Deep Diving Mentor

One my early freedive mentors lived on Manihi Atoll in the south pacific, his name is William Tetake. His dad Tetake Williams was a freediving legend. He rose to stardom in 1965 by diving off an aircraft carrier with out fins or mask, and bringing up a hand full of sand from the bottom at 65 meters.

Like his dad, William was a deep diver, he was the first spearfisherman to teach me advanced deep spearfishing.
In his outrigger he kept 3 to 5 kilo stones. We would paddle the canoe over
the ''secret spot',. cock the gun, pick a stone that matched the needed rate of decent, slip on the nose clip, breath up for 1 min, close our eyes and slide into the blue while equalizing.'' When you hit the reef, start making a croaking sound in your throat to attract big Ulua'', replied William.

On one such dive I watched William shoot a pan sized fish, slide it down the shooting line, re-cock the gun, croak some more, shoot another fish, before giving me the thumbs up and a big smile.

Later that day I asked him why we close our eyes on the drop to the reef ?
'' This way Raira (gray reef shark) less worries.''
Later William Tetake would introduce me to JJ or Jungle Juice, but I'll save
that story for later.

Cheers, Don Paul

Quote from metelin

hey don you lived a bit haven't you? i'd love to hear some more stories.

I'll be back.....
Don

I was fortunate to evolve as a spearfisherman in the warm clear waters of
Bora Bora and Moorea Island. My Tahitian friends wrote the book on subsistence spearing of fish.
I can still remember the sweet aroma of vanilla,tiare and local cooking fires
as I searched hours for the perfect storm toppled hibiscus tree. A plant
which yields not only beautiful flowers but strong light wood favored by the
locals for guns and fishing floats.
On Tahiti lived a spearfishing legend... World Champion Jean Tapu....
to be cont.
Don Paul

Jean Tapu had won the 1967 World Spearfishing Championships in Cayo Avales Cuba with a thumb trigger Tahitian spear gun.

After returning to Calif with the hibiscus timber concealed inside a black ski bag,
I hung the wood to dry all summer behind my Laguna Beach home.
As local polespear waters turned cold by December, I set out on that journey to
build my first gun. I used a friend's table saw to shape a blank out of the strong light wood.
Maybe the 2 week stay in paradise with just the sounds of sea birds, wind and sweet Tahitian song brought about a time
for silence. I cringed at the screaming whine as the table saw ripped hot chips from the little flower tree.
Before the whirling blade stopped spinning a thought developed into an idea. This first hunting tool will be created from quiet hand held blades of fine carbon steel, coveted by a young New England boy.

_

In 1979 I lived at Victoria Beach, a hippie named Richard always had a few of the local cuties gather when he came out of the surf with a nice fish.
The other big chick magnet was a dog named Bear,a huge red husky we had trained to pee on tourist's beach towels. I decided getting a dog was out of the question and set out building a pole spear out of some left over carbon fiber rod I had in my garage. I borrowed the green trident head from my childhood flounder sticker and I was ready to go.
The next day I walked down the long stairs past Ozzie Nelson's house armed
with my frog fins, mask, and new pole spear. At the base of the stairs I was refreshed by the spray of a large shore-brake as it curled down the sand.
On the beach, my friends were playing volleyball as I waited for a lull in the set and hustled through the white water.
Once outside the breakers I pulled my mask up from around my neck, sealed it and dropped into the crisp clear November water.Now the lack of wet suit, big surf and a long pointy thing got me thinking a dog may be not such a bad thing after all. Just then a small corbina finned into view, I dropped down and
saw the dark shape of a large uncovered halibut. In one motion I dove to
the bottom thrusting the frog gig hard into his head. Great billows of sand erupted as I pined his head and finally was able to get a death grip within the gills.Now the fish was convulsing bait fish as a started for shore.
As I looked at my friends on the beach I could see them standing up and pointing at me. Finally a little attention for the non-surfing Yankee Boy.
Wow.... where did all that water go...what is that loud hissing sound ?
As I glanced over my shoulder a sick feeling came to the pit of my stomach,
like when you run out in front of a car and say ...Oh Shite!
The huge wave sucked me in and over the curl, I didn't know where my mask
and polespear were but me and my flatty were heading for shore.
I also don't remember body slamming that tourist with the black knee socks and sandals, lying on that new $20.00 beach chair.
Then the great wave receded with it's bounty of coolers,boggie boards and tanned bodies.
Bear was licking my face when I opened my eyes, blood was dripping off my trashed hand and a 25# Halibut was in my lap.''That was Far Fuc-kin Out'' how long you been surfin flatties? asked a sleek blond bartender I knew from the White House Pub.
It was right then I knew California was my new home.
Beach's, barbecues, and blonds with a dog named Bear.

Cheers Don Paul

Quote from monster slayer

This thread is priceless. That wrench trigger mech is the most clever thing I ´ve ever seen

This was Jean Tapu's it's a thumb trigger.
Don

Quote from metelin

lets see more.

Here's a blast from the past, My mentor Jean Claude Bourdelon and me.
My French and Tahitian friends made more stone shots than I could count without any rails or enclosed tracks. Jean Claude was coach of the Tahitian National Spearfishing Team,one of his best friends was
H Dussault.
Cheers, Don

Quote from psychobilly

Hey Don, have you ever written a book? If not I think it's about past due......I have read stuff from other great legends of our sport like your friend Terry and others and your pics and stories should be right there along with theirs. Great stories and the history of our sport is to be recorded so future generations of spearfishermen know where it all began.:)

I'm happy to hear you guys are enjoying my little footnotes. Terry asked when he was doing his book
for images and contributions. I was at time in my life when I did not share my gun science or diving methods. Many of the things I did was very dangerous. Terry and I lived very close to the edge.

I have been lost at sea swimming 105 miles of shore, circled by 15' Tiger sharks while caught in a current.
Dumb enough go off shore in a 25' boat in a gale and live. Had two 10' face to face meetings with the
Big boy. Had a 12' Black Marlin charge up from the blue and run me over before I pulled the trigger.
Plus living a life time of diving with many of the greatest blue water hunters in the world.

I have lots of foot notes from trips, maybe I should take some writing class's and try to shape my stories
into something worth reading.

In the mean time I'll share wee bits of my adventures here with you guys if you'd like.....

All the best, Don

Thanks...take care of that toe
Don