Cover: A rare, but highly prized catch for spearfishermen on the East Coast of Australia. A 17kg yellowfin tuna is proudly displayed by Tim McDonald.
Dm 4
6 10 20 30 40 48 56 62 76 86
Editorial Spearfishing Norfolk Chasing the Dream The Travelling Spearo NZ Blown Away In Search Of Big Redz Third Time Lucky TONGA My Backyard Blue Dot
Jamie Ryves loads his gun in preparation for the hunt. This stunning above-below water image was captured by Zach Sanders.
Dm 5
Dm
10
Dm 11
e h t g n i s
a h C Dm
20
Dm
21
Dm
30
Mayor Island, as seen from the charter boat, proved to be quite fishy on this trip.
The Travelling Spearo is up to his old tricks, and this time not even a rabid cyclone can stop him and his mates from enjoying a week in the waters of New Zealand. Bad weather aside, this trip ends with some delicious additions to the esky and a new PB.
N
ew Zealand has long been a spearfishing destination I have yet to experience. I’m finally heading over for five days of spearing, buzzing with excitement but also apprehensive as I keep a watch on the weather. Two cyclones are heading East from far North Queensland. I reassure myself that New Caledonia and Fiji will absorb any swell heading South to NZ, not to mention the system is breaking up and any swell will have a long distance to travel. I figure it’s as good as gold.
The morning of the flight arrives. I’m up early and at the airport by 5:15am. I see a few of the other boys arrive, and they quickly advise that the Eastward-moving cyclone has now taken a complete 90-degree turn and is bearing down on the North Island of New Zealand. “A cyclone in New Zealand? You’ve got to be kidding,” I think to myself in astonishment. The flight across is scenic, but as I look out towards a looming New Zealand, all I can see is a wall of white, spinning clouds and turbulent
Dm
31
After surfacing from a fruitful dive, Ryan Ellery offers up an 8kg red emperor.
Dm
48
Dm
49
Dm
58
A well-deserved smile radiates from the author's face after retrieving this magnificent mulloway, which turned out to be his personal-best jew.
Dm
59