Posts by Don Paul

  • Deep Diving Mentor

    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

  • Deep Diving Mentor

    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.




    _

  • Deep Diving Mentor

    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

  • 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

  • Safer

    I have never dove with him but a read some of his info on Freedive Training, he got big balls and tells it
    like it is, I like that. Maybe he would fit in here when someone has a training question?
    FWIW I believe he may have been a Cuban no bubbles no troubles kind of guy.
    Cheers, Don

  • Safer

    Any of you guy's ever take the freedive course by Ex Cuban Spearfishing Champion Ricardo Hernandez ?
    One of my old friends knew him a little, just didn't know if any one here dives with him.
    Cheers, Don

  • how to make a hybrid

    Beautiful work Steve, I like to see a wool shop with planes and chisels. I want to do a fun gun next year,
    2-band, wood and Lexon tube with clear, light oil and large glitter flakes. A west coast version of a shake
    up Christmas Ball. <img src= " height="23" srcset="https://spearfishing.world/forum/images/smilies/emojione/1f606@2x.png 2x">


    Cheers, Don

  • Injured my foot, no diving for a while

    Don, how did you tear your hamstring?
    __________________ Quote: Dan


    Eight years ago I rode a mountain bike into the wall of a 10' deep hole at speed, tried to use my right leg to stop the impact. I was out of the water for 2 months, (pure hell).


    I had to use two different blades (one painted to match) for over a year.I swam and drug the injured leg
    until I developed new muscle. I do not dive past 75' in cold water now but that's OK.

    Cheers, Don

  • How to improve a Riffe Euro, mexican style.

    Bling Bling and a diamond ring. you got some white thang sucker.:@:@:nono: <img src= " class="smiley" srcset="https://spearfishing.world/forum/images/smilies/emojione/1f606@2x.png 2x" height="23" width="23" loading="eager" data-tooltip="biggrin" aria-label="biggrin">


    Ya know I'm kidding man, Nice :thumbup:
    Cheers, Don