This is the first time I am trying to start a thread and never done pic's before so forgive me if it goes sideways
So last week I got the chance to get wet and hunt after a couple of years not being able... It was fantastic to say the least :thumbsup2: Funny how the body remembers skills you are not conscious of having, for example aiming and firing, I just relaxed turned off the brain and started stoning :laughing:
Biggest help I had on the trip was that before the trip I (based on advice from reading stuff here) took my spear to a machine shop and had it straightened, WOW what a difference!! The gun (biller mahogany 54) performed better than when it was new(which was over 10 years ago), amazing that shafts can come new with a tiny bend, I learned so much from these forums... Think i convinced my dive buddy I had skills when it was just a straight shaft
Other thing was i bought a new "JBL #894 4" Gulf Break Away Stainless Steel Slip Tip with Slide Ring & 3/32" Cable for 5/16" 6mm Shaft" if anyone ever buys this immediately get rid of the stupid O-Ring :angry2:!!!Cost me nine-ish pound mutton snapper and two Spanish mackerels as it failed to deploy the breakaway tip several times :frustrated2: , my dive buddy Fred and dog Spike who are up with their boat from Trinidad, pulled the o-ring off and gave me a string to tie to the breakaway tip cable loop and pull into my bands to secure it... Worked AWESOME after that and did not lose anymore fish next dive :clap2:
We dove tanks and free but current was a major problem(full moon AND springs) with the free diving so pretty much went 120-140' and looked for the big fish with our tanks :loser:... The boys think its not manly to take pictures :boohoo: so snuck in what i could ...
Most of our dives were on West Cay which is the Westerly most end of the Grenadine island of Bequia, its famous for its great diving and fish life, most locals avoid hunting there as a number of aggressive black tips have claimed the spot as their own(we dont mind :shark4:)
First dive was a huge surprise for me as i haven't been wet in so long but I was so relaxed that it all just flowed for me, you guys know those days when your completely tuned into the ocean no intruding thoughts from real life and it all just seems so naturally effortless... Fish were everywhere but we only shoot whats going on the grill that night(picky fellas) or fill orders made by friends, this is where I lost the snapper and couple of mackerels due to spear tip malfunction, one mackerel was way above me stalked him from below, difficult shot but got him dead to rights, tip went in and he did not move for a few seconds, thought i had broken his back BUT then he took off and the tip just slipped out easy as you please :troll1: ..sooooo it goes... Few aggressive black tips were cleaning up my spear tip wastage, got to love the circle of life sharks are still my favorite creature to watch underwater, well clear water with them in-front of me that is :laughing: massive schools of Crevalle jack were around so I shot two and Fred shot a Spanish mackerel and a lovely 6-7 pound grouper...
Next day we had guests on board, a local Bequia friend who now is a lifer in the USA coast guard and his jail bait girl(we did not object :laughing:) plus my wife who is the best fish bag person i know :fishshoe:... Shot a lovely snapper as we hit bottom and of course as I shot it two decent sized Amber Jacks showed up to see what the commotion was about :angry4: only got a picture of one(sigh) ... Then ran into a small permit which was big fun being towed after i shot it(got no reel or buoy) , lots of turtles, eagle rays insanely beautiful virgin coral and massive boulders in the deep with gorgonian coral hanging everywhere ...Perfect spots fish or no fish...