SPEARFISHING & FREEDIVING SAFETY
By Terry Maas
The sport of breath-hold spearfisihing is incredibly rewarding. Freedivers leave their terrestrial worries behind as they enter a pre-historic world on the hunt for wild game without assistance from artificial air sources. They match wits with some of the fastest and most wily animals on the planet. A guiding principal of the Long Beach Neptunes Dive Club is safety. We would like to share our thoughts and insights in an effort to promote our safety-first policy.
FREEDIVER BLACKOUT
The sport is unique because participants voluntarily forego their access to life sustaining oxygen. While in the vast majority of cases divers return to the surface for air successfully, the potential exists for injury and death. Freediver blackout (shallow water blackout) is probably the most serious threat to this sport and it takes the lives of spearos every year despite knowledge of this malady and widely-known safety measures. Basically, divers exceed their oxygen supply by miscalculation and simply become unconscious, or they are physically restrained from reaching the surface as could happen if they tangled in their line or became trapped.
Click the below image to view the entire chapter on freediver blackout from the book, Blue Water Hunting and Freediving, 2020 edition, by Terry Maas.
FREEDIVER BLACKOUT
The sport is unique because participants voluntarily forego their access to life sustaining oxygen. While in the vast majority of cases divers return to the surface for air successfully, the potential exists for injury and death. Freediver blackout (shallow water blackout) is probably the most serious threat to this sport and it takes the lives of spearos every year despite knowledge of this malady and widely-known safety measures. Basically, divers exceed their oxygen supply by miscalculation and simply become unconscious, or they are physically restrained from reaching the surface as could happen if they tangled in their line or became trapped.
Click the below image to view the entire chapter on freediver blackout from the book, Blue Water Hunting and Freediving, 2020 edition, by Terry Maas.
DIVE BUDDY
Whenever possible dive with a partner and discuss a safety plan before the dive. Many of us do not like to dive side-by-side with others because of worries about scaring the fish. So, while it is not always practical to watch each other’s dives, knowing the general location of your buddy and checking in frequently will help mitigate some risks.
LINE TANGLES
Your floatline can tangle with almost anything, including you or the bottom. With the popularity of personal video cameras, several scary and compelling stories of line tangles have made this issue very real with a first-person perspective. Here is one such story from Tanc Sade:
"I spotted a 60-pound white seabass swimming directly underneath me, I dropped down and took what I thought was a very solid headshot. The fish took barely any line which (wrongly) had me suspect he was out for the count. I took a half-breath to make a quick retrieval and as I motioned to place my hands in its gills the fish lit up. In retrospect I should have backed away and made a second attempt later. I made the error of riding out my breath-hold to subdue the fish. What I didn’t realize, as I was trying to get my hands in its gills, was the fish was spinning me in circles and subsequently causing the clear 200-pound mono line to cinch my fins and a kelp stalk together. By the time I had subdued the fish and began to make my way to the surface, I realized I was trapped, a mere three- feet from the surface. At this point I thought I was simply wrapped in kelp— thinking nothing a few kicks couldn’t handle. However, on closer inspection I saw theclear mono line was holding me down. Luckily, I was calm- headed enough to use my freediving training to slowdown, assess the situation, and wiggle myself free enough to steal a breath from the surface before going back down and freeing the shooting line.
This was pretty early in my spearfishing career. After much introspection and after consultation with experienced spearfishermen, I learned a few valuable lessons: Never attack a fish when it’s hot— swim away and regroup, make sure you take time for an adequate surface interval before diving, have a knife readily accessible, and always be wary of where your shooting line is."
Whenever possible dive with a partner and discuss a safety plan before the dive. Many of us do not like to dive side-by-side with others because of worries about scaring the fish. So, while it is not always practical to watch each other’s dives, knowing the general location of your buddy and checking in frequently will help mitigate some risks.
LINE TANGLES
Your floatline can tangle with almost anything, including you or the bottom. With the popularity of personal video cameras, several scary and compelling stories of line tangles have made this issue very real with a first-person perspective. Here is one such story from Tanc Sade:
"I spotted a 60-pound white seabass swimming directly underneath me, I dropped down and took what I thought was a very solid headshot. The fish took barely any line which (wrongly) had me suspect he was out for the count. I took a half-breath to make a quick retrieval and as I motioned to place my hands in its gills the fish lit up. In retrospect I should have backed away and made a second attempt later. I made the error of riding out my breath-hold to subdue the fish. What I didn’t realize, as I was trying to get my hands in its gills, was the fish was spinning me in circles and subsequently causing the clear 200-pound mono line to cinch my fins and a kelp stalk together. By the time I had subdued the fish and began to make my way to the surface, I realized I was trapped, a mere three- feet from the surface. At this point I thought I was simply wrapped in kelp— thinking nothing a few kicks couldn’t handle. However, on closer inspection I saw theclear mono line was holding me down. Luckily, I was calm- headed enough to use my freediving training to slowdown, assess the situation, and wiggle myself free enough to steal a breath from the surface before going back down and freeing the shooting line.
This was pretty early in my spearfishing career. After much introspection and after consultation with experienced spearfishermen, I learned a few valuable lessons: Never attack a fish when it’s hot— swim away and regroup, make sure you take time for an adequate surface interval before diving, have a knife readily accessible, and always be wary of where your shooting line is."
Your spear shaft line can be deadly as well. A giant black seabass almost drowned veteran Long Beach Neptune Dale Cote. Dale, onetime North American record holder for yellowtail (62 pounds) rememberd Anacapa Island, California, in the mid 60s, when hunting giant black seabass was allowed.
"Never having shot a black seabass or seen one, for that matter, I was instructed to look for a large black fish. No problem—the water visibility was clear to the bottom 60 feet below. After about 20 minutes, I saw movement near the reef. Excited and pumped up with air and adrenaline, I dove to the 150-pound fish 50 feet below. I circled in behind a kelp stalk and slammed my shaft into its side just as it turned away. I swam full speed to the surface for air as it stripped 150 feet of line from my reel.
On the surface, I held my gun with a fierce grip as the big fish towed me about two blocks to another kelp bed. Abruptly, the fish stopped and I pulled hand-over-hand style until I was on top of him. I had hoped for an easy recovery, but I was unlucky. The fish took off again and somehow some of the line I recovered formed a deadly clove hitch knot around my left wrist. Suddenly I was 18 feet underwater thinking I was in deep trouble.
As I tried to keep cool, my mind churned furiously for ideas. I remembered the small knife I carried on my weight belt. Very, very carefully, I inched it from its sheath, knowing I was a dead man if I dropped it. Incredibly, at that moment the fish stopped, tangled on the bottom. Looking up, I judged that if I swam forward I could reach the surface. On the surface I used the knife to pry the knot from my wrist, and was ready to cut it if the fish took off again."
BOAT TRAFFIC
Many of us have stories of near-misses and actual encounters with boats and limb-severing boat propellers. Surprisingly,several of the boatmen involved in these accidents were divers themselves. During one Bluewater Meet at Catalina Island, one diver racing to a spot ran over another’s fins, severing both fin blades in half. Using a diver’s down flag will help alert other boaters of your presence.
During another contest one contestant ran over another diver in the kelp, severing his jaw and just missing his carotid artery. Boatdrivers should approach divers cautiously, coming from the direction of deep water, if practical. Use slow speed and anticipate finding divers great distances from their own boats, sometimes 1/2 mile or more.
DIVER’S FLAG
Whenever possible carry a float equipped with a diver’s down flag, and always fly one on your boat. Besides warning other boaters of your presence, a flag will help others locate you if you become lost.
TRAVEL BY BOAT
In Southern California, many dive adventures involve boat trips near shore or to the surrounding islands. Begin your boat trip by reviewing the location of emergency equipment and discussing emergency plans. Learn the location of life vests, life rafts, firstaid kits and emergency locators—lights and signal generators. Discuss safety procedures for the dive. Appoint someone to observe from the boat, and agree on hand signals for both routine and emergency pickup. Decide on how to get to an injured diver quickly. Use a small chase-boat or, if one is not available, make sure your boat is equipped with a quick-release anchor. Outfit the chase-boat with a handheld VHF radio, two pairs of gloves, an extra speargun and a flying gaff.
Don’t forget a tourniquet—its application to an arm or leg might be life-saving. In an emergency, make one with a speargun band. Twist it tightly with a knife sheath or spear. Another valuable addition to your first-aid kit is Quickclot compresses, which will treat hemorrhage from any source, including shark bites.
Adequate preparation does not guarantee success, as the events surrounding Al Schneppershoff’s death show. Al traveled to Guadalupe Island, Mexico, in September 1973 with three other divers and his 9-year-old son, Little Al. Seeking calm water for the night, they anchored the boat in a protected bay over water about 40-feet deep. Al was excited about seeing 300-pound tuna earlier that day. True to his style, he was the last one to remain in the 40-foot visibility water, while Little Al watched from the bow. Suddenly, Little Al (now an active bluewater diver himself) yelled, “Something’s wrong with my dad.” Struggling violently with only his head visible above the water, Al screamed, “Shark! Tourniquet!” Gone was all his gear, including his mask, gun, fins and weight belt. Rescuers swiftly unleashed the anchor with a quick-release and immediately backed the boat to Al. They hauled him onto the swimstep, where he died just five minutes after the attack. A great bluewater diver had passed on. The autopsy confirmed the cause of death was exsanguination from a bite to the right calf, severing a major artery. White shark teeth were found embedded in the wounds. While the rescuers probably should have applied a tourniquet during their efforts at CPR, they reported Al did not bleed once he was removed from the water.
Be sure to count all divers at the beginning of the trip and make sure they are all aboard before moving to a new location. One Southern California diver was left at Cortez Bank overnight, 110 miles from shore. Upon returning the next morning, the party boat crew found him safely installed on the only thing floating, the navigation bell buoy. He managed to fight off several sea lions to achieve his perch.
When anchoring in strong current conditions consider trailing a current line behind your boat. Use it to get back to the boat if the current increases or when a fish takes you down-current. Some use 300 feet of 1/4-inch polypropylene line with a red-eye buoy at the end.
SPEARGUN SAFETY
Avoid loading spearguns out of the water; the lack of water friction can cause the gun to get away from you. We know of one person who slipped while loading a small gun, sending the shaft under his lower jaw and into his mouth. A single tooth stopped it from exiting his cheek. Another diver was not so lucky. His gun slipped, sending the shaft through his lower jaw and into his brain, killing him instantly. The potential energy stored in a four- or five-banded loaded speargun is enormous. We have seen a gun accidentally discharged as its owner loaded the final band. The launched shaft quickly took the attached gun in tow, and together they sailed through the air 100 yards across an entire kelp bed.
While in the water with a loaded gun always be aware of where your gun is aiming. Several accidental discharges have severely injured fellow divers.
PERSONAL SAFETY GEAR
Please consider using one or more of the following:
· An inflation device to help retrieve a fish or act as a float in an emergency.
· Whistle
· Personal GPS locator
· Night light
These are some of the common sense concepts we use to keep our sport safer. We are always looking for new methods and ideas to improve our safety-first policy. Come join us.
"Never having shot a black seabass or seen one, for that matter, I was instructed to look for a large black fish. No problem—the water visibility was clear to the bottom 60 feet below. After about 20 minutes, I saw movement near the reef. Excited and pumped up with air and adrenaline, I dove to the 150-pound fish 50 feet below. I circled in behind a kelp stalk and slammed my shaft into its side just as it turned away. I swam full speed to the surface for air as it stripped 150 feet of line from my reel.
On the surface, I held my gun with a fierce grip as the big fish towed me about two blocks to another kelp bed. Abruptly, the fish stopped and I pulled hand-over-hand style until I was on top of him. I had hoped for an easy recovery, but I was unlucky. The fish took off again and somehow some of the line I recovered formed a deadly clove hitch knot around my left wrist. Suddenly I was 18 feet underwater thinking I was in deep trouble.
As I tried to keep cool, my mind churned furiously for ideas. I remembered the small knife I carried on my weight belt. Very, very carefully, I inched it from its sheath, knowing I was a dead man if I dropped it. Incredibly, at that moment the fish stopped, tangled on the bottom. Looking up, I judged that if I swam forward I could reach the surface. On the surface I used the knife to pry the knot from my wrist, and was ready to cut it if the fish took off again."
BOAT TRAFFIC
Many of us have stories of near-misses and actual encounters with boats and limb-severing boat propellers. Surprisingly,several of the boatmen involved in these accidents were divers themselves. During one Bluewater Meet at Catalina Island, one diver racing to a spot ran over another’s fins, severing both fin blades in half. Using a diver’s down flag will help alert other boaters of your presence.
During another contest one contestant ran over another diver in the kelp, severing his jaw and just missing his carotid artery. Boatdrivers should approach divers cautiously, coming from the direction of deep water, if practical. Use slow speed and anticipate finding divers great distances from their own boats, sometimes 1/2 mile or more.
DIVER’S FLAG
Whenever possible carry a float equipped with a diver’s down flag, and always fly one on your boat. Besides warning other boaters of your presence, a flag will help others locate you if you become lost.
TRAVEL BY BOAT
In Southern California, many dive adventures involve boat trips near shore or to the surrounding islands. Begin your boat trip by reviewing the location of emergency equipment and discussing emergency plans. Learn the location of life vests, life rafts, firstaid kits and emergency locators—lights and signal generators. Discuss safety procedures for the dive. Appoint someone to observe from the boat, and agree on hand signals for both routine and emergency pickup. Decide on how to get to an injured diver quickly. Use a small chase-boat or, if one is not available, make sure your boat is equipped with a quick-release anchor. Outfit the chase-boat with a handheld VHF radio, two pairs of gloves, an extra speargun and a flying gaff.
Don’t forget a tourniquet—its application to an arm or leg might be life-saving. In an emergency, make one with a speargun band. Twist it tightly with a knife sheath or spear. Another valuable addition to your first-aid kit is Quickclot compresses, which will treat hemorrhage from any source, including shark bites.
Adequate preparation does not guarantee success, as the events surrounding Al Schneppershoff’s death show. Al traveled to Guadalupe Island, Mexico, in September 1973 with three other divers and his 9-year-old son, Little Al. Seeking calm water for the night, they anchored the boat in a protected bay over water about 40-feet deep. Al was excited about seeing 300-pound tuna earlier that day. True to his style, he was the last one to remain in the 40-foot visibility water, while Little Al watched from the bow. Suddenly, Little Al (now an active bluewater diver himself) yelled, “Something’s wrong with my dad.” Struggling violently with only his head visible above the water, Al screamed, “Shark! Tourniquet!” Gone was all his gear, including his mask, gun, fins and weight belt. Rescuers swiftly unleashed the anchor with a quick-release and immediately backed the boat to Al. They hauled him onto the swimstep, where he died just five minutes after the attack. A great bluewater diver had passed on. The autopsy confirmed the cause of death was exsanguination from a bite to the right calf, severing a major artery. White shark teeth were found embedded in the wounds. While the rescuers probably should have applied a tourniquet during their efforts at CPR, they reported Al did not bleed once he was removed from the water.
Be sure to count all divers at the beginning of the trip and make sure they are all aboard before moving to a new location. One Southern California diver was left at Cortez Bank overnight, 110 miles from shore. Upon returning the next morning, the party boat crew found him safely installed on the only thing floating, the navigation bell buoy. He managed to fight off several sea lions to achieve his perch.
When anchoring in strong current conditions consider trailing a current line behind your boat. Use it to get back to the boat if the current increases or when a fish takes you down-current. Some use 300 feet of 1/4-inch polypropylene line with a red-eye buoy at the end.
SPEARGUN SAFETY
Avoid loading spearguns out of the water; the lack of water friction can cause the gun to get away from you. We know of one person who slipped while loading a small gun, sending the shaft under his lower jaw and into his mouth. A single tooth stopped it from exiting his cheek. Another diver was not so lucky. His gun slipped, sending the shaft through his lower jaw and into his brain, killing him instantly. The potential energy stored in a four- or five-banded loaded speargun is enormous. We have seen a gun accidentally discharged as its owner loaded the final band. The launched shaft quickly took the attached gun in tow, and together they sailed through the air 100 yards across an entire kelp bed.
While in the water with a loaded gun always be aware of where your gun is aiming. Several accidental discharges have severely injured fellow divers.
PERSONAL SAFETY GEAR
Please consider using one or more of the following:
· An inflation device to help retrieve a fish or act as a float in an emergency.
· Whistle
· Personal GPS locator
· Night light
These are some of the common sense concepts we use to keep our sport safer. We are always looking for new methods and ideas to improve our safety-first policy. Come join us.