I consider myself very lucky.

[tbgsub]

got married to a lovely lady who decided to apply for work on a tropical Island.

long story short, she got the job, 2 years in Saipan in the CNMI Island chain along the Marianas Trench. "GOOD WIFE!"

me? I would be crazy not to learn to freedive and hunt when I move there to join her.

I have joined this community to discover how best to set up an Inshore Arbalete (splurged for an Omer Cobra, what can I say I am a carpenter by trade, and wood suits me), that I plan on gettin DIN DIN with "Honey I'm Home! ----THUD!!". and mom kept telling me not to play with my food!

anyway.

hello to all, I look foreward to great conversations and advice from the more experienced. did I mention that two local Chamorro's on the island have allready volunteered to teach me. (Like I said, lucky)

TBGSUB

 

[naiad]

And you are also very lucky to have found the best freediving site on the Web!

Welcome aboard. I'm sure that you will find lots of helpful advice here.

Lucia

 

[MBanks]

You lucky, lucky man!

 

[greendiver]

Keep us informed!!
Greets!!

 

[tbgsub]

awesome. it is great hearing from you that replied.
I managed to mate H. Dessault foot pockets to the Omer Ice fins. just had to use a stanley knife (carefully) to cut out the notch catches at the end of the blade holders. it appears that H. Dessault designed a means of keeping the pocket more firmly fasened to their fins. although with the latest fin designs it appears that they have done away with this concern.

I have been practising in the Potomac river, (still cold, for swimming) but I spend about a half hour diving to the bottom and grabbing rocks to stay down for as long as I can while fighting the current.

I can hold my breath static for 2mins, but dynamic apnea is a whole different ball game. I must hone those ninja skills. I know it is mostly mind over matter, and proper conditioning.

You are right.
there is a large wealth of information here!
I look foreward to swimming in theese threads frequently as well!!!

P.S. does anyone have their wife as their diving buddy? I am going to convince the wifey to hunt with me, and learn skills. maby she might like it enough for her own set up some time. if it doesnt work, I guess that means I get two guns!?

anyway best of luck to you all!!!

 

[fogish]

My wife is my diving buddy. We are just getting started and have ordered alot of our gear and waiting for it to arrive. We do alot of dry statics together, and will start some swimming once our neighbors open their pools. I also convinced my friend to start, so I will have someone to go with just about any time I am in the mood, but I definately enjoy the time my wife and I spend working on it alot more.

I really got lucky, the only other thing we both love is horses and she is allergic to grass. Now we are excercising together, and getting excited to be trying out something new and fun together. Read this article, it helped me out: http://www.deeperblue.net/article.php/396/17

 

[tbgsub]

Re: fogish

thanks for the link, I read the whole thing, it reminded me of the times when I tried to teach girlfriends how to Snowboard. that part about gently providing the basics, while not pushing the teacher student dynamic on a person who doesnt have the option to just get another teacher is GOLDEN!!!

best of luck to you and yours.

I will start snorkelling with the wife on a leisure basis, and gradually work into equalizing down in increments. Then work on her apnea training. I realize that this sport is a developmental program. for some it is a lifelong endeavor, for others it is a brief glimpse into an otherwise untouchable world. I only hope ours becomes the former rather than the latter.

 

[Lockedin]

Welcome to DB tbgsub! Sounds like you and your wife are very, very lucky!

 

[tbgsub]

thanks lockedin,
hope to share photos and experiences with you all here.

 

[omega3]

Howdy.
Would you mind putting down six numbers from 1-49 for me?

Cheers
Jim

 

[yugyug]

your are lucky. Doubly so if your wife gets into freediving or spearfishing with you. In regards to that (I didn't read that linked article so sorry if it was covered), but don't push too hard.... I've certiainly encouraged my girlfriend to join me in my hobby but I've discouraged her just has much by my over enthusiam and somewhat lack of fear re: sharks, currents, etc

 

[tbgsub]

well I leave for Saipan in Three days!
wish me luck! hope to be updating regularly, I have been reading Terry Mass's book Freediving, Riding a road bike regularly, and practising with a lung trainer like a good lil diver, and hope to find a course to enroll in on the Island, otherwise I will be looking for someone to be a benevolent dive partner while the wife and I learn, and catch on. I will be getting Scuba certified eventually, but Freediving and spearhunting is what I wish to do most, it just seems more appropriate to be limited by the natural capacities in life, or simply not viewing our natural capacities as limitations.

 

[Kars]

I think it's important to learn and keep appreciating the fun on has under water. Many people fall into the trap off turning freediving in a way to feel good about themselves because they dit another pb. pb's will be there, but they will get less and less, and stubburn training HARDER only helps to build up a mental barrier.

Just go for the fun, follow your bodies guidance, learn to listen and obay it no matter how much your ego wants a boost.

I'm far from a saint and have fallen for the ego thing numerous times. But I'm happy to recently refound appreciation of just being there, not thinking just giving in and letting go and enjoy the ride as it is given.

Love, peace and water!

Apparently you're familliar with the law of attraction

Kars

 

[tbgsub]

yeah, i am just excited. no ego problems, although I have had the opportunity in my life to push it I never did, one thing I have learned is that respect has to be given to be recieved, to the mountains in Utah where I used to snowboard professionally for Winterstick snowboards, and to the sea where I will be spending the next few years, hopefully more. I have learned that each mountain has a different soul, or spirit if you will, and that respect from the little person who consideres themself blessed to be able to ride and return home unbroken is crucial to a long life of snowboarding, I am assuming that each sea, and segment of reef and ocean is similar, so I plan on bringing an open minded humble soul where ever I happen to go. I have never been all about PB's anyway, I mean it is cute to go YAAY! I am 3/10/s longer than five minutes ago but it gets old. I am all about finding that comfortable 90 second-1 minute interval where I expect to return to the surface repeatedly. and then take a few minutes recouperating for the next dive. and going home when I feel tired. one thing for sure, I am not about pushing limits against a life worth living. snowboarding with a season pass for 11 years is the same way, quit when you are tired, dont try to get your moneys worth, as , many say. last runs, and last attempts are where and when the accidents happen, I rode backcountry with a buddy, so even small mistakes could have become fatal, the ocean is most likely very similarly serious in consequence.

as far as the attraction I had no control over that, it just took over.
the wife is allready a long snowboarding buddy now, so the outdoor activity, rescue instinct in ingrained, I had to help her with a broken arm once, but she survived and still snowboards because she enjoys it.
long story short, I feel that I am pretty humble considering the fortunate places and things I have been able to do. I am sure you most likely feel the same. Thanks for the words of wisdom. I will take them to heart.

TBGSUB

 

[Kars]

Thanks for your nice elaboration about your background, it's a cool read
I think you've got the spirit, and I hope many wil become inspired due to what you radiate.

On the Law Of Attraction, I ment a different thing, just do a little googlesearch and you'll know how it works, perhabs clarifying a part of your good fortune

Ciao, ciao, and lot's of fun!

Love, Peace and Water,

Kars

 

[tbgsub]

myspace address> http://www.myspace.com/s_mclaren

I am updating photos, and anecdotal stories on myspace if anyone is interested. I happened to break a fin pocket today, was putting them on, with one finger, trying carefully to get the fin on, and I guess I was impatient, the pocket ripped, SNAP! and at the beginning of the day! AARGH!!!!!! :vangry
none of the dive shops in Saipan carry Omer or dessault as far as I can tell, been to a dozen of them Cressi has made a large impact here, but I need Omer Pockets, so It looks like I am going to have to make a trip to Guam=$130.00-US for the flight and a shopping spree before diving. otherwise I would place an order with subprof, but it takes longer than I would care to wait to go dive.

guam here I come!

next week I apply to work at the Division of Fish and Wildlife. wish me luck, I need a joby job! to pay for dive equipment and scuba certification.


I will keep you all posted from Saipan.

Scott M.

 

[LOLO]

hafa adia from guam. if you come on over any time soon, look me up if you want, I am into freediving, spearfishing and can tell you where to go for all the stuff you need, the spearfishing store here on island caries the better freediving fins and other equipment. if you want to contact them you can give them a call at 671-477-3610 and as far everything else goes, I am heading your way next month cant tell you when yet it one of those military things, but I deffinitly plan on doing the grotto again, and again and again, cant beat that place for the view!!!!!!!!! IT IS SOOOOOO AWESOME!!! My name is nick and dive with my buddies, he and I frequently bust out 100+ dives, and know a few cool spots on da island if or when you come on over,
shoots

 

[tbgsub]

superglue is my new best friend

desparate times call for desparate measures, so I just discovered that superglue is my best friend, well that and a nice mimetic rubber band that was lying around the bungalow! here is the pic of the repair, I have since put the bootie on and off 4 times, and used it diving once, hopefully this repair lasts untill I get replacements!

also I took the swim test, where you swim along with a school of bait fish, I think they liked my mimetic suit and Ice fins, because they werent too spooked!

by the way Lau Lau bay has a coral shelf/cliff face where shallow meets deep, including sizeable tuna that I spied before they saw me and bolted! average length assuming lense magnification was 2.5Ft-3ft long. not bad for what is technically inshore!

too bad they didnt stick around for a picture

 

[tbgsub]

I said I was Lucky right?

well here is my first catch in Saipan, Locally it is called LAGGUA in the CHAMORRO Dialect. I shot it with a polespear and an attached Sling, not the one it came with that was too small and springy like a wet noodle, but with a larger diameter, slightly shorter than stock natural latex rubber that has power. this pic is the first fish I ever shot with anything. I waited patiently underwater for a Pair of Parrots to emerge from between a crevice in the coral where I could get a clean shot off at the larger one without hitting the coral. (this is much harder than I thought-but that demands respect for thosee who make it look easy) I dove under about 15feet down and waited above the crevasse while the parrot fish danced along, waited a little longer for a good head shot, I didnt know how well a paralizer barb holds or if my forst hit would be solid enough. When the larger one came into sight, primal instincts took over and WHAM! right in the Head. I remember telling myself not to pull too hard but to let his shock take over before pulling him up.
I exited the reef with the fish still attached to the barbs, he made it back to the car, and I didnt even have to use the knife to still it. around 4 Lbs I am guessing. I suppose now I need a scale!? sheesh this sport just adds up after a while doesnt it. at least it is always fun, I enjoy even the days that nothing is caught b y thinking about all the other things I could have done with the day.

yes those are OMER ICE FINS in DESSAULT SPORASUB FOOT POCKETS call me cheap I wont mind.
I also was using the OMER DAHLEK OCEAN MIMETIC SUIT.

on gear I think that stealth comes more from being in controll of heart rate and breathing than Camouflage, as I have noticed when I am anxious fish sense me no matter what I am in. more importantly, I feel stealthy, and then begin to more rapidly assume the posture, and attitude-thusly the suit does make the man. the logic goes that If I think that I am hard to see I will act like I am not a hunter but part of the scenery so as not to disrupt the illusion. (maby it works for you too)

I hope this up's my rep status just a wee bit, I am gaining valuable knowledge just from living here.
a great local named John John showed me how they clean and cook this fish, I added some extra garnishes for a nice look.
see my myspace site if you are interested.

Scott.

thanks for looking.

 

[Kars]

Cool report Scott!

Cool fins too btw!
Thanks for scharing!

Kars