15 year old lost to SWB

    I am freediver and a spearfisherman, as sometimes I go without the gun,or train in the pool. I am also not a role model as I dive alone most of the times. Even with guys on my boat we head in different directions. My personal view is the more users in a very dangerous sport the more lives we will lose regardless of the training. I would guess swimming pools kill many more then our sport. Before the internet, I never would have known a young soul was lost 3k miles away, now we are all connected and I grieve for the family.


    Don

    "Great mother ocean brought forth all life, it is my eternal home'' Don Berry from Blue Water Hunters.


    Spearfishing Store the freediving and spearfishing equipment specialists.

    Edited once, last by Don Paul ().

    To the noob spearo thinking they can just hop in, go deep and spear moby dick, a reality check often comes in the form of an irreversible consequence. Yea I was diving as deep as I could long before I knew about free diving or spearfishing. Carried on into spearfishing and then figured I'd become FII certified last year with my usual dive buddy. I agree that spearfishing has a whole lot of different safety issues but the course helped me become a better, safer diver. I became more aware of my limits, learned of warning signs to watch for as well as rescue techniques for when I encounter SWB (probably more likely than not for us). That being said, Dude is right on when it comes to learning to spearfish. My bottom times increased after the course, which led to more fish on the table, but it didn't teach me when to come up on a working dive or what to do if I got wrapped deep. These things were learned over time from personal experience or through hearing the experiences of others.


    Spearfishing is a whole different game than freediving and should be looked at in a completely different manner. I've heard of only a couple spearfishing courses, hopefully they'll become more common with more and more wanting to get into the sport.

    Brad

    Let's face it….we're a crazed bunch of adrenaline junkies. How many of you guys surfed? Probably quite a few.


    I remember learning to surf in Hawaii…..remember, I was raised in the corn fields of Ohio….and looking out, knowing it was bigger than I'd ever been out in….being a bit scared….but going anyway. Once I was paddling out, the fear is gone and it's all adrenaline and being stoked. Even getting pitched over the falls…I was just pumped.


    And now, at 60 years old, it's pretty much the same. On those calm mornings, and I know we're going to go to a deeper spot, where we know there's bigger fish….and deep down, I know I may just push it because at the last seconds on a dive, a 40 lb cubera is coming in close….and we'll push ourselves. It's going to happen.


    We must be crazy. But seriously, my biggest fear is leaving my little ones. Willy is only 6, Alene will be a year next week. Willy would take it hard. We're close. And Jake too. In a way though, it's good I have them because I know they need me. I HAVE to come home. But the 20 somethings, or younger….as El Marco said, "all balls and no brains…". We love you young guns. So be safe….goddammit. :)

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