Mike,

Laws here are interesting, just like any other carib country. For one, its illegal to bring in/purchase/have a spear gun UNLESS you had it before a certian year (think it was in the 80's but in all honesty have no idea).

If you have a spear gun, you can't dive with it, but you can free dive with it...

Little stuff like that... for instance its perfectly legal to use a mop to get lobster during season (dive down, find a lobster, put the mop in its face, and they attach themselfs to it - no claws on most of the lobsters you can get here so don't know what do to get 'tangled' up in the mop). But at the same time you can't grab the lobster with your hand or its illegal till your out of the water.

But in a survive situation, all bets are off ;-)

Kris

Hi Kris,

I agree with you about laws being odd and that you have to check them everywhere you go. Your speargun law is similar to our grandfathered Canadian "Prohibited Handgun " law where if you owned the firearm prior to a certain date then you were allowed to keep it for target shoothing or collecting, but cannot transfer it to an individual unless they are another grandfathered person.

I agree with you; in a survival situation you do what you need to do, to get you and your family through it.

Never heard of fishing with a mop before, interesting.

Mike

I don't think you 'defend against' barracudas.

The usual plan is to avoid them and/or to avoid being attacked. At least to avoid providing the signals that cause barracudas to reflexively attack. Mainly avoiding any gear that might flash like or otherwise resemble the small fish barracudas eat.

I don't think an active defense is in the cards. Barracudas are perfectly capable of sneaking up on a person and they are frighteningly fast when they attack. I have had them come within arms length before I caught a glimpse out of the corner of my eye. A four foot long barracuda is Very impressive up close with those teeth hanging out. After I got over awe and admiration I made some noise and it was out of sight, perhaps 40' away, in a flash. I wouldn't have a chance of stopping a fish that can move so fast.

Talking to divers in south Florida, by my estimation, most are more afraid of a barracuda attack than a shark attack.

That harpoon tip, if it is the one I'm thinking of, because it is shiney and vaguely baitfish shaped and sized might trigger an attack. I don't think it is a huge risk and presumably it would be at the end of a pole of some sort but baracuddas are prone to attack anything that even vaguely resembles small fish. I would Not hang it off my body.

I can see a roll for a harpoon of sorts to snag fish in the shallows. Assuming my area had fish suitable for eating a harpoon could be a useful addition.

From the 2006 Shot show report on ETS...
(Note: there is a larger version of the Hoffman Harpoon now available.)
TOPS
TOPS introduced their usual slew of new knives, a number of which were interesting or practical utility or survival blades.

Manufacturer: TOPS Model: Hoffman Harpoon
Blade Steel: 1095 Hardness Rc: 58
Blade Shape: Wharncliff Edge: Plain
Blade Length: 2.5"/63mm Blade Thickness: 0.187"/4.7mm
Overall Length: 8"/203mm Tang: Full
Handle Material: Steel Weight: 2.4oz/68g1
Available? 2nd Qtr 2006 MSRP: $80 range
1 With paracord handle wrap
Terril Hoffman, best known as a knife and firearms photographer, as well as for his gun and knife articles, designed the Hoffman Harpoon on a whim, but it ended up being turned into reality because so many thought it was a great idea. The blade ship is essentially a Wharncliff with a 2.5-inch straight edge of 1095 high carbon steel. �A full 3/16-inch thick at the spine ensures it is robust enough to stand up to even significant abuse. �The entire knife is black powder coated. The integral handle extends up at about a 20 degree angle from the blade and is plenty long enough for even the largest hand.� The tang is wrapped with black parachute cord, but this is easily removed if desired. �A deep integral half guard gives a safe and secure grip.� Deep scallops on the spine of the blade provide good thumb purchase. �Together, these allow you to naturally grasp the blade for finer work or use your index finger to guide the edge carefully while gutting and filleting fish, for example. ��Sheath design is still in development, Terrill says, "it will be made to hold an additional item or two of gear such as a sharpener."

It's not named the Harpoon for nothing, and with the para-cord wrapping removed the long narrow handle and lanyard hole should allow you to very securely attach it to a branch to create an improvised harpoon for fishing or gigging frogs. The curved shape of the guard ensures that anything you pierce with the harpoon will likely not wriggle off.� Terrill noted that it's meant to complement a larger fixed blade and that a lanyard should be attached to the lanyard hole and this should run back along the sapling used as a haft to the users hand during "harpooning" to prevent blade loss.� Given the design point for the knife, it looks like he hit that target in the bulls eye.� �MSRP is anticipated to be in the $80 range.

I know a number of people who use a Hoffman Harpoon in their PSK, BOB bags and as a necker. Practicality is not a problem for those that have a harpoon in their kits. With proper usage, I find it a nice addition to my gear.
TOPS has a larger version out now, and a mini Harpoon is coming out 3/24/08.

It's made from 1095 carbon steel? Seems less than ideal for fishing...especially in salt water.

I agree... I mentioned that as comment but personally know its not a reality. Heard too many horror stories (one is more then enough).

And you are right that most people are afraid of them more then sharks... especially in the carib. Reef and Nerf sharks are quite common here, and barracudas are by far the most feared when doing anying in the water when your away from shore.

I even have a pic of a friend who got a santa hat on a nerf shark when the guy was relaxing. She done them up for her xmas cards. Very relaxed guys.

Nothing like coming up from a 100' dive from the wall and looking up you see two hammerheads... that one freaked me out for a few weeks. Just circling you till you made it back on your boat..... erie. Need to have a psk for stuff like that, like diapers. ;-)

Adrift: Seventy-six Days Lost at Sea
by Steven Callahan

Highly reccomended survival read. The spear gun he happened to have with him was instrumental to his survival.

I'm Canadian, and have a 410 from my grandfather thats sitting back at my grandmothers, and my dad has a 22 that he got from as well. Can't tell you how old they are as I have no idea, but the 410 is one nice thing. Got them thru that law (we no longer hunt with them).

Grandfather taught my dad how to shoot partridge with a 22 back when he was a kid. Told him if you can't shoot a bird with that, he won't get a 410. Can't do that now days, but still amazing what you can do with a little 22 if you had to.

Yeah, never heard of that till i moved down here. Things people do to 'get' around the laws. And that is perfect legal as long as they don't touch the lobster till its out of the water.

Also didn't know you can cut through copper pipe with nylon string till I saw a constructin crew down here do it down here during ivan (had to fix some pipes before the hurricane hit and i was just watching them set up a run of pipe in no time).

Kris