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Like a well-executed shot in billiards, it looks so very easy...then you go and try to accomplish that same three bank shot and all of sudden it’s a lot more difficult than it looks. The new breed of freediving spearos (including veterans that are 60-73 years old) are taking the sport to a whole other level.
The guys and gals that are competing and blue water hunting these days are serious athletes that put their lives (quite literally) on the line each time they make a dive. Some divers can work at depths over 100 feet and many local divers work 50 and 60 feet in places like the SW Ledge at Block and the rips off Watch Hill and Race Rock. Most anglers wouldn’t want to fall in the water there, never mind diving down 50 feet in current that wants to rip your mask off, in visibility that’s sometimes measured in inches not feet, and where the rocks are festooned with super braid and wire line. Pete “The Greek” who shot the record bass, is a good friend of an old teammate of mine, John Warnock, and he said Pete works hard at shooting only quality fish and pursues them with the same attention to detail that any savvy angler would. It’s all about reading the water, understanding the tides, knowing your boat, having the right equipment and knowing your capabilities. Is this a sport? You bet it is.
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