Thanks for the tips guys. I have one guy who has been out here for most of his life that is willing to show me the ropes, so to speak. He is a very experienced diver. He said the same thing as you Don. Start slow and be patient. He said too many people get interested in diving and spearing and then they jump right in too quickly and get in some tricky situations. He has already told me several times to always, always, respect the ocean.
02 - I'm on the Big Island.