Afternoon dive with Eli G.

After not diving with Eli for a looooong time, we finally were able to do another afternoon dive outside of ML.  He took me to the left and the grounds were pretty dead.  I had been to that spot a few times previously and on each account the grounds were also pretty dead.  haha.

We got to the parking lot and started to talk and catch up.  We made our way down to the beach and there was quite a bit of people/tourists staring at the two weird full wetsuited divers with spearguns.
The water was nice but on the murky side.  As we got in Eli swam towards me holding up one busted band.  I laughed and he was like oh well one band is better than none....haha  I could have sworn those were the same bands he used on our last dive and they were really buss up!  We swam around the left side point and saw.....nothing!  The uhus were also scarce! haha

Eli and I took turns taking blind drops and dusting as we were trying to find the elusive Mu pile.  After only seeing bubbles and coral eggs we decided to swim farther left.  We came across a big opelu kala which eli took a shot on but due to the lack of speargun rubbers it dodged he shaft and swam away.
Eli started to reload and I watched as the opelu kala came back and hid under a rock right below us.  I signaled eli to go down as I wanted to give him the sweet taste of redemption.

He drops down and is looking in the totally opposite direction that I signaled to him where the fish was hiding.  He turns to the left and sees it!  It spooks a little and Eli chases it down and gets a nice shot off!  the one bandit Eli strikes again! haha

We keep swimming farther down and I take a drop on an uhu but miss.  We start to head back and work the coast line as the sun is getting lower.  We come across a nice cave and check it but nothing inside....

On the other side however is an abundance of fish.  Uhus, joes and toaus.  Its a perfect picture window to snipe and we take turns dropping down.  The fish would come in but it was hard to line up as the current would rush through and push us in and out of the vagina hole.

Eli finally gets a shot off on a nice whiptail but it rips off.

We head back as its nearing the witching hour.  We come across two more opelu kalas and I keep signaling Eli to spear one.  (My friend wanted a bunch to make fish patties)  Eli finally caves in and takes my gun and drops and gets a good holding shot on a big opelu kala.

The other one is still around and I dive down and take a shot with Elis riffe and get a good holding shot.  The fish both start to go nuts and during the whole ordeal I am trying to stop my uncontrollable laughter.  I forgot to note that just previous to this we saw a white tip shark (5 footer).

Eli looks up and me and pops his head outta the water and yells "Shark frenzy!  Lets get the fuck outta here!!!"  I laugh and am trying to subdue my fish but due to my uncontrollable laughter my mask keeps leaking.  I finally string up my fish and wait for Eli to do the same.

We start to swim and I feel a strong pull on my daisy chain.  I look up and see the water splashing from the shark thrashing as he taxes part of an opelu kala.  I drop the anchor and rush towards the float.  The shark is circling and rushing the fish.  I dive down and try to keep the shark at bay.  I look at Eli and after we both try to keep the shark away from our prizzzzed catch, he grabs the anchor and starts to swim in.

I stay in the back and keep the shark at bay.  It constantly comes back circles and rushes in to get the fish.  It took about another 20 minutes of swimming with the shark constantly at my heels.  The murkiness of the water also didnt help as most times I could not see him coming.

At one time I kept swimming in and he swam right up to me from behind me.  I finally give the shark a nice poke and he goes away.  Such determination!  Eli and I both beach and are laughing.  We carry the fish up to the shower just in time to see the security guard coming.  Eli tells him the story and we carry everything back to the truck.

Another epic dive at ML.  I hope those fish patties come out good because I almost got chomped!

The End.

Midmorning dive 1

Back in action with T.C. hammah hammah!

Hamakua started to look nice as friday strolled in.  I called Tyson with excitement since it was over a month since we last dove.  The air was filled with vog due to Kona winds, but the water looked glassy as ever.  We got in the water around 11am.  What a late start!   We first arrived at obake point around 10 but spend some time watching the water due to some swell intervals.  Our usually in/out was surgy and we decided to hike to the right to a point where we last did a night dive.

The in/out there was much better due to the swell energy being broken up by 2 points ahead.  We jumped in and the water was clear and warm.  79 degrees F.  The tide was dropping and upon swimming out I told Tyson I was in search of some uhus and palanis for my Hilo friends.

Tyson dove down on the first green whiptail and took a shot which connected in the guts.  The magic stick (120SV) was on and ready.  We continued to swim out and the water was surprising really nice with very mild current.  We did some drops at around 60ft and dusted but didnt see any fish of interest.

Upon swimming towards the left, we wanted to check 2 houses for any action.  Tyson spotted a nice kali and took a drop down.  The kali runs away but he follows it to the ledge and shoots a nice omilu....stoned!  Hammah hammah hammah!

I spot a small uku that comes around as Tyson starts to reload and start to palu the uhu guts.  He sticks around and I take a drop and start to dust.  He starts to come in but is a little wary of my presence.  I ascend with no shot and we continue on.

We continue to swim towards the houses and check the first small one.  I peek inside but dont see anything.  We swim out towards the bigger house and I drop on the outside.  I peek in and dont see any jacks but spot a nice toau and kumu.  I try to wait for the kumu but he spooks and I go back up.

I drop back down and shoot the toau.  Swimming the fish back to the float, I see TC Hammah with another toau as well.  We follow the structure in and I tell TC to take a shot at a pualu.  It digs after a miss and we follow the ledge in.  Theres a nice aggregation of fish on the inside and I take a palani.

I drop again to the top of the ledge and see a nice joe start to come in.  I swim after him and shoot....but miss.  Tyson spots a nice kumu and takes a shot but it rips off.  We start to head back and he spots another omilu and connects with the 120SV!

We swim in and get out safely.   We hike back to the ladder and climb up.  Another good dive at Obake point!