Northern California 2008 Picasso Open Sept. 27

Those of you who enjoy going for abs and freedive spearfishing this is a pretty cool event.  No PBs allowed.  I entered it last year and did not place, but did do good in the raffle and walked away with a new speargun.

http://www.picassoamerica.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=57&products_id=196

I tried to get in a little practice last Saturday 8/2 at Ocean Cove with Bloodbath, but conditions were rough and the speargun never left the yak.  I did get an Ab for lunch, though.  Bloodbath took some pics, but I don't know if they are worthy of a post.

Anyway, I'm signed up and it would be great to meet some more NCKAs at Casper Beach in September.

I'll post a hook-up when the date get's closer, but realize it is $45 in advance or $80 the day of.  Also I'm thinking prefish/ Labor Day Weekend.

Thanks for posting this.  I don't think I can go, but you'll likely see my good friend Brandi Easter there - say hi to her for me.  And try to keep up with her - I call her "The Animal"!

Bloodbath took some pics, but I don't know if they are worthy of a post.

They are.   

.... but you'll likely see my good friend Brandi Easter there - say hi to her for me.  And try to keep up with her - I call her "The Animal"!

I've never met this legendary woman you speak of, but I've see photos on the internet with a lap full of 10"+ abs or holding a fish bigger than her.  Very impressive, I won't be able to keep up.  But I'll keep searching for my 10" Abalone.

Here is some great pics of Brandi and other Trophy Hunters.
http://abaloneten.googlepages.com/tendivers
Are you one of the Eric's they mention on the list?

Eric Stockwell - 58 10's.   

And I took the photo of Brandi with her limit of 10's, as well as showing her the spot.    She's pulled 2 limits of 10's out of there and I don't know anyone in the world who's more deserving of it.  Check out my little article on her in Hawaiian Skindiver Magazine.

Getting 10in abalone is not hard. What is hard is finding a spot that has not been dove on repeatedly for the last 20 years if you dont have a boat. I found 3 10's at a local spot in sonoma county in one day 5 years ago. No one will dive there because its usually 1 to 3 ft vis tops.

Check out my little article on her in Hawaiian Skindiver Magazine.

Very cool article, well written and the tie between Brandi and a GWS was perfect.  You really made her sound like an amazing woman where her success has not gone to her head.

Hawaiian Skindiver mag web site said it was stocked at Longs Drugs and Barnes&Nobles, but I could only find it at:
Sawyer's News at 733 4th St, Santa Rosa, CA 95404

I may need to subscribe now I know that this Mag covers the World, not just Hawaii.

BTW, you are the man Mr. 58-10s 
When I grow up.....

You really made her sound like an amazing woman where her success has not gone to her head.

You hit that one on the head, AbMan.  She's about the most humble person I know, and, like I said, I don't know of anyone in the world more deserving to pull two limits of 10's out of my best spot - she's an animal, and she's a woman you could trust with your life or anything else.  Her environmental ethic is a beautiful thing to see.

Getting 10in abalone is not hard.

I didn't want to hijack your thread, AbMan, but I gotta comment on ravensblack's statements. 

I respect you, man, and I know you gave me nice compliments on a post or two, but I gotta say that lots of people will disagree with what you wrote there.  I know countless guys that have dove/rockpicked/specifically searched for years for a 10 and never found one.  I think you had some good fortune and don't realize how good it was.  Do you think you could duplicate your limit of 10's pretty easily? 

Also...

 

What is hard is finding a spot that has not been dove on repeatedly for the last 20 years if you dont have a boat.

I only got one of my 10's out of a powerboat.  Several from the yaks in the last few years.  The vast majority were the fruit of beach hiking with all of my gear and searching in low vis water like you described, but I had many more trips w/o a 10 than with one.

Getting a 10 inch ab is no easy feat.   

Good writing Eric!  I knew I recognized the names (both hers and yours) from somewhere but I didn't realize it was you who wrote it.

(further thread-jack    sorry and thanks, AbMan!  )

Thanks, Angel!  Or is it "Angle"?!   

What's funny is I think it was Art that first saw the article and sent a comment my way.   

What is hard is finding a spot that has not been dove on repeatedly for the last 20 years if you dont have a boat. I found 3 10's at a local spot in sonoma county in one day 5 years ago.

I bet it was at Shell Beach 

Boing you got it. No surprise I guess but those 10s were right out in the open just waiting for me. My dive buddy Joe got a 10 last year at south horseshoe cove, boing, just sitting out on top. So you are right abking I have got 6 10s total and one was in a cave 10ft back at south point of stump beach. I was not trying to dis anyone. They used to rockpick 10s in the 50's on most streches of our nor-cal coastline. wish I was there then!

Boing!  I like that - I think I'll say that out loud on my next video just for you!   

I wasn't trying to dis either, my friend.   

My Gampa has been abbing since the 40's or 50's.  He has some awesome stories including one that goes like this:  "Your grandmother and I and 3 other couples went abbing at Big Sur.  Smitty and I were coming up the hill with our abs in two gunny sacks - 57 blacks and 23 reds - when the game warden stepped out from behind a tree and asked to see in those bags.  I showed him the abs and explained that the other 6 in our group were behind us on the trail.  Well, the warden reaches in one of the bags, and, just as I thought we might be in some trouble, he pulls out an empty gin bottle and says, 'hey, this isn't an ABALONE!'  We all got a good laugh and we went on our way!"  How challenging would it be to clean (and eat!) all of those?  Not to mention carrying gunny sacks with that many abs.  He was a tough SOB!   

Anyway, I figured Gampa must've gotten lots of 10's back in the day, so I asked him about 5 years ago or so, "you probably got plenty of 10's in the old days, right Gampa?"  and he looked me in the eyes and said in a distinctly factual way, "I never did get a 10 inch abalone."  I was surprised, and it was obvious that he had been aware of that trophy size for a long time.

So it really is something that is rare and special.   

I'll be there and casper campground still has a bunch of camp sites left.

I'll be there and Casper campground still has a bunch of camp sites left.

Right on. 

 

I'll be there with my Wife and Daughter (4) in Site #31, Fri-Sun.  Not to piss anyone off....I'm against the closure, especially with the descenders,  BUT maybe more fish to spear if they shut it down. 

I'll also be scouting Labor Day weekend, camping at Van Damme. And plan on making the best out my new 11" Rootbeer boneyard grubs I just picked up at the Outdoor Pro.

See ya there.

I haven't meet a NCKAer I didn't like yet.

$60 sign-up's till Saturday 9/20, then it goes up to $80 after that, including the day of signups.

Hope to see ya out there.