Safety concerns that keep me from buying a speargun

[Rodrigo Gonçalves]

Hi everyone!

I'm a scuba diver, I've taken an Aida 2 freediving course and I like to do some snorkeling with a bit of easy freediving to see the wonderful underwater world here in Portugal. I have my own gear and I go by myself, but since I really don't do any serious diving I think I'm very safe.

I've been spotting some really nice fish and I've been thinking of getting my hands on a cheap 75 cm speargun to bring some to eat. However, perhaps I shouldn't go spearfishing alone, although I feel like it'd be as safe as what I already do. In Portugal even if two people say they are spearfishing together they're really on their own, because most fish are caught really shallow (like 4 meters) and the one up one down method really doesn't seem to be necessary, so each person is effectively on their own.

So the question is: is it really necessary to get a buddy? I don't go diving very often, basically just in the summer vacations, as I live an hour away from the ocean, and I don't know other people who can spearfish with me. Thanks!

P.s. another thing that I wonder about is: in order to be comfortable at these shallow depths I have to be slightly overweighted - is this really a no no or is there some wiggle room?

 

[Mr. X]

Hi Rodrigo. Although we don't encourage spearing or diving alone, I personally spear alone; it is possibly more dangerous in some regards but I am much less likely to spear a dive buddy . Also, I am probably less risk adverse than most (e.g. I used to rock climb at extreme level, then raced open water triathlons in USA, etc), so I do not recommend this to others; clearly death is a possibility.

A dive buddy needs to be attentive and know what to do if things go wrong to be more useful than somebody on the beach with a phone. So pick your buddies carefully and ensure you both know how to deal with various emergencies. Training might help? (But apparently didn't in your case )

Yes, I sometimes carry more weight when I know I will be staying shallow. But usually I weight myself moderately to deal with a variety of conditions. I rarely dive deep, usually no more than 10m-12m. Build up weight gradually and safely

BTW I sometimes carry a smallish removable weight which I can clip to myself or my float, depending on need/depth.

Don't overdo anything, especially if diving alone. Give yourself a greater safety margin

Are you planning to spear on snorkel or scuba? Be aware, many/most spearos are against spearing on SCUBA! But our late friend, forum member OMD, explained that SCUBA presents it own problems (e.g. bubbles and noise). I'm not judging, just informing

 

[Rodrigo Gonçalves]

Hi Rodrigo. Although we don't encourage spearing or diving alone, I personally spear alone; it is possibly more dangerous in some regards but I am much less likely to spear a dive buddy . Also, I am probably less risk adverse than most (e.g. I used to rock climb at extreme level, then raced open water triathlons in USA, etc), so I do not recommend this to others; clearly death is a possibility.

A dive buddy needs to be attentive and know what to do if things go wrong to be more useful than somebody on the beach with a phone. So pick your buddies carefully and ensure you both know how to deal with various emergencies. Training might help? (But apparently didn't in your case )

Yes, I sometimes carry more weight when I know I will be staying shallow. But usually I weight myself moderately to deal with a variety of conditions. I rarely dive deep, usually no more than 10m-12m. Build up weight gradually and safely

BTW I sometimes carry a smallish removable weight which I can clip to myself or my float, depending on need/depth.

Don't overdo anything, especially if diving alone. Give yourself a greater safety margin

Are you planning to spear on snorkel or scuba? Be aware, many/most spearos are against spearing on SCUBA! But our late friend, forum member OMD, explained that SCUBA presents it own problems (e.g. bubbles and noise). I'm not judging, just informing

Thanks for the reply!

I spearfish while snorkwling/ freediving, and that's actually the only legal way to do it here.
Meanwhile I've bought a gun and gone spearfishing - and caught some nice-eating fish! And yes, I certainly leave a good safety margin, and of course that I can't relax the same way I would I I were with a buddy. But I did get some contacts of fellow spearfishers who were on the same spots I tried!

 

[Andrew the fish]

Rodrigo, I am lone spearo, like MrX. I personally don’t see a problem with it. If I ever get in trouble, in places where I dive, buddy will not be able to save me, and most likely will get himself into same trouble.

For fishing in shallow waters I usually go down on half-beath, just enough air to blow the snorkel when I surface. Rodrigo, I am sure you will find your own ways and tricks, just keep fishing and having fun.

For lone spearo there is one critical rule that I made for myself. I am ready to part with whatever expensive gear I have at any moment. Like saying goes, there is no fish good enough to die for.