I remember swimming out to a reef with Warren once a few years ago. We kitted up on the beach, and with some borrowed kit I bravely swam out with my mates to the reef. I remember watching Warren dive down to the reef, after a little while I began to wonder if he would ever come back up, or had he drowned? A minute or so later Warren rose from the deep with a big Cray a 2.5kg Mozambican Cray! Right, now I was ready to dive down and find my bounty! I remember taking a deep breathe and making my decent.

About halve way down my ears hurt, I tried to equalize, but it didn't really work. Another meter or so I sank, at this point I realized two things, firstly, the need to breath, secondly that I was not going to reach the reef still a few meters away. I bolted for the surface, and when I broke through, gasped for breath as if my life depended on it. Once I had caught my breath I looked back at the beach and the buildings seemed a long long way away. Coming to the realization that I was out of my depth, I felt a real desire to feel ground under my feet. Heading back to the beach I saw a huge sand shark, just before I plonked onto the beach, exhausted and beaten! 

Later that night over a beer at my house I was Jamming a Red Hot Chillie Peppers song when Warren piped up and said " When you are in the ocean you flop around like a dead fish, but you can at least jam the guitar". 

A few days ago I dived the same reef with my dive partner Marcus. The reef is only 4-6 meters deep and less than 100 meters out to sea. Yup you guessed it: Lemon Fish! 

I hope these diving tips for beginners really help your diving, as much as they have helped mine. I have been diving for 6 months now and these are the tips I have received that have most benefited me. Enjoy.

Ask, talk, join, tell, share, and gather. 

Find out as much as you can from the guys who are in the know.

Most guys are willing to help out and give tips, if you are humble enough to realize that you actually know nothing. Just don't ask your mate where his favorite Cray hole or couta spot is; he won't be as willing to share that info. (But don't worry about that either coz you could always follow him and watch where he dives from the bushes!) 

Read any info you can get your hands on. There is a book called "Blue Water Hunting and Freediving" by Terry Moss. Awesome. 

Join a club. Here on the North Coast we have the " Salt Rock Spearfishing Club". We go on diving weekends, and meet monthly to organize and learn. It's a good place to find a dive buddy too. Dive with people better than you! Learn from there experience! 

Find a diving buddy. Besides the obvious safety reasons for having a diving partner, there are many other reasons why having one will help you improve, and enjoy diving more.

You'll find more bugs.

A little while ago Marcus came excitedly to me while diving. He had found a crack full of bugs. Having only caught a few before, the prospect of a crack full of bugs excited me too. He showed me where the hole was. A few dives later and our bags were almost full. Two things here, firstly I got bugs because my buddy showed me where he found them. Secondly, Marcus would never have put his arm in the crack if he had not seen me do so.

You'll shoot more fish.

I dived down and shot at a school of Pompano. Missed! Thwack. Dumb fish swam straight into Marcus! One more for the bag. The fish looked as if it would come off the spear, so while Marcus was fetching his buoy I dived down and grabbed the Pompano. A minute later it dangled from the stringer.

Five minutes later Thwack, I hit a Kingy. Bad shot, very high. Trying to grab it, it escaped, Marcus who was assisting me to land the fish, darted after the injured dinner, Thwack. Stringer. Thanks Marcus.

You'll dive more.

Often I'm not totally keen to dive, especially when it's cold and my wife is warm! But if I have made arrangements I keep them! 5:30 on the beach! Your mate will also often call you to go dive when you had not planned to.

You'll be driven.

Sometimes I wanna punch Marcus. Making me dive twice in a day, or diving deeper than I want, or for longer than I feel comfortable. The other day we swam out at a point and it was miff so we came in. Then he wanted to walk 2ks down the beach and dive out to a reef. I was not aped and felt a little nausious. Finally after walking there I couldn’t let him go out alone so I got in too! Ended up shooting two fish and getting five bugs. Stoked. Thanks Marcus. 

Relax.Relax.Relax.Relax.Relax.Relax.Relax.Relax.Relax.Relax.Relax.Relax.

Relax.Relax.Relax.Relax.Relax.Relax.Relax.Relax.Relax.Relax.Relax.Relax.

Relax.Relax.Relax.Relax.Relax.Relax.Relax.Relax.Relax.Relax.Relax.Relax.

 Do everything in slow motion.

 

Wayno