The last few days have seen little diving on my part. I have been busy helping my family move into our new home and arrange everything to their liking. Always good to be accumulating brownie points for later use when the weather improves.
Wednesday was my day off and I went diving with John and Michael Featherstone and Kris Banks. There has not been a substantial S blow yet and we still have a thermocline at around 15m (cold, dirty and really spooky).
Started at the FAD. Water was quite clear and warm. Massive school of Yellowtail mixed with Rainbow Runners and small Dorado. There was no indication of any bigger fish. We even tried pinning one of the smaller Dorado to encourage bigger fish to come and have a look. No luck. We then moved to the reef N of the Big Island (Hitler's). This was comfortable diving all above the thermocline. There was very little current which allowed a thorough look at the area. I stuffed up on a big Green Jobfish. Instead of lying still and patiently waiting for it to come closer, I tried to chase it. Total waste of time, fish disappeared pretty smartly. Due reward was collected shortly afterwards. A school of small Yellowtail swam up to me, I tucked over to look behind me and saw a Spanish following the 'Tail. Turned and tracked it. The fish initially raced off then seemed to stop and glide to the left, right into my target area. That is my first Spanish this season, not big but my dance card has been opened.
We moved around to the S side of the Big Island. The viz opened up beautifully. Viz down to 20m+. Lots of bait around and several schools of small 'Tail and Amberjack. I was looking for Wahoo or Cobia. Found several massive Black Rays at around 20m and diligently looked under them for Cobia. Encountered an Eagle Ray with an Amberjack but the ray spooked and took the Amberjack with it. Shoaling Hammerheads came through in a school of about 30 sharks. True to form, they were very skittish. When I thought I was not going to see a Cobia, dropped down to check out a ray and found 2 Cobia. What a blast taking a Cobia in such a classic situation. By this stage we had rustled up 2 Spanish, a Blue-Bar Parrotfish and the small Dorado.
We did our best to find some Mangrove Jacks but the conditions were deteriorating. We elected to move to The Wash. Again the thermocline was found at about 15m. I could find no fish in the dirty cold water but around the pinnacles there were plenty. Took a reasonable Yellowtail and as I tried to put my hand into its gills it broke free. Then I found a school of large Big-Eye Trevally. The school seemed very flighty almost harassed. Every dive at them, had them scuttling off into the deep, only to return several minutes later. With their next pass I exhaled and slowly sank down to them. This gave me a closer look and I managed to pin one. It fought very strongly and scraped along the reef, dislodging the spear.
We decided to call it a day and head back to Arrawarra. The Cobia is in the fridge being prepared as Gravlax and the 'Couta in a brining solution for smoking today.
The weather this weekend does not look good for diving but a quick jaunt out to look for Dorado may be a good bet. If that fails, I will take my bow out and go looking for some deer on the surrounding hills. I am really in need of some good old fashioned BILTONG!
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Sunday, December 7, 2008
9 December 2008
Buoyweather has been a little on the conservative side recently. Indications have been of really poor weather but we have been enjoying some very settled, clear and warm sea. On Saturday, some dive mates convinced me to go out to the local wave-recording buoy. Apparently, news of some Dorado was doing the rounds. The sky looked pretty ominous and the swell was quite impressive but we made the most of it. I have found the wave-recorder to be quite mediocre to date. I drifted toward it in the strong current, fully expecting the usual Yellowtail creche to come out to great me. What a pleasant surprise to see a school of Dorado swim past. My shot was poor but Justin nabbed one, not big but a great start. A few more drifts saw Kurt and I heading toward the recorder. I saw the school and started to stalk them but Justin began shouting at me from the boat. I looked across to see Kurt into a nice bull. It fought like a demon. Fortunately, I was in time to make a securing shot. It weighed a convincing 13kg.
Kris took some friends to dive at Split Solitary on Monday. The conditions were great and I did not need much convincing to head out with him on Tuesday. The NE had churned the sea up a little. Viz was poor, around 8m, but the sea was quite warm. I made several dives on a school of small Yellowtail but nothing worthwhile was in the offing. I made a dive to the bottom to lie and wait for something to come knocking. Something did. On the edge of viz a large shape loomed, distinct white belly, dark back. The shark stayed on the periphery, in the gloom. I decided it was probably a Raggie but the consensus is that it may have been a little White. A short while later, a Raggie came up to have a good look at me in midwater. With the poor viz, the shark activity and the lack of suitable quarry, we decided to call it a day.
Big family excitement. We have been flitting from one holiday accommodation to another and finally we now could move into our new home. To celebrate, John Featherstone suggested we go diving.
Friday had us heading out to the Coffs FAD. I jumped in and surprised a Marlin. I don't know who was more startled. The Marlin obviously had chased any other quarry away from the FAD. We headed to Grouper but the water was mucky. The N-S current convinced us to head to the N end of Grouper. We took a few Yellowtail but then the Raggies showed up again. They were very feisty. Discretion being the better part of valour, we elected to try Black Rock. What an exciting place to dive. The rock sticks up out of 20m of water. We encountered lots of bait in the vicinity but the current pushed us off the hotspot very quickly. I did manage to shoot a large Yellowtail that took me way upcurrent. This made for a few anxious moments with 2 divers being separated by a few hundred metres.
We moved onto The Small Wash near Black Rock. This is another inspiring spot that just seems to scream fish. We were hoping for a large Amberjack or Samsonfish but were prepared to settle for a Cobia or Jew. Unfortunately, our quarry were not co-operating. We dived hard and at one point, I thought, as I finned along the surface, that I had just seen a Cobia. I quickly ducked down to be confronted by the largest Yellowtail I have seen up to now. I made a good holding shot. The shot was confirmed by Kris and John, both happy that the fish was secure. Moments later I was dragged down about 15m by the seemingly very alive fish. Then nothing..... gone! Perhaps the Raggies were enjoying what they perceived as their just desserts.
The weekend was spent unpacking and sorting through our boxes from South Africa. The club held a competition on Sunday which seems to have been very productive. Yellowtail Kings featured extensively but then there were Samsonfish and Cobia tossed into the mix. The luckier divers managed some Pearl Perch, Mangrove Jack and Red Bass (Bohar Snapper).
The weather is spectacular and I am keen to get out and try some new things I have read on www.saspearoranking.co.za. I am intending to restring my 1.4m gun with dyneema directly from the reel to the spear, leaving the clips and bungee off. The other piece of gear I intend acquiring is a belt-reel. This will allow an additional length of line available, to clip to the gun, if something big strips the line off the reel on the gun. These belt-reel are available from Rabitech.
Kris took some friends to dive at Split Solitary on Monday. The conditions were great and I did not need much convincing to head out with him on Tuesday. The NE had churned the sea up a little. Viz was poor, around 8m, but the sea was quite warm. I made several dives on a school of small Yellowtail but nothing worthwhile was in the offing. I made a dive to the bottom to lie and wait for something to come knocking. Something did. On the edge of viz a large shape loomed, distinct white belly, dark back. The shark stayed on the periphery, in the gloom. I decided it was probably a Raggie but the consensus is that it may have been a little White. A short while later, a Raggie came up to have a good look at me in midwater. With the poor viz, the shark activity and the lack of suitable quarry, we decided to call it a day.
Big family excitement. We have been flitting from one holiday accommodation to another and finally we now could move into our new home. To celebrate, John Featherstone suggested we go diving.
Friday had us heading out to the Coffs FAD. I jumped in and surprised a Marlin. I don't know who was more startled. The Marlin obviously had chased any other quarry away from the FAD. We headed to Grouper but the water was mucky. The N-S current convinced us to head to the N end of Grouper. We took a few Yellowtail but then the Raggies showed up again. They were very feisty. Discretion being the better part of valour, we elected to try Black Rock. What an exciting place to dive. The rock sticks up out of 20m of water. We encountered lots of bait in the vicinity but the current pushed us off the hotspot very quickly. I did manage to shoot a large Yellowtail that took me way upcurrent. This made for a few anxious moments with 2 divers being separated by a few hundred metres.
We moved onto The Small Wash near Black Rock. This is another inspiring spot that just seems to scream fish. We were hoping for a large Amberjack or Samsonfish but were prepared to settle for a Cobia or Jew. Unfortunately, our quarry were not co-operating. We dived hard and at one point, I thought, as I finned along the surface, that I had just seen a Cobia. I quickly ducked down to be confronted by the largest Yellowtail I have seen up to now. I made a good holding shot. The shot was confirmed by Kris and John, both happy that the fish was secure. Moments later I was dragged down about 15m by the seemingly very alive fish. Then nothing..... gone! Perhaps the Raggies were enjoying what they perceived as their just desserts.
The weekend was spent unpacking and sorting through our boxes from South Africa. The club held a competition on Sunday which seems to have been very productive. Yellowtail Kings featured extensively but then there were Samsonfish and Cobia tossed into the mix. The luckier divers managed some Pearl Perch, Mangrove Jack and Red Bass (Bohar Snapper).
The weather is spectacular and I am keen to get out and try some new things I have read on www.saspearoranking.co.za. I am intending to restring my 1.4m gun with dyneema directly from the reel to the spear, leaving the clips and bungee off. The other piece of gear I intend acquiring is a belt-reel. This will allow an additional length of line available, to clip to the gun, if something big strips the line off the reel on the gun. These belt-reel are available from Rabitech.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
26 November 2008
The cloudy rainy weather appears to have settled in for the time being but the EAC is sitting in very close on most days. In spite of the sea being a little rougher than normal, it has been clean and extremely diveable. The results are starting to speak for themselves.
On Sunday past, went out with Kris, to the E side of Split. Ocean was pretty rough and the W wind was causing the waves to break backwards! Behind Split we had some respite and I started burleying some pilchards. The viz was poor but the sea was a comfortable 22. I was quickly surrounded by a ball of interested fish. Started diving to the bottom about 19m and continued the burleying. Apart from the ravenous bait ball, there were very few additional enquiries. I was starting to feel like a much maligned, door-to-door salesman, when an Amberjack showed up amongst the bait. It was quickly dispatched. Some damage to one of the pontoons on the rubber-duck cut our diving short.
The sea was really settled on Monday and I decided to take a swim, after work, off Korora Beach. Bumped into 2 mates in the water on their way back. The comments had something to do with a crazy South African going out at this time of night. Although no fish were found, the viz and temperature are improving quite dramatically.
During consulting on Wednesday, phone rings, John Featherstone, what was I doing in the afternoon. I took a moment before saying: DIVING. Good call. The conditions were fantastic. Headed out to the Big Island (North Solitary). Current was running S-N (Uphill according to the locals). Checked out the pinnacles N of NW Rocks, then the gutters N of NW Rocks. All the time Angelo Spada's words were ringing in my ears: 'GO UPCURRENT'.
John suggested looking at the S end of the Big Island. Bait everywhere when I got in. Wishbone snapped. Second gun and a Spanish swims up. Very skittish and just out of range of the back-up gun. I dived and a big Yellowtail comes right up to me. BANG, into the boat. John has loaded a small Spanish. Head off to where the wash is creating a foamy area above a 20m drop. Bait and pelagics all over the place. Yellowtail, Amberjacks, Mack Tuna and Bronze Whalers. I dive again to find a nice sized Rainbow Runner. Follow it for a while as it turns left then right trying to figure out my intentions. Mistake. It ends up on my stringer. I was pulling a flasher at this time and everything seemed interested in it. Dived again, another big Yellowtail, great headshot. Stopped in its tracks, no fight at all. Swim the spoils back to the boat 200m away. Murray loading another Yellowtail. I bumped into a massive wall of good Big-Eye Trevally but they were way too clever to offer a shot. Turned and lined up on a massive Cobia. About to pull the trigger when it dawned on me I was about to plug a Whaler. Pop my head out and both John and Murray are already on the boat getting their gear stowed. Time to head back. Another Spanish comes in but stays just out of range of the gun I am carrying. I try all the tricks I know. Dive down, lie still, feign disinterest, fin toward an interception point, nothing works. The fish is not going to relent and give me a shot. Oh well, my primary gun will soon be sporting a new wishbone and those stand-offish Spanish will get the surprize of their lives at the increased range. John was very excited, he had seen a monster Amberjack, which had stayed out of range, but he had been surrounded by hundreds of Spanish Mackerel. He had noticed Snapper down deep but was afraid to start burleying with all the Whalers about. Murray was feeling a little worse-for-wear but he had lost a good Mackerel and a Blue-Bar Parrotfish. His ego had taken a pounding.
With so many good fish around, everything is on line for a bumper season.
On Sunday past, went out with Kris, to the E side of Split. Ocean was pretty rough and the W wind was causing the waves to break backwards! Behind Split we had some respite and I started burleying some pilchards. The viz was poor but the sea was a comfortable 22. I was quickly surrounded by a ball of interested fish. Started diving to the bottom about 19m and continued the burleying. Apart from the ravenous bait ball, there were very few additional enquiries. I was starting to feel like a much maligned, door-to-door salesman, when an Amberjack showed up amongst the bait. It was quickly dispatched. Some damage to one of the pontoons on the rubber-duck cut our diving short.
The sea was really settled on Monday and I decided to take a swim, after work, off Korora Beach. Bumped into 2 mates in the water on their way back. The comments had something to do with a crazy South African going out at this time of night. Although no fish were found, the viz and temperature are improving quite dramatically.
During consulting on Wednesday, phone rings, John Featherstone, what was I doing in the afternoon. I took a moment before saying: DIVING. Good call. The conditions were fantastic. Headed out to the Big Island (North Solitary). Current was running S-N (Uphill according to the locals). Checked out the pinnacles N of NW Rocks, then the gutters N of NW Rocks. All the time Angelo Spada's words were ringing in my ears: 'GO UPCURRENT'.
John suggested looking at the S end of the Big Island. Bait everywhere when I got in. Wishbone snapped. Second gun and a Spanish swims up. Very skittish and just out of range of the back-up gun. I dived and a big Yellowtail comes right up to me. BANG, into the boat. John has loaded a small Spanish. Head off to where the wash is creating a foamy area above a 20m drop. Bait and pelagics all over the place. Yellowtail, Amberjacks, Mack Tuna and Bronze Whalers. I dive again to find a nice sized Rainbow Runner. Follow it for a while as it turns left then right trying to figure out my intentions. Mistake. It ends up on my stringer. I was pulling a flasher at this time and everything seemed interested in it. Dived again, another big Yellowtail, great headshot. Stopped in its tracks, no fight at all. Swim the spoils back to the boat 200m away. Murray loading another Yellowtail. I bumped into a massive wall of good Big-Eye Trevally but they were way too clever to offer a shot. Turned and lined up on a massive Cobia. About to pull the trigger when it dawned on me I was about to plug a Whaler. Pop my head out and both John and Murray are already on the boat getting their gear stowed. Time to head back. Another Spanish comes in but stays just out of range of the gun I am carrying. I try all the tricks I know. Dive down, lie still, feign disinterest, fin toward an interception point, nothing works. The fish is not going to relent and give me a shot. Oh well, my primary gun will soon be sporting a new wishbone and those stand-offish Spanish will get the surprize of their lives at the increased range. John was very excited, he had seen a monster Amberjack, which had stayed out of range, but he had been surrounded by hundreds of Spanish Mackerel. He had noticed Snapper down deep but was afraid to start burleying with all the Whalers about. Murray was feeling a little worse-for-wear but he had lost a good Mackerel and a Blue-Bar Parrotfish. His ego had taken a pounding.
With so many good fish around, everything is on line for a bumper season.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
20 November 2008
Just as I think I am getting to grips with understanding how the weather works, things change and more variables come into the picture. I watch Buoyweather religiously to look for potential breaks in the weather. However, the CSIRO also provide a map of the most recent current and surface sea temperatures. This is indicating a warm patch of water has moved in off Coffs and has been quite stable for the last week. My spearfishing mates have been getting Yellowtail with the odd Samsonfish thrown into the mix. There have been some Pearl Perch taken as well as a Venus Tuskfish which is a highly sought after species resembling a wrasse.
I have not been able to dive since the last swim in from the side, but yesterday we took a quick run out to Bullocky, a small patch of reef about 3km off Coffs Harbour. The current was ripping through and we did not have a suitable marker buoy (I am so looking forward to getting all my gear again). I managed one productive dive, jumping in on a huge school of bait. I noticed a Rainbow Runner and followed it to about 19m where it ended up with a spear through it and soon to be the main star of a Sushi dish.
South of Coffs about an hours drive is a headland called Southwest Rocks. A report came that some spearos got a small Spanish Mackerel there on the weekend which is good for us. That should mean the Spanish ought to be in our area within a week. Apparently a very early start to the season. Here's hoping it will not be a false start.
The Caterpillar Hot Current Gamefishing Tournament was held at Coffs over the previous weekend. The deepsea guys saw the start of the poor weather and some 220 fishers were limited to 1 day of fishing out of 4. 3 Blue Marlin were caught with one being a new NSW record fish, several Yellowfin Tuna and Dorado also made their way to the scales. The bad weather marking the start of the tournament has been with us for more than a week now. The result has been extensive flooding in Brisbane and Sydney. We have been spared the flooding but the continued rain has put a damper on things. I certainly hope the weekend competition will be granted some respite.
I have not been able to dive since the last swim in from the side, but yesterday we took a quick run out to Bullocky, a small patch of reef about 3km off Coffs Harbour. The current was ripping through and we did not have a suitable marker buoy (I am so looking forward to getting all my gear again). I managed one productive dive, jumping in on a huge school of bait. I noticed a Rainbow Runner and followed it to about 19m where it ended up with a spear through it and soon to be the main star of a Sushi dish.
South of Coffs about an hours drive is a headland called Southwest Rocks. A report came that some spearos got a small Spanish Mackerel there on the weekend which is good for us. That should mean the Spanish ought to be in our area within a week. Apparently a very early start to the season. Here's hoping it will not be a false start.
The Caterpillar Hot Current Gamefishing Tournament was held at Coffs over the previous weekend. The deepsea guys saw the start of the poor weather and some 220 fishers were limited to 1 day of fishing out of 4. 3 Blue Marlin were caught with one being a new NSW record fish, several Yellowfin Tuna and Dorado also made their way to the scales. The bad weather marking the start of the tournament has been with us for more than a week now. The result has been extensive flooding in Brisbane and Sydney. We have been spared the flooding but the continued rain has put a damper on things. I certainly hope the weekend competition will be granted some respite.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
13 November 2008
I thought I was going to be on call this previous weekend and did not have much faith in getting into the Ocean. Saturday, Kris called and wondered if I would be interested in a quick swim off Sawtell, S of Coffs. Michael also informed me, he would be on call. We arrived at Sawtell Headland and did a rock-hop toward the S. The viz had looked good but was not particularly flash when I put my head underwater. We persevered and swam around the headland, toward the island on the N side. I found lots of good gutters, up against the steep sides, but no Jewfish. The wind came up and a strong rip was developing. We called it a day but not before Kris took a nice pan-sized Luderick. I bumped into schools of these fish but they were moving so quickly, I had little chance of taking one. On Tuesday I got a text message that the rock and surf guys, fishing where we jumped in, got into a school of big Snapper. A question of being in the right place at the right time.
Sunday was to be spent with my wife at the local food and wine festival. This was just behind Park Beach. The food was great (lots of local berries included in the desserts), followed by copious quantities of the local wine and beer. I took a quick look at Little Muttonbird Island off Park Beach and the viz was great. Called Kris and took a late afternoon swim. As the afternoon passed into early evening, so the place came alive. Kris is still building his confidence and spent most of the time near me. Just as he moved off to check out some likely reef, a huge Yellowtail came to investigate the Bream (very similar to a Stumpnose) hanging from my buoy. My gun was not loaded and I watched in disbelief as the fish circled me with complete disdain. It is great to see good fish like this off the shallow points. Apparently the population was decimated in previous years by indiscriminate trapping by commercials. Since the ban on trapping has been imposed, the Yellowtail Kings are on their way to recovery.
Reports from my spearing contacts show that the conditions are improving and more trips are coming to fruition. Early in the month, John and Michael got some Pearl Perch N of Arrawarra. These fish were hanging around massive bait shoals. The other interesting point was that several good Mangrove Jacks were also seen amongst the bait but proved to be flighty. John headed out to test the new motor on his 'Spearfishing DownUnder Magazine' boat. They stopped at Middle Ground and took some Samsonfish and Yellowtail. The conditions were pretty good according to the reports I got.
Every Friday the local newspaper publishes the results of the week's recreational fishing. Several Jewfish and Snapper are being landed from the beach. The deepsea guys are taking a fair number too but are also picking up Samsons, 'Tail and Pearlies. One of the premier deepsea fishing tournaments took place in Coffs this weekend and it will be interesting to see the results. As I write this, Kris, Michael and John are out on the Ocean hopefully getting some good spearing in. I will have to console myself in the meantime, with training in the local municipal pool and playing U/W hockey.
Sunday was to be spent with my wife at the local food and wine festival. This was just behind Park Beach. The food was great (lots of local berries included in the desserts), followed by copious quantities of the local wine and beer. I took a quick look at Little Muttonbird Island off Park Beach and the viz was great. Called Kris and took a late afternoon swim. As the afternoon passed into early evening, so the place came alive. Kris is still building his confidence and spent most of the time near me. Just as he moved off to check out some likely reef, a huge Yellowtail came to investigate the Bream (very similar to a Stumpnose) hanging from my buoy. My gun was not loaded and I watched in disbelief as the fish circled me with complete disdain. It is great to see good fish like this off the shallow points. Apparently the population was decimated in previous years by indiscriminate trapping by commercials. Since the ban on trapping has been imposed, the Yellowtail Kings are on their way to recovery.
Reports from my spearing contacts show that the conditions are improving and more trips are coming to fruition. Early in the month, John and Michael got some Pearl Perch N of Arrawarra. These fish were hanging around massive bait shoals. The other interesting point was that several good Mangrove Jacks were also seen amongst the bait but proved to be flighty. John headed out to test the new motor on his 'Spearfishing DownUnder Magazine' boat. They stopped at Middle Ground and took some Samsonfish and Yellowtail. The conditions were pretty good according to the reports I got.
Every Friday the local newspaper publishes the results of the week's recreational fishing. Several Jewfish and Snapper are being landed from the beach. The deepsea guys are taking a fair number too but are also picking up Samsons, 'Tail and Pearlies. One of the premier deepsea fishing tournaments took place in Coffs this weekend and it will be interesting to see the results. As I write this, Kris, Michael and John are out on the Ocean hopefully getting some good spearing in. I will have to console myself in the meantime, with training in the local municipal pool and playing U/W hockey.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
31 October 2008
This has been a good week by all accounts. I was at a congress over the previous weekend and at every break my colleague, Michael and I stood looking at the ocean settling down to diveable conditions. By Saturday afternoon, we tentatively looked at an early morning start on Sunday 26 October.
Sunday morning well before sunrise we arrived at the wave buoy and waited for a little light before slipping into the water. It was warm but the viz not nearly as good as we would have thought. The ever-present school of Yellowtail Kings surrounded us but the Dorado continued to elude. We headed back to Bullocky but the viz became considerably worse and a powerful N-S current also contributed to a short stay. We left with nothing to show for our effort.
Weather predictions for the coming week did not fill me with much optimism as far as diving was concerned. I was wrong. Come Wednesday 29th things took a turn for the better. One of my diving buddies Kris had spent the morning fishing while I was at work. The viz was an astounding 20m+. I was off on Wednesday afternoon and ready to rock and roll. Kris's little rubber-duck was hitched and we were on our way. Michael called to say his brother, John, was keen to take his new fast boat out. We quickly joined that option and launched the new boat from Arrawarra, just north of Woolgoolga. We headed out to the Middle Grounds but the viz was putrid.
John's boat flies and he thought it worth looking at several spots. We checked the Wash before heading out to the Coffs Harbour FAD. Unfortunately the viz was poor at these spots. Kris was adamant the viz had been super in the morning. We finally decided to stop off N of the Light (South Solitary). We jumped in just outside of the sanctuary zone to be enveloped in baitfish. It wasn't long before I lost a chance when a really big fish swam past. I saw it disappear before making a positive ID but it was a pelagic.
We persevered and I saw a reasonable King near the bottom in 19m. It came right up to me in the murky water and paid the price for its curiosity. I soon had another bigger one approach me in mid-water. They were loaded in the esky and I was back in the water.
Kris and John seemed very engrossed in the area they were diving. I started swimming across to them when a small school of Kings came up to me. I ducked down and slowly slipped through them looking for a good fish. They all seemed pretty much the same size and I soon had another in the esky. This was followed by an Amberjack from a massive school that surrounded me. I attempted to get back to Kris and John and took another King. While I was stringing the fish, a huge school surrounded me. I looked around for a really good fish and some big bruisers down deep caught my attention.
I was holding a fish in my left hand as I dived and the school seemed very interested in it, staying in close to me. I selected a really big tackle-buster, lined-up and squeezed the trigger. The spear went over the top and I dropped the fish I had been holding. Kris and John had returned to the boat and the sun was on its way to the horizon. I had enough fish anyway and called it quits. On the way back to the boat, I was entertained by a fast moving school of Mack Tuna (Kawakawa) hammering the tiny Whitebait.
I chatted to some divers the following day and one of them actually said his equipment is too valuable to lose on a big Yellowtail, so he passes up on shooting them. They all commented on the abundance of baitfish which is looking really good.
Conditions have deteriorated again and I will be pool-bound for the time being, playing underwater hockey while we impatiently drum our fingers in anticipation of an improvement.
Sunday morning well before sunrise we arrived at the wave buoy and waited for a little light before slipping into the water. It was warm but the viz not nearly as good as we would have thought. The ever-present school of Yellowtail Kings surrounded us but the Dorado continued to elude. We headed back to Bullocky but the viz became considerably worse and a powerful N-S current also contributed to a short stay. We left with nothing to show for our effort.
Weather predictions for the coming week did not fill me with much optimism as far as diving was concerned. I was wrong. Come Wednesday 29th things took a turn for the better. One of my diving buddies Kris had spent the morning fishing while I was at work. The viz was an astounding 20m+. I was off on Wednesday afternoon and ready to rock and roll. Kris's little rubber-duck was hitched and we were on our way. Michael called to say his brother, John, was keen to take his new fast boat out. We quickly joined that option and launched the new boat from Arrawarra, just north of Woolgoolga. We headed out to the Middle Grounds but the viz was putrid.
John's boat flies and he thought it worth looking at several spots. We checked the Wash before heading out to the Coffs Harbour FAD. Unfortunately the viz was poor at these spots. Kris was adamant the viz had been super in the morning. We finally decided to stop off N of the Light (South Solitary). We jumped in just outside of the sanctuary zone to be enveloped in baitfish. It wasn't long before I lost a chance when a really big fish swam past. I saw it disappear before making a positive ID but it was a pelagic.
We persevered and I saw a reasonable King near the bottom in 19m. It came right up to me in the murky water and paid the price for its curiosity. I soon had another bigger one approach me in mid-water. They were loaded in the esky and I was back in the water.
Kris and John seemed very engrossed in the area they were diving. I started swimming across to them when a small school of Kings came up to me. I ducked down and slowly slipped through them looking for a good fish. They all seemed pretty much the same size and I soon had another in the esky. This was followed by an Amberjack from a massive school that surrounded me. I attempted to get back to Kris and John and took another King. While I was stringing the fish, a huge school surrounded me. I looked around for a really good fish and some big bruisers down deep caught my attention.
I was holding a fish in my left hand as I dived and the school seemed very interested in it, staying in close to me. I selected a really big tackle-buster, lined-up and squeezed the trigger. The spear went over the top and I dropped the fish I had been holding. Kris and John had returned to the boat and the sun was on its way to the horizon. I had enough fish anyway and called it quits. On the way back to the boat, I was entertained by a fast moving school of Mack Tuna (Kawakawa) hammering the tiny Whitebait.
I chatted to some divers the following day and one of them actually said his equipment is too valuable to lose on a big Yellowtail, so he passes up on shooting them. They all commented on the abundance of baitfish which is looking really good.
Conditions have deteriorated again and I will be pool-bound for the time being, playing underwater hockey while we impatiently drum our fingers in anticipation of an improvement.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
20 October 2008
Busy weekend by all accounts. Saturday was the NSW State U/W hockey Champs. Coffs Harbour hosted the event and our team fared well considering this was our first attempt at a State Champs. Coffs were runners-up in the B-League being pipped at the post by Sydney B. Melbourne comfortably took the A League.
Most of the Coffs Harbour competitors play U/W hockey to keep in shape for spearfishing. So just as soon as the conditions allow there are going to be some super-primed spearos out there.
Sunday looked like a good day although buoyweather indicated a dramatic change in conditions by midday. Kris, Aidin and I headed out on Brett's Tupperware boat. First time on a plastic boat for me. Very stable craft with loads of floatation. Handled very predictably but the sea conditions had changed earlier than expected.
We had a pounding ride out to the wave buoy and found a large school of Yellowtail milling about. All small. The viz was good 20m and the water warm. Some dolphins arrived and in spite of the lack of any other fish we enjoyed their antics. I think the Yellowtail much less so. Their school was somewhat thinned by the dolphins' activity by the time we left.
The ride back was worse than the ride out. Decided to stop just outside of Pig Island at the mouth of Coffs Harbour to explore Bullocky. This is a highpoint which comes to approx 8m from the surrounding 22m. Yellowtail Kingfish, Wahoo and Snapper are often taken here. The conditions were atrocious. The viz was really poor, inside of 5m, the surface had thick masses of tiny jellyfish. Thought there might be clearer water below but found an even dirtier silt layer at about 12m. Some fish were seen but nothing worth shooting. Lots of Moses Perch, Bream, Sawtail Surgeon and Kris even saw some Finger-mark Bream. Red Morwong all over the place. Probably would have taken 5 different species in South Africa but the emphasis here is on quality not quantity so nothing for me on Sunday. Nice to get out and dive again.
On another tack, thought I would try my hand at some Gyotaku (Japanese Fish Printing). First attempt was not that bad and I am deciding on what my next subject should be. I remember my dad showing me an etching from a knight's tomb and the technique of Gyotaku does share some similarities.
Most of the Coffs Harbour competitors play U/W hockey to keep in shape for spearfishing. So just as soon as the conditions allow there are going to be some super-primed spearos out there.
Sunday looked like a good day although buoyweather indicated a dramatic change in conditions by midday. Kris, Aidin and I headed out on Brett's Tupperware boat. First time on a plastic boat for me. Very stable craft with loads of floatation. Handled very predictably but the sea conditions had changed earlier than expected.
We had a pounding ride out to the wave buoy and found a large school of Yellowtail milling about. All small. The viz was good 20m and the water warm. Some dolphins arrived and in spite of the lack of any other fish we enjoyed their antics. I think the Yellowtail much less so. Their school was somewhat thinned by the dolphins' activity by the time we left.
The ride back was worse than the ride out. Decided to stop just outside of Pig Island at the mouth of Coffs Harbour to explore Bullocky. This is a highpoint which comes to approx 8m from the surrounding 22m. Yellowtail Kingfish, Wahoo and Snapper are often taken here. The conditions were atrocious. The viz was really poor, inside of 5m, the surface had thick masses of tiny jellyfish. Thought there might be clearer water below but found an even dirtier silt layer at about 12m. Some fish were seen but nothing worth shooting. Lots of Moses Perch, Bream, Sawtail Surgeon and Kris even saw some Finger-mark Bream. Red Morwong all over the place. Probably would have taken 5 different species in South Africa but the emphasis here is on quality not quantity so nothing for me on Sunday. Nice to get out and dive again.
On another tack, thought I would try my hand at some Gyotaku (Japanese Fish Printing). First attempt was not that bad and I am deciding on what my next subject should be. I remember my dad showing me an etching from a knight's tomb and the technique of Gyotaku does share some similarities.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
13 October 2008
Eventually got the chance to dive in reasonable conditions. There was a small break in the weather yesterday and fortunately we had 3 hours to use to our best advantage. Michael took us to South Solitary Island and we pulled up on the NW side, to be greeted by showering baitfish and hundreds of predators on the feed. Thousands of birds filled the sky and lots of bait balls breaking the surface filled our ears with joy. It was obvious that different fish were involved. We could see the backs of small Tuna, probably Kawakawa (Mack Tuna) and Australian Salmon were also on the rampage.
The sky was overcast but the sea was almost mirror calm with little current flowing N-S. The sea was not warm or particularly clear. There were colder patches about where the viz was terrible. I went over the side but the activity had moved off. I had cleverly left my speargun at home again. Almost a habit. I saw some fish racing up to take some of the tiny sprats that were all around at the surface. Viz was maybe 8m in the really good areas. Kris came up from a dive and told me there was a Yellowtail below. I ducked down and glided into the gloom below. The thought of the recent Great White sighting off Boambee still a little troubling. In came a group of scads and some fusiliers. The inquisitive Sawtail Surgeons drifted around the periphery while I hung still just above the muck in about 15m of water.
I noticed the long shape of the fish coming from behind on my right side. I kept still, falling into the dirty water, before I made my way to intercept the Yellowtail's course. It turned to see what I was up to and I was able to put in a good shot through its left gill plate into the right. The spear and barb smashed the gills making it a short struggle to subdue the fish. It went approx 8/9kg. I thought a worthwhile reward for all the effort I have recently put in. One fish is all I can use at the moment so I decided to try some deeper diving and gliding.
Had a good preparation on the surface before starting the descent. For a while I glided down with my eyes closed, just enjoying the freedom of freediving. I opened my eyes to see a big head coming up at me. Took me a moment to realise it was a large Grey nurse giving me the once over but my bottom time was smashed and I headed back to the surface to try again. Another good prep and glided down. This time with open eyes making sure I was not going to be surprised again. I found a good spot on the reef and settled down in an effort to do a good breath-hold. There were lots of sea-urchins on my approach and I just wanted to check that the ones on my left were safely clear of me. I turned to see a set of massive gills next to my head. Suffice to say I shat myself. Headed back to the surface leaving the inquisitive Grey Nurse to her own devices.
The sky was overcast but the sea was almost mirror calm with little current flowing N-S. The sea was not warm or particularly clear. There were colder patches about where the viz was terrible. I went over the side but the activity had moved off. I had cleverly left my speargun at home again. Almost a habit. I saw some fish racing up to take some of the tiny sprats that were all around at the surface. Viz was maybe 8m in the really good areas. Kris came up from a dive and told me there was a Yellowtail below. I ducked down and glided into the gloom below. The thought of the recent Great White sighting off Boambee still a little troubling. In came a group of scads and some fusiliers. The inquisitive Sawtail Surgeons drifted around the periphery while I hung still just above the muck in about 15m of water.
I noticed the long shape of the fish coming from behind on my right side. I kept still, falling into the dirty water, before I made my way to intercept the Yellowtail's course. It turned to see what I was up to and I was able to put in a good shot through its left gill plate into the right. The spear and barb smashed the gills making it a short struggle to subdue the fish. It went approx 8/9kg. I thought a worthwhile reward for all the effort I have recently put in. One fish is all I can use at the moment so I decided to try some deeper diving and gliding.
Had a good preparation on the surface before starting the descent. For a while I glided down with my eyes closed, just enjoying the freedom of freediving. I opened my eyes to see a big head coming up at me. Took me a moment to realise it was a large Grey nurse giving me the once over but my bottom time was smashed and I headed back to the surface to try again. Another good prep and glided down. This time with open eyes making sure I was not going to be surprised again. I found a good spot on the reef and settled down in an effort to do a good breath-hold. There were lots of sea-urchins on my approach and I just wanted to check that the ones on my left were safely clear of me. I turned to see a set of massive gills next to my head. Suffice to say I shat myself. Headed back to the surface leaving the inquisitive Grey Nurse to her own devices.
Monday, October 6, 2008
7 October 2008
It could almost be described as ridiculous. There are fish about. I know this because I keep reading about the rock & surf guys and the boaters picking up fish. As far as the spearos go, it has been slim pickings. Heard via the grapevine that the local shrimp trawlers are not even going out because their nets pick up so much muck that it becomes too expensive to drag the nets. The sea still has that ugly black appearance that in my limited experience equals lots of effort with little reward. Not too bad working hard while the conditions are poor.
I have been training really hard with the U/W hockey though. Spend 4 days a week practicing in the local pool. The State Champs are to be held in Coffs the weekend after next. Should be good fun. Our team is very rough around the edges. The guys have superb breath-holding ability but the rules rarely apply and full contact often ensues. The city softies are in for a rude awakening. Thought I would include some pictures of the beach at Korora. I am told when conditions are good, there are Jewfish, crays and abalone to be found against the headland from which the picture was taken. On the edge of the reef, one could encounter kingfish and mackerel move through the channel between the deep blinder and the small rocky island.
I have been training really hard with the U/W hockey though. Spend 4 days a week practicing in the local pool. The State Champs are to be held in Coffs the weekend after next. Should be good fun. Our team is very rough around the edges. The guys have superb breath-holding ability but the rules rarely apply and full contact often ensues. The city softies are in for a rude awakening. Thought I would include some pictures of the beach at Korora. I am told when conditions are good, there are Jewfish, crays and abalone to be found against the headland from which the picture was taken. On the edge of the reef, one could encounter kingfish and mackerel move through the channel between the deep blinder and the small rocky island.
Monday, September 29, 2008
30 September 2008
Started last week watching a patch of good weather, predicted approx 3 days ahead, on Buoyweather. Each day the good weather seemed to move ahead another day. NE blowing and mucking up the sea but by Friday the reasonable weather seemed to be stable. Saturday 27 September seemed to be a good day. Then on Friday the NE slacked off with a light S following and the ocean settled down nicely. We decided to head out early on Saturday before the morning consulting.
One of the problems with leaving early in the morning is that you don't see what is going on with the sea. You tend to work on what you saw yesterday and what the grapevine is broadcasting. On Friday the scuba guys had 20+ viz around the lighthouse at South Solitary. Our expectations were high because of the reports of Dorado at the wave buoy outside the harbour.
First stop saw us at the wave recording buoy. Kris elected to be the boat bitch because he overslept! I slipped over the side after seeing schools of small fish under the boat. The viz was not great, 8m at best. Depth under the buoy was in the vicinity of 60m. I drifted toward the buoy and dived. In a short space of time I noticed a large school of small fish heading my way. Initially thought they were Rainbow Runners but it turned out to be a Yellowtail Creche. Hundreds of these baby Kingfish milled around me. Minimum size is 65cm, so I just hung in the water hoping that I would see a reasonable one to grace the sushi menu for Saturday evening. Nothing. The water was really cold and the decision was made to move to the FAD.
For the Spearos in SA, the law in Australia is that your fishing permit money can only be used to benefit recreational fishers. So funds are provided for the placement of legal FADs for the use of recreational fishers only. Amazing what you can do when you don't have corrupt officials pilfering the funds.
Got to the area where the buoy is normally placed and it has not been returned since it was removed for maintenance! The water had that ugly black appearance too. Saw a commercial in the vicinity servicing his fish traps. These traps are set for extended periods of time and are marked with large surface buoys. Good spot for attracting open ocean pelagics. On inspection, we found that the traps had been freshly set, too soon to have pulled any fish.
By this time it was getting late and by that I mean normal people were waking up. We turned to port and opened the throttle. Within 3/4 of an hour the boat was pulled from the water and I was heading home for a quick shower before starting work. Another opportunity gone awry.
Sunday I was still smarting from Saturday's disappointment and elected to give the spearing a miss. This week I am watching proceedings for Wednesday and the weekend closely with the hope of getting into more settled conditions. In the meantime, still training 3x/week in the pool for U/W hockey. I firmly believe that by the time we get the really good conditions that I have seen here previously I will be super trained for the diving. I have heard that daylight saving is starting early this year. I think that after the first weekend in October our clocks are set forward by an hour. That means when I get back from work in the evening, there will still be enough light to go for a dive. How cool is that.
One of the problems with leaving early in the morning is that you don't see what is going on with the sea. You tend to work on what you saw yesterday and what the grapevine is broadcasting. On Friday the scuba guys had 20+ viz around the lighthouse at South Solitary. Our expectations were high because of the reports of Dorado at the wave buoy outside the harbour.
First stop saw us at the wave recording buoy. Kris elected to be the boat bitch because he overslept! I slipped over the side after seeing schools of small fish under the boat. The viz was not great, 8m at best. Depth under the buoy was in the vicinity of 60m. I drifted toward the buoy and dived. In a short space of time I noticed a large school of small fish heading my way. Initially thought they were Rainbow Runners but it turned out to be a Yellowtail Creche. Hundreds of these baby Kingfish milled around me. Minimum size is 65cm, so I just hung in the water hoping that I would see a reasonable one to grace the sushi menu for Saturday evening. Nothing. The water was really cold and the decision was made to move to the FAD.
For the Spearos in SA, the law in Australia is that your fishing permit money can only be used to benefit recreational fishers. So funds are provided for the placement of legal FADs for the use of recreational fishers only. Amazing what you can do when you don't have corrupt officials pilfering the funds.
Got to the area where the buoy is normally placed and it has not been returned since it was removed for maintenance! The water had that ugly black appearance too. Saw a commercial in the vicinity servicing his fish traps. These traps are set for extended periods of time and are marked with large surface buoys. Good spot for attracting open ocean pelagics. On inspection, we found that the traps had been freshly set, too soon to have pulled any fish.
By this time it was getting late and by that I mean normal people were waking up. We turned to port and opened the throttle. Within 3/4 of an hour the boat was pulled from the water and I was heading home for a quick shower before starting work. Another opportunity gone awry.
Sunday I was still smarting from Saturday's disappointment and elected to give the spearing a miss. This week I am watching proceedings for Wednesday and the weekend closely with the hope of getting into more settled conditions. In the meantime, still training 3x/week in the pool for U/W hockey. I firmly believe that by the time we get the really good conditions that I have seen here previously I will be super trained for the diving. I have heard that daylight saving is starting early this year. I think that after the first weekend in October our clocks are set forward by an hour. That means when I get back from work in the evening, there will still be enough light to go for a dive. How cool is that.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
22 September 2008
For those who do not have any idea of where Coffs Harbour is, it is approx 30 S on the E coast of Australia. For the guys in Natal that is approx the same line of latitude as Aliwal Shoal. Current off the coast is usually in a N-S direction (East Australia Current). I am still learning the effect of the various winds but at this stage a NE is bad news.
Saturday saw a relatively strong NE with white-horses and the sea was churned up terribly. Wind dropped off by the evening and I even managed to catch a Whiting off the beach on plastic. Fish was released because I already had some fresh salmon for sushi.
Woke late on Sunday and after a walk on the beach decided to go for a swim. The competition was called off and boats stayed at home. What a pity. The sea was flat and while the viz was poor close in, it looked better out deep. I heard of one boat finding Dorado and Kingfish off the wave bouy E of Coffs Harbour. My swim produced nothing. Saw several large fish which all turned out to be Blue Groper, a protected species. I am seriously considering acquiring a surf-ski to extend my range from the beach, which might give me sufficient range to get into the really clean water.
Drove from Korora to Woolgoolga and the Ocean looked superb this morning. Absolutely flat with a clear cloudless sky. Plan of action should be to get going early morning and try to get some fish off the wave bouy before work. Will see if that pans out.
Saturday saw a relatively strong NE with white-horses and the sea was churned up terribly. Wind dropped off by the evening and I even managed to catch a Whiting off the beach on plastic. Fish was released because I already had some fresh salmon for sushi.
Woke late on Sunday and after a walk on the beach decided to go for a swim. The competition was called off and boats stayed at home. What a pity. The sea was flat and while the viz was poor close in, it looked better out deep. I heard of one boat finding Dorado and Kingfish off the wave bouy E of Coffs Harbour. My swim produced nothing. Saw several large fish which all turned out to be Blue Groper, a protected species. I am seriously considering acquiring a surf-ski to extend my range from the beach, which might give me sufficient range to get into the really clean water.
Drove from Korora to Woolgoolga and the Ocean looked superb this morning. Absolutely flat with a clear cloudless sky. Plan of action should be to get going early morning and try to get some fish off the wave bouy before work. Will see if that pans out.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
19 September 2008: Friday
Managed to get out on Wednesday. Long swim looking for clean water. Water looked clear from the headland at Korora and was very definitely clean much further out, but inshore it was milky. Swam approx 3km and although the viz was 2m at best, found lots of interesting reef. Water temp cold, approx 17C. Saw a few fish but they tended to be very skittish but when you are out hunting you learn quickly. Found several nice deep gutters and lay dead still in the bottom of one. I fired immediately I could make out the shape of the fish. A reasonable Bluebar Parrotfish for the supper table. I spent some time looking for crays and abalone but my spot had the worst viz possible, could not see beyond my elbow. Kept wondering when the lead actor in 'Jaws' was going to show up.
The light E wind is shifting from N to S and back again but the sea continues to look cleaner. Could see reef patches every time I drove from Coffs to Korora. Fortunately not on-call this weekend. I am really grateful because of the level of tick paralysis cases I am seeing at present. Going to be a busy day for the local vets.
Joined the local spearfishing club: Coffs Harbour Bluewater Freedivers. They are almost a bunch of renegades. I say this tongue-in-cheek because they are extremely environmentally aware. The Club only keeps records of good eating fish and no records of fish that are shot, just because they happen to be there, are kept. Sunday is the Club competition day and if the weather holds the guys should get some Yellowtail Kingfish. I certainly have designs on getting out. A little bird whispered that there might be Yellowfin Tuna and Striped Marlin about and I am very keen to get out and see. Also out deep I will be able to practice some 30+m dives to keep the system fresh & trained. Playing u/w hockey once a week and training in the pool 3x/week. I was fascinated to feel how much my hockey had improved. My training companion was a demon at the hockey on Wednesday evening after just a few days of training. Hope to be hot to trot by the time the really good spearfishing conditions arrive.
The light E wind is shifting from N to S and back again but the sea continues to look cleaner. Could see reef patches every time I drove from Coffs to Korora. Fortunately not on-call this weekend. I am really grateful because of the level of tick paralysis cases I am seeing at present. Going to be a busy day for the local vets.
Joined the local spearfishing club: Coffs Harbour Bluewater Freedivers. They are almost a bunch of renegades. I say this tongue-in-cheek because they are extremely environmentally aware. The Club only keeps records of good eating fish and no records of fish that are shot, just because they happen to be there, are kept. Sunday is the Club competition day and if the weather holds the guys should get some Yellowtail Kingfish. I certainly have designs on getting out. A little bird whispered that there might be Yellowfin Tuna and Striped Marlin about and I am very keen to get out and see. Also out deep I will be able to practice some 30+m dives to keep the system fresh & trained. Playing u/w hockey once a week and training in the pool 3x/week. I was fascinated to feel how much my hockey had improved. My training companion was a demon at the hockey on Wednesday evening after just a few days of training. Hope to be hot to trot by the time the really good spearfishing conditions arrive.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
17 September
Yesterday looked good, sea was really clear. Took a walk on the beach and the reefs and rocks were clearly visible. Workload quite significant with tick paralysis cases and surgery, so no chance for a mid-afternoon dip. Today is a different story though. I have the afternoon off so a dive is definitely on the cards. Was up on the headland south of Korora this morning, bright and early for a walk, and the sea looks spectacular.
I am trying to remember the tips I had on my website for improving my spearfishing. I hope to eventually get them all out of the sticky mess I like to call my mind.
1. Use a reelgun.
2. Learn to use marker buoys.
3. Practice shooting accurately.
4. Get a GPS unit and practice with it.
5. Become proficient in the use of Sonar.
6. Keep notes.
7. Be quiet and unobstrusive when diving.
8. Watch your body language.
9. Learn the importance of gliding.
10. Keep streamlined to be more efficient.
11. Learn to be interested in the bottom and don't concentrate on your breath-hold.
12. Dive straight down, avoid angles.
13. Don't crane your head up, keep your chin down and comfortable.
14. Arrange the fit and position of your gear for optimum efficiency.
15. Look for bait and fish schools.
I am trying to remember the tips I had on my website for improving my spearfishing. I hope to eventually get them all out of the sticky mess I like to call my mind.
1. Use a reelgun.
2. Learn to use marker buoys.
3. Practice shooting accurately.
4. Get a GPS unit and practice with it.
5. Become proficient in the use of Sonar.
6. Keep notes.
7. Be quiet and unobstrusive when diving.
8. Watch your body language.
9. Learn the importance of gliding.
10. Keep streamlined to be more efficient.
11. Learn to be interested in the bottom and don't concentrate on your breath-hold.
12. Dive straight down, avoid angles.
13. Don't crane your head up, keep your chin down and comfortable.
14. Arrange the fit and position of your gear for optimum efficiency.
15. Look for bait and fish schools.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
15 September 2008
Agreed to go and train at the local public pool this am. The sea looked great as I came over from Korora to Coffs on the Pacific Hghwy. Flat and little wind. In retrospect might have been a better idea to head out for a shore-dive instead of training in the pool. Spent some time finning lengths with various breath-hold routines as well as doing negative statics at the bottom of the pool. Sea still looked great on the way back and I felt positive about getting in at lunch time.
The sting in the tail was that the recent rainy weather followed by the fantastic sunny clear days brought out every tick in the area. I was quite literally in my wetsuit ready to hit the water when the phone rang and I had to head out to an emergency: tick paralysis case. Bummer! I am wondering if I am ever going to get in for a dive.
Conditions seem very iffy for the next few days. Will have to wait and see what happens.
The sting in the tail was that the recent rainy weather followed by the fantastic sunny clear days brought out every tick in the area. I was quite literally in my wetsuit ready to hit the water when the phone rang and I had to head out to an emergency: tick paralysis case. Bummer! I am wondering if I am ever going to get in for a dive.
Conditions seem very iffy for the next few days. Will have to wait and see what happens.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
14 September 2008
I just cannot believe it. The sea looked fantastic on my way to work yesterday but by the time I headed down to the beach it was crap. Unfortunately the conditions do not look good for the next couple of days. Guess I am just going to have to be patient and tough it out. Perhaps go and train at the pool.
5 basic things to look at now that I am down here:
1. Check my gear thoroughly.
2. Take it for a test swim and make sure everything is comfortable.
3. Keep up with the training. Now I am at sea-level, I don't have the benefit afforded by having lived at altitude.
4. Work on establishing my spearfishing network DownUnder.
5. Learn the new fish species.
5 basic things to look at now that I am down here:
1. Check my gear thoroughly.
2. Take it for a test swim and make sure everything is comfortable.
3. Keep up with the training. Now I am at sea-level, I don't have the benefit afforded by having lived at altitude.
4. Work on establishing my spearfishing network DownUnder.
5. Learn the new fish species.
Friday, September 12, 2008
13 September 2008
Did not get out to walk on the beach this morning but got a good look at the ocean on my way to work. The beginning of the week was shoddy with a S blowing and churning up the sea. Over the past 2 days there has been a light NE and conditions seem to have really improved. Unfortunately all my contacts seem to be out at sea and I can't say I blame them because today looks to be a great day to get wet.
Sea is flat, viz looks good, clear hot sunny day, things look ideal. I am certainly going to give it a whirl this afternoon now that I have all my normal spearo gear from South Africa. Kris just got onto me to tell me conditions are crap. NE blowing, white-caps, viz poor, that out of Coffs Harbour.
Sea is flat, viz looks good, clear hot sunny day, things look ideal. I am certainly going to give it a whirl this afternoon now that I have all my normal spearo gear from South Africa. Kris just got onto me to tell me conditions are crap. NE blowing, white-caps, viz poor, that out of Coffs Harbour.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Making a New Start
My family and I flew out of South Africa on 11 Aug 2008 to make a fresh start in Australia. It was definitely not an easy decision to make. Having said that, I have left Johannesburg and now live in a small coastal town called Coffs Harbour in New South Wales only 200m from the Ocean. What an opportunity.
For anyone who was following my posts on www.squidoo.com/Underwater_Hunting, a glitch resulted in the site being erased. I am working on putting it all back together but including some new information.
My first boat dive was really poor. I did not even see any fish worth shooting at. The two guys diving with me did get some crays and perlemoen(abalone). In this neck of the woods perlemoen may still be taken. Remember when we could take perlemoen in good old South Africa?
The second boat dive was a little better. Still functioning like a South African diver i.e. shoot first ask questions later, I shot a good Silver Drummer, looks something like a Chub. The fish would have easily been a max weigher but around here the guys are spoiled for choice so only the choicest fish are targeted. The guys had a good laugh at my inexperience but the learning has started.
Since I am a very short distance from the beach, I take a walk every morning to check out the conditions. As soon as the sea cleared I did a quick swim to look for crays and was rewarded with a cray and a perlie. Not bad. Bag limit here is very meagre. Only allowed to take 2 crays and 2 perlies.
For anyone who was following my posts on www.squidoo.com/Underwater_Hunting, a glitch resulted in the site being erased. I am working on putting it all back together but including some new information.
My first boat dive was really poor. I did not even see any fish worth shooting at. The two guys diving with me did get some crays and perlemoen(abalone). In this neck of the woods perlemoen may still be taken. Remember when we could take perlemoen in good old South Africa?
The second boat dive was a little better. Still functioning like a South African diver i.e. shoot first ask questions later, I shot a good Silver Drummer, looks something like a Chub. The fish would have easily been a max weigher but around here the guys are spoiled for choice so only the choicest fish are targeted. The guys had a good laugh at my inexperience but the learning has started.
Since I am a very short distance from the beach, I take a walk every morning to check out the conditions. As soon as the sea cleared I did a quick swim to look for crays and was rewarded with a cray and a perlie. Not bad. Bag limit here is very meagre. Only allowed to take 2 crays and 2 perlies.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
GPS Co-ords for Cape Vidal
I would appreciate any help with regard to obtaining co-ords for Vidal. If you do not have any co-ords but do have experience or advice for Vidal, I would appreciate that too.
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