Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Freediving & Breath hold with Helen Garner


Hey guys,

Its Club Nite on Friday!! And we have Helen Garner a AIDA (International Association for Development of Apnea.) Freediving instructor coming to chat to us.
I am super stoked, we will have a projector and a presentation as well.

Helen broke many SA freediving records and spent some time in Egypt training under some of the best Freedivers in the world. Go check out Liquid Yoga

We will do the usual Braai thing (Dop en Chop)
But Helen will be starting at 7 bells SHARP .... so get there early!!

Any Questions just give me a shout
083 631 0841

Hey and as always wives, girlfriends & kids are all welcome.

Coatesman

Monday, September 29, 2008

Spearfishing Update

The guys got in this weekend, The water was not too bad with up to 8m in some spots. The odd Garrick came out but I did not hear of any Dagga.

My one mate got caught in the path of some Humpback Whales off Salties. He said there were 3 of them that were close to him. Basically an experience of a life time!! A couple dives later he also saw a shoal of white tipped Reef Sharks ...unusual!!

I was busy with work so I sneeked in a quick surf ... the conditions were great and there were some fun waves, but nothing special.

Looks like we might have a dive later in the week, and a south before the weekend could be good for the dive. ....thats if the east holds off on Saterday.

Later

Coatesman

Friday, September 26, 2008

Thank Goodness its Friday

The sea looked diveable this morning, unfortunately I had to get to work .... At least I do get to dive and surf most mornings if it is good.

The west is due to come through today and blow through tomorrow, leaving Sunday looking good with a solid swell at 11sec intervals. So hopfully we will get some waves if the banks come right.

Talking about Fridays ..next friday is Salty Divers Club nite, so keep it free.

other than that....

See ya out there

Coatesman

Thursday, September 25, 2008

ASP WORLD TOUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL

If you haven't already heard You Tube Now has an Official ASP World Tour Channel.
Check out - ASP WORLD TOUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL

Now you can check out all the event footage, so far they have the last 3 events including the Quicksilver Pro France where Kelly was force to Mundaka to claim his world title.

Heres un update from France:

Adrian Buchan (Aus) defeats Kelly Slater(Usa) in France

2008-09-24 10:00:56
Adrian Buchan (Avoca, Australia) won the Quiksilver Pro France presented by Orange today over 8-time ASP world champion Kelly Slater (Cocoa Beach, USA) in a thrilling and closely fought final. Buchan's win, the first WCT victory of his career, took away Slater's chance at clinching an unprecedented 9th world title at this event. Slater moves on to the next event in Mundaka, Spainwhere he needs only a 9th place finish to win the title. His 2nd place result, coming on the heels of 5 tour wins this year, pushed him even farther ahead of his closest rivals, Taj Burrow (Yallingup, Australia) and Bede Durbidge (Currumbin, Australia.) Brazil's Adriano De Souza (Guaruja, Brazil) and American Damien Hobgood (Satellite Beach, USA) finished in equal 3rd. De Souza's result rocketed him to 3rd in the world and equaled his career best result. Hobgood's finish helped him improve upon what has been an injury marred season. Rookie Dane Reynolds (Ventura, USA) whose explosive surfing stood out throughout the event, took a solid 5th place. He beat world #2 Taj Burrow in Round 4 and moved to the lead in the race for rookie of the year honors. Tahitian wildcard, Michel Bourez (Papara, French Polynesia), also made the quarterfinals and was very impressive in every heat he surfed. The waves remained in the 1-2 meterrange and the weather was ideal at LesEstagnotBeachin Hossegor and the world's best surfers put on quite a show during the four days of competition.

The ASP World Tour moves on next week to Mundaka, Spainand all eyes will again be on Kelly Slater in his quest for world title #9
At home the banks are a little worse for wear after the big swell, so it might be hard to get some waves the next week or so.

But if you are not surfing ...or working check out the Asp World Tour YouTube channel ...that will keep you busy!


Coatesman

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Big Surf still Thumping

Sunrise Point in all its Glory..pic by Rat

The conditions again this morning were epic, the swell was still too strong to surf tho. The sets were only about 8ft, but with up to 5 waves in a set and a very small lull. There was still huge amounts of water moving.

Yesterday was massive tho, almost resembling the storm last year. Much of the beach has been washed away and all the rock exposed. I dont think its going to have done our banks any good.

Thursday morning is looking promising, and if the banks are ok we will have a couple waves. looking further along to Sunday .... we might just be having church at the back line with some classic conditions piling up.

Hold thums

Coatesman

Monday, September 22, 2008

Big Swell Bangs Bog

An insider rolling through Bog Bay, the Sets just closed out across the bay.

After a weekend of cold miserable windy weather, the sun came out and the wind conditions were perfect. I grabbed the board I am using, a 5'10" twinfin ... mine snapped a couple weekends ago and went to check out the surf.

I knew it was going to be big, but I though with the high tide I might still get a couple waves. That was not to be, as I drove down Surfers Lane a set pulled in breaking outside of the end of the point and all hopes of getting in were drowned.

I had a look at Bog and it was insane ... even if you could some how get out you would be in for a beating of a life time!!

The conditions seem to hold and with the swell dropping a little maybe tomorrow will have some waves.

Lets see,

Coatesman

Thursday, September 18, 2008

Weekend Spearfishing Chances

What sthe Chance of Spearfishing this weekend??

Slim!! There is a strong Southerly Friday into Saturday and possibly on Sunday aswell. Sunday might be on if the wind dies off, but the swell might be a factor. The only good thing is that the tides are high and might help a little with the swell. But if it is big it will also screw the surf up ...cant win :-)

Flipping depressing ...

Coatesman

Convert Gps Data to Google Earth KML/KMZ files

Ever wanted to see your Gps marks in Google Earth?

Well check this out ... GpsVisualizer.com You can take your Garmin gdb file or GPS data file upload it and converts it to a kml or kmz file that opens up in Google Earth.
You can also use a tab-delimited or csv file (text) or just type in the co -ordinates and it will make it into a file for Google Earth.

...This is just something for you to do while the weather is kuk :-)

Coatesman

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Flipping Weather

It just does not seem to be giving us a break ... the weather that is!!
This morning the sea was clean but the lumpy swell made it very uninviting ....borderline dodgy!
I was hoping to at least get a surf in, but the swell had not settled and ...I am in the office early.

The next few days are a disaster!!
The east is going to start tonight push all through tomorrow, and then the south is going to pump for 2 days.
Sunday early seems to look like the conditions will be good, we will just have to watch the 3m swell that is predicted!
So maybe there is a chance??

On the blog side of things I recently added a facility to subscribe to this blog / news letter. I have been quiet surprised at the number of guys who have subscribed, and I think that its going to add huge value this site.

If you have not subscribed and are keen to get the mails just click the link below. Follow the 2 easy steps, and when you get the mail to confirm just click that link and you will be on the list.
(It might seem complected, but it only to ensure that mail addresses are not abused)

Subscribe to Coatesman's Freediving & Spearfishing by Email


Anyway lets hope this weekend comes right!!

Coatesman

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

KZN Spearfishing Association Trials Programme 2008-2009

Hey guys Garrick has sent me the trail dates, check them out and make a note.

Date Mode Species Area* Launch
18 October 2008 Boat All Bluff Durban
08 November 2008 Boat All Umdloti Durban
13 December 2008 Boat All Scottburgh Rocky Bay
17 January 2009 Boat All Hibberdene Hibberdene
07 February 2009 Boat Gamefish Sodwana Sodwana
21 February 2009 Boat All Bluff Durban
14 March 2009 Boat All Umdloti Durban

*All areas subject to change if conditions are not favourable
If dive is not possible on Saturday it will be moved to Sunday

If anyone has any queries they can contact Garrick on 0832829020 or garrickm@wizard.za.com or gmorris@theunlimitedworld.co.za

Cheers

Coatesman

Kelly Slater Wins Hurley Boost Mobile Pro

Kelly's World Title hopes were given a "Boost" when he won the Boost Mobile Pro at Lower Trestles.
He is potentially one win away from the World ASP Title. This what ASP released:

ASP World Title Scenarios

COOLANGATTA, Australia (Thursday, September 11, 2008) - Well, we've just seen an incredible event at the Boost Mobile Pro pres. by Hurley at Lower Trestles and Kelly Slater has won his 5th event of the season.

While he may be the runaway ratings leader on the 2008 ASP World Tour, the Floridian hasn't clinched his 9th Title...not yet anyway.

Slater could grab the 2008 ASP World Title at the next stop, the Quiksilver Pro France, and here are the scenarios:

- If Kelly wins in France, Taj needs a 3rd and Bede and Mick need 2nds to take the Title race to Mundaka (Joel is out of the race if this happens).

- If Kelly finishes 2nd in France, the race for the ASP World Title will certainly go to Mundaka as even if Taj gets a 33rd, he can still come back. Bede will need a 3rd and Parko a 1st in France to stay in the race if Kelly gets a 2nd.

So there you have it kids, it's a win in France for Kelly to seal.
So all eyes will be on Kelly in France!!

Coatesman

Monday, September 15, 2008

Good Weekend

The weekend turned out great, starting with Friday arvo! The surf was pumping, probably one of the best days this year.

Saturday turned out to be a cooker. I thought the east was going to spoil the dive, but it held off long enough for us to get a solid 3 hours in the water.
The vis was brilliant and the sea was alive, there wernt too many gamefish around tho.
My mate got a great Geelbek and when we got out I saw some chap with a 20k Dagga on the beach.Willy with a good Geelbek

This week could have some diving and maybe even some surf, but with the tides getting high in the mornings ...it looks more like a dive week.

Will keep you up to date.

Coatesman

Friday, September 12, 2008

Spearfishing Adventure DVD Video

We released our Spearfishing Dvd Trailer yesterday ...check it out!
Spearfishing Adventure



The response to the dvd has been really encouraging. We are busting our chops getting the final few spearfishing scenes together ..then its off to final edit, music and rendering. Still lots to do.
You can keep up to date on the DVD at: In The Zone Spearfishing Adventures

Cheers

Coatesman

Thursday, September 11, 2008

Spearfishing Kilwa Tanzania

by: Andrew Johnson and Eric Allard

Friday 29th September, 07 30am I flew out of Lusaka, Zambia for Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. My bags had been packed for 6 weeks already. I think my wife and little boy were happy to see the back of me. I don’t think they could have put up with me walking around in the back garden in my full ocean mimetic wetsuit, holding my breath a single day longer. It was becoming embarrassing for them. Eric and I had been talking about doing a trip for over a year and the day had finally come. We were off for a week of blue water hunting in a true wilderness area of Southern Tanzania.

I work and live in a land locked, ocean less country but fortunately two hours in a 737 and I'm in one of the most exciting and adventure experience diverse countries in Africa. Tanzania on the East coast of Africa has the best of all worlds. From a number of infamous game parks, to a bustling and cultural rich Capital, to a number of larger and smaller white sandy beach islands. It was the warm blue water and white beaches that we were after.

Eric works and lives in a coastal town called Tanga in the north of Tanzania. He has set up a frozen seafood export business with processing factories and depots in various towns and coastal villages along the Tanzanian coast. He purchases fish from small scale local artisan fisherman and practices sustainable ocean harvesting. He speaks fluent Swahili and is clearly held in high regard amongst the local people that he is known by. His line of work allows him to explore remote areas and live out the dreams that many spear fisherman can only imagine.

I arrived in Dar and had a few hours to kill before my 1 hour flight in a Cessna 206 (6 seater including pilot) to Kilwa. Eric was already there as he had the unenvious job of having to tow “Little Debonair” his 15 foot trusty cat down from Tanga the day before. I don’t think he minded having to do this, as he took the opportunity to do a little reci on the Friday afternoon whilst I sat in Dar airport doing my breathing exercises. It hadn’t been a bad two hours in the water. One wahoo of 22kg and a black marlin of 162kg.

Eric with his 162kg Black Marlin.

I’m glad that he waited to tell me what he had shot until after I had landed in Kilwa or I fear that I may have whipped on a rash vest, grabbed fins, goggles, snorkel and gun and jumped from 7000 feet at the first site of blue water. Nice fish buddy!

A superb dinner prepared by our host Massimo (Max) and a couple of beers to celebrate Eric’s Marlin went down well and we were off early to bed that night to dream of sinking deep into the clear blue the following morning.

Saturday 30th, 08 00am. Fruit and porridge for breakfast and I could hardly eat, talk or breathe for that matter. The excitement had reached boiling point and it was time to get into the water. We were suited up and overboard by around 10 00am. We hopped in, in around 180m of water and drifted in as the bottom rose up quite quickly to around 110m where it leveled out a little and then rose up to between 80m and 50m before meeting the reef which sat in about 20m of water. All in all, it would take us about 30min to drift 500m and we would just repeat the same drift over.

Eric and I were diving with very similar setups. Chris Coates (Coatesman’s Spearfishing) had sent up some new additions to my bag of tricks, just to make sure I wasn’t taking a knife to a gun fight. These were “big dog” waters and I wanted to be prepared. I was using a 1.4m Rob Allen (RA) Tuna gun, triple wrapped, fitted with a breakaway system(essential).From the breakaway was a 2m boingie to a 5m ghost leader, 35 m of rope to a 5m boingie to an 11 litre RA inflatable float. Attached to the back of the float was a RA speed pouch packed with an additional 30m of rope. Attached to the end of the breakaway was another 5m boingie to a 35 litre RA inflatable hippo float. All in all I had potentially at full stretch just over 100m of “paraphernalia” between myself and the fish. In hindsight, the set up was perfect and for these waters and I would not change it for my next trip.

Wahoo mayhem ensued…………The first day session consisted of a number of missed opportunities, but also two personal best for Eric and myself. Eric with a 32.7kg and I ended up with a 30.4kg. We shot 116 kg of wahoo over the next few hours. Some of the fish we saw were in small shoals of 4 to 6 but they were also coming onto us in shoals up to as many as 30. All seemed to be over the 12kg size.

My personal best wahoo - 30.4kg

Eric with his personal best wahoo 32.7 kg

Sunday 31st dawned on us after a magical day on the Saturday. We were heading north to three remote islands over 40 NM from Kilwa. Fanjove, Nyuni and Okuza are small palm islands that sit on the continental shelf and are only visited by migrant fisherman. The morning was spent getting supplies together and we left Kilwa at around 10 00am. The trip north was a real adventure and very much worth it although the fish were scarce that afternoon. I got one wahoo of around 13kg and Eric got a nice job fish which was to become our dinner that night. We pitched our tents beneath the shade of some tall palms being wary to stay clear of falling coconuts.

There were a few curious fishermen who gathered around to watch us set up camp. They seemed bemused by our presence but the curiosity soon wore off and Eric, myself and our highly efficient boat assistant Ali watched the sun go down in Paradise. Eric cooked up (with Italian style), chunks of Job fish, with garlic, onion, tomatoes, and sautéed potatoes. Served with a chick pea side salad and washed down with a couple of ice cold beers which we had bought along for the trip. These are the kinds of experiences that should fill our lives.

Nyuni Island - where we set up camp for the night.

Monday 1st, we packed up camp, left the little fruit and veg that we had left over for the fisherman who were very appreciative, and jumped back onto “Debonair.” As we left Nyuni Island schools of pilchards being chased by skip jacks escorted us from the turquoise blue shallows out to the surrounding protective reef and back into the deep blue. We had a couple of quick dives with little success and decided to head back to the Kilwa area. It turned out to be the right call and before long we both had wahoo on the boat each around the 15kg mark.

15kg fish on day 4 - Warm, clean water!

The visibility was around 20 – 25 meters and water was a lot clearer than around the Nyuni area. A couple of drifts later and in about 60meters of water I had another fish on and had been playing it for about 10 minutes when I noticed a large dark shape move onto my fish around the 20meter mark. I breathed up, and dived down. At about ten meters a noticed two large hammerhead sharks circling the wahoo down below. I kept descending and arrived onto my fish. A few shouts and grunts through my snorkel and the sharks disappeared into the blue. I ascended feeling triumphant and on top of the food chain. The feeling was short lived when as I broke the surface and looked back down, I was greeted by at least 30 hammerhead sharks. Fortunately I had read about migrating hammerheads in the Pemba channel off Tanzania and so was aware that to find them in large numbers was possible but very rare. They ranged in size from 2.5m to as little as about 1.5m. They seemed more inquisitive than hungry and did not touch my fish. They circled for about 2 minutes, swimming fast, coming in and out of visibility and then disappeared. I scull dragged my wahoo the remaining 10meters and got back onto the boat to recollect myself.

Eric. . just another 22kg Tanzanian Wahoo

Tuesday 2nd, was a lazy and late start to the day. We went out for an afternoon session and decided to spend a little more time sight seeing in 20 – 30meters of water on the edge of the reef. Shoals of unicorn fish, rainbow runners, and big triggers swam around us. The odd king mackerel patrolling by and Eric got a glimpse of a small Dogtooth Tuna of about 10kg. We dived hard off the drop offs in search of Dogtooth but unfortunately they seemed not to be around. (I will be back soon for a doggie!) Eric got half a shot on about a 30kg Yellow fin tunny which sped past him at about 18m. Unfortunately he lost this one. Back in the blue I managed two more wahoo of around 15kg.

Wednesday 3rd, our last day and unfortunately the weather had turned. We decided to still head out and give it one last go. The morning was slow but was broken up by a swim with humpbacked whales. Two adolescents with big mama. They were moving fast and we were careful not to stress them, so kept our encounter brief, but what an awesome experience to be in the open ocean in blue water and have a 15 -20 meter whale come by you. We do what we do because we all have a sense of adventure and exploration. Only a diver understands the feeling of entering into a seemingly timeless place, the unknown, where nothing is predictable and beneath the waters surface seems not of the world that we come from. Seeing those whales made me think of my 6 month old boy and that he deserves to experience the same moments. We have a responsibility to ensure that this is possible.

Another 20kg wahoo

The second half of the day saw Eric and I get one wahoo each. My final fish of the trip will probably be the memory which gets me through the next few months before the next time I get into water like this. I had my flasher at 15m and I dropped down to just below it and hung for awhile. I saw him come in towards the flasher out of the corner of my eye. He was swimming in quite quickly and as I turned slowly to face him he did a 180 degree turn and headed away at speed. I kept my gun pointed in his direction and turned my body and head away from him. I waited…… He turned around and headed back. I could just make his shape out of the corner of my left eyeball. I waited….. Slowly I turned my head to face him keeping my body facing the other way. He came nearer. My gun was already in position and he turned broadside…….. click……. for the final time on what had been a truly memorable five days of diving. I slowly ascended and smiled as my first buoy got pulled down past me just before breaking the surface.

13.5kg Wahoo

Thanks for the memories Eric and Ali! See you soon.

Andrew Johnson


Foreword by Eric Allard

I have been spear fishing Tanzanian waters for the past 16 years, but nothing had prepared me for the five days of amazing spear fishing with my new spearo mate, Andrew Johnson, off Kilwa in southern Tanzania. Never before had I seen such large schools of wahoo, with one school numbering at least fifty or more fish on my reci day before Andrew’s arrival. Over the ensuing five days I spear fished with Andrew, more and more large schools of wahoo, in beautiful bright blue water, came by us. Coupled with our encounters of bottlenose and spinner dolphins, hammerhead sharks, turtles, and humpback whales, our experience was truly an exceptional one, reminding us of just how blessed we are not only to be able to experience such experiences, but even more so that we live so close to them. I wish onto you all such experiences and naturally, good hunting.

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Miss called the weather!

After not hearing too much about guys getting fish and the wind forecast showing southerly winds in the morning. I opted for a look and see approach with the possibility of surfing.

How bad that call was!!

The morning was a pearler and the sea was crystal clean, I did not have time to go home get my dive kit and still get in before work so I went for a surf.

The surf was not that bad, we had a couple fun ones. I was fairly content ..telling myself that the sea was quiet. That was until a mate called with the news that yesterday he had klupped the fish and was wondering if I had dived and to see if the fish were still on!!

All I could say was shot for the early call .. I would definitely have gone diving on that news. But no point crying over spilt milk.

The wind is blowing now and we might be able to get in tomorrow if it holds off. Friday morning looks good ..

We will have to see

Coatesman

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Finally some clean Water

We .. totally out the blue .(excuse the pun) got some clean water!!

The vis was not bad with guys reporting some good vis in some spots up to 6-8m. But the fish seemed quiet, with little or no reports of good fish. The paddle ski bloaks we on full force this morning, I counted 15 of them off the wreck in Ballito. I was ther at 5:10 and battled for parking!!

That and 2 jetski's made the place actually quiet busy. ...they must have known something I did'nt. As the only fish that seem to be around is Garrick!!

Anyway the wind is due to blow a little tonight and pick up again tomorrow ...

Who knows what is next??

Coatesman

Friday, September 5, 2008

Whats up this weekend?

Well with a little luck we will get in the water tomorrow. The tide is high inn the morning and it will be great if we can dive. Unfortunately it has been rather green lately and I have little hope of it getting really clean.

Tonight is Club Nite with the Salty's guys and I will be showing for the first time the Cuta Hunting Tutorial that will be part of our DVD. I will also show the new teaser that we have been working on.

I am also keen to show you Taylor Steels new surf film "Sipping Jetstreams" probably one of the best surf films made to date ..... you have to see it!!

Anyway back to the grind stone!

Coatesman

Thursday, September 4, 2008

Spearfishing this weekend?

Do you think it would be too much to ask if we could go spearfishing this weekend!!
Everyday closer to the weekend the forecast looks worse. Acouple days ago it looked like Sunday might be ok! But its looking bleak now.

Never the less thats how it crumbles this time of the year!!

I suppose showing snippets of our up and coming dvd at Club nite tomorrow is not going to help calm the enthusiasm?

On that not feel free to pull and join in, all you need is a prescribed "Dop en Chop" and you will be in the mix.

Other than that ...... work and more work!!

Coatesman

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Spearfishing G-Land?

Scotty & Brett just got back from G-Land and Scotty sent me this epic update:

Wow Gland is perfect... The wave seldom drops below 4ft and the wind blows off shore everyday... You surf till you cant paddle, cause you just cant get out the water. We surfed 2x3hr sessions every day, bar one when we went for a dive and then we surfed that arvo for 4hrs...


Our trip was made up of Brett Pengelly and myself, it took us to bustling Bali were we arrived in Kuta, a hectic tourist spot were there are more scooters than people, and more surfers than scooters, they come from all over the world, Swiss, Swedish, Dutch, German, Argentinean. You question why they don't stick to mellow beach breaks instead of the fastest lefts over shallow urchin invested reefs. But surfing is way too cool in the world today..we truly are blessed here at home!


So after a long bus ride all night across Bali and on to a ferry and then on
to Java, we arrived in a fishing village filled with brightly coloured boats bringing in hundreds of little fish. We were amped, there where tons of little fish so there were sure to be Doggie tooth tuna, running a mock. We were whisked away then on our boat which took us out to the peninsula which is a National Park and were the camp is based and off which one of the 10 most perfect waves breaks..

Indo style Spearfishing!!

Only a surfer knows the feeling. this phrase I have no doubt, was coined when surfers came across a spot were the corduroy lines are stacked for far and looking into the eye of the barrel, the lip seems to drop mechanically as the swell runs on and on and on. Every one on the boat smiles..


The Accommodation was fine, its not world class but every thing you need you
will get..

So we surfed and surfed, drank Bintang, surfed got massages and surfed for 9 days.. Except for the second day.. when we went spearing. We took our gear all of it barring our suits, and we had excess baggage, lots of it.. As luck would have it there were no boats to take us spearing, the only boat there was, was for ferrying surfers out on the high tide, so we pleaded for al captain to drop us off the point, he obliged but said we had to swim in. The peculiar thing about our trip, and were we were caught short was the water temperature. We envisaged warm indo water and only packed our "Summer Johns", no sleeve suits. The water was cool, like Durban in August. So after 20mins of diving in 15m water in tropical paradise, our teeth started to chatter, it was cold.


There was a huge school of Kingies 50/70 odd. Brett plugged one, I missed.twice, and then they were gone, rest of the session was spent looking at beautiful colored fish of all shapes and sizes like an aquarium. Brett commented at the speed of the current, to which I was oblivious as the jungle looks pretty much the same when looking at it from far. Only then after studying it did we realize that we were about 3km's from our drop off and way round the point of Gland were the off shore was side shore. We attempted to swim against the rip back to the point, there was no point... it was miserable swim, we were moving slowly, so we decided to can the thought and swim for backline. Now it was a full 5ft, the tide was on the way out, it was barreling the side shore complicated it an we knew of no channels to sneak in on .. we made it scratched and battered, and painstakingly tiptoed over the sharp reef back to our camp, and that was our diving for the trip..


Gland is made up of a few section, at the top its Kongs and it has a few sections to it, then Moneytrees, then Speedies. We surfed Kongs for the big drops and drawn out turns and Monies for the racing Back hand barrels, there's not much to say about the wave or the off shore which fan's it everyday all day. but that its in every top ten list of waves to ride.. enough said..


The crowds were a worry for us, but they shouldn't have been, There were 90 people there in total made of from all the different camps, 70% of the surfers are kooks from every corner of the globe, they get exhausted and are limited to 1 surf if that a day, There are 3 major parts to the wave so even at the busiest afternoon sessions there were about 12 on each section and of the 12 perhaps 3 will be catching all the waves. Brett an I surfed the Arvo's but we preferred the mornings from 7 - 11 and we surfed a lot just the 2 of us with a couple of euros we brought out for company.. It was good.. and we got more Quality waves in those 9 days than I think I will get
for the rest of the year and next winter combined..


Then we left hit the town in Bali, and just made it to the Airport for our flight out, I then realized that my Back Pack was left in the taxi,. Panic. got it with 30mins to take off. The lady behind the desk couldn't be sweet talked like here at home. We were 18KGs over and it was US$50 per Kg.. More panic.. So we left stuff. all our Spears plus gear, it was cheaper buying new at home, the rest went in checkers packets as hand luggage.. we looked like the "Bag Men".. we made the flight and got home.. only to discover that what even the draining barrels of Gland could not damage the professional staff at SAA made no fuss of by "snapping" All 3 boards???? I didn't even think that was possible..

AAhh the joys of travel. but it was well worth it best waves of our lives..

Aloha
Scott

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Aliwal Shoal Wahoo

The big Wahoo is 39kg speared of Aliwal Shoal ..

A mate calls me and asks if we should dive Aliwal this past weekend. Being a little worried that the condition were going to suck I opted to stay home.

So when I get sent pic like this of what some other chaps who stuck it out got ... well I get all ..you know!! Bummed

Hellova nice fish tho.

Coatesman

Monday, September 1, 2008

Spearfishing Northern Zanzibar

My spearfishing mate Joel is up in Zanzibar running a charter off the islands. He recently had some Italians charter the boat for a couple of days. He sent me a whole bunch of pics to make me jelous!
The Italian and his beautiful catch ...the Wahoo is a good one too!!


Some quality Rainbow runner and a one of many Cuta


Another Wahoo and Joel with an Indian Mirror Fish

Joel is always amped to have spearo's on board .. I think its because he gets to dive more that way. They dive some wild places like: Ras Miungani, Mtangani & Mchengazi deep ocean walls where Dog Tooth tuna are not uncommon. Check out the the 50ft live aboard catamaran Joel is running - Julia ...... would be idea for a bunch of mates if only we had the cash!!

Coatesman

For epic spearfishing trips to Zanzibar and more go to Coatesmans Spearfishing Charters