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Sussex 2010

Thread Status: Hello , There was no answer in this thread for more than 90 days.
It can take a long time to get an up-to-date response or contact with relevant users.
How this would have gone :-

1) Shoot stingray
2) Get stung
3) Go to A&E
4) If survive (I swear Steve Irwin's name flashed through my mind), get killed by wife for being a brainless, macho twat.
5) Either way don't live to win anything, except maybe a mention at the Darwin awards.
6) Did I mention this was a really big stingray, I think shooting it would have just pissed it off.

Regards,
Dave.
 
Can confirm that Bognor stingrays do sting. A friends brother was stung a few years ago whilst spearing and ended up in hospital. They didnt know how to treat him and after a time for observation he was discharged.

There is also a danger attached to spearing congers. The same friend, when much younger and before he could drive used to go for a dive and travel to Bognor by train. On this particualr occassion he had shot a conger and was dragging it up the beech to put it in a bin bag to take it home (by train.)
An elderly lady on the beech saw the conger, thought it was a seal, started screaming that he had killed a seal and attacked him with her umbrella.


Kev
 
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Kev, have you any idea why they come, is it for food or breeding?
It's just that I've not heard of them that close-in anywhere else in the UK.

Love the little old lady story, anyone remember the Hell's Grannies sketch on Monty Python?

Regards,
Dave.
 
June FOM
is now open





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This month we have a fantastic Bonus prize of a meal for 2 courtesy of Mille Restuarant


So follow the link below and Behold :)
June FOM



Discussion Thread below
Fish of the month discussion thread 2010






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Please read the rules before posting :)
 
Tried Bognor again to day, temp' 16*, vis' very cloudy 2-3m.
There were a few shoals of bass around with some take-able fish but I was hoping for something bigger, sadly none turned up.
Saw the usual stingray, a smaller one about 70-80cm across the wings, it was swimming gracefully along as they do, I did notice even the smaller ones have a nasty looking barb about 4'' or 5'' long.

Quite pleased with my dive times today, over 40 dives averaging between 1'25 and 1'55, which is good for me.
The wife is making me cycle everywhere to make me lose some weight, seems to be helping with the bottom times, though not with losing the weight.

Dave if you're really desperate for a buddy give me shout.
But only if no one else is available, I don't have a boat, I'm not that familiar with the local sites and to be quite honest I'm not very good.
Also I'm a bit in awe of your prowess as a free-diver.
However I am available, have lots of spare kit (guns etc) and sometimes I even catch a fish or two.
If no better offer turns up I'd love to meet for a dive sometime.

Regards,
Dave.
 
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A very good dive at Bognor on Friday.
Water was 17* with vis' varying between 3m-4m.
The reef has really come to life with prolific string weed and kelp beds, also the vivid reds and greens of the seaweed that give the place a 'fairy grotto' like feel.
I saw cuttlefish (can't shoot them, too cute), a nice lobby (too slow), some big mullet (didn't want any) and some big bass.

The bass were hiding in the kelp and under the overhangs, which makes for a great game of hide-n-seek but they were very skittish and hard to approach.
Even in my best sneaky stealth mode they fled in all directions when I got close.
I finished the day with four fish, the best of which weighed 2.7kg.
This was the first time I got to try the new Cyrano 550, this little gun is perfect for this type of fishing and great fun as well.

Hope everyone gets a dive this weekend and please put some reports on the thread, it could do with some.

Regards,
Dave.
 
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Re: - Sussex Report 2009 -

Hi just wondering if I can post something a little off topic.

I'm in Sydney (Aust) and am looking at upgrading my wetsuit, thing is I'll be moving back to London next year so I'm wondering what thickness suits you guys are diving in around south and south east England?

Cheers
 
Re: - Sussex Report 2009 -

yeah that is helpful, I was looking at a 3.5 open cell, (though I know some people have mixed opinion of how good they really are - but I've never tried one) but it might be better to wait till I get over there. Do you have a long season? and by the way Camanche, nice vids. Sea Bass is in my top three fish to eat.
 
Re: - Sussex Report 2009 -

5mm hood attached jacket, no zips, longjohns with 5mm legs and 3mm top, nylon lined outside and open cell inside is the standard UK spearing suit. Made To Measure is common and can make the suit warmer. Cammo pattern nylon outside is also popular. 3mm or 5mm boottees are the norm. 5mm are warmer but 3mm give better power transfer to long fins (depends on footpocket fit as well).

This set up will enable you to do min 2 hours in the water from May/June 'til Sept/October. Fish are around from April 'til December. Either end of the season you can add a 2 or 3mm undervest or cut your dive times.

MTM Elios as described are £200-£250. Diveskin are £150+, off the peg can be had for under £100 if you look for a deal.

Personally I use a MTM Diveskin as above except I have inside lining as well. Most suits only go 2-3 years depending on use and storage. Nylon inside go 5 years but some people say they are not so warm.

Dave.
 
Re: - Sussex Report 2009 -

Nail on the head, except . . . well, when it comes to cold water I admit I'm a big girls blouse.
Just like to say on land it's shorts and t-shirt March to November like real blokes should.
But in the water it's a 7mm open cell jacket and 5mm trousers for me, I hate to be cold while diving.
Because my spearfishing trips are infrequent, I have to make the most of them, 6-8hrs in the water is not uncommon and shivering my ass off for 4 of those is not an option.
So 7mm for me and 5mm for everybody else sounds about right.
Wearing a 7mm, you do get punished in the lead department though.

Dave.
 
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