.

Misterdave- Hi, I'm just outside Camborne, My breath holds are greatly increasing. It's all about keeping a calm, regular breathing pattern before the breath hold and try not to panic. It will come with time when you start and become comfortable in the water. Try some static apnea, I've been doing it for a couple of weeks now and my holds are massively improving.

 

[badlander]

Nearly didn't bother but decided to take the boat out and check a few spots in the Falmouth area this morning. It was a pretty quiet start but soon found a spot with some bass but ended up taking a Pollack that was just big enough to warrant taking. Moved out to a deeper mark off a point and took a golden grey from a large shoal. From the same mark a little further in i took my first and best bass of the day, he clocked me as i sank into the string weed so i moved away from him hoping he would follow. Having made it behind a ledge i looked up to see him right in front of me.....pop. Tried another few spots that only turned up a mullet between them and decided to check the first spot on the way back and picked up another nice bass. Felt lovely and warm today and the vis was variable at 4-6m or there about.

 

[foxfish]

That is a geat reference picture for spotting the differences between TL & GG mullet.

 

[fishnerd]

Ah so, the thick liped is the usually bigger mullet and the golden grey is the smaller seemingly more slimey mullet? never really knew the difference although noticed some were more slimey and had a gold patch on there gill plate.... corect me if I'm wrong....? Nice catch Badlander, always impressed with your pictures....
In Italy at the minute not got my gear here but have had a little snorkle and seen some lovely fish, trouble is they are always near the populated beaches where you can't spear..... Clever fish I think.... Also been doing some more static tables and have finally managed to break the 3min mark with a 3.20!!! so happy and can't wait to put it into practice and see how much more this will develop when I stop smoking.... I wonder do many of you guys smoke and still manage a good breathold whilst spearing?
Looking forward to getting back in the kelp!.... Si...

 

[EpicBE]

Great fish badlander.... one day I'll come home with a haul like that..... ONE DAY!

Anyways, hoping to get in tomorrow morning to find that Lobster that got away last week (haha) and hopefully I'll be able to report back with a bass or two, heres hoping!

 

[EpicBE]

Went in yesterday (sunday) about 3 o'clock on the south coast. Very rough and nothing to see, but wanted to go in just in case!

Saw another snorkeller (spearo?) down there, had a light green camo suit and had a child with him. Anyone on here? you'll know who you are as I waved back!

Going to try tomorrow, the wind is scheduled to drop and swell also dropping off. Fingers crossed!

 

[Keth]

Don't normally post about my time in the water due it mostly being uneventful, but got in at a couple of new spots over the weekend. Had my first flat fish which was great (largish dab) but think I may have passed up on something I shouldn't have due to simply being a bit thick. Saw what I though of as a small ray (about 40-45cm accross), followed it for a bit as it gracefully cruised around, but was desperately thinking, 'does anyone eat ray?'. Later it dawned on me that it was a skate, spent the next hour telling myself what an idiot I am.
How common are they? Not seen many mentions of them on cornwall threads...(I hoping so common they're not worth mentioning)

 

[foxfish]

Hi Keth, I think you did the right thing - best to check up on fish species before you shoot them.
Skate are huge flatfish growing to several hundred lb but they are not common anymore
Redirect Notice
I do know where you are coming from though as lots of flatfish can be sold as skate, you most likely saw a thornback or blone ray.

 

[Kernowsniper]

you most likely saw a thornback or blonde ray.

Hmm.. I had the same thing the other day.. went for a dive around the Fal area with NCSPEAR and saw a couple of smallish rays whilst huntin for scallops.. reckon they were thornbacks. We talked about shooting one to try it but thought the best of it as we didnt know and they were a bit small.. about an hour later I came across one that must have been nearly a metre across.. it was huge! I jumped back in the boat and made a quick call to find out whether they're any good to eat.. apparently you can eat the wings as you would a skate? Hearing this I was quite keen to give it a go so got my gun and went to look for him again.. needless to say he'd chipped on which I was kind of glad about.. they really are beautiful creatures and I was already thinking twice about it.. a big one would be quite an ordeal to land given the spines and all... does anyone know any more about Thornbacks.. whether theyre edible.. or any good.. how you'd deal with one.. which bits to avoid.. how to fillet.. how to cook etc..?

 

[podge]

Thornback Rays, very tasty wings.
Big Scott Wilson from just over the border with you bloke’s show’s you how’s it done.
Rock on Scott.

 

[Keth]

Hi Keth, I think you did the right thing - best to check up on fish species before you shoot them.
Skate are huge flatfish growing to several hundred lb but they are not common anymore
Redirect Notice
I do know where you are coming from though as lots of flatfish can be sold as skate, you most likely saw a thornback or blone ray.

Thanks Foxfish, I think having checked out pic of a blonde ray that's what it was as it didn't have the thornes on it's back like the thornback and the colouration looks about right. Also looking at skate pics they've got quite a pointy noses in comparison, anyway even if it was I think it may have been a touch under the 227lb record in that link...gave me a bit of excitement anyway.

 

[watermandrew]

Saw some very decent bass today, easily 3 in the 5lb range, but as soon as i saw them they disappeared off into the next gully. Not wanting to 'pursue' them I dived down quietly to the bottom about 4m below and tried to call them in and waited. They never came back though, is it because my breath holds are too short? I can do 3 minutes on land but get scared in the water about SWB as I dive alone so limit myself to about 30seconds. Paranoid or sensible? If anyone has tips on technique they are gladly received. Also willing to share this spot when I crack it so if anybody wants to try somewhere new in the falmouth area....

 

[badlander]

Personally i try to keep my dives to a minute or there about. If they haven't been drawn in at that point it's best to cut your loses and slowly ascend. Saying that, it's surprising how much more you have to give when bass approach at the end of your breath hold. I always like to keep a bit of 'emergency money' and never push it to a point you feel out of your comfort zone. Lots of factors affect your dive times and at spots i know well i can stay down longer and feel much more in tune and relaxed whereas when i dive new and unfamiliar terrain spots, i will be more anxious and will surface much sooner. It's simply a matter of gaining more experience and becoming more familiar with your boundaries which i assure you will happen. Many DB members, myself included, have taken advantage of AIDA free diving courses which teach you the techniques and methods to increase your confidence as well as recognising the dangers and how to react when things go wrong.
Take it slow, you'll soon get there.

 

[andycornish]

Saw some very decent bass today, easily 3 in the 5lb range, but as soon as i saw them they disappeared off into the next gully. Not wanting to 'pursue' them I dived down quietly to the bottom about 4m below and tried to call them in and waited. They never came back though, is it because my breath holds are too short? I can do 3 minutes on land but get scared in the water about SWB as I dive alone so limit myself to about 30seconds. Paranoid or sensible? If anyone has tips on technique they are gladly received. Also willing to share this spot when I crack it so if anybody wants to try somewhere new in the falmouth area....

You got luckier than I did jumped in for an hour near falmouth and the vis was pretty shoddy (2-3m tops) and only saw a few small mullet, resorted to the camera instead.
Definately agree with not 'persuing' them as they can swim a hell of a lot faster than we can. I found at the end of last summer I found that you would start seeing things at 1-1:30 and then 2 minutes is when they would be close enough for a shot that you would find it hard to miss.
Bearing in mind that is for bass and mullet, pollack tend to turn up a lot sooner.I max out at about 45s now as I have not been regularily getting in, bearing in mind that was at the end of the summer when I was in the water every couple of days averaging 3-4*2-3hr sessions a week.
As badlander has said better to play it safe and learn your limits and gradually extend them, and cant reccomend and AIDA course enough, one of my previous posts on this thread has a load of reasons why I think its worth doing one. (There are courses run in Cornwall now).
Always keen for a new spot near falmouth (being a 10 min drive rather than 45min+ for the lizard and beyond) Im currently meant to be revising for exams in the next few weeks and not getting in like i did yesterday, but I finish by the 27th so il send you a PM when im free if you are still game then.

 

[andycornish]

Has anyone dived Vault Beach ? its a sheltered beach to the eastern side of Dodman Point nr Gorran Haven, was scouting through a scuba forum and someone mentioned there was good reefs there with plenty or marine life and the odd shoal of mackerel.
Obviously they have a differenent opinion on what is plenty of marine life.

 

[sj257]

Never been down there but it looks good from above. Bit of a climb back up with all the kit and all those fish at the end of the dive.

I have a few regular spots near by that I suspect would hold similar stock, but haven't been much cop so far this season.

Maybe the fish are all at Vault? ;-)

sj

 

[andycornish]

Yea looks ok from Google Maps, need to get myself some naval charts for finding reefs but have yet to find them free anywhere yet.

All the best spots are the hardest to reach (well you hope so, so its worth the walk!)

Haha maybe they are !

 

[Keth]

Funny you should mention it but me and mate went to check it out on sunday...wind was screwy though so got no further that the car park and went somewhere more sheltered. Beautiful car park though

 

[watermandrew]

This is Cornwall | 'Missing' snorkeller was spear fishing

Two messages from this story;

1. If you agree a rendezvous time, you get there as planned. "I wasnt wearing a watch" doesnt wash, buy one.
2. If you are waiting for someone who misses their rendezvous, dont leave it an hour and a half to raise the alarm, every minute counts.

In order for such a system to be effective, both parties need to be prompt. If there is an emergency one day, and its you in trouble, you wouldnt want to be left out to sea because you have been late for your rendezvous in the past. Its a bit like crying wolf. Be prompt, be vigilant, trust your buddy to call the coastguard if youre in trouble by sticking to arrangements now.

That is all, happy hunting!

 

[TomH]

Yea looks ok from Google Maps, need to get myself some naval charts for finding reefs but have yet to find them free anywhere yet.

All the best spots are the hardest to reach (well you hope so, so its worth the walk!)

Haha maybe they are !

I'll have a look at the charts at work tomorrow