TRITON X TOURNAMENT- ABALONE DIVISION/DIVE REPORT 09/17

Hey all,

back from the Triton X with a report. Dove with Josh R and Matt, two ripping partners- excellent divers, solid team vibe, and synergy. We were in the water and diving by 7:30 am. Water was dirty but calm. Vis on the bottom was about 2 feet, filthy and silty. But, we knew this place has put out some super hogs and were excited at the potential of finding some of them. Immediately found big, big nines and on dive #12 I found a ten! A ripping feeling to find one early and get everyone on the team jacked. Pulled him and did so with no video footage. Water was dirty but I should have shot some video. As usual I'm the videographer and happy to do it. Downfall is that I'm rarely in my own videos :0

Infused with energy, we stayed on it. Josh calls me over talking about the HUGE nine he's found and thinking about pulling. He has two big nines and not sure about pulling another nine. I dive down and this ab is BIG. Put my ten gauge on it and he makes it with room to spare and I share this with Josh upon my arrival to the top. Big smile on his face when I gauge it a second time and tell him with 100% certainty that this ab is a ten. Got some ripping footage of the pull and it will be featured in my second half of the trophy season video this fall.

Matt was jacked and feeling a bit low but after some kicks in the ass, we motivated him into overdrive(called him a punk and told him our mama’s could pull abs better than him!)and he stayed on it. With about half hour left before pumpkin time, Matt came up next to me with big, big nine(or so he thought). I said, “let me see that thing” and put it on my ten gauge and it CLICKED. He looks at me and says, “he makes it”? Yup- the screaming  then commences.  A ripping morning and we all got ten!

Headed to weigh in and knew competition would be fierce with more than a handful of outstanding divers and Abalone hunters. Chad Watts dive partner(who shall remain nameless)is a famed trophy diver and is good as they come and we expected to be blown out of the water. Of course both had nice tens and Tony was in first place upon arrival with a 10.19”, Chad had another nice ten and held second place. These guys are uncanny in finding tens on a comp day. Insane! So, Josh measured first at 10.21” taking  over first place :0 So stoked for him. We figured his was a tad bigger than mine but it wasn’t as my ab went 10.28” and put me into first place, for awhile. Big gun Justin Smith showed up with some nice fish AND a limit of tens. Justin’s big ab went 10.33”and he was the ab division champion. I took second, Josh took third, followed by Tony at fourth, Chad fifth and Matt nailing down the Sixth place. Matt's ab went 10.002". Not bad for a bunch of knuckleheads. For those who missed it, make it next year. Hanging out with others of your own ilk is really better than the rest. Everyone one is so cool and fun to hang with.  Dan Silveira was the overall champion with a massive stringer of fish! Pics will follow soon. Take care,
SRJ

Where was the tournament held, Mendocino county?

Sounds like a good time.  Congrats on the 10's!   

Great job on the 10's guys!

Where was the tournament held, Mendocino county?

It was a scramble tournament staged out of Caspar Beach, Mendo County. Competitors were free to dive anywhere on the coast as long as they made it back in time for weigh-in's.

I am gonna make it short and sweet AWESOME TIME, AWESOME EVENT and great diving, I especially want to say thank you to my two dive partners with out them pusshing me I would not have got that ten, here is a pic of Shannon, Josh and my self. along with a pic of the ab I pulled the next day on sunday that is a 10 + that goes easily 9 1/4 wide.




also here is a pic of the food they had for the event can you say yummy !!!

Congrat all with the trophy size Abs.  Thanks for the reports and pictures.