To all you spearos.....

Should I take a class on the basics of freed diving or should I just learn as I go  I figured I can "gift" some  to Fuzz for some guided trips  ....and maybe a case of San Miguel beer    to Ron / Sail Fisk for more lessons 

As far as experience: I used to skin dive during the summers when I was growing up in the Philippine Islands....other than that....I'm a total newbie ready and eager to learn from a wise Yoda 

Hey Mooch,

I freedive with John Chen and Alain Geoffrey on regular basis.  We are just waiting for the right swell to die down a bit on weekend.  I know a shallow reef at Otter Cove with plenty of opaleye (not a good eating fish) and perchs for practice shooting that I can show you.  The depth of the spot is 8-15 feet.  I learned to freedive in Lovers Cove/Otter Cove with John Chen and took freediving lesson at Wallins when John was still working there. If you need freediving wetsuits, Bodega Bay Dive Shop has some nice selections of freediving suits.

John & I will let you know when we go.

Regards,
-Ron

We need to take some more fish out of the impending MLPA closure areas!!

When do the closures take effect? I thought it was January 1st?

John & I will let you know when we go.

Thanks Ron - appreciate the offer Can't wait to enter the Big blue 

We need to take some more fish out of the impending MLPA closure areas!!

When do the closures take effect? I thought it was January 1st?

hey granite, i think the closures are not in effect just yet but may be later in 2007. i am not positive though.

if this is the case we may have to go to soberanes south down the goat trail. its a walk but there is fish there. no kayaks for that option though.

otherwise its north we go: )

i love linda mar and want to dive there sometime. i had a frined get some lobster there a few years ago.

john

The date of start of closure hasn't been decided yet, but expect it to happen real soon... in a few months.
Soberanes point area is not in the closure. If I go out there, I will have to hide in the thick kelp beds all the time, the sealion barks are too scary. There must be landlords patrolling this area constantly...

i love linda mar and want to dive there sometime. i had a frined get some lobster there a few years ago.

That's what happened to those bugs! 

i love linda mar and want to dive there sometime. i had a frined get some lobster there a few years ago.

That's what happened to those bugs! 

no kidding, it seems more and more people are seeing spiny lobsters around monterey and north but there isnt a ton of them. sure would be nice to see one in person up here. i know people see pretty large ones in monterey along the breakwater relatively often. the classes from wallins dive center were seeing which were originally found by the instructors.

i think with el nino the warm water fish may be headed this way and maybe our season for different fish will be a good one. i know the tail end of last year guys on the ncka board were catching whitefish which generally are not caught up here. i wonder if wsb and yellowtail will come in large numbers; )

john

One can always save perch and opaleye for crab bait or figure out ways to make them edible, such as smoking.

One can always save perch and opaleye for crab bait or figure out ways to make them edible, such as smoking.

i personally love to filet and fry up perch in batter and eat with cocktail sauce!!

: )

YUMMMM

... I'm sure I can convince Fuzz to babysit me for a few hours.....his weakness is spam musubi 

If the spam musubi doesn't work, try ladies under garments.  He has a thing for the really frilly ones. 

I think it'd be a good idea to have Harold or someone with more experience (than you) go out with you the first few times.  There's nothing wrong with going out with someone who has the same amount of experience as you, but you won't learn nearly as much or as fast.   It'd probably be safer having Fuzz spot you as well.  AND at the end of the day if the hunting's been bad, you know you can count on Fuzz to kill something. 

I would advise against taking a freedive class for now.  You'll want to get in the water for a season to get comfortable and have some experience under your (weight) belt.  If you decide to take a class then the topics discussed in the class will be familiar and relevant.  For recreational freediving/spearing, I'd say classes aren't necessary.  Just get Fuzz a few more spammiches or undies and ask him. 

... I'm sure I can convince Fuzz to babysit me for a few hours.....his weakness is spam musubi 

If the spam musubi doesn't work, try ladies under garments.  He has a thing for the really frilly ones. 

Hey!  That was supposed to be a secret!  


Sorry, haven't been keeping up - been in Hawaii for a couple weeks trying to get as much warm weather, diving, & food in as possible.  Joel, I'll talk with you more when I get back 

One can always save perch and opaleye for crab bait or figure out ways to make them edible, such as smoking.

I tried that but I got distracted by a large chocolate cake...

It is a shame CA dive shop is closing. There were the nicest people I dealt with for some of my kayak stuff, including my Kayak.  They were great.

jason