Tyler Winchell
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I want to spearfish nj should i get cert in scuba or just do snorkling and spear
Scuba or snorkling for spearfishing
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I poke spear flounders on the bottom. Without scuba it would be too much work and I may scare them away with limited time down there. But many free dive to spear (they call snorkeling and going down "free diving" these days).
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Tyler Winchell
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So your suggesting scuba?
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Yes, assuming you want to take the course and buy all the equipment and all the hassles/costs that go with it. Obviously you can go deeper and don't have to surface every minute or 3. Depends on what you want to do--where you'll go, etc. My younger brother had a ball with a spear gun in the '70s snorkeling in L.I.Sound spearing Blackfish in maybe 8' water. Then he became a diver. With snorkeling you put on fins/mask/snorkel, taking maybe one minute, and go. Then come out and go home, not spend an hour rinsing tanks, regulators, etc.
Depends...want a challenge? No scuba.. I used to free dive almost every weekend up in Rhode Island..depths 10 to 40'. Stripe bass, tautog (blackfish)..keeps you in shape and you get bigger fish . Takes much more skill and fitness than scuba.
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Don't disagree. My problem I think was not being the greatest at holding my breath (maybe a minute without any exertion?). I did get some pretty good shells over 40 years of snorkeling, but some great ones the last 12 years on scuba. Both shelling and spearing seem to go under "Hunting & Gathering".
Both take training and a diving partner to make it safe.
Short term, freediving will take more work and practice VS scuba, to become a good and comfortable diver.
Freediving has more risk for newly trained divers and relies heavily on a strong buddy system. Scuba diving for newly trained divers is safer by comparison and doesn't have to rely so heavily on a strong buddy system. I use divers interchangeably as both scuba and freediving.
However, short term freediving training will make you a more successful spearfisher right off the bat compared with scuba.
Freediving training teaches you underwater comfort, swimming efficiency, and indirectly how to be stealth. Scuba teaches you how to plow through the water, because divers don't need efficiency due to having air and bubbles don't help with stealth. Also comfort with scuba doesn't always come easy for some folks. That "oh god, I'm breathing underwater and freaking out" moment can be hard to phase out for some.
With freediving, there's more risk with shallow quick repetitive dives (which is what new freedivers often do). You can black out and drown if your buddy system is sub par. There's specific protocol for a freediving buddy system. And the risk of being lax is actually higher with shallow quick repetitive dives VS just one long deep dive. Without good training, you're only ever going to do the former; so you have high risk.
With scuba, a shallow dive is safer than a deeper dive.
Freediving, by the time you exceed 40ft and go deep, you're pretty well trained, comfy, and knowledgeable enough to have the proper buddy support team. Stereotypically speaking at least.
Long term, freediving will be cheaper than scuba because you have less gear to purchase and maintain.
Scuba gear needs to be inspected annual and serviced every 1-2 years at ea ch inspection by a dive shop technician. You're looking at an initial gear cost of snorkel equipment, gun/reel, float, and scuba gear (start at $3000 initial cost) ; then an annual cost of at least $200 usually more to service everything. Freediving you can do all the inspections yourself. Just check your snorkel gear, gun, reel, and float. Initial gear cost ($1000, biggest purchase is your gun)
Either way you should take an intro course in freediving or scuba. 2 different paths, same outcome.
Scuba training is done by PADI, NAUI, or SSI certs for here in the states. Any scuba shop will be able to teach you. Freediving training is essentially PFI (Performance Freediving International). NAUI & PADI have similar courses but their instructors aren't consistently as good because they're primarily scuba divers.
Short term, freediving will take more work and practice VS scuba, to become a good and comfortable diver.
Freediving has more risk for newly trained divers and relies heavily on a strong buddy system. Scuba diving for newly trained divers is safer by comparison and doesn't have to rely so heavily on a strong buddy system. I use divers interchangeably as both scuba and freediving.
However, short term freediving training will make you a more successful spearfisher right off the bat compared with scuba.
Freediving training teaches you underwater comfort, swimming efficiency, and indirectly how to be stealth. Scuba teaches you how to plow through the water, because divers don't need efficiency due to having air and bubbles don't help with stealth. Also comfort with scuba doesn't always come easy for some folks. That "oh god, I'm breathing underwater and freaking out" moment can be hard to phase out for some.
With freediving, there's more risk with shallow quick repetitive dives (which is what new freedivers often do). You can black out and drown if your buddy system is sub par. There's specific protocol for a freediving buddy system. And the risk of being lax is actually higher with shallow quick repetitive dives VS just one long deep dive. Without good training, you're only ever going to do the former; so you have high risk.
With scuba, a shallow dive is safer than a deeper dive.
Freediving, by the time you exceed 40ft and go deep, you're pretty well trained, comfy, and knowledgeable enough to have the proper buddy support team. Stereotypically speaking at least.
Long term, freediving will be cheaper than scuba because you have less gear to purchase and maintain.
Scuba gear needs to be inspected annual and serviced every 1-2 years at ea ch inspection by a dive shop technician. You're looking at an initial gear cost of snorkel equipment, gun/reel, float, and scuba gear (start at $3000 initial cost) ; then an annual cost of at least $200 usually more to service everything. Freediving you can do all the inspections yourself. Just check your snorkel gear, gun, reel, and float. Initial gear cost ($1000, biggest purchase is your gun)
Either way you should take an intro course in freediving or scuba. 2 different paths, same outcome.
Scuba training is done by PADI, NAUI, or SSI certs for here in the states. Any scuba shop will be able to teach you. Freediving training is essentially PFI (Performance Freediving International). NAUI & PADI have similar courses but their instructors aren't consistently as good because they're primarily scuba divers.
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Belzelbub
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You can spearfish on scuba or freedive. Both require training. And both carry some risk. With either, get some training and experience before you add spearfishing to the mix. Both require a good amount of mental focus, and the excitement of the hunt can get you in over your head.
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I began my diving as a goggler way before the introduction of the bubble machine into the US. I also began teaching diving just a few years after the establishment of formalized UW instruction by LA Co UW Instructor Association.
Over these many years it has been my observation that a SCUBA Student with previous free diving experienced or a surfer with an equal amount of experience were always my best students.
The were water people-
It is suggested that you might want to invest in basic equipment , F,M, S, wet suit and a weight belt. Purchase a short barred spear gun or a pole spear and a fish stringer.
Don your costume of diving and go among them spearing and getting water experience
You will be a much better SCUBA diver and will probably amaze your fuzzy faced instructor with you abilities
SDM
Over these many years it has been my observation that a SCUBA Student with previous free diving experienced or a surfer with an equal amount of experience were always my best students.
The were water people-
It is suggested that you might want to invest in basic equipment , F,M, S, wet suit and a weight belt. Purchase a short barred spear gun or a pole spear and a fish stringer.
Don your costume of diving and go among them spearing and getting water experience
You will be a much better SCUBA diver and will probably amaze your fuzzy faced instructor with you abilities
SDM
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