Do you know Venezuela?

[Dave Edlund]

My name is Dave Edlund and I'm looking for divers with Venezuela spearfishing experience. I am the director of tournament spearfishing for the Underwater Society of America and I am trying to help the U.S. Spearfishing team get ready for the 2008 World Spearfishing Championships which will be at Margarita Island, Venezuela in fall of 2008. Even before the Worlds, the U.S. team must go down to Venezuela in the fall of 2007 to compete against Americas countries (Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Venezuala, Columbia, Peru and more) trying to qualify for Worlds. If you have local experience in the water and know about fish habitat, we could use your help. Please contact me.

Here is a photo of the 2004 U.S. World Spearfishing team from 2004 when we were last in South America at a Worlds. In 2004, the event was held in Iquique, Chile. Here also is a photo of Bob Humphrey holding a congrio eel. And to give you a feel of the excitment of the event, here is a the traffic jam of boats at the start of the tournament. It was both crazy and fun! The good news was that all three U.S. divers finished in the top 30 divers in the World. It was like a mini-Olympics, but for Spearfishing divers.

Thanks!

Dave Edlund

[Tedbudion]

Hi Dave,

If you speak Spanish or knows somebody that does, log on Pescalo a pulmon (http://www.pescaloapulmon.com.ve) . This site is a great asset for Venezuelan spearing. They have rules, fish etc. Margarita Island has similar conditions as the Florida Keys, but less fish. BTW, the Panam trials will be held at Higuerote, not Margarita.

[SpearMax]

Ted, thanks for helping Dave. The USA wants to make a strong showing at the worlds next time and Dave is our man in charge. I will search my records to see if I can find any Spearboard members down there also.

[SpearMax]

Dave, did you check with our Spearbord member Erik Bañados of Huntington Beach, CA whose screen name is Bañados? He seems to know alot about those South American tourneys. Tony

Here is his signature line:

fathomier@socal.rr.com
www.fathomiers.net

[ROBERTO REYES]

I have speared in Venezuela a few times, on a 10 day stay there went to the Paria peninsula, awesome place.
Marco Melis is from Venezuela, he just sign as a SB member, he is living here in Puerto Rico and is a Puerto Rico Freedivers club member.
He is a great diver and could really help.
Fish in Venezuela would be like Florida and the Caribbean, snappers(muttons,dog tooth,Cuberas),groupers,jacks,barracudas.
The venezuelan team is going to be very hard to beat in their own waters, they are exellent freedivers and spearos.
Ivan, were are you?
Snapperd

[Dave Edlund]

Thanks Ted, Tony and Roberto for your leads. Because the Worlds qualifier is being held in South America (Higuerde, Venezuela) only 2 months after our final Qualifying U.S. Spearfishing Nationals, we are going to be real time pressed. And becasue the qualifying tournament is leading to a South American World tournament, there were be great competition as the participating countries will be motivated to get to the 2008 Worlds in Venezuala. The U.S. needs a lot of help otherwise we could be on the sidelines for the CMAS sponsored World spearfishing event. Please, anyone who is willing to help the U.S. team, join the thread or write me privately if that is better for you. Thanks, Dave Edlund