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