Whats up this weekend?

Snoek and Iggie a nice match for early winter.

Well its the weekend again and as usual the weather is going pear shaped! Saturday has a southerly that will keep us off the water and some swell to fit. So even tho the water is good its going to be tough finding a dive.

Last weekend miraculously came right and I got an Iggie and Snoek while looking for bugs. Its a bit strange getting an Iggie this time of the year, and is only my second one at Sheffield.

It must have been because I was wearing the new club shirt with new Iggie logo on!! check below!! Maybe there is some thing in the shirt??

The New Salt Rock Spearfishing Club 'Iggie' Logo

If you are a club member you can get one of these ridiculously cool shirts with logo front and back ..... for nothing zip nada. All you have to do is enter the Wahoo Winter Game Fish and represent the club. Easy?? Just drop me a mail and say you are going and you can collect your shirt ......... 'bribery and corruption'

That reminds me! Club nite next week is at the Wahoo comp anyway  ..... gee you think I am trying to say something?? Anyway moving along quickly Sunday holds some hope for a dive or at very least a good surf.

That's all for now

Coatesman

Spearfishing and Surfing Update

Well the sea was looking good this morning. There was a good swell running and dispite the tide being very high there were still some good waves.

The vis looked good ..... I would have dived but my dive buddy is cheating on me and diving with some one else :-)

And I did not feel too amped to do a big swim in the swell alone ... what a woose!!

But I scored some cooking waves and one full stand up barrel across the bay .... nice!

There have not been to many reports of fish, either the guys are keeping it quiet or there just arnt any! There looks like there is even more swell on its way and a big south west on Friday nite. So Sunday might be diveable or at least surfable!

On the North Coast Surfers Union front we have had 22 members join already!! This is absolutely fantastic news, and means that we will start to get the ball rolling sooner than later and effect some change on our coast.

Any way that's all for now

Coatesman

Spearfishing News

Hey guys well the sea has been playing ball and there has been some diving all along our coast.

There are still reports of snoek coming out, I heard that the La Mercy & Westbrook / Tongaat streach was very productive on the weekend. 

This has to be one of the best snoek seasons we have had in years, I know loads of old times who are saying that this is as good as they have ever got it.

I think there are a load of newby spearfishermen who are are thinking it's too easy!! I know a bunch of guys who have gotten fish almost every time they have dived, and they have only been diving a year or even less!! I guess the season will pass and they will probably blame the long liners ;-)

Anyway its good to have the snoek here!! I have also heard reports of the odd Garrick been sighted or shot up our way. So they are on their way, and I am sure this will provid some excitment in the shallows.

I got this report from Darrel down south:

Well,with last week being a write-off with (November type North -easters), the swell finally flattened off a bit from this consistent 2m stuff (either i`m getting too old to swim it or its global warming effecting the swell size!) to 1-1,5m friday though with the low spring over the weekend it still made a hazardous swim over  the sandbanks with only 1ft of water to clear!! on the low tide.

Viz. Hibberdene side between 4-6meter on the inshore reefs and I heard there are now some garrick about. One fine (reportedly) 20 kilo fish was bagged at Ifafa on friday (according to Mike Smith) and two came out off Umzumbe Saturday and there are small-medium size snoek about. the few divers i spoke to got their bug quotas as it flattened out nicely yesterday on the high spring tide though the viz was still too poor to spot any snoek or garrick.

 

hopefully we get some good conditions now for June and July.

 

Just to let would be divers planning a dive down this side that car break-ins are out of hand, mine was broken into right outside my girlfriends place last week (i wasn`t even out diving) and it`s almost a guarentee if you are parked anywhere other than the main bathing beaches,someone should set a trap for these bastards as the cops and two security Co`s in this area dont seem to do s...t about the problem.

 

keep you posted

 

cheers-

 

Darrell

Anyway thats all for now catch up soon

Coatesman

North Coast Surfers Union

Finally we are trying to get our act together. Instead of just sitting on the beach and bitching about all the issues, we are getting our act together!!

If you are a surfer on the North Coast and live here pay rates and use the beach ... you have rights and a should have a say on what happens at your beach. Unfortunately when you stand alone no one listens or takes you seriously.

The North Coast Surfers Union is not a club, its a forum were we stand together and voice our concerns and opinions. We we can motivate and even action change on our beaches. And most of all preserve the beauty of our coast line.

I want to to challenge you if you live and surf on the north coast and choose not to get involved well then you are saying you don't care!!! 

All you need to do is sign up on the Web Site North Coast Surfers Union.

To go directly to the sign up page Click Here

Guys lets support this, get the word out. This will mean that you will be able to have your say and keep informed on whats going on. 

Lets make a difference ....

Coatesman

Spearfishing and Surfing

Guys,

Sorry I have been elusive on the blogging front. I have had my head in a whole trying to get the finishing touches to the Spearfishing DVD. Its going really well and we have put everything into this film to make it really beyond what is presently out there in the spearfishing market .... but you will have to wait to see it for your self ...very soon.

I have not been diving much ..as I said busy busy  busy!! the guys got in yesturday and it was nice and clean, but the fish were very scarce. The swell picked up in the afternoon and we though that we were going to get cooking surf this morning.

This want to be as the north wind blew all night and made the swell all wobbely. I check it earloy and almost got in .. but the landed up getting to the office early to get ontop of things this side.

Other than the shoal I have not heard of fish coming out, traditionaly this is when Hiberdene starts to work .. so if you hear of anything let me know.

Just a little heads up - Salty Divers Club meet week after next will be a the Wahoo Comp at Vidal. Some of us will already be there so why not make it a double whammy and come through.

All good I hope the clean water holds out till the weekend.

Coatesman

Epic Aliwal Shoal Shark Photography

Jon Cooper took this underwater photo of these three Sharks on Aliwal Shoal this week.

The conditions on Aliwal Shoal have been epic, and this photo of these sharks is proof enough. I think this pic is an award winner if I ever saw one ... absolutly amazing!!

I mean a Tiger shark, Whale shark and a Black tip shark in the same pic in near perfect composition. 

Flipp'n epic shark photography!!

Coatesman

William Trubridge - Freediving World Record no fins 88m

How is this for diving?? Imagine having this ability and spearing ... it would just be unfair!!

William Trubridge broke the world record in Unnasisted Freediving (Constant Weight No Fins - the purest expression of freediving) with a dive to 88m (288ft) in 3 minutes 30 seconds. 

This was at the Vertical Blue 2009 Invitational Freediving competition, held at Dean's Blue Hole, on Long Island in the Bahama between April 1-11.

Check out this Vid or Click Here if it does not come up.

I think this is mind blowing ....dont you think??

Coateman

South African National Spearfishing Champs Sailfish

Sean O'Connor Epic Sailfish shot at South African Nationals Spearfishing Champs.

While every one else at the South African National Spearfishing Champs was shooting aquarium fish Sean did the North Coast boys proud and and showed the boys what a real fish looks like.

Nice one Sean!!

Coatesman

Autumn Wahoo Fest

Alistair with some Aliwal Puppies

Spearfishing in autumn can be very fustrating on the north coast, the shoals of cuta have moved south the winter fish are still to come, and worst of all Aliwal cooks! I am a very unluck Aliwal dive I aways seem to catch it the day after or before .... what eva I just miss it. So naturaly I am reluctant to mission down there on a whim.

On another note but still down south the Ozzy Spearfishing team KLAPPED the SA boys on their own turf. Ok 2 of the Ozzys were local boys living over in Oz and know the south coast backwards ... but hey a win is a win.

On a down note the East looks like its up!! Well atleast for the next few days ... I hope the forcast is exagurated and we get some moderate days with some diving thrown in.

All Good

Coatesman

Wahoo Winter Gamefish Spearfishing Competition

The 2009 Wahoo Winter Gamefish Spearfishing Competition.

The Wahoo annual Winter Gamefish Spearfishing Competition traditionally held at Cape Vidal has been set for weekend of the 6th June. Like last year there is a limit on boats and entrants. Only 35 boats and 120 competitors will be allowed.

Click this link to download the:  Winter Gamefish Spearfishing Competition Entry Form.

As always this is the Spearfishing Competition not to be missed!!!

See you there,

Coatesman

SAUFF National Championships 2009 Individual Results

		Day 1	Day 2	Total	%
1	Brod Whittaker	36.81	69.55	106.36	100%
2	Gyula Plaganyi	43.42	56.8	100.22	94.23%
3	James Lawson-Smith	38.8	55.95	94.75	89.08%
4	Adriaan Kriel	47.73	44.65	92.38	86.86%
5	Angelo Spada	39	48	87	81.80%
6	Craig Heslop	41.02	44.6	85.62	80.50%
7	Neil Barnard	46.58	35.6	82.18	77.27%
8	Fred Bester	35.66	39.7	75.36	70.85%
9	John Girzda	38.49	36.5	74.99	70.51%
10	Richard Bruno	38.17	28.85	67.02	63.01%
11	Graham Carlisle	39.74	25.5	65.24	61.34%
12	Renier Coetzee	32.82	29.7	62.52	58.78%
13	Jeremy Williams	23.27	38.8	62.07	58.36%
14	Robert Reynolds	25.76	35.3	61.06	57.41%
15	Andrew Henwwood	18.21	40	58.21	54.73%
16	Chris West	26.87	30.45	57.32	53.89%
17	Garrick Morris	22.61	34.7	57.31	53.88%
18	Brent Borstlap	41.73	14.8	56.53	53.15%
19	Tony Heugh	30.99	25.35	56.34	52.97%
20	Garret Staats	26.82	26.15	52.97	49.80%
21	Carl Werner	22.66	27.7	50.36	47.35%
22	Rob Willes	21.58	26.1	47.68	44.83%
23	Sean O'Connor	17.09	29.4	46.49	43.71%
24	Ian Ewing	22.72	23.65	46.37	43.60%
25	Chris Swart	21.15	23.9	45.05	42.36%
26	Rick de Vries	21.96	22.15	44.11	41.47%
27	Bartho Kotze	22.34	15.55	37.89	35.62%
28	Owen Huxtable	9.73	27	36.73	34.53%
29	Greg Bisset	23.45	11.85	35.3	33.19%
30	Simon Karsten	26.65	6.65	33.3	31.31%
31	Eugene van Wyngaardt	15.57	13.4	28.97	27.24%
32	Paul Putter	16.2	12.75	28.95	27.22%
33	Hylton Newcombe	10.17	16.2	26.37	24.79%
34	Trevor Burger	16.55	9.78	26.33	24.76%
35	Hardus Bouwer	5.74	18.85	24.59	23.12%
36	Darryl Hiscock	11.91	8.75	20.66	19.42%
37	Christo Vermeulen	16.41	4	20.41	19.19%
38	John Little	12.9	5.6	18.5	17.39%
39	Craig Burmeister	4.94	10.85	15.79	14.85%
40	Dane Salmon	2.77	12.5	15.27	14.36%
41	Glen van Ooten	2.42	12.55	14.97	14.07%
42	Dave Coetzee	3.1	11.2	14.3	13.44%
43	Terrance Bellingan	2.15	12	14.15	13.30%
44	Andrew Kallman	3.11	8.9	12.01	11.29%
45	Shane Strong	2.33	6.3	8.63	8.11%
46	Stuart Jardine	7.78	0	7.78	7.31%
47	S Aiken	6.55	0	6.55	6.16%
48	Fred Snyman	3.54	2.05	5.59	5.26%
49	Grant Teubes	2.41	2.6	5.01	4.71%
50	John Kallman	0	1.95	1.95	1.83%

Clark Little Wave Photographer

Clark Little's image of an oncoming sand bath!

If you are sitting puzzling what to do go and check out Clark Little he is an Hawaiian who has made a name ... and living out of taking pictures of waves!! ....Can I have a job??

Clark Little's success makes you wonder what else is out there that we can do to turn a passion into what you do for a living?

Now I am puzzling,

Coatesman

Wahoo Eye Candy

Wahoo Video by Alan Rybacki

Here is some Wahoo Eye Candy to get the juices flowing!! My mate Alan Rybachi posted this on FB and could not resist putting this up. Especially since it has been green and cold here the last few days. I asked what the deal was this what he said:

May 1st, about 8km north of Jesser Point. There weren't many fish about. I'd seen a marlin a few days earlier up at Island Rock and a sailfish on the morning I filmed the wahoo.

That's enough to get me all jumping up and down and salivating!!

Coatesman

Weekends Spearfishing and Surfing Roundup

Well there is nothing wrong with a long weekend!! We dived on Friday and Braidy got his first bag of buggs ...see previous post! But other than that it was very quiet, some snoek came out at Westbrook and Craig diving La Mercy got a good cuta. But other than that the water turned green and cold and not much went down.

Saturday saw some really good swell and the waves cooked with the off shore pumping all morning!!

Heard via the via that the Port Edward Cyta Classic had some really good fish and over 10 fish were in the 20kg mark and the winning Cuta was over 30kg!! ......So thats were da fosh are!!!

Craig Harper with a fat pre winter 19kg Cuta.

There looks like there will be some southerlies towards the end of the week maybe we will get lucky next weekend!

Coatesman

Braidy gets his 8 Crayfish!

Braiden Coates with his first 8 crayfish complements of Xfins!

The 1 of May will be a day Braidy will remember for years to come. I think most guys remember the first day they get their 8 Crayfish on a dive.  And today is no exception for braidy, he has been catching crays for almost 2 seasons and up till now has only managed 3 on a dive. 

The one thing that has made the biggest difference to his diving is his new pair of Xfins. I got a special pair made up for him from the guys at Xfin Freediving and Spearfishing Fins. They made up a pair of ultra light spearfishing fins that are narrower and shorter to suit Braidens build.

I think I under estimated the effect the fins would have on his diving, in the pool test he moved like a bullet compared to his old fins. But not only has his speed in the water improved, he dived for almost 3 hours with constant swimming. Something he would never have managed before.

Braidy was super stoked ... especially since he caught a bigger bug than me today!!

Soon I wont have to catch any buggs ...  :-)

Coatesman