After five years of absence, I went to the Mass Open! Jay Moore was nice enough to let me join the Rhode Island Freediving Club, following payment and a promise to give him my first child… It’s an exclusive club!
I was really insecure after such a long absence from competitions. I didn’t know all the guys who showed up, but the ones I knew could be challenging.
The scouting was interesting. There were so many fish around the barge in front of Gooseberry Island that I thought – OMG it’s going to be a slaughter house. Checkout the Amberjack at the end of the footage.
On the day of the competition, the fog was thick but the ocean flat. Since the wreck was far offshore I was a bit worried about missing it. I followed my compass straight south, hit Hens and chicken, then turned south west. The sound of the waves hitting the structure guided me until I finally saw the structure.
Ann Dorothy was behind me. The first two divers were using old Scupper Pros… Mine is from 1993, just saying.
The first two hours were terrible. The current ripped and the fishing was difficult. I managed to get my togs and my largest black sea bass during that time. When the current let go, I shot triggers, more black sea bass and some scups.
When it was time to leave, at around one, all the other kayaks but one, were gone from the wreck. The fog was just as thick as in the morning. I made it back with the compass, but not without a little adjustment since I hit the west of Gooseberry; we had to get out on the east side.
I’ll let other people tell the tale of the remaining yak. 😉 The coast guard was called. Someone didn’t have a compass….
I won the Olivier Resca got third, Ann Dorothy second and largest fish, and I won. We had nice gifts. A novelty, in the old days we got the little trophies but not stuff. I like this. I got a pair of blades from Pure Apnea, Ann got a carrying case, and Olivier a Riffe mask and snorkel.
