Guernsey 2006

[portinfer]

Happy New Year to one and all - I thought I would kick off with a new post for this year. Hopefully we will all have tales to tell and pictures to post....

Well the year started off with a rather poor ormering session on the east coast on New Years Day with Dave and my brother William - me and Will found a few between us but they were not 'size' so were carefully left. We had to run back for the traditional family cheese fondue and kirsch shots and left Dave hard at it while his brother Derek came down to supervise the proceedings.

Today was a little better - we went along to Damo's secret spot on the west coast where his mate Troy had a haul of 44 ormers on new years day (battling the wind and waves no doubt). Saw Dave's van and headed round a bit to where Damo was waiting with his mate Graham. I was with Pete and Mary and Miles too and the lot of us wandered down and started the hunt for these elusive shellfish.

Everyone seemed to have a different style - I was into turning large boulders in knee deep water while Mary was more of a shore turner and Miles more of a crick looker... anyway we all managed to get at least one each so everyone left the beach with a good grin. Saw a seal out in the bay too ... cracking weather, no wind, sun had a bit of heat and hardly any people ... great afternoon and now off for a short night dive before the inevitable day job starts again tomorrow morning... I have a funny feeling that I will be feeling the pain of working life by about 11am tomorrow...

Ed

 

[portinfer]

Well the fruits of a nice night dive... two small to medium sized red mullet for me and a large red mullet and two bass for Pete....

 

[Old Man Dave]

When you can start the New Year by shore gathering for ormers then that bodes well. Ed was right about New Years day, it was poor conditions with a strong west wind. Those who braved the west coast surf caught well but those of us who sensibly went east caught little. In fact I had 2, which was average. However, on Monday the weather was great and I went west with "The Ormer king", the famous "Bip" Bichard. There were big crowds on the beaches and everyone caught. I had 20 which was average, but Bip had 45. They don't call him "King" for nothing.
For all you none locals "ormers" are a type of abalone and diving for them is now banned. You can only gather them on a maximum of 24 nominated days a year between January and April. They are only found at extreme low water, stuck under rocks, in areas of heavy reef. Because of this, in practice, only a handful of days produce catches.
Diving for ormers and the subsequent reduction in their numbers was one of the biggest public relation disasters for local spearo's. I know, 30 years ago, I was one of the divers working the ormers. It was hard cold work for small reward but it really alienated the general public who saw the divers actions in taking ormers as little short of satanic. The banning of diving for ormers was a cause for sighs of relief all round. However, many land lubbers have long memories and divers still have a very bad reputation in some quaters even if some of those divers weren't even born when the "Ormer Wars" took place.
Anyway back to reality. Couldn't let Ed and Pete catch all the fish, so went for a quick solo night dive last night. Rather eerie on your own but still quite a thrill. The boys had obviously murdered all the bass and red mullet but they had missed a 3lb sole. The Old Man doesn't miss flatfish - period - so that sole met its maker and came home with me.
Didn't realise that Ed had started the new thread so gave the fish to my brother as a New Year present without taking a pic' for posterity. Next time.
Happy New Year
Dave.

 

[foxfish]

Hi spearo's

Nice to see Guernsey spearfishing turning a full circle with new and enthusiastic characters appearing on the scene.

My diving experiences go back to the early 70's, i can remember waiting on the beach for my two brothers to return from their dives, very often laden with prime fish. Plaice and Sole were abundant in those days and generally most sought after.

Although a competitive and strong swimmer used to the local sea temperature, it was not until i got my first suit that i was able to follow my brothers, Derek and Dave (Old Man Dave now).

The suit, a shorty unlined and modified to fit (by Dave) was far from luxury, still aged twelve i managed my first fish, a Plaice from Braye Bay in Alderney. Incidentally although a proud owner of a Mamba 90, i speared that Plaice with a three pronged devils hand spear!

During the 70's and the 80's, my brothers became very efficient hunters, catching many specimens and even a few british records! Personally i have never reached their accolades however, i've a few stories to tell!!

SteveW (record claimer) would love to see in print the time i shot myself throught the collar of my suit, with a large air compressed gun, "maybe another time mate"! There was one dive though in about 1994, which saw me walking down Perelle slip. To some i guess i may have looked slightly odd, due mainly to a shiny silver oversuit i had made from a St Johns Ambulance survival blanket. Anyhow it seemed my appearance had attracted quite a crowd. A teacher friend of mine was leading a group of special needs kids on a beachcombing jolly. After serious interigation as to why a space man was walking down the beach i had a chance to explain to my teacher friend there was a small reef only metres from the shore, if i was lucky enough to spear a fish i would stand up and show it to the kids.

The conditions were perfect a big spring, hot and sunny. Of course spitting in my mask and de-snotting bought rowdy laughter from my audience. A few metres out i loaded my gun, a few metres more i was at the spot. The reef itself only one and a half metres high and barely covered produced the ideal conditions. The many crabs that live amongst the bladder wrack were having their cover swept back by the incoming tide, exposing them to any lurking Bass. Staying on the surface and keeping on the outside parameter, making best use of my camouflaged oversuit against the silver surface glare. I spotted a silver patch amongst the weed, took aim and fired. Deep down inside a thought i had a fish to show off, i was wrong! I had neatly speared two Bass of about three and a half pound a piece. Standing up i shouted "I've got two"!

Several weeks later i saw teacher friend, strangely he seemed to think i was somewhat lucky. I told him the silver smoker is never lucky.

 

[portinfer]

Welcome Foxfish (aka Martin) !
Hopefully you'll be joining a few trips when the water heats up... be good to see you in the water.

Tonight we went for a dive.

Several hours later we came back from the dive.

It started off innocently enough with a nice sandy shore entry and a short flip out past the shallow murk and into quite reasonable vis seeing all the little sand smelts hovering with massive shadows. I was out with Dave following the edge of a reef out to a point. On the way out I spotted a bass in the depths but it scarpered when I approached. Dave didn't see much on that side either... so we decided to head to another parallel reef.

It seemed like quite a long swim but both of us could see the side of the reef we were haeding for. However it didn't seem to be getting any larger.... a few drops onto the sand turned up a nice plaice and a nice sole - I left them both as they were on the small side and I was looking for red mullet.

Dave managed to find a red mullet and shortly after we realised that we had swum clean across the bay missing two parallel reefs ! Ooops ! Shows how confusing it can be at night - Dave just kept mutter "damned if I know where we are..." and I thought we were not where we ended up. Anyway on the swim back Dave spotted a large red squid eating a wrasse and then a large mullet which bumped my mask !

Anyway - another squid and back to the van... realised that it was not the summer any more and we had been in for a little over two hours ... ice block feet and hands.

Cheers
Ed

 

[Old Man Dave]

Yes, wecolme brother.
2 hours, about 2 miles swum, cold, dark, lost and yep it was another guernsey night dive. Actually despite everything it was one of the best yet. As I've said before, spearfishing isn't all about catching it's about the experience. Still, have got red mullet for tea, so mustn't be too noble.
Those sqid are magic. Up to 2 ft long and maybe 4 lbs in weight thet are some sight. Did i mention that they're bright red in the body with blue/mauve fins and that they are also partly transparent and also shimmer in the light? Personally I'm gonna look no touch no matter how good they taste.
I could ramble on as I saw lots more but Ed's already posted and I just wanted to add my tupence worth on sqid.
Teatime - Red mullet..............Yum!
Dave

 

[foxfish]

Tell you what guys that night diving sounds amazing, something I wouldn't take lightly though. You know that four men were lost at sea today! Think I'll leave my first night dive until the summer when the moons out.

I'm after a new suit must be "silver", have a front zip, be one piece and made to measure. Any ideas where to look?

 

[portinfer]

Hi Martin - maybe try Elios or Polosub or the one starting with M... (Morarea sub ??) Try a search on the site or email Stefano (info@eliossub.com)...

Am anticipating a good season this year ....


"It was when Linda first saw the wedding photo that she actually realized she had married a large fish"

 

[Dobs]

Welcome foxfish!
The brand starting with M is Mareasub. There is also another Italian brand I know it is called Tob Sub.
Cheers!

 

[portinfer]

Not a trip report but more a useful winter training routine so your breath hold doesn't vanish by spring...

It takes about half an hour.
Some stretching followed by some pranayama breathing excercises:
-- two minutes of bhastrika
-- a few minutes of relaxing
-- three minutes of kapalabhati
-- a few minutes of relaxing
-- three uddiyana bandhas

Following this a bit of relaxation and then some breath holds.
I just did two but normally do three. First was 2:15, then 3 minutes realxing, then did 4:15 (with contractions at 3:30).

Hope this helps anyone wanting to have more down time !
Ed

 

[foxfish]

Yeah I reckon it could be a good year ahead. I've been investigating the Humps for the last few years, I'm now far more confident around the reefs and tides. My 14ft aluminium boat is ideal for this purpose (if its calm enough). This year she's in for a makeover to make her more diver friendly i.e. easier to board from the water and faster. We have had some great fishing sessions there, but to be fair, the Bass have yet to be fully sussed out. However, any visit to these beautiful Islets is worth while, but when the sun shines and the sea is flat, they are just stunning!

The ever changing tide rips could make a lot of the marks very dangerous, but I'm prepared to be boat man, anyone up for diving? (How about it Ed)

 

[portinfer]

Hi Martin - yes I would def. be up for a Herm trip - maybe split the boat time so we all get some water time ? Having a 'live' boat is essential out there - also I have heard that the odd tuna type species is seen there in late summer ... might be worth bearing in mind for later on... Must be so many great spots out there.... and all very under fished I would imagine 'cos of the difficulty in getting there. Count me in !
Ed

 

[portinfer]

Here is a nice sole that Pete caught at night ... maybe Pete will post a story ?

 

[foxfish]

These pic's show the "Humps" one day last summer.

 

[portinfer]

Where do I sign up ?! Looks amazing ... a far cry from winter diving that's for sure.... Current looks like it is swift just offshore on the first picture.

 

[Old Man Dave]

Is Pete holding a sole or a colander. Also does the middle picture of the "Humps" contain the image of a huge fat predator? I think it may be Carcaradon Oldmandaveus. :t

 

[foxfish]

Hi Ed your welcome aboard, Captain's Martyn and Derek will take you where you have never been before! We go quite a lot in the summer and I think it will take a few sessions amongst the Humps because as you say its a big area.

We caught a 20lb plus Bull Huss on the mono last year, about 6lb above the guernsey fishing record, oh and a big Conger too.

Apart from the Humps I've plenty of other spots and reefs I want to take you to. Can't wait.......

 

[foxfish]

the boat is in for a change for the 2006 season
(think I've got it Dave)

 

[foxfish]

thought you might like this one Ed & wasn't sure if you knew what a gilthead looked like

 

[portinfer]

Very nice Martyn ! True I have never seen a gilthead but I am planning/hoping to catch one by fair means or foul this season (spear, line or grenade). That looks a beauty - about two pounds ? Hard to tell with other species. "Fish" has meant "bass" to me for so long !....

Don't suppose you happen to know when rod and line guys start catching them ? I was going to try for the spot that Dave can see most days (location to remain a secret please....) I went out there last year and had a quick look but it soon drops off beyond 8m.... Anyway, when gilthead season starts I am going to camp out there til i catch one. I have heard that they taste amazing.

So Martyn what are you doing to the boat exactly ? The wood might slow it down or are you fitting a hydrofoil underneath ?

Ed