Late Cozumel trip report

AKScuba 4/14/2010, 10:42 pm

Got back from Cozumel 2 weeks ago, had 2 days of some awesome spearing on the windward side of the island. Took to the north end of the island along some reef and got some small hogfish and a few bugs on the first dive in 20 feet on some reef. Next dive we rigged up with my 48 biller that I had down at a friends house and made a drop in 35 feet . I made a drop to the bottom and found a big cubera just hanging by a coral head. Took the shot and hit low from where I aimed, just behind the gills. I had my camera housing mounted to my gun, and just my luck the shock line came off the gun wrong and wrapped around the housing as he took off. Somehow the housing leaked and the camera was ruined, I started following him from the surface and trying to play him out until I saw where he was headed... big overhang. Pulled and pulled but couldnt stop him from holing up. Before he got too deep in I buoyed off the gun and dropped down on him with the knife out, ready to finish him off. I pulled on the spearshaft to see if I could work him out that way but he was having none of it.

Of course my luck, I surfaced, pumped up and dropped on him again and reached under the ledge only to have him inhale my hand. Got a handful of gills, put my feet up on the coral and pulled him out and finished him off. 32 lbs, personal best!!! Of course he destroyed my biller shaft and camera housing for the only camera I had with me for the whole trip on my 2nd day there.

Didnt do any rod and reel fishing but my last SCUBA dive I made I surfaced to a Marlin going airborne about 50 yards off the bow of the boat. Awesome sight. The grouper stocks have made a huge rebound as well, there were ledges with schools of 20 to 30 grouper all over them.