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Watching the Videos

2008-09-30T00:15:28-06:00

I have spent the better part of the day watching the videos. My personal favourites are those showing the deep diving experts. On a previous dive trip, a group of competitors regularly weighed fish every day of the competition, after employing the pendulum deep diving technique, on an isolated bommie, in deep water, surrounded by sand. Afterwards, when my team-mates and I discussed their successes, some-one coined an interesting analogy between what we were doing and what they were doing.

We were diving on the extensive shallow reef areas that experienced heavy fishing and diving pressure, we were in search of the needle in the haystack. The successful team selected a needle in the form of the isolated bommie in deep water experiencing little pressure. They then found the haystack around it. You can decide what is easier to do and which is more successful.

Something else that occurs to me is that it is very difficult to learn to spot fish, other than when you are diving. However, some of the Bluewater videos make such a difference if you concentrate on the distance and try to spot the fish before the spearo does. I have found that this has really aided in my ability to pick up on pelagics at a much greater distance.

Aliwal Shoal 2

2008-09-11T05:26:11-06:00

Am I being cynical or does the situation on the Aliwal Shoal actually warrant it being protected? I was reading some posts from Basie Ackerman who writes regular updates on the spearfishing on the Shoal. His article seems to have a continual disturbing thread: Sappi Saiccor! Let me explain. Why would you want to protect an area then allow a company to pump crap all over it? Can you imagine Yellowstone National Park being regularly polluted by an oil spill or great big smoke stacks. Perhaps the conservation ethos being followed by well meaning conservation authorities is being scuppered by big business. If you are interested in Basie’s articles take a look at http://www.saspearfishing.co.za. take a look at how often good diving conditions are spoiled by the muck being pumped out by Sappi Saiccor.

Aliwal Shoal

2008-08-26T17:13:15-06:00

This must rate as my favourite diving spot in South Africa. It has everything that you could be looking for. Large pelagics off the outside and regular demersals on the inside. It is not an easy spot to use. There is a lot of competition for space in the pinnacle area between Scuba, fishermen and Spearos, but I think the greatest threat is from poorly thought out legislation. Are there readers who have some experience of this area?