white pointer
Senior Member
Has anyone got any info of what happened at Nationals
NATIONALS
- Thread starter white pointer
- Start date
Howzit WP,
Unfortunately I don't have any specifics but from what I've heard with the tail being scarce the guys had a bit of a trying time landing decent fish.
Apparently the Raggie pups were giving some of the competitors a tough time on some of the inshore reefs and a couple of guys got buzzed by a pretty aggressive white.
Unfortunately I don't have any specifics but from what I've heard with the tail being scarce the guys had a bit of a trying time landing decent fish.
Apparently the Raggie pups were giving some of the competitors a tough time on some of the inshore reefs and a couple of guys got buzzed by a pretty aggressive white.
Capespearo
Senior Member
- Niel Barnard [/*]
- Fred Bester [/*]
- Dawie van Noordwyk[/*]
- Riaan Theron[/*]
- Adriaan Kriel[/*]
One of the divers lost his whole rig to a White that decided the tail he had just shot was an easy meal,not cool to be floating around with nothing in your hands and a shark that has just had an appetiser lurking below ..........
scaley character
New member
the diver that lost his rig was james lawson smith.the 2 of us were diving the same marker bouy on the 5 mile bank. the water was filthy 2,5m viz.he was a few metres away from me when he shot the yellow tail.the white swallowed the fish and spear. i didnt see anything the water was too dirty.once we got on our boats he wanted to dive back to back with me so he could get a parrot fish he still needed.there was no way i was going back in.he waited about 15 minutes went down again and almost went on to the back of the white.he gave up after that.
scaley character
New member
a quick report:
the diving was extreme to say the least.
day 1: 5 mile bank
sea rough,water cold at the bottom ,not very clear.the current was extremely strong and i was puking my guts out.
40+ divers in a small area all with bouy lines,marker bouys,boats going over your head all the time.whites were the least of our worries.
2 consecutive dives my fellow crew members shot in to the reef.the current is so strong your bouy is pulled a metre under the water even with a long rope.you cant hold on to the bouy its like water skiing. we last a spear on one and a carbon gun on the other.16m deep.
the diving was extreme to say the least.
day 1: 5 mile bank
sea rough,water cold at the bottom ,not very clear.the current was extremely strong and i was puking my guts out.
40+ divers in a small area all with bouy lines,marker bouys,boats going over your head all the time.whites were the least of our worries.
2 consecutive dives my fellow crew members shot in to the reef.the current is so strong your bouy is pulled a metre under the water even with a long rope.you cant hold on to the bouy its like water skiing. we last a spear on one and a carbon gun on the other.16m deep.
scaley character
New member
day 2individual : dirty all over so back to the 5 mile.(even more dirty)
the current was much less which made it more enjoyable,but then the white came along.
day 3 team event : started at the pioneer viz was ok ,but swell was huge it was a miracle no boats were over turned.
it was too dangerous so we about to move on to calmer water when they cancelled the comp due to bad viz in the calmer water.
dive 4:individual: skipskop off arniston: this was 1 of the best dives i have ever had although i didnt land much fish.
20 deg c, 18m viz,schools of tail 10 kilos up.i was surrounded by a big school of yellow fin tuna, but they kept just out of range.about 8-12kg range
another 20 kilo came past earlier also out of range.
i shot a nice red stump at 21m which is the deepest i have shot a fish.
the current was much less which made it more enjoyable,but then the white came along.
day 3 team event : started at the pioneer viz was ok ,but swell was huge it was a miracle no boats were over turned.
it was too dangerous so we about to move on to calmer water when they cancelled the comp due to bad viz in the calmer water.
dive 4:individual: skipskop off arniston: this was 1 of the best dives i have ever had although i didnt land much fish.
20 deg c, 18m viz,schools of tail 10 kilos up.i was surrounded by a big school of yellow fin tuna, but they kept just out of range.about 8-12kg range
another 20 kilo came past earlier also out of range.
i shot a nice red stump at 21m which is the deepest i have shot a fish.
scaley character
New member
last day :team event 5 mile bank just for a change.
1 fellow team member developed an ear infection,the other had to go home early,that left me and the bukky boy so we just had some fun and shot some tail and bonnies.so if western province b team came last then you know why.
all in all a great experience,hard work but worth it.
it was my 1st nationals and i was happy with my 19th position.
scaley
1 fellow team member developed an ear infection,the other had to go home early,that left me and the bukky boy so we just had some fun and shot some tail and bonnies.so if western province b team came last then you know why.
all in all a great experience,hard work but worth it.
it was my 1st nationals and i was happy with my 19th position.
scaley
scaley character
New member
thanks
it was hard but after a week you feel very diving fit but also gatvol
it was hard but after a week you feel very diving fit but also gatvol
Hi Scaley,
After the white we got back in the water, First down I shot A 2.5kg Stump... Jumped straight onto the boat with everything. THen went back to the spot to drop James on the white. It went something like : In,
and out.
Ps He just lost a spear, had a pretty good backlash on the reel...taht was attached to a bouy line and float.
Cheers on a week of good hard diving.
Be safe
After the white we got back in the water, First down I shot A 2.5kg Stump... Jumped straight onto the boat with everything. THen went back to the spot to drop James on the white. It went something like : In,
and out.Ps He just lost a spear, had a pretty good backlash on the reel...taht was attached to a bouy line and float.
Cheers on a week of good hard diving.
Be safe
scaley character
New member
hi manus congrats on your 9th position
i presume you found your red stump in deeper water
i felt very naked when the white came along .i had left my gun in a cave to mark the spot and struggled to pull it out from the top.
i presume you found your red stump in deeper water
i felt very naked when the white came along .i had left my gun in a cave to mark the spot and struggled to pull it out from the top.
Thanx, seeing a big shark makes one feel some mixed emotions. Shot the stump at about -15m. Seen a big thresher 5mins before james got to see the white. Still hope my ID of the shark was spot on otherwise I ignored a pretty big white... Oops. Congrats on your performance. Sure wasnt easy with so many good divers in close proximity. But I had a blast. Good water,bad water, tough diving, some deep diving, good mates to share it with. In the end a week of bliss away from work.
scaley character
New member
hi faas
the 5 mile wont see me for a while
are you coming with for the stillbaai long weekend?
should be good
the 5 mile wont see me for a while
are you coming with for the stillbaai long weekend?
should be good
Hi guys,
Just a quick shout out and thanks to Fred and his team for an excellent Nationals from us Natal boys. We thouroughly enjoyed every minute of tough, hard and fish-less diving and will go back in a heart beat.
Congrats too to all the divers who endured those tough conditions and I'm sure the first timers learnt a thing or two.
Although we had 2 awesome days on Skipskop (Day 3 individ) and Inter Prov (5 Mile) and some good fish were landed, guys should remember that the first two days are what Nationals is about.
It is about finding the best spearo and like Worlds, barren deserts show the best. Granted at Struis a Tail is a huge kicker in points. We were un-acclimatised as we couldn't scout due to leave issues and it shows how important scouting actually is. It is not just about finding spots. It took us a few days to get used to how the fish behave, cold water etc. We are happy with our 6th, 11th and 12th placings and a VERY close second to Boland A (1.5pts) in the inter-prov.
More importantly, we got to see old friends and make many new ones and THAT is what it's all about (or should be).
I hope the Cape boys are now hooked and make a plan to attend Nationals next year. natal doesn't like losing and we won't be so unprepared next year!
I'm attaching the full results of Days 1, 2 and 3. Unfortuantely I don't have the results sheet for the Inter Prov.
Good diving boys
Just a quick shout out and thanks to Fred and his team for an excellent Nationals from us Natal boys. We thouroughly enjoyed every minute of tough, hard and fish-less diving and will go back in a heart beat.
Congrats too to all the divers who endured those tough conditions and I'm sure the first timers learnt a thing or two.
Although we had 2 awesome days on Skipskop (Day 3 individ) and Inter Prov (5 Mile) and some good fish were landed, guys should remember that the first two days are what Nationals is about.
It is about finding the best spearo and like Worlds, barren deserts show the best. Granted at Struis a Tail is a huge kicker in points. We were un-acclimatised as we couldn't scout due to leave issues and it shows how important scouting actually is. It is not just about finding spots. It took us a few days to get used to how the fish behave, cold water etc. We are happy with our 6th, 11th and 12th placings and a VERY close second to Boland A (1.5pts) in the inter-prov.
More importantly, we got to see old friends and make many new ones and THAT is what it's all about (or should be).
I hope the Cape boys are now hooked and make a plan to attend Nationals next year. natal doesn't like losing and we won't be so unprepared next year!
I'm attaching the full results of Days 1, 2 and 3. Unfortuantely I don't have the results sheet for the Inter Prov.
Good diving boys
Lastly, gthe final placings.
Reults are converted to a percentage to normalise the result and make each day count the same.
The top diver of the day will thus get 100 and the others the percentage of their total score.
These percentage scores are added together to get the overall placing.
Reults are converted to a percentage to normalise the result and make each day count the same.
The top diver of the day will thus get 100 and the others the percentage of their total score.
These percentage scores are added together to get the overall placing.
Innes van der Vyver
New member
Hi Corry,
Glad you guys enjoyed the nationals. Well done with the tail you eventually got after we dived so much of that day the compie was cancelled?
Innes
Glad you guys enjoyed the nationals. Well done with the tail you eventually got after we dived so much of that day the compie was cancelled?
Innes
Thanks Innes and thanks for taking me and a few of the lads out on that magnificent boat of yours.
Just a pity I couldn't bring home the bacon. Still miffed that three bus 'Tail swam behind me and I didn't even see them.
Made a pig of myself during the Interprov and if only I could have had some of the 'Tail on Day 1 and 2 of individuals. Eishhh, but if wishes were horses.
Guys ask why do we do comps and events like Nationals? Basically, I got to meet several new great guys who are welcome to dive with me up in Natal and who I'm sure will welcome me back on their boats (hopefully, hahaha!!!)
Just a pity I couldn't bring home the bacon. Still miffed that three bus 'Tail swam behind me and I didn't even see them.
Made a pig of myself during the Interprov and if only I could have had some of the 'Tail on Day 1 and 2 of individuals. Eishhh, but if wishes were horses.
Guys ask why do we do comps and events like Nationals? Basically, I got to meet several new great guys who are welcome to dive with me up in Natal and who I'm sure will welcome me back on their boats (hopefully, hahaha!!!)