Hi Everyone
Although it is probably a day which most of the experienced spearo's have long forgotten, Saturday 11 turned out to be a landmark day in my freediving career so far. As a newbie to freediving, I started a few months ago...and have just been focusing on learning the basics, and getting comfortable in the ocean. Last weekend, I reached my deepest point yet, 22 meters, and decided that I was now feeling confident enough to buy my first gun, and have a crack at hunting. ( Tried once before on a borrowed gun and it was a comedy !!)
Well, today, I got into the water in the Atlantic Ocean below Table Mountain, 15 degrees, with viz a little murky, but not undiveable. With me, my brand new rail gun on it's maiden dive.
Big surge left us unable to visit the intended reef, and we ended up exploring some different caves. Much to my excitement, I spotted a nice size Hottentot-fish moving into a cave system, and this led me to a group, which dissapered as I arrived. Very little else was seen for the duration of the dive, and I ended up working on the group of fish in the cave for the better part of 45 minutes, to no avail.
With my buddies having called the day quits, I decided to have a last look from a different point, and ended up managing to get my gun, an arm, and a shoulder into the cave, and whilst lying almost inverted, I could see into the darkness. I was at about 7 meters, so had a bit of bottom time in credit. After about 50 seconds, as my eyes grew familiar with the light, I made out the faint outline of the fish in the gloom, just within my range...just.
I was now tired, and aware that my buddies were enroute back, and I had a fish barely visual in the dark, too far away to be a cert for this newbie. I had, however, had a great session, and had learnt so much on my first ever hunt. So with nothing to lose, I tried to center on the shape, and fired. Moments later, I was ascending with spear in hand, and a nice Hottentot smacked dead-centre ! I was absolutely stoked, as I write this, the memories and the smiles return, most of you have probably forgotten the feeling, but I am less than 6 hours past my first dive with my gun and my first fish, and still smiling !!!!!!!!
Safe dives to all
Jeff
Although it is probably a day which most of the experienced spearo's have long forgotten, Saturday 11 turned out to be a landmark day in my freediving career so far. As a newbie to freediving, I started a few months ago...and have just been focusing on learning the basics, and getting comfortable in the ocean. Last weekend, I reached my deepest point yet, 22 meters, and decided that I was now feeling confident enough to buy my first gun, and have a crack at hunting. ( Tried once before on a borrowed gun and it was a comedy !!)
Well, today, I got into the water in the Atlantic Ocean below Table Mountain, 15 degrees, with viz a little murky, but not undiveable. With me, my brand new rail gun on it's maiden dive.
Big surge left us unable to visit the intended reef, and we ended up exploring some different caves. Much to my excitement, I spotted a nice size Hottentot-fish moving into a cave system, and this led me to a group, which dissapered as I arrived. Very little else was seen for the duration of the dive, and I ended up working on the group of fish in the cave for the better part of 45 minutes, to no avail.
With my buddies having called the day quits, I decided to have a last look from a different point, and ended up managing to get my gun, an arm, and a shoulder into the cave, and whilst lying almost inverted, I could see into the darkness. I was at about 7 meters, so had a bit of bottom time in credit. After about 50 seconds, as my eyes grew familiar with the light, I made out the faint outline of the fish in the gloom, just within my range...just.
I was now tired, and aware that my buddies were enroute back, and I had a fish barely visual in the dark, too far away to be a cert for this newbie. I had, however, had a great session, and had learnt so much on my first ever hunt. So with nothing to lose, I tried to center on the shape, and fired. Moments later, I was ascending with spear in hand, and a nice Hottentot smacked dead-centre ! I was absolutely stoked, as I write this, the memories and the smiles return, most of you have probably forgotten the feeling, but I am less than 6 hours past my first dive with my gun and my first fish, and still smiling !!!!!!!!
Safe dives to all
Jeff