Spearfishing in Pacific Waters

were soon to be appreciated elsewhere. By ROB WRIGHT* Tne JaPanese began producing goggles for pearl diving, and these were pounced on eagerly by newcomers in the field. 'J'HERE is little doubt that the Pacific goggles meticulously carved from wood, But if the Pacific saw the first spear- islanders were among the first people bone or some similar substance, and a fisherman, it was the Mediterranean and to introduce spearfishing to the world. long-shafted spear with a steel tip. its environs which saw newer experiments Or perhaps their activities could be In fishing operations the islanders used being made in the field of underwater termed "fishing with a spear", for that is canoes to convey them to the reefs. Here research. Commander Corlieu of the what they did. While techniques in the they donned goggles and with a twelve- French Navy was the first person to various islands differed, the basic equip foot spear in hand, slid over the side of perfect rubber swim-fins to increase ment for underwater fishing were small the craft to scan the sandy areas among swimming speed underwater, and he the coral heads. When fish were spotted brought his invention into operation in *Mr. Wright, who is the official photographer they dived downwards with the spear 1926. In combination with goggles, this attached to the Public Relations Office in Fiji, used as a lance, and impaled the prey. gave the spearfisherman a decided advan- also conducts a popular Saturday feature for imateur fishermen in the Fiji Times entitled More often than not, more than one tage in undersea work. Le Prieur, another HOOK, LINE AND SINKER. spear was used to subdue large speci- Frenchman, is credited with developing SPC QUARTERLY BULLETIN, JULY, 1959 43 Above: A catch of reef fish taken with a speargun. Right: A spearfisherman stalking a fish in the clear shallow waters of a coral reef. the snorkel or breathing tube which is also less danger. One can slip in a spearfisherman. There are innumerable so much in use today. bathtub. makes and designs on the market. If The early thirties saw a fillip to spear- Face Mask And Snorkel the swimmer is going to operate on a fishing in the Atlantic zone. Guy Gil- coral reef, it is advisable to procure a patric, author of the "Glencannon" series For the beginner, the sole require pair with a full foot so as to minimize of stories which ran in the Saturday ments are a face mask and snorkel. The the possibility of coral wounds in the Evening Post, became enamoured of the snorkel may be omitted, but it will save feet. Like the mask, the fins should fit new sport, and wrote a book called The lifting the head every time a breath is well but not too tight. A flutter kick Compleat Goggler which influenced needed, and any sudden movement will such as is used in swimming a crawl thousands of people in the United States. scare fish which are around. To enjoy stroke is best. They will take a short Underwater catapults were being de the greatest comfort, choose a mask time to get used to, but will increase veloped—forerunners of the modern which will fit the contours of the face speed by anything up to fifty per cent. speargun. snugly when the headstraps are adjusted, and make sure that the edges which When a swimmer gets accustomed to The advent of World War II brought operating beneath the surface, it will be a temporary halt to spearfishing and come in contact with the face are soft and flexible. There is nothing worse nor found that to remain comparatively still diving as a sport, but it did serve to requires exhaling most of the air in the develop "frogmen" and underwater more uncomfortable than a mask which literally digs into the skin. lungs and holding on to a piece of coral breathing apparatus which enabled divers to offset the tendency of the body to rise to stay below for long periods of time. Once the mask is in place the wearer should try breathing in through the nose to the surface. Coupled with this advance was the de It is essential when stalking fish to velopment of underwater photography. to check if it is watertight. Breathing in this manner will create a vacuum, and if create as little movement as possible. At the end of hostilities there was a To make this easier and to counteract tremendous surge of enthusiasm for the air enters so will water. The straps should be adjusted until this no longer the natural buoyancy of the body, a lead new sport, and, with the perfection of belt is a great help. This enables a person new equipment, adherents were to be occurs. Testing the mask in shallow water will facilitate mouth-breathing to sink without too much effort, and to found in almost every country in the remain at a determined depth for as world. exercises. It will be found that after a short period of use the glass will cloud long a period as desired. Lead weighing Anyone who has sat through an under from half a pound to a stone is said to water movie will have thrilled to the over much the same as a car windscreen does when the windows are closed. A be about the normal requirement, which fantastic world under the sea; the exotic depends on the buoyancy of the diver. fish and beautiful corals, to say nothing slice of raw potato, tobacco juice, or plain spit rubbed on the inside and then Enough lead to be neutral in the water of the larger inhabitants of the deep is fine. (One precaution with lead belts which have appeared in front of the sluiced with water will tend to keep the glass clear. —make sure they have quick-release camera lens. Yet all this is well within catches. There may come a time when the scope of the average person, who The snorkel is a tube of plastic, rubber, or metal which is turned up at the this might mean the difference between needs only to buy a limited amount of life and death.) equipment to set him up in the sport of bottom in the shape of a "J". The short, upturned piece has a plastic or rubber spearfishing. The Speargun In the Pacific islands this is particu mouthpiece which fits inside the mouth larly easy, for coral reefs abound, and and is held in position by the teeth. There are literally dozens of spearguns where there are reefs there are fish. A When the head and mask are submerged, on the market to satisfy the requirements person does not have to be a first-class the top section of the snorkel remains of the most fastidious hunter of fish. swimmer to indulge in this sport; indeed, above water and so enables the wearer There is everything from the simple one need not swim at all if the elemen to breathe easily through the mouth Hawaiian sling, to rubber-, spring-, gas- tary approach be tried. There are hun without lifting the head. In this manner and hydraulic-powered models, and a dreds of shallow pools on the reef which it is possible to give undivided attention gun which is fired with the cap from a will furnish exciting pictures of fish and to what is happening beneath the surface. pistol. corals with no more effort required than Swim Fins The Next Item The easiest and simplest form is the sitting in a bathtub at home. There is Swim fins are the next item for the Hawaiian sling. It employs a short 44 SPC QUARTERLY BULLETIN, JULY, 1959 Above: A coral trout struggles to break away after both spear and cord have passed through its body under the dorsal fin. This species of fish is excellent eating. Right: A six-foot shark swimming along a reef edge—a familiar sight to experienced spearfishermen. It swam under the photographer who did not know it was there until it appeared in the viewfinder of his camera. length of hollow bamboo tube to which They are usually longer than the normal An ideal range for underwater shoot is attached a loop of rubber joined by a rubber gun, and are charged by thrusting ing is about five or six feet, so it is short length of nylon cord. The spear is a spear down the barrel until it engages always desirable to close in to this dis about a five-foot length of i" or 5/16" in the trigger mechanism. Spring guns tance before firing. If, owing to circum steel which has a barb on one end and are efficient, but require much more care stances, the fish is hit in the body, a the other end notched to take the nylon. than any other type. They have to be struggle will take place. This will in It is a simple matter to fit the spear to washed carefully in fresh water and then variably excite predators in the area, so the cord and pull both back as far as thoroughly greased and oiled. it is good practice to concentrate on possible in the manner of a bow and overpowering the prey and trying to get arrow. The Hawaiian sling is elementary Spearfishing Technique it out of the water as soon as possible. but efficient. The only drawback is the If a wooden-stock gun is used, let the loss of a spear if a king-hit is not regis Having become equipped with mask, gun go and devote all energy and both tered on the fish.* flippers, snorkel and gun, all that remains hands to the cord and spear.

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