Freedive Invitational This Saturday!!

[Screen Name]

The weather is looking good enough on Saturday to run the 1RST Annual FSDA Fall Invtitational Freedive tournament, so it is a go.

The tournament is an invitational for FSDA Members who have competed in this year's State Championship and their guests. We are trying some new rules and it should be a great time. If you have any questions about the tournament, you can email me at inluber@tampabay.rr.com

Now...........who is going to be the first Fall Champion? :D

[Red Tide]

I hear the fish are thick in shallow and deep off of Tarpon Springs. With all of the new categories to fill, this should be a very competitive tournament.
As too who wins this tournament.........Just ask the Bucket (He is the greatest):D :D

[RabiSpear]

It should be a fun time. I am looking forward to a pressure-free trip on someone else's boat!!! I have no idea where I would look for a porgie, margate or sea bass. None of our ##'s match that description!! The fish are there, so are the sharkies.

[Ed Walker]

Me and my boat are in, weather permitting. Looks like Ill finally get to use the triple secret porgy hole for something!

[Red Tide]

You better bring a twelve pack of extra heavy duty condoms if you plan on banging that secret porgy hole. Sasa has been there alot latley.:D

P.S. Ritchey has been waiting to back dive the secret G SPOT!!!:p

[fish4fun]

Tourney briefly mentioned in St. Pete Times today - wanted to come and support the event. Called local dive shops in St. Pete area, no one knew anything about it. Searched on line, nothing. Saw your mention of it (no details as to location). Called two dive shops in NPR, the only way they knew about it was via St. Pete Times today.....Since we are unable to find ANY info, unfortunately, we cannot come up to support the event. The NPR dive shops were quite surprised about the event and the fact that they did not have any info on it. We would like to support/participate in the future, but the word REALLY needs to get out. Can only imagine the lack of info only hurts/limits the number of participants and spectators for your new event. Congrats on starting a new tourney and we hope it went well for the group. If you are able, please relay the disappointment of the local dive shops and interested participants/spectators in regard to the hush-hush nature of this event. Hope to hear about the results and see info on it for next time.

[deepdown]

Had a great time Saturday. Good finally meeting some of the other board members in person.

Thanks to David Shelton for his hospitality in his beautiful home, and G.R for inviting some of the Miami guys to come up there.

Lets hope for better conditions next year.

Gerald

[Ed Walker]

Yes, It was a good time and a very relaxed and friendly competition. Enjoyed diving and comparing gear and techniques with some new divers (Deepdown and Emile). Considering the heavy seas and near zero vis it could have been called the Extreme Freedive Tourney. The after party at Snookers was a lot of fun and Theo the owner really hooked us up. Congrats to Mighty Mouse for his hard earned number one finish.

[Spear One]

That Mighty Mouse is quite a competitor. Congratulations Chris.

[Mighty Mouse]

Anyone who competed in that tournament was a champion in my eyes. The conditions only got worse as the day unfolded and there were several dives when I was asking myself what the Hell were we doing out here. Considereing all though it was an awsome tournament that Dave and his supporters put on and he definitely deserves a trophy for all his hard work and gracious hospitality. The beer always tasted colder and better when it a good friends, thanks Dave. Oh and thanks to Armor Dave and all the generous sponsors, I'm gonna love using that new gear bag. No more bucket (not you Ritchie) GR, just kidding.

Chris

[RabiSpear]

I had a great time and learned a lot too. I learned about a fish I had never really heard of: Lesser (than 33") Amberjacks and mystery "Open" categories. I thought an Almaco Jack was the lesser AJ. Do think we can get the FRA to open a Lesser Gag Grouper species? That would save a lot of fish from spear and release.

I had an awesome time and enjoyed the get-together. Great tourney that I look forward to next year. Thanks to Ed Walker for another great trip.

When we showed up at the first spot with a boat already there, it was all smiles and helping each other out instead of yelling and screaming. That is what it should always be about. Of course, they probably felt bad for us coming all that way in a 23 foot flats boat. Also, I offered to fight SNOOKER for the spot, but he declined after seeing my my full grandeur in a speedo.

[snooker]

Dave Shelton did do a great job putting the tourney together. With those conditions you have a chance to learn a lot even though you're asking yourself why you're even out there and also putting faces to names like Emil and Gerald. It was good to meet yall and lets hope for better weather next year.

[apexpredator]

....by all. Very glad to have met some of the guys on this board face to face. Everyone was extremely friendly and helpful. Conditions were very challenging to say the least. With the visibility a mere two feet in places it was spearfishing by touch and instinct that put fish in the boat. I knew the water would be cold but I wasn't really prepared for just how cold. Dove the whole day with a lycra dive skin and a 3mil shorty on top of that. By the end of the days diving I was afraid the resulting "shrinkage" might be permanent. Thanks to Dave Shelton and John Schmidt for their hospitality and putting the whole thing together. A special thanks to Ed Walker for sharing his boat and numbers and showing us what an experienced captn. can do in even the most adverse conditions. Looking forward to the next chance we have to dive with any of the folks we met.....a great group of guys. Thanks again...and Happy Hunting!!

BTW What happened to the last boat of the group? I said a little silent prayer for them before our meal at Snookers on Saturday and thought about them again Sunday and this morning. Hopefully it was just something minor that everyone can look back upon and just have a good laugh about. If someone knows please post.

[Spearo_Fla]

Great meeting all you west coasters. Many thanks to Dave and Debbie for putting up with me. Dinner was great!

As for the conditions, I have dived in your water twice now and both times it SUCKED! (2001 Nationals and this weekend) No it blowed!

Your'll never hear me complain about the viz. in Ft. Lauderdale again! Shooting fish has a new meaning when your holding your gun 2 1/2 feet behind you!

I had to sharpen my spear, it acually got dull running into the bottom! I guess better my spear then my big nose :^)

[Straightup]

Congrats to all the winners! Sorry we missed the party we were about 2 hours late returning from the Flimish Cap. Due to our new spinal injuries we had a hard time geting off the couch and making the track down to tarpon. At least we got to dive in some clear water. I spent the whole day trying to get a shot on a 100lb Cubera. I am sure he will be there for the next tourny. Thanks John and Dave maybe one time we can get some clear water in close for a change

[Screen Name]

Originally posted by Straightup
Congrats to all the winners! Sorry we missed the party we were about 2 hours late returning from the Flimish Cap. Due to our new spinal injuries we had a hard time geting off the couch and making the track down to tarpon. At least we got to dive in some clear water. I spent the whole day trying to get a shot on a 100lb Cubera. I am sure he will be there for the next tourny. Thanks John and Dave maybe one time we can get some clear water in close for a change

Ya Nole, we were glad to hear you guys were okay.......not a good day to have a problem, and even a worse night weather-wise. At least your misfortune moved me up four places. :D

It was really great to meet you guys from the East coast. We thoroughly enjoyed your company and we wish the conditions were better for you. Next year we will schedule this a little earlier so we have more chances to end up on a good day. From here until mid-February..........its not likely to get real good inshore!

By the way, everyone who joined the FSDA for this event will be considered paid for 2005. If anybody tries to make you pay again, have them see me or Dave. It's the least we could do considering the conditions we made you dive in. :D

I had a great time diving with Guerracuda (Jerry Guerra), Snooker (Casey), and DISKSKO (Ben).. I really wish I had put you on more fish and better conditions......next time my boat won't be new and I will do a better job of planning. I was real happy with the performance of my boat, other than a "minor" electronics problem, "minor" motor problem, a "minor" fuel consumption problem, and "minor" hull problem......(thats about all there is to a boat, isn't it?) all of which are gonna be fixed quick.

Thanks to Ed Walker for lining up the Snookers gig and GR for helping with the rules & promotion. We really enjoyed it. Congratulations to Chris Gardinal (Mighty Mouse), GR Tarr (Red Tide), and Ed Walker (Ed Walker), who finished 1, 2, and 3!

Placements:

1) Chris Gardinal...........95.5
2) GR Tarr......................81.2
3) Ed Walker.................72.0
4) Ritchie Zacker...........70.1
5) Blake Gaylord............69.3
6) Gerald DeBruijn.........57.4
7) Jerry Guerra..............53.6
8) Sasa Bratic................50.4
9) Emil Bravo.................45.6
10) John Schmidt...........41.6
11) Sean Carmichael.....15.2
12) David Shelton..........13.4
13) John Betthua.............6.2

[DISKSKO]

John,
it was nice shooting with you too...as well as meeting all the other people who love this sport. Everyone was real cool and I got some awesome practice freediving is pea soup. Gotta stay positive, right???

Until next time fellas...

[Armorkillshot]

Sat Was a lot of fun, shooting no vis just challenges us to be better athletes. Thanks again to Dave Shelton and the FSDA for putting on another kick ass event
I'm just glad I got a chance to spear with all the champs.

[SLAYER]

holy s$#t call the police, bucket didnt win the tournament