Crayfish Season Is Closed!!

Bummer,

Or maybe not if you are a spiny critter! Bugg season closes today and that will be that until next year. I was at Zinkwazi this morning and I witnessed a chap trying to get his last buggs in zero vis in the white water.

I like buggs ... but not that much!

October has been a write off, I was looking at my log and I only did 2 local dives the whole month. And I am generally on it if there is any vis worth diving in. Lets hope that November is a bit better, I remember a couple years back the shoal cuta came in for a week or two and we had some brilliant diving.

Who knows maybe this November?

Coatesman

Filming Tiger Sharks

Here is a frame grab of me filming a beautiful Tiger Shark

You have to love this life we live, all except the in between bits .... like working!
This morning on my run I was feeling a little pup, and the only thing that kept me going was the thought of being out there filming or spearfishing.

There is just something about swimming with sharks, chasing down tricky fish or even just being on the sea. Something you cant really explain to people ........

Dreaming on ...

Coatesman

A Day Filming Sharks

Flip its Monday, I am desperately trying to get the wheels in my head turning ....... but it feels like the hand brake is still up!
Despite the wild weather the week end was an interesting one. I landed up on a film shoot filming sharks, and other cut away sequences for a documentary with a mate Graeme Duane.
The sea was a disaster but when you need the shot .. you have to go. So in less than epic ...... way less!! conditions we headed out to Aliwal Shoal getting launch sequences and us pounding our way out to sea on film. We go a couple shots down while looking for Raggies, but alas no Raggies!

With no toothy critters we headed off to Ell Skins and found the some guys baiting sharks for some tourists, asked if we could jump in and have a look.
Shark soup!! It was amazing, ever seen a cloud of Chub attacking a burly trail? Well take that scenario and instead of Chub you've got Black tips, some over sized Dusky's and for good measure a Tiger Shark.

The aim was to film Graeme filming the sharks while freediving, I cant say that I was not distracted for awhile just filming sharks, sharks everywhere. Under you, over you .... into you ...flip it was mayhem! Eventually Graeme and I got busy and nailed some shots.
Its a freaky thing when your eyes are glued to the viewfinder on the housing. Your world is only out in front of you, and you have to forget about whats going on behind you. Its the nudge or that 'thing' brushing between your legs, that reminds you that you are actually in the middle of this thing and not looking from the outside in.

The highlight for me was nailing a shot of Graeme filming a Tiger Shark. We had gone down to film Graeme doing his thing, when a beaut Tiger Shark came in, swam around Graeme and then right up to me. The Tiger had a brief look at me and then turned and swam between the two of us. I know the German crew were aiming to get that shot with a Raggie Shark, but I was stoked.

Personally I think Tiger Sharks are way cooler that Raggies!! Any way time is ticking and .....its MONDAY!!

Later

Coatesman

Pitted off my face!!

Finally!!

Flip I thought the day would never come, this has to be my first 'real' surf before work I have had in months.

It was just a couple of us out at Surfers Point, a 3-4 ft swell nice and solid though and a draining tide. The wind was from the north but still off shore, blowing down the barrels. Only got a couple but my goodness me!!!! I feel alive again.

I had this one beast ,..... I didnt come out ...but it barreled me right across the bay ...fan-flip'n-tastic!!

The east is all over it now :-( but we had it!!

The weekend does not look like anything amazing will happen ...but hey we will see.

Coatesman

Earth Touch - 24/7 Documentry

With the dive been so bleak I land up running, training, and being down right bored!! We were supposed to hit Zululand this weekend for some spring time action. But the only action that will go down is kite boarding!!

Anyway a mate of mine is involved in a most unique project called Earth-Touch.Com It is a documentary channel that is ....almost live! By this I mean that its not archived stuff from 3 years back, you can go and watch something from all over the world that happened today or yesterday.

The project is still in beta phase but you can go and check it out. Earth Touch
or go and check out one from a couple days ago Earth Touch Sharks


Coatesman

Brown Blanket Spearfishing??

A huge hail and rain storm hit yesterday and sent our rivers puking brown muck into the sea. This mornings south west was trying to push the clean water in, but the rivers were winning the battle.

We had hoped to hit Sordwana or Vidal for some spearfishing this weekend, but it looks like the Beasterly Easterly will keep us home!!

Anyway I came across this on YouTube ...... would not mind this guys breath hold!!



Coatesman

No Spearfishing - Good Time To Work

Well when looking at the forecasts the writing is on the wall as far as getting into the sea this week. The vis is bad up and down the coast and the wind is going to pump. There is hope tho ... late tonight a west is pulling in and will pump until late Thursday nite. So with a little luck we will get in on Friday morning for some spearfishing if it is clean, otherwise a quick surf before work .......damn that sounds good.

Coatesman

Garrick Barrels and lost Equipment

Well the week end was an eventful one, Shane and Darren ... and I am sure many others hit the south coast and hammered the Garrick. Some nice ones came out around the 10 kg mark.

There was a bit of swell around and while trying to subdue a Garrick Darren got totally milked! Loosing his fin,bootie, dive knife ...off his leg and his mask!! His mask was found by his mate ...lucky, but the rest is in that place with single socks and lost dive stuff. Neptune has a serious collection going!

On the North Coast the surf was real good and the water not bad, but we decided to catch some waves. It has not been good here for ages so to get some barrel time was good.

Anyway back to Darren .... if any one has a spare or lonely Genisis fin lying around give me a shout and we can help the guy out a little.

see ya

Coatesman

Whats up this weekend

Well the vis here is not great :-( and I am not sure how much spearfishing is going to get done this weekend. Maybe some bugg hunting in the shallows???

The wind is going to be light southerlies today and the swell dropping so the conditions could improve a little.

I suppose all eyes are on the Bokka any way so party on .......

Coatesman.

New Spearfishing Ranking System

Hey guys,

If you are in the loop you would have got this email from Mark. Its the new Spearfishing Ranking System it runs over a 3 year period and accumulates the scores. An interesting way of doing things, I suppose it will show who is the most committed spearfiserman.

Go check it out:

Good afternoon fellow divers.

We have reviewed the ranking table and the current ranking method used and designed a new system that we feel is more accurate than the last as it combines a divers current form with his historical form and ranks him accordingly. Please view the below site to see how the new ranking is calculated as well as how the competitions are weighted.

The new ranking system was designed in consultantion with various divers, national selectors, national divers and SAUFF committee members.

The main criteria is to have a system that is as accurate as possible and we feel that this new system definitely reflects a more accurate measure of the divers taking part in the competitive areana.

Please view the new ranking table at www.underwaterfishing.co.za or www.saspearoranking.co.za.

Kind Regards

Mark

Finally went Diving!!

Yesterday arvo turned out to be a pearler so we jumped in for a late dive. The vis was about 4m ... god enough to get some buggs and dust the cobwebs out the lungs.

I managed to get a 8kg Kingfish and my buggs ... Was hoping to get in this morning but the east blew from early this morning so we canned it and slept in.

Coatesman

Giant Wahoo Dreams

With the summer holidays coming up, warm water and tropical dive locations ..... my mind is clouded with visions of Wahoo. I just hoping to spearfish just one Wahoo! I have got one of 24.5kg before so I am super keen to break the 30kg barrier, no harm in dreaming :-)



Giant Wahoo!! Either this guy is very small or this Wahoo is just a Pig!!!

You can see that it was probably caught on rod and reel. There is no holes and the streak lines down the belly are typical markings from the leader line.

But hang what a Pig!!!

World Record 83,46kg Wahoo caught off Pez Espada out of Cabo San Lucas

And here is a woman who broke 3 World records with this 180 pounder .... I want one just half that and I would flip!!

World Spearfishing Record for Wahoo - Bruce Gaudino 56.75 kg

And here is the Current World Spearfishing Record for Wahoo, caught off La Paz bay off the north end of Cerralvo Island. Damn!!

Gee I better get back to work and stop dreaming!!!

Coatesman

Blue Water Freedivers of Western Australia

The "Blue Water Freedivers of Western Australia" have finally got a site up and running, go check it out ..... some great pics and stories.

Blue Water Freedivers of Western Australia

Coatesman

Dreaming of Spearfishing Wahoo

With the sea being so muck, all I seem to be doing is dreaming .... .Dreaming of Spearfishing Wahoo!!

Check this out .... this should get the Wahoo juices flowing!!



Coatesman

Weather .. what the freak!

We were supposed to surf this morning but the east had already messed up the clean west swell. Not to mention the rain ..... and mud!!
All this, no diving and grey skies can make a man depressed!!

Things do seem a little loopy I read this this morning:

The National Sea and Rescue Institute (NSRI) has issued a navigational warning to all ships passing near St Francis Bay in the Eastern Cape, following a report of an iceberg on Monday.

Craig Lambinon, spokesperson for the NSRI told BuaNews Tuesday, that the maritime warning alerted all ships and vessels to be on the lookout for the iceberg to avoid accidents.

"We received a report from a fishing vessel, called the Ntini, late on Monday which spotted an iceberg 35 Nautical Miles from the Eastern Cape coast. According to the report the iceberg is 25 meters in length and 20 meters in height," said Mr Lambinon.

What next???

Coatesman

Rain Rain Go Away!

Damn it just has not stopped raining! The sea is a nice poo brown and the chances of a dive are very slim. I did manage to sneak a surf in late yesterday at Salties .... average at best, but it was good to get in.

The wind pumped last night and brought some wind chop waves. I could have jumped in, but it is my lighties birthday and we had some quality family time together this morning. I gave him a new speargun which I have built up. Its a little longer than his old gun and hopefully it will help him get to the fish in the clean Mozambique waters this December.

Any way it looks like the rain is over for now, but the south west is still going to blow .... maybe some surf tomorrow??

Coatesman

Spearfishing Addict

Hi every one ......

My name is Chris and its been more than 2 weeks since I last shot a fish.
Its going ok .... I still get the shakes tho, when I think about all those cuta waiting for me out there.

....... Bla Bla Bla Bla

Freak I am going out my mind ... it is still raining and next thing a this mud will be in the sea and our hopes of diving will be down the toilet.

Well I know the crayfish are having a jol!!

Coatesman

LAST GASP - Spearfishing and Crayfishing Competition

Time and PlaceDate: Saturday, October 27, 2007
Time: 5:30am - 3:00pm
Location: Anywhere along Durban coast, weight in at UKZN Underwater Club
Hosts: UKZN Underwater Club


We will be hosting spearfishing/crayfishing competition on 27 October. This is the last weekend for catching crays so we thought we'd get in there for one last gasp before the season closes...

All are encouraged to participate, providing you have the necessary licences etc. We have tried to format the competition to accommodate both experienced and inexperienced individuals. The entry fee is R100 and includes a free t-shirt. Prizes include Rob Allen spearguns,
discount on a Lizzard wetsuit and a Divetek Frameless mask. You need to pre-register for the competition by 11 October either with Scott McNeill (at the Underwater Club on Thursday nights) or at Lizzard Wetsuits (Stamford Hill Road).

If you have any queries contact Scotty on 0794939078
or
204510460 @ukzn.ac.za.

Caroline
Contact InfoPhone: 083.303.5995
Email: reidc1@ukzn.ac.za

Something to Dream About

If you are like me .... you are getting edgy not being in the water!

Damn I am getting grumpy!!

So just to get the juices flowing check this out:



If you cant see the vid click here: Check this

Coatesman

Spearfishing & Freediving

I woke to a lovely south wester blowing through my window, and with the sea been so muck lately there is a glimmer of hop with this west.
I checked the sea early, and it is still very brown ...not sure if one day of west will clean it up?
I figured that maybe there will be some swell and with the tide leap tomorrow morning making low tide at 6am, there would be some surf. But all the swell indicators say its going to be flat.

If it does clean up there might be hope for the week end warriors as Friday does not have too much wind and maybe ...just maybe there will be a dive on.

Coatesman

Spearfishing & Freediving

Hey guys,

Not too much to tell you, the sea is a 'lovely' brown green color. Something like a cross between Shitty and Kakki .......I suppose that makes it Sharky?? Flip I am so funny sometimes.

While there is no spearfishing going down ...there is still the Salty Divers / North Coast Freediving Unions meet tomorrow at my place. It starts 5:30 and there will be a braai after.

Drop me a mail or call me 083 631 0841 if you are keen to come and check things out.

Great stuff

Coatesman

Rules Format for Natal Spearfishing Trials

GENERAL RULES:

1. Natal Spearfishing Trials will be held from October 2007 to March 2008 to prepare and select the best team to represent the province at National Champs. National Champs are scheduled for May 2008 at Sodwana Bay.
2. Refer to attached plan of scheduled Trial dates and reserve weekends.
3. Each provincial Union can select a maximum of four teams of four divers to represent their province at Nationals. In Natal Union we have three divers per team and sacrifice the fourth team member for a top man to handle the boat during the competition.
4. Thus the top twelve divers are determined from a series of three competitions called “Trials” held to very strict rules and regulations similar to those of Nationals.
5. The selection of these divers is orchestrated by a selection committee made up of the Natal Underwater Union (NUU) Spearfishing Officer, the Midlands Underwater Union Spearfishing Officer and one other experienced spearfisherman (to be selected by the NUU Officer)
6. In the event of dispute and or conflict the decision will be referred to the committee for adjudication and advice, however in the event of deadlock, the Natal Underwater Union Officer has final say.
7. Every diver participating in Natal Trials must be a paid-up member of a Club recognized by the Natal Underwater Union.
8. The Entrance Fee for trials is R400.00. To enter contact Graham Carlisle on 082 462 1256, alternatively the entry form is available from Dive Factory, Freedivers, Wahoo and DUC Diving Clubs. This must be filled in and paid to Graham ON or BEFORE the first trial.
9. The R400 will go towards the four teams’ costs during Nationals and is also a token of your commitment to competing in Trials and at Nationals.

RULES OF THE COMPETITION:

1. Divers are required to phone Graham between 5pm and 8pm on the Friday before a trial to confirm the dive area, meeting place and time.
2. If due to bad weather a trial has to be canceled on the Saturday it then takes place on the Sunday. Decisions on whether or not to dive will be made by 8pm on the day preceding the competition. If the weather is not suitable then the trial will be carried forward to the allocated reserve weekends (Refer planned dates and reserve weekends).
3. Remember that a lot of people are getting up early and may be traveling from afar to attend a trial so divers can be forgiven for being ten minutes late but will lose one point for every five minutes thereafter. (This will be strictly monitored.)
4. There will be a meeting to discuss the day’s proceedings, and a meeting place at sea will be decided. Once all the boats meet at sea the trial can begin. (No spearing is allowed before this time.)
5. All diving will be from boats because Nationals take place off boats and World Champs are dived off boats.
6. Each boat is allowed to have a top man to handle the boat during a Trial and no less than 2 divers may dive on a boat. Prior to a Trial commencing divers must arrange the boat they are diving on. It is not the responsibility of the organizers to do this.
7. Note that no chum or burlying is allowed.
8. All divers must dive within 40m of their OWN float. Floats must be used at all times when a diver is in the water, must be a readily visible color, be a minimum of 1.5 liters, and be clearly visible in the water during choppy or rough seas.
9. A trial lasts for six hours. Any diver seen in the water after the six hours will be disqualified. For safety reasons at the sixth hour the safety boat must be notified by radio or cellular phone that all is ok, and the boat is heading for the launch site.
10. All participants must comply with current regulations of Sea Fisheries and Marine Resources legislation
11. Points are allocated to each divers catch as follows.
    

• 
  

• Sea Fisheries rules apply
• Only one fish per species is allowed. All fish may be weighed in un-gutted
• A maximum of 10 fish may be shot (CH refer to Nationals Rule Book)
• Divers may keep their fish after the weigh-in is complete.
• Each fish must weigh a minimum of 1 kg to qualify.
• Seven species that are excluded from competition are Surgeons, Angel fish, Unicorn fish, Batfish, Sea Barbel, Barbel Eel and File fish
• Each fish can earn a maximum of five points (5kgs) for the weight (i.e. a point per kg) PLUS extra point that will be awarded for each species (See Bruce Mann List).
  

• Example: One Spotted Rock cod weighing 2kgs, Wahoo of 15kgs and a Tomato Rockcod weighing 4.8kg
• 2 points for the Spotty for the weight but none for the species
• 4.8 points for the Tomato PLUS 1 species point for the Rock Cod.
• 5 points for the Wahoo PLUS 5 species points for the gamefish.

• 
  

12. After beaching all divers are required to load their fish into bliks and proceed to the weigh-in.
13. It is forbidden to exchange catches.
14. To facilitate comparison between different competition days, each diver’s points are calculated as a percentage of the top diver. The top diver scores 100%.
15. After four trials each diver’s top three percentages are averaged and thus ranked.


AWARDING OF COLOURS AND TROPHIES

1. If a diver makes the top twelve in Natal Trials they are divided into the A, B, C and Development Team. All twelve divers are awarded NUU Colors (Dolphins).
2. For a diver to get Natal Colors (Wildebeest) they must have dived in the A, B or C team at least three times and at least once in the A team or if never in the A team then they must have come in the top ten at Nationals once.
3. The Natal Underwater Union Awards three trophies each year to competitive divers based on Trials results.
• Anthony Benjamin Trophy for the biggest bottom fish. - 2002 Ryan Burmester 24kg Black Musselcracker.
• Biggest Gamefish Trophy. – Not awarded
• Top of the Log Trophy for overall highest percentage. – 2002 Gary Hazel.

Every 2 years the world Spearfishing Championships take place and the highest ranking Springbok is awarded the beautiful Shaun Atlas Trophy, a Len Jones Bronze of a Red Steenbras, a fish fittingly endemic to South Africa and one we are most proud of. Previous winners are:
• 1996 Len de Beer
• 1998 Len de Beer
• 2000 John Girzda
• 2002 Jaco Blignaut

Trials are the first step to Nationals and National are the first step to Springbok Trials so start practicing.

COMPETITION AREAS AND BOUNDARIES

Trials Dates '07 - '08


Additional info Area
Month Date - Host - First area - Second area

October 13 - Natal Union As per previous trials Joint trial - Umdloti Bluff

November10 - Southern Natal - Open competition - Joint trial TBA TBA

December1 - MidlandsProposed - Gamefish onlyJoint trial - Deep Scott Warner/Toti

February2 - Natal Union - Stand alone trial - Warner/TotiBluff

March1 - Northern natal - Proposed (alt. Natal Union) Joint trial Bluff - Deep Scott


AREAS OF COMPETITION

The four trials will take place within the following zones as and when conditions allow:

 Umdloti (Selection reef at Umdloti to Westbrook)
 Warner Beach (Isipingo River – Warner Beach Launch)
 Deep Scottbourgh (Umkomaas to Park Rynie)
 Bluff (South Pier to Cutting)

Reserve Areas:
 Shelley Beach
 Hibberdene (Mtwalume to Mzumbe)


For info Please call
Graham Carlisle
tel:(031) 903-5438
mobile:082 462 1256