<rss version="2.0" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"><channel><title>spearfishingnz</title><description>spearfishingnz</description><link>http://www.spearfishingnz.co.nz/sea-matters</link><item><title>Something new to think about!</title><description><![CDATA[<img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b3c400_b5fcdb459b99401aa3842ac2a2cf4026%7Emv2_d_5000_2626_s_4_2.jpg"/>]]></description><link>http://www.spearfishingnz.co.nz/single-post/2018/12/05/Something-new-to-think-about</link><guid>http://www.spearfishingnz.co.nz/single-post/2018/12/05/Something-new-to-think-about</guid><pubDate>Tue, 04 Dec 2018 23:49:39 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b3c400_b5fcdb459b99401aa3842ac2a2cf4026~mv2_d_5000_2626_s_4_2.jpg"/></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Mercury Bay Open Spearfishing Results
Saturday 17 November 2018.</title><description><![CDATA[Team Club Score1. Rob Harrison, Kane McFadden Spearfishing Fundamentals 18612. Nathan Jones, Pat Swanson Taranaki Occasional Spearos 17703. Mal Bird, David Mullins Ripples 17604. Luke Slater, Rowan Virbickes 15305. Quinten Tangohau, Jarred Scarrott HB Freedom Divers 13656. Brayden Allen, Grant Allen 11597. Michael French, Bill George Port Valley 10828. Stirling Mc Lachlan, Rubin McLachlan Mercury Bay 9629. Alex Partridge, John Breen Port Valley / Taranaki Occasional Spearos 76010. Lance]]></description><dc:creator>Dave Mundell</dc:creator><link>http://www.spearfishingnz.co.nz/single-post/2018/11/23/Mercury-Bay-Open-Spearfishing-Results-Saturday-17-November-2018</link><guid>http://www.spearfishingnz.co.nz/single-post/2018/11/23/Mercury-Bay-Open-Spearfishing-Results-Saturday-17-November-2018</guid><pubDate>Thu, 22 Nov 2018 21:25:05 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><div>Team Club Score</div><div>1. Rob Harrison, Kane McFadden Spearfishing Fundamentals 1861</div><div>2. Nathan Jones, Pat Swanson Taranaki Occasional Spearos 1770</div><div>3. Mal Bird, David Mullins Ripples 1760</div><div>4. Luke Slater, Rowan Virbickes 1530</div><div>5. Quinten Tangohau, Jarred Scarrott HB Freedom Divers 1365</div><div>6. Brayden Allen, Grant Allen 1159</div><div>7. Michael French, Bill George Port Valley 1082</div><div>8. Stirling Mc Lachlan, Rubin McLachlan Mercury Bay 962</div><div>9. Alex Partridge, John Breen Port Valley / Taranaki Occasional Spearos 760</div><div>10. Lance Buctthought, Oliver Liddell 750</div><div>11. Cam Clare, Dan Westerkamp 702</div><div>12. Kara Herbert, Malia Herbert Mercury Bay 545</div><div>13, Barry Waring, Luca Waring Bluefins 540</div><div>14. Ema Latu, Dylan Law 112</div><div>Juniors</div><div>Luca Waring Bluefins 769</div><div>Malia Herbert Mercury Bay 108</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>National Spearfishing Champs 2019</title><description><![CDATA[Below is the link to all the current information about the National Champs to be held in Wellington, 2019. Please read it all carefully and register asap. Thanks. https://goo.gl/forms/FomQOQhhMSdGH2kP2]]></description><link>http://www.spearfishingnz.co.nz/single-post/2018/10/27/National-Spearfishing-Champs-2019</link><guid>http://www.spearfishingnz.co.nz/single-post/2018/10/27/National-Spearfishing-Champs-2019</guid><pubDate>Sat, 27 Oct 2018 10:29:36 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><div>Below is the link to all the current information about the National Champs to be held in Wellington, 2019. Please read it all carefully and register asap. Thanks.</div><div><a href="https://goo.gl/forms/FomQOQhhMSdGH2kP2">https://goo.gl/forms/FomQOQhhMSdGH2kP2</a></div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>WELCOME HONDA MARINE</title><description><![CDATA[Hi allLets hope the weather starts to sort itself before too long and we get a good summer.The committee has been very busy working on many different parts of SNZ. The team is doing lots behind the scenes, please remember to say thanks if you get a chance in talking with any of the members.We held a committee meeting on the 14th October to finalise a few projects, it was attended by 4 members of the committee with 2 on phones when needed. We will be announcing two new life members of SNZ at this<img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b3c400_8be7da51b04640eb80aeb52b6f1a1a32%7Emv2.jpg"/>]]></description><link>http://www.spearfishingnz.co.nz/single-post/2017/11/06/WELCOME-HONDA-MARINE</link><guid>http://www.spearfishingnz.co.nz/single-post/2017/11/06/WELCOME-HONDA-MARINE</guid><pubDate>Sun, 05 Nov 2017 22:48:37 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><div>Hi all</div><div>Lets hope the weather starts to sort itself before too long and we get a good summer.</div><div>The committee has been very busy working on many different parts of SNZ. The team is doing lots behind the scenes, please remember to say thanks if you get a chance in talking with any of the members.</div><div>We held a committee meeting on the 14th October to finalise a few projects, it was attended by 4 members of the committee with 2 on phones when needed. </div><div>We will be announcing two new life members of SNZ at this years Honda Marine Nationals which also brings me to a big first for SNZ and that is the signing up of a naming rights sponsor for the next 6 months.</div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b3c400_8be7da51b04640eb80aeb52b6f1a1a32~mv2.jpg"/><div>Please have a look at Honda Marines website www.hondamarine.co.nz and support them in anyway possible.</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>FAR NORTH CHAMPS 2017</title><description><![CDATA[The Far North champs hosted by the Port Valley Club where held out of Oakura this year. It was postponed from Easter weekend because of the weather. Even tho it's now towards the end of May there was a great turn out, we thank everyone who came for the day. It was cold and windy but the viz was good and there where plenty of good fish around. This year there was only a smallfish list only 6 different fish on it. 1 Kingfish, 1 John Dory, 2 Snapper, 2 Tarakihi, 2 Trevally and 2 Red Crays. The]]></description><link>http://www.spearfishingnz.co.nz/single-post/2017/05/23/FAR-NORTH-CHAMPS-2017</link><guid>http://www.spearfishingnz.co.nz/single-post/2017/05/23/FAR-NORTH-CHAMPS-2017</guid><pubDate>Tue, 23 May 2017 01:59:16 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b3c400_dfeb0f259abe49a2a1393a8cf0dacde2~mv2.jpg"/><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b3c400_08003f1eed814a9385edb9603432c8b6~mv2.png"/><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b3c400_2cf5fc443b93440c8f62c449ab1d2a00~mv2.png"/><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b3c400_fc2bf44b792944ac8d01733c30741a61~mv2.png"/><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b3c400_cf0f5099a8df408eaa43395d7dd8adcc~mv2.png"/><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b3c400_7f64adf2879d4feda92809f0b897f956~mv2.png"/><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b3c400_69bf9050e12140ff9dbd08f17117ec5a~mv2.png"/><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b3c400_c43ed2fbbad2446d835909c5d2c95641~mv2.png"/><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b3c400_7f2b96a79a3f43c1b5385b5c67a5d07e~mv2.png"/></div><div>The Far North champs hosted by the Port Valley Club where held out of Oakura this year. It was postponed from Easter weekend because of the weather. Even tho it's now towards the end of May there was a great turn out, we thank everyone who came for the day. It was cold and windy but the viz was good and there where plenty of good fish around. This year there was only a smallfish list only 6 different fish on it. 1 Kingfish, 1 John Dory, 2 Snapper, 2 Tarakihi, 2 Trevally and 2 Red Crays. The heaviest Snapper prize we to Jack Elliot with a 8.6kg fish. The heaviest Kingfish prize went to Geoff Crawford with a 25kg fish and heaviest Cray was caught by Luke Howe with a 1.81kg Red cray. Nat Davey and Moss Burmester won the title with 9 out of the 10 fish on the list. Brett Bamber and Porka Ryan Parsons came in a close second with 8 fish. Every one had a great day. We look ford to seeing every one again next year. Photos by Kent Remihana.</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>SNZ MAY NEWSLETTER 2017</title><description><![CDATA[Read our latest newsletter here!]]></description><link>http://www.spearfishingnz.co.nz/single-post/2017/05/07/SNZ-MAY-NEWSLETTER-2017</link><guid>http://www.spearfishingnz.co.nz/single-post/2017/05/07/SNZ-MAY-NEWSLETTER-2017</guid><pubDate>Sun, 07 May 2017 09:20:42 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><div>Read our latest newsletter here!</div><iframe src="//static.usrfiles.com/html/fb0d88_5e4cf9ad0a65012b62eea1ee89134549.html"/></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>2017 InterPacific Spearfishing Championships - RESULTS</title><description><![CDATA[2017 InterPacific Spearfishing Championships RESULTS<img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b3c400_1e87eff7a5c044078433b4d18c4e45eb%7Emv2.jpg"/>]]></description><dc:creator>Jess Barnett</dc:creator><link>http://www.spearfishingnz.co.nz/single-post/2017/04/06/2017-InterPacific-Spearfishing-Championships---RESULTS</link><guid>http://www.spearfishingnz.co.nz/single-post/2017/04/06/2017-InterPacific-Spearfishing-Championships---RESULTS</guid><pubDate>Thu, 06 Apr 2017 06:59:57 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b3c400_1e87eff7a5c044078433b4d18c4e45eb~mv2.jpg"/><div>2017 InterPacific Spearfishing Championships </div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Survey of recreational rock lobster</title><description><![CDATA[Survey of recreational rock lobster fishers in CRA2 ARTICLE HERE!New Zealand Sport Fishing CouncilMarch 2017Between January and March 2017 a survey was conducted to measure people’s perceptions of the state of the rock lobster (crayfish) fishery on the northeast coast of the North Island, known in management terms as CRA 2. Over 800 responses were received, with many respondents having dived or fished for crayfish for more than 20 years in the area stretching from Te Arai Point, Northland, to<img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b3c400_fdacec756de6472c9b40bce536ae02da%7Emv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_219%2Ch_263/b3c400_fdacec756de6472c9b40bce536ae02da%7Emv2.jpg"/>]]></description><dc:creator>Jess Barnett</dc:creator><link>http://www.spearfishingnz.co.nz/single-post/2017/04/06/Survey-of-recreational-rock-lobster</link><guid>http://www.spearfishingnz.co.nz/single-post/2017/04/06/Survey-of-recreational-rock-lobster</guid><pubDate>Thu, 06 Apr 2017 06:21:22 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b3c400_fdacec756de6472c9b40bce536ae02da~mv2.jpg"/><div>Survey of recreational rock lobster fishers in CRA2</div><div><a href="https://www.legasea.co.nz/articles/24754/">ARTICLE HERE!</a></div><div>New Zealand Sport Fishing Council</div><div>March 2017</div><div>Between January and March 2017 a survey was conducted to measure people’s perceptions of the state of the rock lobster (crayfish) fishery on the northeast coast of the North Island, known in management terms as CRA 2. Over 800 responses were received, with many respondents having dived or fished for crayfish for more than 20 years in the area stretching from Te Arai Point, Northland, to East Cape.</div><div>The survey was extended until 12 March 2017 to allow for responses from NZ Underwater Association members.</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Dave Mullins sets New Zealand freediving record of 105 metres at Lake Taupo</title><description><![CDATA[A massive congratulations to Dave Mullins. One of our SNZ Members sets a new record!ARTICLE HERE!]]></description><link>http://www.spearfishingnz.co.nz/single-post/2017/03/19/Dave-Mullins-sets-New-Zealand-freediving-record-of-105-metres-at-Lake-Taupo</link><guid>http://www.spearfishingnz.co.nz/single-post/2017/03/19/Dave-Mullins-sets-New-Zealand-freediving-record-of-105-metres-at-Lake-Taupo</guid><pubDate>Sun, 19 Mar 2017 05:32:00 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><div>A massive congratulations to Dave Mullins. One of our SNZ Members sets a new record!</div><div>ARTICLE HERE!</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>2016 National Spearfishing Championships</title><description><![CDATA[Final Results are in: Totals in PDF format, or for a more detailed view the full version in excel]]></description><link>http://www.spearfishingnz.co.nz/single-post/2016/2/1/2016-National-Spearfishing-Championships</link><guid>http://www.spearfishingnz.co.nz/single-post/2016/2/1/2016-National-Spearfishing-Championships</guid><pubDate>Sun, 31 Jan 2016 18:10:55 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><div>Final Results are in: Totals in format, or for a more detailed view the version in excel</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>2015 Mercury Bay Open</title><description><![CDATA[Results]]></description><link>http://www.spearfishingnz.co.nz/single-post/2015/06/09/2015-Mercury-Bay-Open</link><guid>http://www.spearfishingnz.co.nz/single-post/2015/06/09/2015-Mercury-Bay-Open</guid><pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 2015 01:27:00 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div/>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>2014 World Champs in Peru</title><description><![CDATA[Report and results from the WC in Peru.]]></description><link>http://www.spearfishingnz.co.nz/single-post/2014/11/20/2014-World-Champs-in-Peru</link><guid>http://www.spearfishingnz.co.nz/single-post/2014/11/20/2014-World-Champs-in-Peru</guid><pubDate>Thu, 20 Nov 2014 00:18:00 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><div> from the WC in Peru.</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>2014 Northern Area Comp</title><description><![CDATA[Results and images from the 2014 Norther Area Comp held at Tairua]]></description><link>http://www.spearfishingnz.co.nz/single-post/2014/10/18/2014-Northern-Area-Comp</link><guid>http://www.spearfishingnz.co.nz/single-post/2014/10/18/2014-Northern-Area-Comp</guid><pubDate>Sat, 18 Oct 2014 00:11:00 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><div> from the 2014 Norther Area Comp held at Tairua</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>CARBON	MONOXIDE: A colourless,	odorless,	tasteless	gas.</title><description><![CDATA[We are indebted to Peter ‘Herb’ Herbert for taking the time to write this comment. The properties of this gas mean you have no idea of its presence until symptoms such as dizziness, vertigo and the usual light headedness associated with being tired start to show. When combined with changes in pressures on the body while free diving, the results can be very frightening. As a gas, carbon monoxide has a domineering effect on the blood’s haemoglobin. It is well known that under normal circumstances<img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/a81f47_3ac175767ad34e82b146677ae1ab8eca.jpg"/>]]></description><dc:creator>Herb</dc:creator><link>http://www.spearfishingnz.co.nz/single-post/2014/10/14/CARBON-MONOXIDE-A-colourless-odorless-tasteless-gas</link><guid>http://www.spearfishingnz.co.nz/single-post/2014/10/14/CARBON-MONOXIDE-A-colourless-odorless-tasteless-gas</guid><pubDate>Tue, 14 Oct 2014 04:22:00 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/a81f47_3ac175767ad34e82b146677ae1ab8eca.jpg"/><div>We are indebted to Peter ‘Herb’ Herbert for taking the time to write this comment.</div><div>The properties of this gas mean you have no idea of its presence until symptoms such as dizziness, vertigo and the usual light headedness associated with being tired start to show. When combined with changes in pressures on the body while free diving, the results can be very frightening. </div><div>As a gas, carbon monoxide has a domineering effect on the blood’s haemoglobin. It is well known that under normal circumstances haemoglobin carries oxygen to the muscles and exchanges oxygen for carbon dioxide to be transported back to the lungs and expelled in the normal breathing process. This happens for every moment that every animal is alive. </div><div>What carbon monoxide does is aggressively occupy the haemoglobin carrying cells forcing oxygen and carbon dioxide to take a back step. The carbon monoxide does not exchange for any other gas and hence the value of that haemoglobin cell in your body is ‘stuffed.’ As haemoglobin cells only last a short time in your body we have to wait until thishaemoglobin cell is removed via the liver and replaced with a new one from our bone marrow. </div><div>These properties coupled with the changing partial pressures of gasses when diving up to four atmospheres (30 meters), create significant problems if your body has been subjected to the intake of carbon monoxide. </div><div>It is well recognized that exhaust fumes from combustion motors in confined spaces, will certainly lead to CO poisoning. Indeed many a suicide has been done with a vacuum hose into the car, the CO occupying so many haemoglobins that there are not enough freehaemoglobins to carry out the normal gas exchanges needed for life. </div><div>Here is Herb’s account of carbon monoxide effects while diving in Tahiti in the 2006 Inter Pacific Spearfishing Championships. </div><div>&quot;As we always do in pre-competition days, individuals were scouting or looking at areas that were going to be used during the competition. On this particular day, the 7 team members had dispersed around Area 1 and were looking at various fish. Our boat had been moving between divers shifting them around. I noticed the boat was not being used and not likely to be used for the next half hour and as my partner Dwane and I had found it rather boring in the area we were looking at, I decided to grab a rope and get towed behind the boat. It was something we had previously done in the World Champs in Croatia 1998. I was towed for 20 to 25 minutes behind the diesel Volvo Penta stern drive, hanging at about 3 meters behind the boat. This proved great for surveying the area, but I didn't have any idea that the fumes containing carbon monoxide were present enough to be an issue. Eventually I stopped being towed and Dwane and I started diving in 25m again. Basically, we were looking for competition fish.</div><div>The first indication that something was a little bit amiss was my first dive to 22 meters: everything was fine and it was NOT an extended dive (70 seconds). Coming up to about 10m slight fuzz hit me, and I thought “Wow!” I continued surfacing while thinking that I must focus on getting to the surface and noticed at the last 3m that things started to fizz and spin as if I had done a 35m dive for 2 minutes. It seemed strange and my thoughts were that I didn't prep myself for that dive properly. On the surface after a bit of a fizz, everything returned to normal in 15 - 20 seconds. There was no laboured breathing, I didn't feel dizzy and my legs felt like they had their normal strength. Dwane did his dive which filled another 4-5 minutes as I watched him from the surface. I think I did a couple of shallow dives 5-6 meters for 30 seconds and thought, “Right ready for another 25 meter dive.” Having breathed up as I have done for thousands of 25 meter dives, I was relaxed and feeling good, focused, with absolutely no cause for concern. Deep breath, duck dive and down you go.</div><div>On this particular dive something happened which I have never experienced before in 30 years of diving. As I approached 16 - 18m on my way down, I had a huge head spin. Things went dizzy and it was extremely evident something was badly wrong. Instantly I aborted the dive and looked up to Dwane who was watching. I released my weight belt and held on to it in my hand, a universal indication for your buddy on the surface that something is not right! As I came up through the 3m mark from the surface the dizzy went super dizzy and a sense of anxiety hit me. I must admit I felt secure in knowing that Dwane was directly above me and aware of an issue. On the surface I took 2 or 3 deep breaths while experiencing tunnel vision, dizziness and a sense of losing control. After 15 seconds and more deep breaths things started to come back to normal. I said to Dwane &quot;Shit Dwane I don't feel too good. Just give me 5&quot;. For the next 30 minutes I was very aware of any abnormal feelings in my body but nothing came to light. I put this down to missing Sandy and doing deep dives on a very hot day (30m - 35m 2 minute dives, 4 minute recovery times for 2 hours, in 29o water). I was thinking, “heat stroke.”</div><div>An hour and half later, with all the divers on board the boat we headed out to a deep spot to check on some Wiwa (silver drummer) in 35 plus metres. I was feeling fine and had no reason to think things were a problem. I breathed up again, aiming for a 25m dive and felt fine at that depth, but thought I would make it a short dive just to be sure. Everything was fine coming up until the 3m mark again. Things went dizzy and a slight head ache came with it. I kept thinking, “I'm losing my touch, and maybe I'm getting too old for this kind of thing.” The rest of the day I spent diving with extreme caution and making sure Dwane was aware of my every dive. But I continued to get the dizzy, and had fuzzy tunnel vision upon surfacing which you associate with dives twice as hard as the ones I was doing. Eventually I said, &quot;That's it Dwane I'm getting out&quot;, even though more scouting for that day was required.</div><div>During the long ride back in the boat I was a little light headed but otherwise everything was fine. As we unloaded the boat and I was standing up, moving around, lifting gear, etc I nearly blacked out. I was losing consciousness, vision was blurred and speech was distant. It was then I said to Neville, our Team Manager &quot;I'm not feeling well, I think I might be bent.&quot; Sitting down I came right. I did no more heavy work and as the hours passed, I wondered what on earth had happened to me.</div><div>I talked to an Australian guy, Tony Heugh, who has free dived to 55 metres, and quizzed him on the effects of being bent on free diving. For me, the most noticeable aspect was that apart from one dive, when I was at 20 - 25 metres I felt 100%. This was due to the increased partial pressure of oxygen which makes the body think there's plenty of oxygen there and you are OK. BUT, unbeknown to me, the partial pressure drops dangerously low when you go through the 3 metremark.</div><div>The next day we started diving again and I noticed things were fine, although a little sluggish. About 1 hour into the day’s diving, the boat went past as a normal practice to pick up divers and I smelt and breathed a lung full of diesel fumes. The penny dropped!!! Yesterday’s problems were caused by carbon monoxide poisoning. A colourless, odorless, tasteless gas, you have no idea of its presence in a pure form, but it's generally mixed with exhaust fumes. It was comforting to know with great certainty the cause of the problem, and put at rest the minds of the others in the team.</div><div>It is interesting to note that there was no urge to breathe at any time. This is explained by the body's physiology in that you want to breathe because of CO2 build up, rather than lack of oxygen.</div><div>Take care!&quot;</div><div>Herb</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>2014 National Spearfishing Championships</title><description><![CDATA[Results from the 2014 National Spearfishing Championships held at the Bay of Islands.]]></description><link>http://www.spearfishingnz.co.nz/single-post/2014/01/28/2014-National-Spearfishing-Championships</link><guid>http://www.spearfishingnz.co.nz/single-post/2014/01/28/2014-National-Spearfishing-Championships</guid><pubDate>Tue, 28 Jan 2014 00:07:00 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><div> from the 2014 National Spearfishing Championships held at the Bay of Islands.</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Wanganella Banks</title><description><![CDATA[I sent a couple of mates a text back in February about doing a trip to the Wanganella's in May, with the pretext of getting in the water with some Stripped Marlin, and if we were lucky enough, to shoot one. It was a 48 hour trip to get there and the sea was not our friend! We had 5 metre swells and 25 kts on the beam, so not much fun for cooking meals. The first day on the bank was undiveable and the fish weren't up anyway. The second day was marginally better but still no fish, so we decided to<img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/a81f47_c5c4670327c247fbb7800fe2352166a9.jpg"/>]]></description><dc:creator>Nat Davey</dc:creator><link>http://www.spearfishingnz.co.nz/single-post/2013/07/31/Wanganella-Banks</link><guid>http://www.spearfishingnz.co.nz/single-post/2013/07/31/Wanganella-Banks</guid><pubDate>Wed, 31 Jul 2013 05:16:00 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/a81f47_c5c4670327c247fbb7800fe2352166a9.jpg"/><div>I sent a couple of mates a text back in February about doing a trip to the Wanganella's in May, with the pretext of getting in the water with some Stripped Marlin, and if we were lucky enough, to shoot one. It was a 48 hour trip to get there and the sea was not our friend! We had 5 metre swells and 25 kts on the beam, so not much fun for cooking meals.</div><div>The first day on the bank was undiveable and the fish weren't up anyway. The second day was marginally better but still no fish, so we decided to run off the bank to find some calmer water where we then came across a meatball with Marlin busting through it. Rochele Potter suited up super quick and got her gear set up and we put her into position for her best chance to spear one.</div><div>She entered the water and took a shot almost straight away but misjudged the distance with the clear water. She reloaded and re-entered the meat ball and took another shot at a fish, this time connecting, but the fight was short and she swam back to the boat with a bent spear. We straightened it the best we could and got back to the feeding fish. Rochele entered the water again and this time she was on. The fish dived a couple of times dragging both floats with it. When the fish was on the surface Rochele was dragged to the north at a great rate of knots. The fight was over in about 25 mins when Rochele put a second shot in and pulled the fish to the surface.</div><div>After Rochele's fish we had to wait till the fifth day to get back in the water. This time it was James Young's turn, but James was going to try something that had never been done in the world. He planned to spear a Marlin with a Pole spear. James entered the water about 30 metres from a meat ball and swam over and sat right in the middle of it. From the boat we could see him load his spear, duck dive then surface with a smile on his face and a shout, &quot;He's on!&quot; It was a great fight lasting 20 mins. James didn't need a second shot as he subdued his fish and 'ickied' it. Hats off to James, a world first!</div><div>A quick team chat and with a few hours of light left it was my turn to have a go at bagging a Marlin. We steamed up to the top of the bank to where Rochele had speared her fish and sure enough we came across a meat ball with Marlin going every where. I entered the water to be greeted by two marlin. I lined up the bigger of the two and took my shot, a bad placement, but that's what you get with a fish swimming so quick. My Marlin was on the surface most of the time, but it took 25 mins to get a second shot in and even then a third to finish it off. Back on the boat we couldn't believe what we hadachieved. It did sink in over the next 48 hours on our return trip to Mongonui though. Back at the wharf and with the fish on the scales it made the trip even more memorable. Rochele's Marlin weighed 100.1kg a first for a New Zealand lady and a potential world women's record. James's Marlin weighed 109.8kg a world first on a pole spear. And my Marlin went 137.8kg a potential world open record.</div><div>All movies are on YouTube under ROMP Films. Check it out and enjoy the thrill... </div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>2013 Inter Pacific Spearfishing Championship</title><description><![CDATA[The 2013 Inter Pacific Spearfishing Championship results from the competition held at Capricorn Bunker Group, Gladstone, Queensland 8th to the 15th of June 2013. Results]]></description><link>http://www.spearfishingnz.co.nz/single-post/2013/04/18/2013-Inter-Pacific-Spearfishing-Championship</link><guid>http://www.spearfishingnz.co.nz/single-post/2013/04/18/2013-Inter-Pacific-Spearfishing-Championship</guid><pubDate>Thu, 18 Apr 2013 01:04:00 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><div>The 2013 Inter Pacific Spearfishing Championship results from the competition held at Capricorn Bunker Group, Gladstone, Queensland 8th to the 15th of June 2013.</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Freediving Mecca... Dean's Blue Hole</title><description><![CDATA[The Bahamas and its famed Dean's Blue Hole have become part of the lexicon of divers world wide. Whatever a diver's passion isin the waters of the ocean the renowned clear, warm water of the Bahamas is an attraction most have heard of and would like to experience. This yarn and photos are from one who made the journey, Sam Barnes. In November 2012 around 50 international freediving competitors met at Dean’s Blue Hole in the Bahamas for the Suunto Vertical Blue World Cup event. I was one of 4<img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/a81f47_8c28eb46763d4f4aa1b66f7e25872836.jpg"/>]]></description><dc:creator>Sam Barnes</dc:creator><link>http://www.spearfishingnz.co.nz/single-post/2013/01/31/Freediving-Mecca-Deans-Blue-Hole</link><guid>http://www.spearfishingnz.co.nz/single-post/2013/01/31/Freediving-Mecca-Deans-Blue-Hole</guid><pubDate>Thu, 31 Jan 2013 04:07:00 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/a81f47_8c28eb46763d4f4aa1b66f7e25872836.jpg"/><div>The Bahamas and its famed Dean's Blue Hole have become part of the lexicon of divers world wide. Whatever a diver's passion isin the waters of the ocean the renowned clear, warm water of the Bahamas is an attraction most have heard of and would like to experience.  are from one who made the journey, Sam Barnes.</div><div>In November 2012 around 50 international freediving competitors met at Dean’s Blue Hole in the Bahamas for the Suunto Vertical Blue World Cup event. I was one of 4 with a NZ attachment, but unlike well known competitors this was my first visit to the famed Hole. I'd planned it as an opportunity to tick off a bucket list item and while there hopefully notch up my first 61m (200ft) dive.</div><div>While the four of us had NZ links we are nevertheless, an ecumenical 'lot,' living and advocating for freediving in various parts of the globe. For example, William Trubridge spends about 6 months of the year in the Bahamas teaching freediving when he's not in the USA, Ant Williams now lives in Australia, while Jonny Sunnex comes from small town Ngaruawahia, down the road from me in Hamilton. I own an Aussie passport and attach AUS to my competition profile. But I've lived in NZ for 25 years, bipartisan to the core, so I'm an ANZAC diver in my newly formed Australia and NZ Apnea Club!</div><div>Dean’s Blue Hole is one of the most stunning of freediving venues. As Mecca is to the Muslims, Deans Blue Hole is to the world's free divers. Formed around 15,000 years ago during an ice age when oceans were much lower, the limestone formation (karst) was then able to be dissolved by fresh water. It has created a small 25 m wide hole in the roof of an enormous underwater cavern that plummets to 202 m. The entrance to that hole is in a small tidal lagoon which is surrounded by cliffs. As the photos show, the cliffs ably protect if from on-shore wind and waves. The surrounding area is private land and is currently for sale at US $12 million, but Bahamanians gather there in the weekends for beach picnics and swimming in the shallower area rather than the hole itself.</div><div>At the time of competition there is an official tent set up on the beach where you sign in a minimum of an hour before your dive time. Dive results are all recorded there along with a food stand selling conch salads, conch burgers, coconuts and a few other things. Then there are a couple of other tents where athletes can rest out of the sun before their dives. Competitors choose when they want to make the fifteen metre swim to the competition zone's warm-up pontoon, while spectators can swim out there also to hang onto the PVC pipe perimeter to observe divers. Some spectators are always on hand. But when the big dives were being done there were a lot of people watching and I guess an unknown number around the World with their computer screens switched to the first live internet broadcast for a freediving competition.</div><div>Each dive is done under the watchful eyes of a minimum of two freediving safety divers. It depends on the nominated depth as to how many and at what depth they meet the diver. So for the 100m plus dives the first safety would meet the diver at 30-40m and the next at 25-30m. Once on the surface the competitors have to remove their mask or goggles and nose clip, keep their mouth and nose out of the water, give the OK signal and say to the judge &quot;I'm OK&quot; if the dive is to be officially recognised. The affirmative result is signaled by the Judge with a white card. But as I found out, even the red card is not necessarily all bad. I did do a Constant Weight 61m dive, tag in my hand which meant I had achieved my goal of 200 feet. One small glitch though. I surfaced a little too far away from the rope and as I grabbed it my mouth dipped just below the surface. Result, a red card. It just meant I would have to do it again to get it into the record books.</div><div>So it came down to the final day of competition, my last chance to get a white card at 61 metres. I felt very confident. The dive started and about eight kicks took me to negative buoyancy and into freefall. Taking a big mouthful of air from my lungs at about 25 m to kept the pressure on for equalising, I closed my eyes and just kept falling. I managed to equalise easily all the way to the plate where I grabbed a tag and headed back to the surface making sure I stayed close to the rope. Safety divers met me about 25 m accompany me all the way to the surface where I had nice clean surface protocol and finally a white card. 200 feet done and dusted and now officially recognised. Next target 65 m in the New Zealand Nationals in February 2013!</div><div>As I reflect on the experiences of that competition, a standout feature was the camaraderie amongst the competitors and the goodwill towards all athletes irrespective of the depths they were diving. Top performers such as Alexi Molchanov (RUS) and Will Trubridge (NZ) who both achieved PB's of 126m (413 feet,) obviously liked to win. But there was almost the same level of congratulations from all the athletes whenever someone achieved a PB from 40 to 126m. Precious egos did not seem to exist.</div><div>Hopefully some of NZ's spearo's might try the sister sport of freediving soon and make the pilgrame to 'Mecca' to boost the Kiwi presence.</div><div>It was a great trip. I'd love to go back so I'm not sure my bucket list of places to visit has actually got one crossed off!</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>2013 National Spearfishing Championships</title><description><![CDATA[Results from the 2013 National at Great Barrier Island Women's results Junior results Open - Day 1 results Open - Day 2 results Final Open results Big 3 results]]></description><link>http://www.spearfishingnz.co.nz/single-post/2013/01/28/2013-National-Spearfishing-Championships</link><guid>http://www.spearfishingnz.co.nz/single-post/2013/01/28/2013-National-Spearfishing-Championships</guid><pubDate>Mon, 28 Jan 2013 23:49:00 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><div>Results from the 2013 National at Great Barrier Island</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>2012 Seaquel Mercury Bay Open Spearfishing Competition</title><description><![CDATA[What a comp ! It would be the most friendly and cheerful bunch of divers we have come across. It certainly helped with great weather, nice viz - 10 to 12 m - plenty of boats and everything organized , or should I say no hic-cups! Read more]]></description><link>http://www.spearfishingnz.co.nz/single-post/2012/06/05/2012-Seaquel-Mercury-Bay-Open-Spearfishing-Competition</link><guid>http://www.spearfishingnz.co.nz/single-post/2012/06/05/2012-Seaquel-Mercury-Bay-Open-Spearfishing-Competition</guid><pubDate>Tue, 05 Jun 2012 00:45:00 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><div>What a comp ! It would be the most friendly and cheerful bunch of divers we have come across. It certainly helped with great weather, nice viz - 10 to 12 m - plenty of boats and everything organized , or should I say no hic-cups!</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>2012 Interpacific Championships</title><description><![CDATA[Report from Darren Shields, Assistant Manager with the NZ Spearfishing Team at the Inter Pacific Champs, Hawaii Well the big event is all over, the stories of the ones that got away and we should have got are flying thick and fast but our young team did NZ well. Read more]]></description><link>http://www.spearfishingnz.co.nz/single-post/2012/03/21/2012-Interpacific-Championships</link><guid>http://www.spearfishingnz.co.nz/single-post/2012/03/21/2012-Interpacific-Championships</guid><pubDate>Wed, 21 Mar 2012 23:33:00 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><div>Report from Darren Shields,</div><div>Assistant Manager with the NZ Spearfishing Team at the Inter Pacific Champs, Hawaii</div><div> Well the big event is all over, the stories of the ones that got away and we should have got are flying thick and fast but our young team did NZ well.</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>2012 South Island Championships</title><description><![CDATA[Results Orbell Trophy 1st Rex Bricknell Kelvin Milne 2nd Hamish Ogilvie Rodger Hodson 3rd Peter Dryden Julia Jenkins Queen Charlotte Trophy 1st Judy Johnston Philip Van zijl 2nd Tim Greene Wayne Fa’asesa 3rd Ian Clark Bent Clark Heaviest fish Rex Bricknel 3.2 kg Blue Moki Biggest Greenbone Mark Fraser 1.38 kg Wettie New Era Photo Trophy Hamish Ogilvie Roger Hodson]]></description><link>http://www.spearfishingnz.co.nz/single-post/2012/02/26/2012-South-Island-Championships</link><guid>http://www.spearfishingnz.co.nz/single-post/2012/02/26/2012-South-Island-Championships</guid><pubDate>Sun, 26 Feb 2012 23:30:00 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><div>Results</div><div>Orbell Trophy</div><div>1st Rex Bricknell Kelvin Milne2nd Hamish Ogilvie Rodger Hodson3rd Peter Dryden Julia Jenkins</div><div>Queen Charlotte Trophy</div><div>1st Judy Johnston Philip Van zijl2nd Tim Greene Wayne Fa’asesa3rd Ian Clark Bent Clark</div><div>Heaviest fish</div><div>Rex Bricknel 3.2 kg Blue Moki</div><div>Biggest Greenbone</div><div>Mark Fraser 1.38 kg</div><div>Wettie New Era Photo Trophy</div><div>Hamish Ogilvie Roger Hodson</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>2012 North Island Championships</title><description><![CDATA[Results from the 2012 North Island spearfishing championships]]></description><link>http://www.spearfishingnz.co.nz/single-post/2012/02/26/2012-North-Island-Championships</link><guid>http://www.spearfishingnz.co.nz/single-post/2012/02/26/2012-North-Island-Championships</guid><pubDate>Sun, 26 Feb 2012 23:23:00 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div/>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Depth Spearing in the Wellington Winter</title><description><![CDATA[People who freedive naturally get accustomed to depths that some spearos would consider extreme. On a practical level there is seldom a need to go very deep when spearfishing in this country. NZ waters are pretty well-stocked and many of the tastier species like to hang out in the shallows anyway. Depth brings a lot more risk, so you need to be very cautious about how you dive. But it also opens up a lot of opportunities to explore new areas and chase different species. I live in Wellington<img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/a81f47_456162640b8f481ba1d95c215567c735.jpg"/>]]></description><dc:creator>Dave Mullins</dc:creator><link>http://www.spearfishingnz.co.nz/single-post/2011/07/04/Depth-Spearing-in-the-Wellington-Winter</link><guid>http://www.spearfishingnz.co.nz/single-post/2011/07/04/Depth-Spearing-in-the-Wellington-Winter</guid><pubDate>Mon, 04 Jul 2011 05:03:00 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/a81f47_456162640b8f481ba1d95c215567c735.jpg"/><div>People who freedive naturally get accustomed to depths that some spearos would consider extreme. On a practical level there is seldom a need to go very deep when spearfishing in this country. NZ waters are pretty well-stocked and many of the tastier species like to hang out in the shallows anyway. Depth brings a lot more risk, so you need to be very cautious about how you dive. But it also opens up a lot of opportunities to explore new areas and chase different species.</div><div>I live in Wellington where going a little deeper than normal can be quite rewarding given the pressure the shallow coastal reefs are under from spearos and line fishers. We had a nice weather window a little while back so I thought I’d check out 5-mile reef, something I’ve been meaning to do for a long time. This is a large patch of foul 5 miles south of the harbour entrance with a charted high point of 29m and a much bigger area in 40-50m. It normally has a lot of current running across the top of it but luckily there is a tidal diamond right next to it on the Wellington chart. The offset for this location showed a fairly wide window of almost slack water 5 hours after high tide and that is what we found when we arrived. The craypot buoys were leaving little wakes and I needed to hang a line out the back of the boat to help my progress back up current after each dive, but it wasn’t bad at all compared to other offshore reefs around Cook Strait.</div><div>We anchored in 40m after seeing some schooling fish on the sounder. In summer this kind of depth would be ok but in 13C water and a 7mm suit it was looking too much like hard work, so I took a couple of kilos off my belt and put them on a drop-line. This gave me a fast, heavy ride down and less work to do on the way up. Dive buddy Peach helping me to pull the weight back to the surface after each dive on the understanding that I’d drop her on top of a shallow, always-in-residence moki school later in the day. I was diving with a standard floatline; while a reelgun would make the diving easier in current, it’s good to have the option of ditching everything and swimming up without resistance if a big fish is on.</div><div>Vis was good for Wellington at about 7m and on the first dive I landed in a wide sand bowl. There were none of the big tarakihi or blue cod I’d heard about from line fishers but swarms of butterfly perch, various wrasse and several crays walking around in the open. The water wasn’t really cold enough for warehou to be around but I was hoping a stray school might show up, so I left the crays alone and tried not to make too much noise. On the next dive I landed in a sandy gutter between two rocks and was mobbed by large blue moki. Not the most glamorous of fish but it was nice to see so many big adults on a Wellington reef. They probably get very little pressure out wide because they don’t often take hooks and must be hard to net amongst all the foul ground. I shot one of these after a quick tussle with my safety catch and left the rest to their mooching. Subsequent dives were much the same: interesting and fishy, but without anything really worth shooting. The sounder continued to show big schools of something – probably kahawai, possibly warehou or barracoutta – going past in the bottom third of the water column but I was never down at the right time to intercept them.</div><div>It wasn’t a very productive dive but I enjoy that kind of diving for its own sake and to be honest Wellington does tend to be dismal in winter. I’ll use the next opportunity I get to try the deeper fringes of the reef, possibly with some burley on the bottom to bring the big blue cod and tarakihi in. Along with the usual suspects, deeper dives in other parts of the Wellington area have produced quite a few copper moki, some out-of-season kingfish and the odd school of juvenile rubyfish. I expect it’s a bit like the shallower areas in that the fish gather in isolated patches. You have to work a bit to find good spots and can’t expect reefs to be more productive just because they’re deeper. Hopefully one of these days I’ll find a good patch and run into something more interesting like a hapuka or a big trumpeter.</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>2011 Mercury Bay Open Spearfishing Competition</title><description><![CDATA[After several days of poor weather, fourteen teams (28 divers) enjoyed a surprisingly good day tucked in behind Double Island in the Mercury Islands group. With a 10 knot NW and 8 metres visibility, there were plenty of fish to choose from including Koheru, Kahawai, Butterfish, Blue Maomao, Blue Moki, Porae, Trevally, Snapper, Kingfish. Only 3 kingfish were weighed in, the largest at 12kg and for a change no Giant Boarfish. Read more]]></description><link>http://www.spearfishingnz.co.nz/single-post/2011/06/09/2011-Mercury-Bay-Open-Spearfishing-Competition</link><guid>http://www.spearfishingnz.co.nz/single-post/2011/06/09/2011-Mercury-Bay-Open-Spearfishing-Competition</guid><pubDate>Thu, 09 Jun 2011 00:19:00 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><div>After several days of poor weather, fourteen teams (28 divers) enjoyed a surprisingly good day tucked in behind Double Island in the Mercury Islands group. With a 10 knot NW and 8 metres visibility, there were plenty of fish to choose from including Koheru, Kahawai, Butterfish, Blue Maomao, Blue Moki, Porae, Trevally, Snapper, Kingfish. Only 3 kingfish were weighed in, the largest at 12kg and for a change no Giant Boarfish. </div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>2011 Interpacific Championships</title><description><![CDATA[Results from the 2011 Interpacific Championships. Australian Scorecard - Day 1 Australian [Women] Scorecard New Caledonian Scorecard - Day 1 New Caledonian Scorecard - Day 2 New Zealand Scorecard - Day 1 New Zealand Scorecard - Day 2 New Zealand [Women] Scorecard Tahitian Scorecard - Day 1 Tahitian Scorecard - Day 2 Final Results]]></description><link>http://www.spearfishingnz.co.nz/single-post/2011/03/16/2011-Interpacific-Championships</link><guid>http://www.spearfishingnz.co.nz/single-post/2011/03/16/2011-Interpacific-Championships</guid><pubDate>Wed, 16 Mar 2011 22:56:00 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><div>Results from the 2011 Interpacific Championships.</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>2011 Esclapez National Spearfishing Championships</title><description><![CDATA[Final results Junior Results Open Results Women's Results NZ Team Selection Day 1 Pairing & Day 1 - % John Anderson/Andrew Macdonald - 100.00% Gary Conway/Jackson Shields - 95.30% Dwane Herbert / Colin Smith - 91.00% Peter Herbert / Todd Herbert - 79.90%]]></description><link>http://www.spearfishingnz.co.nz/single-post/2011/01/30/2011-Esclapez-National-Spearfishing-Championships</link><guid>http://www.spearfishingnz.co.nz/single-post/2011/01/30/2011-Esclapez-National-Spearfishing-Championships</guid><pubDate>Sun, 30 Jan 2011 22:48:00 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><div>Final results</div><div>NZ Team Selection</div><div>Day 1</div><div>Pairing &amp; Day 1 - %</div><div>John Anderson/Andrew Macdonald - 100.00%</div><div>Gary Conway/Jackson Shields - 95.30%</div><div>Dwane Herbert / Colin Smith - 91.00%</div><div>Peter Herbert / Todd Herbert - 79.90%</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Safety - &quot;Diver Below&quot; flag</title><description><![CDATA[No longer is this an option of little consequence to divers. There are so many stories of ‘near misses’ that we dread the one where the propeller does not miss while knowing that its chances of happening are increasing each summer. More boats cruise the coastlines, while more and more divers are swimming from shore with most towing a float. The aim is to see every one of those floats with a flag attached<img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/a81f47_d653c25add194b2e8320bcd3f6422e29.jpg"/>]]></description><link>http://www.spearfishingnz.co.nz/single-post/2010/10/01/Safety-Diver-Below-flag</link><guid>http://www.spearfishingnz.co.nz/single-post/2010/10/01/Safety-Diver-Below-flag</guid><pubDate>Fri, 01 Oct 2010 04:00:00 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/a81f47_d653c25add194b2e8320bcd3f6422e29.jpg"/><div>No longer is this an option of little consequence to divers. There are so many stories of ‘near misses’ that we dread the one where the propeller does not miss while knowing that its chances of happening are increasing each summer. More boats cruise the coastlines, while more and more divers are swimming from shore with most towing a float. The aim is to see every one of those floats with a flag attached</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Please, can my Caramel Drummer become the NZ
Record?</title><description><![CDATA[The caramel drummer is one of three fish considered endemic to the Kermadec Islands, the others being the Kermadec scalyfin (black angelfish are a species of scalyfin) and the Kermadec triplefin. The theory is that the prevailing currents at the Kermadecs run west to east so, theoretically, the larvae of Kermadec species cannot drift here. Unfortunatly for that theory, there have been a pair of Kermadec scalyfins resident at the Poor Knights for a number of years (they are white so very distinct<img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/a81f47_ad278ca047d5490d86063cdccdd2a424.jpg"/>]]></description><dc:creator>John Anderson</dc:creator><link>http://www.spearfishingnz.co.nz/single-post/2010/04/30/Please-can-my-Caramel-Drummer-become-the-NZ-Record</link><guid>http://www.spearfishingnz.co.nz/single-post/2010/04/30/Please-can-my-Caramel-Drummer-become-the-NZ-Record</guid><pubDate>Fri, 30 Apr 2010 04:54:00 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/a81f47_ad278ca047d5490d86063cdccdd2a424.jpg"/><div>The caramel drummer is one of three fish considered endemic to the Kermadec Islands, the others being the Kermadec scalyfin (black angelfish are a species of scalyfin) and the Kermadec triplefin. The theory is that the prevailing currents at the Kermadecs run west to east so, theoretically, the larvae of Kermadec species cannot drift here. Unfortunatly for that theory, there have been a pair of Kermadec scalyfins resident at the Poor Knights for a number of years (they are white so very distinct from the black angelfish). Because they are in the reserve, they obviously cannot be killed, meaning that the nerds cannot be absolutely sure they are Kermadec scalyfins, the nerds needing what is termed a 'voucher' specimen that they can cite as evidence of a species presence in a given locality. (Te Papa's 115kg Queensland grouper from the same area as my Caramel Drummer is the voucher specimen for N.Z.) By a technicality, the Kermadec scalyfin remains 'endemic' to the Kermadecs.</div><div>So, about three years ago, Darren Shields took a photo of a fish at the Needles on Gt Barrier Is which was very obviously a caramel drummer. I believe that another diver had seen what he thought was a pair of them at nearby Arid Is some years previously. Again though , from a scientific perspective the lack of a specimen meant the species could not be considered as being present here. Then, while scouting Motiti Is for the Nationals in 2008, Andrew MacDonald found what he described to me as 'a green drummer' on a wash rock. We hopped back in and I filmed what again was very obviously a caramel drummer (pic attached). Still, no specimen meant no confirmation.</div><div>Then, on the first day of Nationals 2010 on the western end of Lady Alice Is at the Hen &amp; Chicken Islands, I was stooging around for a snapper and spied another one. It didn't display the distinctive colours that they normally do but I knew the shape. And then it tried to get away, Bob. Which was a mistake. I dunno, Bob, I was in comp mode, killing mode and it tried to get away. I'm not proud of what I did, Bob....but it tried to escape me...so I shot it...RIGHT IN THE GUTS!!!!!!!!!</div><div>I froze it and after much fluffing about talking to skeptical nerds, trying to convince them that I wasn't a complete idiot and that what I had in my freezer wasn't a Parore and that, yes, I knew what a Bluefish looked like, Kendall Clements at Auckland Uni finally pulled it apart and with much excitement declared it to be a caramel drummer, previously thought endemic to the Kermadecs and now the voucher for mainland N.Z.</div><div>It has gone to Te Papa.</div><div>I tried to get the Spearfishing NZ Keeper of Records to award me the record for it, given that years ago we allowed Picot and Amberjack and Samsons and other subtropical stragglers but he wasn't buying it. He suggested I present my case to you so, er, please sir, how about it?</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Submission on Wetsuits</title><description><![CDATA[Maritime NZ rules.coordinator@maritimenz.govt.nz SUBMISSION ON THE WEARING OF PFD’S INTRODUCTION Spearfishing NZ is pleased to take this opportunity to make a submission on the proposed required wearing of a PFD in boats under 6 metres. We do so after a) noting reports in the media by search and rescue personnel in different centres that there should be no discretion on the wearing of lifejackets, rather, every person in a boat of under 6m should be required to wear one and b) seeing the need<img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/a81f47_a2e4ea8e52f848b4b2852f3aeb27bbb2.png"/>]]></description><dc:creator>Bob Rosemergy</dc:creator><link>http://www.spearfishingnz.co.nz/single-post/2010/01/01/Submission-on-Wetsuits</link><guid>http://www.spearfishingnz.co.nz/single-post/2010/01/01/Submission-on-Wetsuits</guid><pubDate>Fri, 01 Jan 2010 02:56:00 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/a81f47_a2e4ea8e52f848b4b2852f3aeb27bbb2.png"/><div>Maritime NZ</div><div>rules.coordinator@maritimenz.govt.nz</div><div>SUBMISSION ON THE WEARING OF PFD’S</div><div>INTRODUCTION</div><div>Spearfishing NZ is pleased to take this opportunity to make a submission on the proposed required wearing of a PFD in boats under 6 metres. We do so after a) noting reports in the media by search and rescue personnel in different centres that there should be no discretion on the wearing of lifejackets, rather, every person in a boat of under 6m should be required to wear one and b) seeing the need for clarification and clear direction to local authorities from Maritime NZ stating wetsuits are regarded as equally suitable as PFD’s as stated in Maritime Rules 40A, Appendix 8 11.12(b)</div><div>In this submission Spearfishing NZ does not dispute the value of a lifejacket. However, we want to ensure that a full wetsuit is more clearly identified as a recognised alternative.</div><div>Spearfishing NZ is the organisation that looks after the interests of around 5000 spearfishers, both men and women, in NZ. As such we represent their interests in recreational fishing matters, pursue on their behalf safety issues related to diving and spearfishing, and organise local and international spearfishing competitions. Our Newsletters and website <a href="http://www.spearfishingnz.co.nz">www.spearfishingnz.co.nz</a> are read by hundreds of individuals in this country and a considerable number overseas.</div><div>(We indicate to you our role in diver safety with the  currently being promoted to divers and boat users throughout NZ. The Australian Underwater Federation has recently asked to be included in our initiative and we have modified the sponsors to include Australian ones so they too can now print stickers and promote what will be a Trans Tasman safety message.)</div><div>DIVERS CONCERNS</div><div>For divers, there are a number of concerning elements in any proposal by well-intentioned individuals or organisations that seeks the wearing of lifejackets without considering what is already being worn by those divers while in boats under 6 metres.</div><div>• 1. It ignores what understanding we thought there was in NZ regarding the wearing of a wetsuit when in a boat out on the water.</div><div>• 2. Any decision not to exclude those wearing full wetsuits from also having to wear a lifejacket does not fit with the safety evidence available.</div><div>• 3. We do not want to see well meaning authorities subsequently writing their own regulations which ignore the suitability of wet suits as a PFD.</div><div>SURVEY DATA</div><div>As back-up to this submission, Spearfishing NZ sought first hand data on the efficacy of wet suits in protecting wearers when they unexpectedly found themselves in the ocean. We sent a brief survey of 6 questions to our email list. They were asked to reply to the following questions if they had ever had their boat, sink, capsize, or they had fallen overboard.</div><div>• A) When did it happen?</div><div>• B) Where did it happen?</div><div>• C) How many were in the water?</div><div>• D) For how long were they in the water?</div><div>• E) Any injuries?</div><div>• F) In such circumstances did they know of anyone who had drowned?</div><div>The answers to these 6 questions are for the most part shown as they have been received. Personal messages to the Committee of Spearfishing NZ have been removed. Some have not been recorded on the list because they were so often repeating what was already apparent in many replies, viz. many fall over the side of the boat when cleaning fish or bounce out when the boat hits a rough patch of water and are quickly assisted back into the boat. Neither situation seems to cause divers much concern because with a wet suit on, the circumstances are easily handled. There were many replies where people simply sent back “No” to all 6 questions.</div><div>Three of the replies are from commercial freedivers who have extensive knowledge and diving experience in other countries, often in very testing conditions. Of the other respondents, we know most of them as recreational spearfishers, some with a diving history that goes back 40 years of living and diving almost everywhere along NZ’s coast and offshore islands and reefs. Some replies relate to overseas circumstances. Together, their experiences while wearing wetsuits provides we believe a compelling view of a wetsuit’s effectiveness when a person unexpectedly finds him or herself in the water. We note that every reply to Q6 said they did not know of any person who had drowned on the surface while wearing a wet suit and had for whatever reason finished up in the water, although KAr 2001 thought there might have been one where the person was knocked out and drowned, but is not sure. We have no other reference to that.</div><div>DATA ANALYSIS</div><div>We acknowledge the validity of evidence of the numbers of people drowning when not wearing a PFD and their small boat is swamped or they have been tipped out/fallen overboard. However, we are unable to find examples that would justify any decision to make compulsory the wearing of a lifejacket over the top of a wetsuit.</div><div>We specially draw to your attention why people in wetsuits who finish up in the water do not appear to drown. There are a number of reasons including the following. </div><div>1. They are unlikely to have been partying and have alcohol in their system.</div><div>2. They are generally reasonable swimmers. </div><div>3. They are used to being in the water and being responsible for themselves in unpleasant conditions such as dirty or rough water and strong tidal flows, often coping with those conditions on a regular basis. </div><div>4. Sudden or long immersion in cold water is much less of a problem for them. They remain relatively warm, the hood in particular, significantly retaining body heat that is lost when a life jacket only is worn and the person’s head is exposed to water and wind chill. </div><div>5. A wetsuit’s buoyancy is the equal of or superior to, various life jackets approved for use by recreational boat users. Divers wear their wetsuit knowing that without a weight belt they cannot sink and they can propel themselves through the water.</div><div>It will be seen from respondent’s replies that conditions in which they found themselves were often potentially life threatening, and in many cases almost certainly would have been if they were not wearing a wet suit. Specific examples reported include strong tides, big seas, very cold water, wind chill, long periods of immersion, long swims to extricate themselves. Others simply chose to comment on why they do not hold to any regulation that does not identify the equal or superior value of a wetsuit over a lifejacket.</div><div>CONCLUSIONS</div><div>1. We believe the reply of JV 2001 to be noteworthy in the context of this submission. The French coastguard would appear to have determined the worth of wetsuits relative to lifejackets and made that determination clear.</div><div>2. Further, Maritime NZ has previously identified the wearing of a “full body wetsuit” as suitable personal buoyancy and we find no evidence to justify any re-litigating of this issue.</div><div>Bob Rosemergy</div><div>Chairman</div><div>On behalf of ‘Spearfishing NZ Committee’</div><div>7 Lochiel Road, Khandallah, Wellington</div><div>Ph. 04 4795891</div><div>hughr@xtra.co.nz</div><div>APPENDIX: SURVEY RESPONSES</div><div>PS 1970 Kapiti. I got tipped out. Two in the water for 10 minutes. No injuries.</div><div>JL. 1970’s. Karori Light, Autumn. Current picked up and freediver unable to get back to boat. Buddy raised alarm but by then dark. Diver drifted overnight through Cook Strait. Found at daylight next morning as he was getting himself out of the water near Oteranga Bay.</div><div>RC 1970’s Easter at Stewart Island. Boat bounced by the waves in windy conditions. Significant wind chill. Colder out of the water than in it. Unable to hold on and fell overboard. Absence noted shortly thereafter. Boat returned to pick up. Uninjured.</div><div>SB+ 2 others 1976 Boat swamped while we were spearfishing 4 miles off the coast at Seabird, Western Australia. In the water 4 hours. Injuries, Nil. (One of the divers with me did the same thing a second time when he was lost while freeing snagged cray pots and again swam to shore with no adverse effects.)</div><div>GC + 3 1980 Mangawhai Heads. Leaving to dive at the Hen &amp; Chicken Islands. Boat flipped on the bar. All 4 tossed into the water and swam ashore. No injuries. Boat subsequently salvaged</div><div>RQ 1980’s. Sitting on the back of my ‘tinny’, calm day, mate took off too fast. I went straight overboard and it took approx 3 minutes for him to realise I was gone. He eventually noticed and returned and picked me up, with no injury.</div><div>GrH + 3 1986 Hen and Chicken islands. Hull split. Boat sank. Four of us in the water for 1 hour. Injuries: broke my heart to see my boat sink!</div><div>JJ + 3. Dog Island, 1990’s Foveaux Strait. Boat overturned. Inexperienced skipper. Lost a lot of gear. All in the water for a considerable time before another boat arrived. Hypothermia would have caused us much more trouble without our wetsuits. One diver with injured back. Wetsuit made it easier to rescue him from the water.</div><div>AD. 1995. Coming into the Moa Point boat ramp on Wgtns south coast. One person in the water for ten minutes. No injuries. No deaths as far as i'm aware.</div><div>DS. 1995 end of Coromandel peninsular. Left behind by boat and had to swim in the dark for over an hour to get to safety</div><div>RD. 1996 Rangatiaki river Bar (Thornton) Six in the water for 15 minutes. No injuries</div><div>JR+2 1998. Great Barrier Is. In there for 5 minutes. No injuries</div><div>MB.1998 Hahei. Our surf launch went wrong. Exactly the kind of incident that a wetsuit worn as intended (that is, not folded down around the waist!) did everything and more than a lifejacket could. No injuries. We need a common sense outcome. Perhaps something along the lines of “…such requirements shall not apply to any person wearing a full body wetsuit (covering arms, torso &amp; legs) being of no less than 3mm thickness”</div><div>RR 1999 Koautunu. 3 tossed into water when boat flipped upside down by a set of huge breaking waves 200m from shore. One person briefly trapped under the boat as it was pushed first shoreward and then sucked back out to sea in foaming surf. Diver pulled himself out from under the boat. Had he been wearing a lifejacket as well he would have been pushed more firmly up under the overturned boat and likely found it more difficult to submerge and get out. All 3 swam/surfed safely to shore.</div><div>JK 1999 Koautunu. National champs, beach launch. 4 of us in the water for 3 minutes in big surf. No injuries. Know of none that have drowned but know plenty of survivors.</div><div>JL Waimarama Beach. 2000. Launching. Boat flipped. 3 in the water for 25 minutes. One had a bump on the head.</div><div>KAr. 2001. Off Kiritihere NI West Coast from a thundercat used for diving. One only overboard in water for 2 minutes. No injuries. I think there has been a case where a person was knocked unconscious and died but I can not recall details of time or place. Wet suits are of major benefit in keeping a person floating on the surface</div><div>AB. 2001. Kaikoura. 9-10 people in the water for 20-30 minutes. No injuries</div><div>KAn.2001 I lost a diver out of my inflatable one day, Tauranga harbour entrance. Hit a big wave and he was bounced clean overboard. He was in the water for 5-8 minutes by the time I could turn around and Pick him up (35-40kts and swell) No injuries. Don’t know of anyone who has died while wearing a wetsuit.</div><div>JV.2001 in Brittany, France. I fell from a 5mtre inflatable. My dad let me soak for 10 minutes for my stupidity. Any injuries etc? none. Do not know of any deaths of persons in a wet suit when their boat has been swamped/sunk? Im from france obviously, and you are requiere to have lifejacket on the boat, one for each passenger, but you dont have to wear them, stupid I think. A wet suit it considered a lifejacket by the coastgard so when we go spearfishing we dont even bother with lifejacket. </div><div>JW. 2004 3 emptied into the Shag River Mouth. In the water for up to two hours. No injuries.</div><div>BD.2007, Five Fingers Peninsular Fiordland. One in the water for 10min. No injuries or problems. No deaths i know of.</div><div>JL+1 2005. Wanganui Bar. Boat overturned. Two of us picked up 15 minutes later. No injuries </div><div>PJ. 2007. Waitemata Harbour. 1 overboard for 5 minutes. No injuries</div><div>AR. 2007. Waikanae Beach. Me only in the water for a few minutes. Only injury was to ‘pride!’</div><div>PS. 2008. Great Mercury Island. 2 in the water for 15 minutes. No injuries</div><div>EM 2009. Marlborough Sounds. 1 in the water for 5 minutes. Any injuries etc? No (just my pride)</div><div>A SELECTION OF RELATED COMMENTS</div><div>PR. I have not fallen out of my boat at any time. Ask anyone with any water experience if they would rather be in their Effesub or Picasso 5mm suit or a lifejacket if they were tipped in the water. Only an idiot would opt for a lifejacket over their wetsuit Do you think Hewitt would have survived in a lifejacket or without a wetsuit?</div><div>NS In the last two years I have done 200hrs in my own boat which is 5.2m long. 8 trips to White Island which is a 110km round trip, including the Whakatane bar. Neither myself, nor my crew have fallen out of the boat. We are all wearing wetsuits from the ramp and have 4x life jackets stowed away.</div><div>AC In the early 80’s, a good mate died of hypothermia (in a wet suit) when his jet ski ran out of fuel off the Mapua Bar, he was found the next day, he was also wearing a lifejacket. 26 years as a commercial diver I have never heard of a person drowning in a wet suit</div><div>GS It does not make sense for a lifejacket to be worn when going out for a day’s diving and you are already wearing a wetsuit. You are wearing the wetsuit because you know it will double as your PFD for the day in whatever happens.</div><div>GeH I was involved in the “Wahine” rescue, where the value of divers in wetsuits, without weight belts, was amply demonstrated. While I know of divers who have drowned underwater, I know of none at all who have died on the surface&gt; invariably wet-suits, and even partially inflated dry suits have supplied more than sufficient buoyancy to save lives. Indeed, I would strongly argue, as I did in the Wahine report, that a diver in a wetsuit is more buoyant than anybody in a lifejacket!</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>A sole-destroying revelation</title><description><![CDATA[September 2009, and it's the scallop season in Wellington harbour. The weather has been kind enough to push the visibility up to 4m! And the scallops are there if you know where to go, sharing the bottom with the occasional flounder. The first of these fish I came across had me out with the diving knife, and a quick stab in the fish's head, a lifting of the knife and whoops, departure of aforesaid flounder as he made his escape. Damn! Didn't do that too well. Message to memory, Don't move the<img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/a81f47_6340c0676bda4b87ad7f84939d33d309.jpg"/>]]></description><dc:creator>Kevin Lowery</dc:creator><link>http://www.spearfishingnz.co.nz/single-post/2009/10/03/A-soledestroying-revelation</link><guid>http://www.spearfishingnz.co.nz/single-post/2009/10/03/A-soledestroying-revelation</guid><pubDate>Sat, 03 Oct 2009 02:48:00 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/a81f47_6340c0676bda4b87ad7f84939d33d309.jpg"/><div>September 2009, and it's the scallop season in Wellington harbour. The weather has been kind enough to push the visibility up to 4m! And the scallops are there if you know where to go, sharing the bottom with the occasional flounder.</div><div>The first of these fish I came across had me out with the diving knife, and a quick stab in the fish's head, a lifting of the knife and whoops, departure of aforesaid flounder as he made his escape. Damn! Didn't do that too well. Message to memory, Don't move the knife next time.&quot;</div><div>It was my lucky day though. There was another one. In fact, it was the largest flounder I had ever seen. Trusty knife in hand, a lunge at the fish's head and successfully skewered the damn thing near the tail. His moving was not part of the programme. However, I'd remembered enough to know that it was not a good idea to pull the knife out and let it swim free.</div><div>So, into the scallop catch bag with it. Back on land this flounder looked enormous. It was so thick in fact , say 7cms, that I wondered about taking off fillets. Whoever heard of doing that with flounders. Certainly as heavy or heavier than 2kg fish I've speared. With its head and tail off and cut into portions it was a tasty meal for some of us.</div><div>Only later did I find out the NZ Record for flounder is 1.59 kg set way back in 1968. Yeah, I stuffed that option up too! I think I am learning. Now it is back to floundering around the scallop bed to see if that fish has similar sized brothers or sisters.</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Fun with Orca</title><description><![CDATA[I dropped in at Mount Maunganui on my way back from a b’day party, in order to swim out to Rabbit Is. It was very murky and filled with all kinds of Jellies but I kept on thinking that at least I could get some Butters or a Dory in the 1.5m vis. I got to the island and after my 3rd dive a canoeist came up and said I might want to turn around. I thought maybe a school of kingies was trailing me making fun of me and this would explain why my float was getting knocked about behind me. As I turned I<img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/a81f47_ffa7cdcca1b54575a418b4c8adeb252f.jpg"/>]]></description><dc:creator>Paul Templeton</dc:creator><link>http://www.spearfishingnz.co.nz/single-post/2009/07/31/Fun-with-Orca</link><guid>http://www.spearfishingnz.co.nz/single-post/2009/07/31/Fun-with-Orca</guid><pubDate>Fri, 31 Jul 2009 03:51:00 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/a81f47_ffa7cdcca1b54575a418b4c8adeb252f.jpg"/><div>I dropped in at Mount Maunganui on my way back from a b’day party, in order to swim out to Rabbit Is. It was very murky and filled with all kinds of Jellies but I kept on thinking that at least I could get some Butters or a Dory in the 1.5m vis.</div><div>I got to the island and after my 3rd dive a canoeist came up and said I might want to turn around. I thought maybe a school of kingies was trailing me making fun of me and this would explain why my float was getting knocked about behind me. As I turned I saw a pod of Killer Whales (more dramatic than saying Orcas) playing with my float. They then swam past me splashing the water.</div><div>There was about 4-5 of them with 2 being calves. They wouldn’t leave me alone ! I thought going shallower would solve it, but no. I wasn’t fearful just uneasy about this and didn’t want to shoot any fish. They looked friendly like dolphins and I wanted to try and touch them but thought I shouldn’t as they’re wild and could be a bit protective with young ones around.</div><div>I chickened out and scored a ride to shore on a neighbouring boat!</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Submission on Recreational Charter Fishing</title><description><![CDATA[Our organisation endorses the need for robust data with which to make decisions that "...protect the sustainability of fisheries resources." To this end we believe that catch taken by those using charter operations should be available to add to the mix of what fish is taken from the resource. Spearfishers occasionally use charter boats, more particularly for fishing trips that take them to distant offshore islands and reefs. Their catch over a 2 or 3 day trip can be considerable more<img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/a81f47_827a3bff77fb4f80b03c0619183a8ce6.jpg"/>]]></description><link>http://www.spearfishingnz.co.nz/single-post/2008/10/01/Submission-on-Recreational-Charter-Fishing</link><guid>http://www.spearfishingnz.co.nz/single-post/2008/10/01/Submission-on-Recreational-Charter-Fishing</guid><pubDate>Wed, 01 Oct 2008 02:45:00 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/a81f47_827a3bff77fb4f80b03c0619183a8ce6.jpg"/><div>Our organisation endorses the need for robust data with which to make decisions that &quot;...protect the sustainability of fisheries resources.&quot; To this end we believe that catch taken by those using charter operations should be available to add to the mix of what fish is taken from the resource. Spearfishers occasionally use charter boats, more particularly for fishing trips that take them to distant offshore islands and reefs. Their catch over a 2 or 3 day trip can be considerable more particularly in the size of the fish (kingfish, billfish, tuna) than the number of species speared.</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item></channel></rss>