Stranded Whale Sharks off Umzumbe

One of the Stranded Whales Sharks at Umzumbe

There has been quiet a few Whale Sharks being stranded lately, and yesterday 2 Whale Sharks got stranded on the rocks at Umzumbe beach on the KZN South Coast. I assume that it was the large swell that picked up very quickly in the middle of the day.
We had been surfing in the morning in fairly small surf, and in a matter of an hour or so the sea had jacked up to a rather solid swell. That combined with the high tide as the swell hit could have been the Whale Sharks demise.

A pic of the 2 Stranded Whale Sharks

There have been quiet a few Whale Sharks stranded on the Zululand beaches, but I was reading that the authorities say that it was normal to have almost 10 strandings a year.

The sea being strange again?

Coatesman

Spearfishing in a Strange Sea

With all the weirdness going on in the sea while spearfishing these days, it was good to get some feed back from someone who has seen some of it before. Here is a mail i got from George Askew:

Hi Chris
Your report below warrants this:
Hope you find it useful.

We first started seeing Yellowtail in Natal in summer at Park Rynie around 1966.

And several big Dagas were shot at Jangamo [Inhambane] in the 1st SA Nationals in Moz [+- 1967]. They were not included as eligible fish as no one thought they went that far up!!

In 1970 I shot a baby Garrick near "The Gap" at Santa Maria [Inhaca] in Jan!!  Who would have thought they spawn in Maputo Bay mangroves??

{Did you know I think I shot the only Greek to be shot in Durban Bay [Salisbury Island] - 30lbs +- 1959. How many do you know of that have been hooked in the bay? I have never heard of one.

And what about Cliff Templeton`s 54lb Red Steenbras shot on a Bluff shore dive in 1971.

???  Go figure Sunshine.
The sea`s a strange place!

The Askew.
[A wealth of information in only one head!!]

 Indeed it is strange!

Coatesman

Where are the Couta?

If you are wondering why I have been so quiet, well its just that I have had little to report on. Its not that there has been no diving, the guys have reported some very good diving conditions over the weeknd.

I have been out of it with a nasty stomach bug and did my first dive today since last week. I am still a little weak, but the conditions look far too inviting not to dive. The vis was great the temp was great, there were bait fish every where but alas on Couta Breams!

I heard that on or 2 Couta came out of Lamercy area on Sunday, and some guys saw some off Sheffield with one guy out of PLENTY getting ONE.

On the freaky note, a Dagga was shot off Umhlanga lighthouse acouple days ago and on the same day another diver saw a Cape Yellowtail in the backline! ..... Its no wonder we are not getting Couta ... the fish think this is the Cape!

Anyway enough bitching and moaning .... tomorrow is another day.

Coatesman

Spearfishing Deep Water Dorado

7.5kg Dorado Shot out deep

You got to love those calls when the mates call you up and say they have a boat organised and they are going diving! I got one of those and went out deep off Durban yesterday to look for Dorado.
We landed up with 19 fish umungst 7 guys and had a ball. I got some great footage will I will add to our next film and even had a go at a few fish.

The Couta are still a little quiet, but there are some roumors that some fish came out yesterday. I did not get in this morning, I had promised the lighty I would take him surfing before school. The conditions looked very good and I am sure if there were fish around the guys would have nailed a few.

Coatesman

Touch The Silence!

  Learn to Freedive with Helen Garner and

Course Date: Saturday 27^th February & Sunday 28^th February

What you will learn:
In this course you will learn various techniques to understand breath hold and increase your bottom time and fine tune your freediving style. You will learn basic theory and safety techniques. Most students are able to hold their breath for 2 minutes, and complete a dynamic dive to more than 40m with just  2 days of instruction, training and a bit of willpower.

Course Overview:
The AIDA 2 star is divided into one weekend (Saturday & Sunday) learning to become comfortable underwater.
It includes both theory and practical exercises:

Theory:

• The Mammalian Dive Reflex (adaptations of humans to the underwater environment).
• Physics (gas laws, pressure, buoyancy)
• Physiology (an overview of the bodies cardiac and respiratory systems for freediving)
• The effects of depth and pressure - Equalization techniques
• The effects of depth and pressure – partial pressures and the physiology of shallow water blackouts
• Preventing pressure injuries (barotraumas) whilst freediving
• Safety freediving – the buddy system and the role of the buddy and diver

 
 

Practical skills:  

• 2 Hot Yoga classes
• Freediving stretches
• Breathing techniques and relaxation techniques
• Correct use of equipment
• Static apnea
• Dynamic apnea 
  

  

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• cost R1250
• And if you want their AIDA certification and card etc at the end - it will be another R250 to get it processed.

Helen is a certified AIDA Instructor

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Weekends Spearfishing Roundup.

Ben Bucher 4 Cuta totaling over 50kg at Sordwana

With the Couta a little quiet at home we headed off to Sordwana to change our luck. The weather and sea conditions were very good but alas it was just as quiet. Well that was for everyone except Ben, who seemed to be on the money every time he dived down. The rest of us had to be content with the left overs.

News from back home was that the snoek were still lurking around and as per usual some one found a couple stray Couta.
I heard that the Shoal was productive again and some good fish came out. (I will post when I get more info)

Other than that the swell was strong this weekend and I think most guys opted to pull out the surfboards. This next week looks like we will get some diving towards the end of the week. Hopefully by then the Couta pitch up.

Cheers

Coatesman

Strange Spearfishing Conditions

Andy Henwood with a Poensie Shot of Umhlodti

When Andy sent me this pic this morning and said he got it off Umhlodti at midday on Saterday I almost fell off my chair. What makes it more bizarre is that he found thew fish 14m of warm summer water. I guess the is is another lost fish?

I also had another mate send me the following mail:

Hi Chris,

Just a quick question…have you ever had any sightings of raggies in the ballito/shieffield area?

Reason been is that apparently the rock and surf guys got a 200kg raggie off Daves Rock on the 1st of this year and another 170kg raggie was caught in the Ballito area ( I think off the Ballito tidal pool). The only other time I have heard of raggies been caught here is last Oct also off the Ballito pool…hardly anyone else has ever caught these from the side.

Kind Regards,

Durran Els

To be honest I have never seen a Raggie here. I did here of a sighting a couple weeks back off a Raggie off Boulders! I guess everything is a little out of whack?

Coatesman

Weekends Spearfishing

Well we had some epic conditions Friday and Saturday, but the fish were just not around. Some guys still scrounged some snoek in the shallows and one or 2 couta came out but that's about all.

I heard that the Bluff was clean and the fisherman got fish, I am not too sure how the diving went. It will be interesting to hear if the Shoal worked especially since last week was productive there with a number of Marlin sightings and one guy even getting a spear into one but he lost it.

News from up North is that the fisherman at Vidal are starting to get fish which is a good sign, and the divers at Mapelane have had some decent conditions and as per usual have smacked the snoek. Aparently Jaco was there and he got an Iggie in the 30's.

This next week looks like there will be some potential diving, but watch the swell the forcast showes some serious swell hitting aswell.

Coatesman

Giant Trevally Kingfish

Giant Trevally Kingfish 62.3kg caught by Andrew Moderer

A mate of mine in Oz sent me this pic of one of the guys in a spearfishing club that he belongs to. This Giant Kingfish was shot by Andrew Moderer and weighed 62.3kg just 900g onder the Auzzie record. It was shot off Moreton Island in Queensland.

Freaken amazing fish!

Coatesman

Merry Happy Spearfishing Year

Today is back to the grind stone day ..... I have taken a good chunk of time out from work and hence I have had a total fast on emails and web stuff for over month!! Sorry this meant that the blog only got updated once in 2 months.

Anyway I am back and will be back with regular up dated and antics.

The diving has been fairly strange at home, the guys are still getting Garrick and the snoek are fairly loose. The Cuta are a little slow, although I have got a couple in the last few weeks. One was a good one of 17.5kg and the other was well over 10kg.

John Van Rooyen with a New Years Garrick .... lost or what?

News back from the shoal is that the guys have been getting some good diving with Carl Werner getting a 40plus kg Sailfish on the weekend. I have not heard too many rummblings from Vidal but I am sure as the season progresses Vidal too will turn on.

It does seem that everything is a little late this year and it will be interesting to see how this all plays out. The spring jellys are still around ... when they are gone I think we will get some great diving.

Thats all for now,

Happy New Year 

Coatesman