Just starting out and live full time in Samara, Costa Rica

[guanacaste]

Hey guys, glad to have found this board! I've been living in Samara Costa Rica for about 7 months now and the rainy season is finally over -- so nice clear waters, and I figure it's time to take up spear fishing.

Looking for advice on all the usual topics, have read the stickies about rigging / gear, etc.

Here's my gear so far.

• Beuchat Espadon
• Beuchat Espadon Sport (shorty)
• Several replacement/stronger bands -- no sure what I needed so I just bought whatever the shop guy had available. in addition to the bands that came on the guns I have these: 470x16, 260x13, 220x13
• one alum. wishbone in case I break one of the standard plastic ones -- are these better? they seem better than the plastic ones but given the opportunity (getting gear here is difficult) I'd probably get the Tahiti wishbones, but again I have no real experience to say why - they just look better from a design perspective and less likely to take off a finger.
• one trident
• one extra standard steel point
• some unfortunately not awesome open heel fins that "will get me by until I make a run to the USA for upgrades"
• a decent mask with nose purge valve and tempered lens
• a decent dry snorkel which only sometimes makes my mouth sore after ~1hr
• a gerber infantry knife with drop-leg mount
• a kbar knife with drop leg mount
• olympus underwater camera
• contour roam gps waterproof camera (need a tube mount or some way to attach to gun

Here's some gear I have on order but cannot get until I go back to the USA later this month -- or risk having things shipped and stuck in customs:

• "Cressi Men's Reaction Pro Closed-Foot Diving Fins (Blue, 10/11)"
• "Cressi Dry Snorkel (Clear)"
• "Cressi Matrix 2-Lens Diving Mask (Clear Silicone/Clear)"
• "Cressi Shorty Men's 1mm Wetsuit (Large)"

As far as I can tell I need the following gear still:

• a float of some kind
• a fish stringer or line
• probably a dive knife instead of the ones listed above
• weight belt? I don't really care for suiting up in the water here even when I do get the 1mm suit as the water is so warm I just don't see a benefit aside from coral protection -- but maybe more experience will teach me otherwise.
• anything else I'm missing?

So far I've just been exploring the reefs around the Samara headlands and Carrillo areas. It's all new to me and it's stupidly exciting. I know there's a guy in Nosara on the boards who runs charters but I'm more interested in free trips with locals on a friendly basis -- no boats involved whenever possible.

I'm living here full time so if anyone wants to mentor a beginner let me know, I learn fast and can provide all the beer!

 

[cdavis]

Hi Guanacaste, welcome to DB.

brief suggestions:

get a mask with a dark skirt, clear works poorly for spearing, and no purge valve. Murphy guarantees that they will leak at the worst possible time.

The best snorkels are simple j tubes. Comfortable depends on your mouth, but the right one for you should require little or no effort to keep it in your mouth and be comfortable for all day.

get long fins, cressi makes several that are low priced, 3000 ld, etc. Far more efficient than shorter fins.

Weight belt, get a rubber one. I know it sounds ridiculous, but it really does matter. Omer makes a good one. You will need weights to spear in shallow water ( less than 10 m).

Connor

 

[guanacaste]

Hi Guanacaste, welcome to DB.

brief suggestions:

get a mask with a dark skirt, clear works poorly for spearing, and no purge valve. Murphy guarantees that they will leak at the worst possible time.

The best snorkels are simple j tubes. Comfortable depends on your mouth, but the right one for you should require little or no effort to keep it in your mouth and be comfortable for all day.

get long fins, cressi makes several that are low priced, 3000 ld, etc. Far more efficient than shorter fins.

Weight belt, get a rubber one. I know it sounds ridiculous, but it really does matter. Omer makes a good one. You will need weights to spear in shallow water ( less than 10 m).

Connor

Good points. I ordered new gear and picked it all up on my recent USA visit last week. So now I have the same mask but in full black, same snorkel in black, and a set of Gara 3000LD fins. Also picked up a weight belt from a local dive shop but it's one of those neon yellow fabrics so I'll need to die it black or use the weights with a different black belt. Also picked up an Omer float so that will be useful.

Anyone know where I can get a better speargun in Costa Rica? The only ones I've seen locally are the ones I already own.

 

[e.m.p!]

the clearer the water the longer your gun should be, but you'll find out pretty quick I guess. the colour of your weightbelt doesn't matter - rubber is better as your body compresses when you dive deep, and rubber stays where it should. a webbed belt may slip under your arms.

 

[stevojones]

Not sure if you are interested, but I make my own spearguns, I am located in Playas del Coco, Guanacaste. I can make a gun for you according to whatever specifications you want.