SpearBlog

Last day on the water Healey and I bailed and stayed with rumors of the surf being up and a big night on the town. Alcohol and diving don’t mix so we let GR and Craig and DJ head back up to the good wall and the Moose knuckle.

First couple of dives in GR had a 100+lb Tuna in his sights but it wouldn’t come in close enough so he instead shafted a 30 lb one that was closer.

Only a half day and the seas were back up as well as the sharks.  Ended up with 2 tunas in the boat, 2 lost to sharks and a big Jobfish lost to the sharks as well.  The pics can’t do it justice when a swarm of ten haul ass after your fish as soon as you pull the trigger and it is over before you know it.   Welcome to Micronesia. It gets old fast believe me.

Meanwhile Mark and I had a session on one of the outer reefs which was a hell of a lot nicer in our minds than getting beat up near the Moose knuckle chasing Doggies.   Waves were fun but pretty mixed up and it turned another guy out there with us into a piece of human hamburger when we got sucked over the falls, slammed on his back, flipped him over and slammed again on his chest. He said when he hit his back he could hear it crunch and then when he hit his chest it felt like he had been hit by a car.  Not cool.   Ten minutes later and one of the boys had to run his boat in for him and I haven’t seen someone in that much pain in a while.   Some broken ribs is never cool and his back looks like he got attacked by a tiger.

Today was better. We made it back to the house last night before 2 in the morning, barely.

Surf was up and only three of us out trading head and half high waves until we could barely  paddle anymore.  Great session and a good way to end the trip.

Tonight we start dispersing. GR, Healey and I to Hawaii for a few days to shoot it up. Troy back to Guam, Craig to Louisiana, DJ to North Carolina.

All in all it was a great trip. Troy went above and beyond organizing everything and the boat we used was perfect.   Scott our boat driver did an amazing job and went over the top treating us right. Seriously the best treatment I’ve ever had on a dive charter anywhere in the world.

No one got hurt, but a lot of gear died.

Mark lost a 130 Riffe Euro, shaft and new reel to the biggest Doggie of the trip.  He had his laptop, cash, backpack and camera, and video camera taken from the truck the first night.  Bent three shafts on his 12o Euro shooting a Doggie and a big “Parrot”.  and a pair of flip flops. and bent his slip tip base giving a love tap to an over aggro toothy critter.

GR had a camera housing implode at depth and destroy a brand new Sony HC-9 video camera. two bents shafts and two lost ones (one sharks ate the Tuna and cut the shaft off, the other Tuna got lodged in the bottom in 160 ft of water and broke off).

Cameron bent one shaft, and Mark lost my snorkel so that counts against my total.  I would say I lost my dive knife but because I actually threw it at a 100+ lb Dogtooth to make him turn and come back while I was reloading my gun I am an idiot. When i did go and look for it I had a school of small doggies come in and circle my head and took my fat aggression out on their leader and never did find my knife.

Craig and Troy did better than anyone I think.  Craig didn’t bend but one shaft and might of lost a pair of booties that I stole but other than that it was ok.

The pics are off the chart. DJ Struntz has mad skills and Riffe, Salt Life, and Hawaii Skin Diver Magazine, and Quiksilver (Far Pacific)  gave us good support  for this trip to make it come together.

With all the guys we had together on this trip we had some serious planning sessions on gear, travel and techniques and no doubt the next one will be even better than this.  So much fun. Can’t wait to do it again.

Cameron Kirkconnell

Lots o dogs