Doggy style ;-)

One of a couple of Dogtooth Tuna I was able to shoot. Not very big, but still strong fighters.

Missed only one and a real big one (reminded me on the Fiji record) we spotted far away.

The reef is pretty much overfished. They shoot and eat everything they can, without an exeption.

Half the island of Falalop is protected, means spearfishing is banned. This banned area includes 

also a nice Doogtooth Tuna spot ;) But it is definetely nesseceary or they will run out of fish fast.

I'm pretty sure the blue is full of fish and if you come with a buddy who you can trust, fell

safe with and can share the boat/gasoline its a nice place, but for reef fishing, nearly empty.

If you are staying long enough in the water, you've been lucky that some Rainbow Runners are passing by

Exept the fishing it is really nice here. The people are very friendly and helpfull with everything

Spearfishing Ulithi part 1

Strong current and because of that not much diving. At the end got really badly stung

by a Portuguese man o' war. When I surfaced and put my snorkel back in my mouth it was tangled

around it and I got stung in my upper lip, one small peace on the lower lip, left side of my face (under my mask) and
during my try to remove it, also on my left knee.
I only saw some very very thin tentacles and some blue,

for sure a jellyfish, but I did not see any umbrella/head/body. 

Luckily I had at least the upper part of my body covered in neoprene. 

I waved with my speargun, as discussed with the people before, calling them like this

means fish or something wrong. It was paintful I can tell you. For me the best way to compare it with

something I experienced before, is eating a Ghost Chili or a Bhut Jolokia Chili.

This kind of pain you have in your mouth, muliplied maybe by two, on your skin.

They gave me on the boat some leafs (I gave them some before for chewing with betelnut) to rub it on my skin

I was thinking all the time about my epi-pen, which was in my guesthouse and about the time, how many minutes is 

it ago... hopefully not getting an anaphylaxis.

We went straight to the next bigger island (Isor) and they asked all the time about my situation.

Arrived on the island my lips felt like I had a collagen injection in or like you really got a hard punch on it ;)

The lips started getting better, but the situation with my knee changed. I felt like something

was moving up inside my thigh, probably the muscle or nerve I thought. It was now about 25 minutes ago

since this thing got me. And they found one part of it tangled in my floating line. Looked like

a small ballon, about 3cm long with blue on the belly.

90 minutes later, only my knee was still hurting a bit. Luckily nothing more happened.

For the first day, enough action.

Still thinking about how thin this tentacles been. I was not able spotting them under water,

only during the time when I hold my snorkel out of the water.

They told me, Mahi Mahi Season, plenty of them, but its not Mahi Mahi season ;)

Tomorrow we are going to Mogmog, one of the most traditional Islands here and after that,

some spearfishing on our way back. But this time, with my epi-pen in my backpac

Turtle hunt

Today they took me with them for spearfishing again, but primary for turtle hunting.

I told them that I'm not able shooting one, but at least tell them if I see one.

So I went for fish and they for turtle.

This spot where they took me, was not comparable with the last one. At the end I only saw

two bigger sized fish and a very (I mean VERY) big stingray. The Spadefish was for one of the guys 

from another village and the Sweetlips for sashimi (this kind of Sweetlips, forgot the name, is in 

Japan one of the most wanted and best sahimi fish, I do not agree;)). 

The turtle hunters have been also successful. Two good sized Green Turtles.

I thought shooting is the hardest part, but seeing how they kill and cook, was even harder!

They are turning the turtle on the back, stretching the neck over a peace of wood and then use a big aluminum/steel pipe

or crowbar for smashing the head. I asked why not using the machete and cutting of the head?

They told me they want and need the blood for the taste and for cooking later.

After killing, they leave it on the back and put some dried coconut husk around and on the belly,

start fire and cook it that way about one hour and then open the belly.

So there are different ways how you prepare the meat. The neck I tried sahimi with soy sauce

later I had some meat (don't know which part it was) normally cooked in a pan, like I cook chicken

and also some meat cooked with all the blood in the shell as kind of goulash.

To be honest, all three ways tasted good, specially the sashimi and the goulash.

What was hard to see and I still do not understand how this worked (they told me its every time like this)

is the beating heart. They opened the belly and the heart is still beating. I first thought

this poor animal is not dead at all, but after being cooked for one hour? Then it was also

beating after the removed it and put it separately on the table with all the other organs and meat.

For sure for over 15 minutes, very strange. The whole feast took about 5 hours

and I think there was still some meat left at the end.

Anyway, will never hunt turtles and to be honest, there is also no need for me eating it again.

It was good, but as one who loves them more alive in the water and seeing them swimming right in front

of my camera, like in Rarotonga, I probably will never eat again.

I hope Turtle Island on Ulithi will not be a big market place and butchery island ;), because 

for the Yapese it is one of there best delicacies

By the way, one of the days with the best weather since my stay on Yap.

Spearfishing in Yap

Today I went out with some locals for spearfishing. The Chief of my village put some

pressure on me. "We need a lot of fish, better you are good!". ;-)

First by boat to another village for getting the permission to fish at the place the guys wanted to and 

then to the first spot. They all have handmade spearguns, which is impressive compared to my own 

facility made one.

The visibility was like 5m-7m, very bad. The first half an hour I had 

problems with my mask and I couldn't localize where it came from. All the time water was running 

into my mask at the right side. Like in the past at the Lake of Zurich during training, it was

the silicon which was not covering the glass 100%. After I fixed that, one of my best Spearfishing/Freediving

days started ;)

The locals did not went really deep for fish, they stayed between 3-10m. I spotted some Buffalo-Fish 

(better known as Humphead Parrotfish) and bigger Groupers at 15-17m and tried to get one of them. 

No chance getting in shooting distance, except once, but already counted 11 Grey Reef Sharks. Not 

worse it risking accidentally getting bitten by one of them. 

So many Sharks around there so I was watching my back all the time. That's also the reason why

the Eagle rays and even two Manta ray's!, scared the shit out of me when I saw that shadows not even

one meter above my head. One of my best moments in freediving!!!

Getting surprised by an Eagle ray during spearfishing (Tonga) is quite nice, but getting surprised by two 

Mantas, that's really cool!!!

You also have to know, that it is not allowed to do Freediving/Skindiving with Manta Ray's at that spot 

we've been in Yap, I already asked for that before. So I was very lucky!

Two Manta Ray's, seven Eagle Ray's, one Leopard Shark and Whitetip Reef and plenty of Grey Reefs.

Not easy shooting there something, specially when every one is hunting on there own, but

at the end the Chief was satisfied and I shared some of my fish with some Japanese in the Restaurant.

Fresh Bigeye Travelly sashimi and fried Spadefish, delicious!

During Dinner, the Dive Instructor (and owner of the Restaurant) told me, that I was fishing at a dive spot, which was 

voted a couple of years ago to one of the best diving sites, I can imagine why ;)

Looks like the storm is coming in 2-3 days.

Hunga

Probably the best Place in Vava'u

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Went out for some bluewater spearfishing. Over 12 MahiMahi and a couple of bigger Wahoo's.

Sadly my travel mates forbid me spearing more than we can eat... damn!

Makes absolutely sense, but for sure I had found some others in the next village who've been happy about some Wahoo ;)

Isn't this a good place for fresh Mahi Mahi sashimi? ;)

Bluewater

Today Mitch took us out with his boat to the FADs and around the reef.
First FAD, nothing after 60minutes, at the second one, after 15minutes,
two Wahoo's far away. As I read before, let them approach to you, so we did.
Shot, hit and the float was rushing over the surface, oh I love this ;)
But after a short sprint, it escaped. ;(

At least I shot later a Black Trevally and a Parrot Fish for Mitch and
his family. During the fight with the Travelly, another and bigger one
passed by and I also saw two Dogtooth Tuna's.
Why not 5 minutes earlier?

Last night today, time is running so fast. Bought some
Bear for later and put the rest of the barracuda out of the freezer
We both really enjoyed our stay here and for me it will be definitely not
the last time.

Niue has a population less than 1500 people, but only the half is
living on the Island. After this two weeks, it felt more like 200-300 people living
on Niue. So silent and not crowded at all. And what is very unusual
for someone from Europe, you don't have to look your stuff. Leave your room, car
unlocked, all fine. Leave your expensive gear on the terrance, nobody cares.
If you had asked me 5-10 years ago if I wanted to stay in a metropolis or
on a small island like Niue, it would have been the metropolis (but close to
the pacific), now it changed. I really would like to stay for a couple of years
on a small island, like Niue.

Aiming skills are back!

Today Stefan and I decided again, renting a car and going south for freediving and
spearfishing. As this was the place where we saw last time the dogtooth and the biggest
Great barracuda we ever saw.

The water was "empty", nothing special to see. Even no whitetips, laying on the
sandy bottom, not even one barracuda. Actually we just abandoned hope,
when I let my speargun down on my floatline, as Pedros from the Azores taught me,
and 1-2 Minutes later, a Great Barracuda passed by, first shot, hit... back in the
game ;) (missed a couple of good opportunities some days ago) And from now I let
the "beast" fight against the float.
 

Lunch, dinner, probably lunch and the rest we gave the neighbors
10-12kg I would estimate it ~1,4m. Nice one ;)

No Bluewater Spearfishing

Till my arrival I asked for three thinks, bluewater spearfishing, freediving and finding
the guys from the Youtube video I saw, harpooning Mahi Mahi.
Best price for spearfishing was 150NZD for 3-4hours, driving from FAD(Fish aggregation
devices) to FAD. Still expensive, but compared to others, 400-600NZD still a good deal.
Problem was/is that the waves are very big at the moment and everyone is telling me,
that this will not be fun. So still waiting for better weather.

For freediving, the only chance is doing the passages (tried some in the south, but again
the current was strong and its not worst it I thought) going out dedicated (the diving operaters
will charge me 100NZD) or going with some scubas on the same trip. For that thy will charge
me after some bargaining, 30NZD. For nearly three hours, absolutely fair.
But the problem with the last option is, only one dive operater is offering me that
and he had no customers at the moment :(

And the harpooning thing... What I found out is that one of the guys left the Island back
to New Zealand and the other one, Kevin "Salam/Salan", I did not reach/find.
Nearly everyone knows him, I also got his phone number, but seems to be not my week,
finding him. But even if I will find him, same with bluewater spearfishing, very choppy###
outside.

Good things come to those who wait!

Yesterday we did some spearing again.

At the first spot we arrived, the current was the hardest I ever had to deal with. Full leg and arm work and you were nearly able to stay at one point. No chance to relax and prepare for diving. Also we did not saw any fish at all. Second spot the current was strong but manageable for diving and staying  around one place, but also no fish. Visibility was also bad, the water very murky.

After trying two other spots and spending about 2,5hours in the water, we went back to the first spot were we started in the morning. Current was now OK, Third dive, shot my first White trevally. Changed place again and couldn't load my gun as fast as i wanted. Surrounded by hundreds of White travally all size.

After they disappeared, the Yellowmouth Barracuda arrived. I saw something rushing between them (maybe atlantic bonito, shape could match) and tryed to shot one of this. I had only one good chance to shoot and I missed :(. Meanwhile your guide told me, that my friend Greg couldn't shot any Barracuda at all.

Challenge accepted!

First and second shot ;) I think Greg was a bit frustrated about yelling him that I shot two during my first attempts.
Maybe he will need some better glasses for his mask ;)

Later I saw one Rainbow Runner, didn't know that they were common in the Azores, but Pedro told me, that he also saw them in the past.

All in all we spend over 340 minutes! in the water (yes, 3mm wet suit will work) and at the end I had over 80 dives, mostly between 12 - 22 meter. Could do this every second! day ;)

Thanks again for guiding Pedro

Catch of the day

Today we went out with Pedro from www.bluewaterspot.com. Nice guy, nice boat and a good day to start.

First dive, first shoot, first fish ;)

Greg did a better pre-selection, second dive, first shoot, first fish ;)

Some good spots Pedro guided us though, but the current was strong an the fish stayed deep.

Awesome day! Thanks again Pedro.

Almaco Jack, Amberjack and Bluefish