Hello from sunny Cornwall

[Andrew@Rockface]

Just thought I'd post a quick 'hi'.

I started skin diving when I was around 7 or 8 (mid seventies) with the usual blue rubber mask with a perspex face-plate and a j-tube snorkel. Loved it and decided to buy some decent equipment: Spirotechnique mask and a pair of Cressi 'Summer' fins. Also got a few books to help me along: a Leo Zanelli and the BSAC diving manual. Taught myself how to put my gear on underwater, swim with just a snorkel, clear my mask etc. After a few years my head had grown so I moved onto a Technisub (Nova?) mask and a pair of Typhoon jet fins (mark II I think). All this and many snorks but ended up with a simple black typhoon j-tube which I still use. Stopped diving in the early nineties for some reason.

Anyway, last year I started again. Bought a new mask (a lowish vol Beaver Atomic) as my old Technisub had perished. Still used my jet fins with a pair of cotton socks. Thoroughly enjoyed myself. This year I've dumped my old jet fins and have just ordered a pair of Omer Millenniums. Still using the 20+ year old Typhoon snork Also got a 'last season' 3mm/5mm Ripcurl wetsuit though I've never needed one before.

Anyone else skindiving (free or spear) around Falmouth?

Later
Andrew

 

[Soul Deep]

Hi and welcome

U have a similar story to me. Although born and bred London I was brought up on our 15 day cornish holidays each summer (from age 1 'till 14). I started snorkeling at 4'ish and never looked back. Unfortuantly It's a bit far to drive in a day so my hunting/snorkeling grounds are Dorset nowadays. But if you look at the Spearo board you will find a devon thread that you might meet closer people on...

I am in Cornwall end of July for a long weekened in the water so may bump into you then...

 

[Andrew@Rockface]

Hi and welcome

U have a similar story to me. Although born and bred London I was brought up on our 15 day cornish holidays each summer (from age 1 'till 14). I started snorkeling at 4'ish and never looked back. Unfortuantly It's a bit far to drive in a day so my hunting/snorkeling grounds are Dorset nowadays. But if you look at the Spearo board you will find a devon thread that you might meet closer people on...

I am in Cornwall end of July for a long weekened in the water so may bump into you then...

Ah those were the days. In the water 7 days a week, 10 hours a day for the entire school holidays. I must have looked like a prune

Let me know when you're down (PM, email, whatever).

 

[Mr. X]

:wave Hi Andrew, Welcome aboard. I started a little later than you, around 12/teenage years - although sounds like around the same period judging by the gear you mentioned; I had the blue rubber mask, the Typhoon snorkel (which I would happily still use if I could find it) & some English made full-foot fins (which I still use quite often - although I gave up the woolly socks in the 70s). I didn't discover Cornwall until my late teens...but once found never forgotten:inlove. I am hoping to visit sometime this year, either Summer or Oct. Not sure where yet. Had a great time there last year (spearing/kayak/beach/tourism) & the year before (falling off surfboards/walking/tourism - re-visiting favourite spots).

I also didn't dive during the 90s (a busy decade?) but got back into snorkelling last year. A friend has the Beaver Atomic mask -- seems pretty good. Your fins sound good. I reckon you'll be looking at getting a spearo wetsuit before too long (toasty warm I find) .

There are other forum members around Devon (Pav & Jez) & Cornwall (Spearo Dave). No doubt others as well.

 

[Andrew@Rockface]

:wave Hi Andrew, Welcome aboard. I started a little later than you, around 12/teenage years - although sounds like around the same period judging by the gear you mentioned; I had the blue rubber mask, the Typhoon snorkel (which I would happily still use if I could find it)

I do like my typhoon snork. I keep thinking of getting a new one but always go back to it.

:& some English made full-foot fins (which I still use quite often - although I gave up the woolly socks in the 70s).

I think mine were blue open back fins. Very short and narrow blades. Funny how you could only ever get blue or orange

:I didn't discover Cornwall until my late
teens...but once found never forgotten:inlove. I am hoping to visit sometime this year, either Summer or Oct. Not sure where yet. Had a great time there last year (spearing/kayak/beach/tourism) & the year before (falling off surfboards/walking/tourism - re-visiting favourite spots).

Feel free to contact me when you pop down. I'll take you down to Falmouth. Nice shore dives down there.

:I also didn't dive during the 90s (a busy decade?) but got back into snorkelling last year. A friend has the Beaver Atomic mask -- seems pretty good.

I'm happy with it. It fitted my face better than the others in my LDS. Nice soft silcone with very good peripheral vision. A little on the expensive side though. I think mine was around the £30 mark.

:Your fins sound good. I reckon you'll be looking at getting a spearo wetsuit before too long (toasty warm I find) .

I got my suit before I found out that spearo suit existed! Shouldn't matter too much as I can usually stay in the water for the day in +1 hour periods, quite happily, with no suit at all.

:There are other forum members around Devon (Pav & Jez) & Cornwall (Spearo Dave). No doubt others as well.

Spearfishing used to be way more popular down here in the seventies. Seems to have dropped off a lot. Nowadays it's lots of scuba but little skin. Never got the scuba bug. Much prefer the simplicity of skin. I'm exactly the same when it comes to archery. Most people use these nasty big bows with all the sticky-out bits (sights, stabilisers etc) and carbon arrows, whereas I prefer a simple bow with no sight and wooden arrows shooting instinctively.

Give me the simple life any day

 

[Mr. X]

Orange gear -- I forgotten all about that:head. My first snorkel set was actually an orange & white kids' mask & snorkel set - very uncomfortable mask, straight rubber head band, no equalization possible (wouldn't have known anything about that anyway); I think we just looked in the murkey water with them ... I was very young.

Thanks for the offer. I will let you know if & when. Shore diving sounds good. Local knowledge is always welcome - otherwise we spend most of out time checking out possible locations (which can be fun too).

Re. the Beaver Atomic, I won't tell you what my friend payed for his. It wasn't very much at all though (he got it new off eBay, off season). Having said that, I recently payed a similar amount to you for an Omer mask (which incidently appears to be made in Taiwan rather than Italy) & it didn't even come with a "tupperware" mask box. It is a very good mask (small, light, good fit, good view) just too expensive - I would probably go for something cheaper next time, there is a lot of choice these days & you some good prices if you shop around.

I just used a cheap 2.5mm shortie wetsuit (+ gloves & 2x swim caps) last Summer and managed 1.5 - 2+ hour stints without much problem; it is not exactly warm though. So a full length steamer is prob. going be better.

I met a scuba diver at Chesil beach who said a similar thing -- he hadn't seen any/many spearos since the 70's (although there are several active spearos in that area). Yes, I also prefer the relative simplicity of skindiving vs. scuba. I have a friend who is a scuba instructor & he is always quoting Boyles Law, partial pressures & mixes at me. Interestingly, there seem to be quite a few spearos that do archery on the forum -- perhaps the relative simplicity of the equipment is part of the attraction for both pursuits. One of the guys I swim with is also a keen archer (he swims 4 days & does archery 1 day a week) -- he also doesn't like/approve of stabilizers, cams, etc. ("cheating" ).

 

[foxfish]

Yeah well I am a spearo who is into bows but like my spear guns I enjoy the latest technology & love my compound bow. Having said that I have built two yew wood long bows & did enjoyed using them at one time.

 

[Mr. X]

Yeah well I am a spearo who is into bows but like my spear guns I enjoy the latest technology & love my compound bow. Having said that I have built two yew wood long bows & did enjoyed using them at one time.

Sorry Foxfish, no offence intended - the purist "cheating" comment was my friends, not mine. I'm not an archer but I did a little archery at school (an unusual sports option?) many years ago - as well as the usual homemade ones as kids. I must admit, I'd like to try one those fancy balanced, cam bows -- they are quite reasonably prices in USA & widely available for hunting. I also wanted to try a real Mary Rose yew bow when I first saw them -- they looked v. thick & heavy. Well now they have an exhibit where you can try drawing one -- they are not as difficult to hold & draw as I had imagined (although firing at a high rate for extended period would no doubt be another matter entirely).

 

[foxfish]

No problem mate. It is funny how sunny Cornwall changes to bows & arrows!
Welcome Andrew, when are you comming to Guernsey for a holiday? The fishing is good & the people friendly. May well find myself in Newquay this summer?

 

[Mr. X]

No problem mate. It is funny how sunny Cornwall changes to bows & arrows!
Welcome Andrew, when are you comming to Guernsey for a holiday? The fishing is good & the people friendly. May well find myself in Newquay this summer?

Boys & their toys! Cornwall & Guernsey -- sounds like a great holiday combination.

 

[Andrew@Rockface]

Yeah well I am a spearo who is into bows but like my spear guns I enjoy the latest technology & love my compound bow. Having said that I have built two yew wood long bows & did enjoyed using them at one time.

Hi foxfish

I started with a secondhand olympic recurve but outgrew it. Started adding up the cost of a new one and suddenly reached the £1000 mark. Realised I was being an arse and bought a 58" 55# hunting recurve for £120 and never looked back. The shame is that I no longer shoot as the local club is very much into touraments and I shoot for relaxation and never took notice of my scores - I will say that I have got a robin hood in the 10 though Nice to see another archer here.

 

[Andrew@Rockface]

No problem mate. It is funny how sunny Cornwall changes to bows & arrows!
Welcome Andrew, when are you comming to Guernsey for a holiday? The fishing is good & the people friendly. May well find myself in Newquay this summer?

Guernsey would be nice but this year I'll be building a car-port and spending a little time in Pembrokeshire Again, drop me a line if you're over here.