bright_as_the_sun

Hey everyone,

I'd thought I'd share my first experience with Spearfishing. This dive took place in early July of 2011 less than a month after getting my open water certification from DivePros. I went up to Norfolk, Va to visit my wife's aunt and uncle. Her uncle happens to be a Navy Rescue Diver trainer (he's one hard-core guy) and when he found out that I had recently been certified, he invited me out for a dive. He told me that we'd be diving near a lighthouse. I thought to myself, "Oh cool we'll be diving some jetties or something close to shore near a lighthouse. WRONG. We met up with my uncle's friend and got settled into his 18' boat. We then headed straight out in to the Atlantic from Virginia Beach. I asked where the lighthouse was and I was told 15 miles out. "Out?" I asked. I was beginning to think that I was a bit in over my head especially never being out on the ocean before. When we arrived at the platform the water was rolling pretty hard. Even my uncle commented that the seas were pretty rough. That's coming from a guy who trains Navy Rescue Divers for a living. Well we jumped in and swam over to the center of the structure. The current was pulling hard and I had to grab a chain hanging from the structure in order to catch my breath. We dove under and the visibility was absolutely horrible. I couldn't see anything at all and was almost slammed against the pylons a couple of times. I came back up and ask another diver how he was doing down there and found out that the visibility opened up after 20'. Sure enough, after dropping below 20' the visibility opened up like a curtain rising at a play. It was amazing. I could see the whole structure and all of the divers and fish. I never got a chance to fire the speargun (I probably couldn't have anyways as it was a 60" model), but I had the best time watching the others and just exploring the structure.

I'm planning on going to MBT's Spearfishing seminar next Friday because I just can't wait to jump back in the water and try my hand at fishing myself.

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WhackUmStackUm

Yep, sounds like a typical spearfishing trip to me. Good on ya.

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400+ dives on a rebreather and I'm alive and well.

Clay-Doh

Awesome story...you told it well, felt like I was there!

Sounds like you haven't been then since last summer? Lot's of great places around here to dive and spear, and a lot of great, and experienced guys. You'll meet a lot of em at MBT's seminar. Looking forward to meeting you up there!

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MY UNDERWATER SPEARFISHING VIDEOS

bright_as_the_sun

Yeah well that was my first and only spearfishing dive. After getting my open water certification I've done the vortex/morrison dive, a couple of beach dives, the dive I described in the story and a dive at Disney's Epcot park. I've lost the dive buddy I had for all of these dives, and I don't actually have spearfishing gear or a boat so it's been pretty difficult to do anything but simple shore dives and the like. This year I'll probably to a couple of chartered dives and hopefully be able to get a couple of rides from someone who does have a boat (I've even considered taking up kayak diving to be able to hit those inshore spot more often).

coolbluestreak

Yeah, you'll remember that one!
Thanks for sharing, sounds about like Alyssa and my first real dive, scared to death of sharks w/zero viz.

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