Popular Post Andy135 Posted June 2, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted June 2, 2022 Our family went to Hawker's Cove beach yesterday and today. I also brought my spearfishing gear along. The Camel estuary used to be known for plaice in years gone by, and I had a plan to see if I could spear one for the barbecue. Yesterday was more of a warm up. I went for a swim but decided to leave the spear gun on the beach and focus on the lie of the land. Of course as sod's law would have it I spotted a plaice within the first 10 minutes. I dived down to wrestle with it but it escaped my grasp. I later returned with the spear gun but of course no plaice were to be seen. Today I went back in with my speargun from the off. The plan was that I would swim out to the estuary mouth over slack and drift back over the Doom Bar and along the side of the channel where the sand meets the rock. My son and brother-in-law would paddle out on his inflatable kayak and drift back as my support boat. It was a relatively quick swim out, with no tide to hinder me. On the way I came across an old lobster pot snagged on a huge abandoned anchor, a brown crab moulting site where the sand was littered with empty shells, and a line of active crab pots. As I started the drift back the ground was quiet, just the occasional spider crab to break the monotony of endless sand. As I drifted closer to the rock wall at the side of the channel something caught my eye. A plaice, lying still on the bottom. As I circled round and duck dived he swam off, clearly sensing a predator. Maybe my body language gave me away as my heart rate increased and my focus sharpened. As I followed him on the surface I tried to relax and control my breathing, ready for the next dive. I saw him pause on the sand so I dived again but, clearly wise to the threat, he moved off again towards the rocky submerged scree slope. Up on the surface I gathered my breath and went back down to find him back over the sand and burying himself. I could still see his eyes above the surface of the sand so I went for broke and nailed him before he could make another break for it. My son and brother-in-law were on hand to capture the moment! Not the biggest of fish - he looked huge underwater yet somehow shrunk on the surface - but as my first ever speared fish, and my first plaice of the year, he was a trophy I shall treasure. suzook12, jonnyswamp, Davemc and 3 others 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saintly Fish Posted June 2, 2022 Share Posted June 2, 2022 Very nicely described adventure you had there. Robson Green eat your heart out. But, why is the kayak name pixelated out? Is it a secret one? Andy135 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy135 Posted June 2, 2022 Author Share Posted June 2, 2022 15 minutes ago, Saintly Fish said: Very nicely described adventure you had there. Robson Green eat your heart out. But, why is the kayak name pixelated out? Is it a secret one? Ha! It's a drop of water on the GoPro lens. Saintly Fish 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy135 Posted June 2, 2022 Author Share Posted June 2, 2022 18 minutes ago, JonC said: I can’t read the words but I’ve concluded that this has something to do with drug smuggling. 🤣🤣 better than drugs for me - a catch, not a blank! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davemc Posted June 2, 2022 Share Posted June 2, 2022 Brilliant Andy , A gripping tale , Well done ! Andy135 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saintly Fish Posted June 2, 2022 Share Posted June 2, 2022 1 hour ago, Andy135 said: 🤣🤣 better than drugs for me - a catch, not a blank! Have you tried drugs then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy135 Posted June 2, 2022 Author Share Posted June 2, 2022 6 minutes ago, Saintly Fish said: Have you tried drugs then? Davemc and GPSguru 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GPSguru Posted June 2, 2022 Share Posted June 2, 2022 (edited) 2 hours ago, Andy135 said: The plan was that I would swim out to the estuary mouth over slack and drift back over the Doom Bar and along the side of the channel where the sand meets the rock. My son and brother-in-law would paddle out on his inflatable kayak and drift back as my support boat. Well done on your first spear fish, we had some of the Plaice caught yesterday for dinner this evening. Not wishing to be a spoiler, the Doom bar is aptly named, and TBH even in calm conditions is not a good place for an underwater swimmer OR an inflatable kayak. The currents and rips over that bar are notorious, and it is spring tides this week. Are you having a BBQ at your mate Gordon's house, it is very close to where you were today ? 🤣 Edited June 2, 2022 by GPSguru Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy135 Posted June 2, 2022 Author Share Posted June 2, 2022 16 minutes ago, GPSguru said: Well done on your first spear fish, we had some of the Plaice caught yesterday for dinner this evening. Not wishing to be a spoiler, the Doom bar is aptly named, and TBH even in calm conditions is not a good place for an underwater swimmer OR an inflatable kayak. The currents and rips over that bar are notorious, and it is spring tides this week. Are you having a BBQ at your mate Gordon's house, it is very close to where you were today ? 🤣 Yes, I had planned the dive with tides in mind and didn't want to be caught out over the bar. As it was we stayed to the west side of the bar and avoided the navigation channel... but I must admit I drifted perilously close without even realizing how far out I was - and it was a bugger of a swim back! Won't make that mistake again. Who TF is Gordon though?? Davemc 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GPSguru Posted June 2, 2022 Share Posted June 2, 2022 11 minutes ago, Andy135 said: Yes, I had planned the dive with tides in mind and didn't want to be caught out over the bar. As it was we stayed to the west side of the bar and avoided the navigation channel... but I must admit I drifted perilously close without even realizing how far out I was - and it was a bugger of a swim back! Won't make that mistake again. Who TF is Gordon though?? Gordon feck'in Ramsay, you know the geezer, head cook and all that 🤣 .......... you were close to his £6 pad 🤣 Yes, the Doom bar is named on reputation and the rip currents are fierce. I didn't want to be a spoiler, but felt I just needed to remind you of the perils ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy135 Posted June 2, 2022 Author Share Posted June 2, 2022 2 minutes ago, GPSguru said: Gordon feck'in Ramsay, you know the geezer, head cook and all that 🤣 .......... you were close to his £6 pad 🤣 Do you mean Rick Stein, as in Padstein/Padstow? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GPSguru Posted June 2, 2022 Share Posted June 2, 2022 10 minutes ago, Andy135 said: Do you mean Rick Stein, as in Padstein/Padstow? No, Gordon Ramsay (Celeb Chef) has a £6m house at Rock on the estuary. Davemc 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy135 Posted June 2, 2022 Author Share Posted June 2, 2022 1 minute ago, GPSguru said: No, Gordon Ramsay (Celeb Chef) has a £6m house at Rock on the estuary. We were further north up the estuary than Rock. Hawker's Cove is roughly opposite Daymer Bay, which itself is north of Rock. However we were at Rock on Tuesday for a beach day with the dog and buckets & spades. Didn't see Gordon though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GPSguru Posted June 2, 2022 Share Posted June 2, 2022 2 minutes ago, Andy135 said: Didn't see Gordon though Nah, you probably wouldn't, after what he said about the rock inhabitants 😂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDP Posted June 2, 2022 Share Posted June 2, 2022 Fantastic, even though it was relatively quiet the buzz of getting to know the environment from beneath the surface is something those who have strong opinions against spearing will never understand. You get home after a day under the water and play back all of what you've seen over and over in mind, something a day with a rod and reel in your hand doesn't come close to how ever good the day was. This feeling doesn't ever stop even after years of diving and some of those memories stick for life. How did you feel for buoyancy ? had your weights slipped in that photo or do you have weights all around and the clip at the back or side ? I cant tell from the photo but if you dont already have the rubber dive belts these are so good as they don't slip as your body compresses at depth. We tend to wear our weights more towards the back as it helps assist the angle of your body at the surface when you need to get some air and re-rig the gun. In regards to strong tides etc, I always used that to my advantage on the IOW by getting in at places and drift diving. These would often mean getting out walking the shore and drifting the same run a few times, St Catherins was great for this and surprisingly good in very shallow water on various sized pollack. Davemc and Andy135 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davemc Posted June 2, 2022 Share Posted June 2, 2022 Tbh I've always been against the idea of spearo's but if you take the elastic off you can come and spot the fish for me ? GPSguru and Andy135 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy135 Posted June 3, 2022 Author Share Posted June 3, 2022 7 hours ago, JDP said: How did you feel for buoyancy ? had your weights slipped in that photo or do you have weights all around and the clip at the back or side ? I cant tell from the photo but if you dont already have the rubber dive belts these are so good as they don't slip as your body compresses at depth. We tend to wear our weights more towards the back as it helps assist the angle of your body at the surface when you need to get some air and re-rig the gun. Yes, it's a rubber weight belt. Yes, they had slipped round to the front as I like them positioned at the back. I reckon I could do with one more weight as I feel a bit too buoyant - it's hard to hold bottom at present. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suzook12 Posted June 3, 2022 Share Posted June 3, 2022 4 hours ago, JonC said: I would advise about another 20kg of lead. Bit harsh that 🤣 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy135 Posted June 3, 2022 Author Share Posted June 3, 2022 6 hours ago, suzook12 said: Bit harsh that 🤣 He's had it in for me ever since the Camberwell trip. Frankly, I'm surprised he didn't suggest 50kgs and a concrete wetsuit. suzook12 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suzook12 Posted June 3, 2022 Share Posted June 3, 2022 55 minutes ago, Andy135 said: He's had it in for me ever since the Camberwell trip. Frankly, I'm surprised he didn't suggest 50kgs and a concrete wetsuit. Concrete wetsuit, I'd bet he'd even offer to pour it for you 🤣 Geoff, daio web and Andy135 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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