NSP:316 The 1770 Beginner Retreat Debrief Vol. 2 | 12 Learning Legends

NSP:316 The 1770 Beginner Retreat Debrief Vol. 2 | 12 Learning Legends

by | May 4, 2026 | Noob Spearo Podcast

Pull up a chair, crack a cold one, and prepare to be thoroughly entertained — because this is the 1770 Beginner Spearfishing Retreat debrief, Mark Two. Twelve learning legends, a pumped-up instructor team, and two days on the reefs of Agnes Water later, Shrek rounds up the whole crew on the last night for beers, belly laughs, and some genuinely moving takeaways. There’s Luke, who was mentally drafting his Marketplace listing for his speargun on Saturday afternoon before a red throat emperor at 20m turned him into a full-blown spearo evangelist. There’s Mackenzie, a total non-fisher who found herself staring down four bull sharks on day one and somehow ended the weekend relaxed about the whole thing. And then there’s Maddie — patient, methodical, and quietly devastating — who borrowed a reloaded gun with the boat bearing down and stoned a maori wrasse cold. Perseverance, slowing down, and the power of a crew that goes absolutely feral cheering for each other — if you’re on the fence about a retreat or just want to remember why you love this sport, this one’s for you.

1770 Retreat Spearfishing Gallery

Important Timestamps

00:00 — Cold open: cobia stories, reef highlights, bull sharks
01:00 — Shrek intro + retreat reviews (Alex & Lorden)
03:30 — Debrief begins: competition results and venue shoutouts
05:00 — Most Meritorious: Lucas, Maddie, Lachlan
06:00 — Biggest fish of the retreat
07:00 — Student & instructor standings
08:00 — Tom’s takeaway: persistence when things go wrong
09:00 — The Cobia Chronicles (Lachlan and Patrick)
11:00 — Patrick on dive buddy chemistry
12:00 — Patrick’s first reef, first coral trout
13:00 — Luke’s story: nearly quitting Saturday, then a red throat changed everything
15:00 — Luke’s lesson: zig when they zag, embrace the dive bomb
16:00 — Mackenzie: from total beginner to bull shark veteran
17:00 — Four bull sharks on Day 1 (with Bri tapping her to open her eyes)
19:30 — Frothiest moment: octopus changing colours
20:00 — Shrek’s frothy moments (wardrobe malfunctions and a stitched-up mate)
21:00 — Shrek on coaching: one piece of feedback at a time
22:00 — Nos’s frothy moments: youngest Weasley’s first fish + Maddie’s maori wrasse
28:00 — Nos’s learnings: wear pants, check pockets, persevere
30:00 — Bri from Underwater Culture + Tom Sandstrom’s legendary impression
32:00 — Skip on EQ struggles and the pool exercise that helps
34:00 — What Skip got right when the plan changed
36:00 — Ben Renney: photographer, guide, hype machine
37:00 — Maddie’s maori wrasse from Ben’s perspective: “dog with a bone”
39:00 — Flash (Nova’s Adventures): everyone got a red throat
41:00 — Fish/Sex/Marry/Kill (you’ll have to listen)
42:00 — Flash’s biggest lesson: demonstrate by doing
43:00 — Alex’s section: most improved of the retreat
44:00 — The slow-down revelation: “We’re exploiting their curiosity”
46:00 — Alex’s first coral trout at 17m
49:00 — Alex’s genuine thanks to instructors and fellow students
50:00 — Mark impersonates Nos to devastating effect
53:00 — Mark and Dan’s mystery fish high-five
57:00 — Scotty putting Christian on his first trout
01:01 — “It’s not what you think” — depths are in your head
01:02 — Scotty’s parting words: Just do it
01:03 — Christian on breath hold surprises and spearfishing as a team sport
01:05 — Dan’s takeaway: it won’t click instantly, and that’s okay
01:07 — Dan’s fish-frying masterclass for Flash
01:08 — Final awards: most improved, most teachable, best buddies, frothiest person
01:09 — Wrap up

Links Mentioned, Partner Deals and Discounts + Froth

🤿 1770 Beginner Retreat — https://spearfishingcourses.com.au/1770

⛵ Sail & Spear Charter — https://spearfishingcourses.com.au/sailxspear

🐙 Underwater Culture (Bri) — @breeesea

🎣 No Vis Adventures (Flash/Reese) — @novizadventures

🤿 NOOB SPEARO

🌊 Courses, retreats and charters: https://spearfishingcourses.com.au

📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/noobspearo/

💻 Website: https://www.noobspearo.com

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📱 YouTube: @noobspearo

🌊 Instagram: @noobspearo

🤿 Sail x Spear Charter Information and Booking

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NSP:315 Making Fins Great Again (+ what happened to Sharkshield?)

NSP:315 Making Fins Great Again (+ what happened to Sharkshield?)

by | May 3, 2026 | Noob Spearo Podcast

NSP:315 KillShot, Deep Apnea & the Real Shark Shield Story | Ed Martin

Ed Martin has been living one of the most chaotic and compelling entrepreneurial stories in the spearfishing world — running a dive shop, building timber spearguns under the KillShot banner, acquiring legendary US fin brand Deep Apnea, and nearly bringing Shark Shield back to market before the whole thing fell over. He’s since walked away from the Florida Keys, bought an 80-acre former turtle farm near Ocala, and is now running two manufacturing companies out of buildings he’s literally wired himself. This episode is equal parts business therapy and fin-nerd masterclass — Ed breaks down why soft, medium, and hard is a rubbish way to select your fins, how deep apnea’s hand-layup process produces one of the lightest and most responsive blades on the market, and why chasing too many rabbits is the surest way to catch none. If you’ve ever thought about turning your passion for spearfishing into a business, or you just want to understand what’s actually going on inside your carbon fibre fins, crack a beer and hit play.

Ed Martin Spearfishing Gallery

DIY Timber Speargun. DIY woodie speargun. Ed Martin Killshot Spearguns with African Pompano
Ed Martin Florida Keys Spearfishing. Interview with Killshot Craftsman
DIY Timber Speargun. DIY woodie speargun. Ed Martin Killshot Spearguns how to make your own speargun
NSP:126 Ed Martin Florida Keys Spearfishing Guide withKillshot Craftsman
DIY Timber Speargun. DIY woodie speargun. Ed Martin Killshot Spearguns how to make your own speargun
DIY Wooden Speargun with Ed Martin from Killshot Spearguns

Important Timestamps

  • 00:00:41 — Shrek intro: Sentinel Ocean Systems now stocking the new Shark Shield Freedom 8 — if that’s why you’re here, head to sentineloceansystems.com before anything else.
  • 00:03:51 — Ed’s three previous NSP episodes (123, 126, 281), and the catch-up begins: expanding the Florida Keys dive shop, buying Deep Apnea, and getting tangled up in Shark Shield — all at the same time.
  • 00:07:40 — Why the dive shop had to go. Ed breaks down the brutal economics of juggling too many businesses at once — “the greatest way to fail is to try to do too much shit all at once.”
  • 00:13:43 — What happened to Depth Charge Charters: isolation risk, seasonal staffing nightmares in the Keys, and the call from the marina that never came.
  • 00:19:43 — Leaving the Florida Keys after 47 property inspections — and landing on an 80-acre former turtle farm with five ponds, a hot house, and spiders that’ll stop your heart.
  • 00:24:12 — The real Shark Shield story. Why the Freedom 8 never made it to market under Ed’s watch, the pre-order he’s glad he never took, and the path forward for people with broken units. Australian repair contact: Tim [CHECK: “Tim Ner Benner” — likely transcription error, flag for Shrek to confirm name/contact details].
  • 00:32:19 — Deep Apnea: how the company went from a South Florida sleeper to picking up new accounts including Neptonics. Ed walks through silk screening, the manufacturing workflow, and what it takes to build 600 pairs of fins a year with a tiny team.
  • 00:37:33 — Should you turn spearfishing into your business? Ed’s hard-won take: “If you want to become a millionaire in the dive business, start with two million.” What to do right, what kills you, and the rare joy of watching a zero-to-hero customer walk back through the door.
  • 00:44:23 — Actionable tip of the day: the flip flop chest loading pad hack. Ed demonstrates how to rig a full thong/flip flop with a dyneema loop and uni knots for an adjustable, depth-stable loading pad — and why neoprene pads are basically useless below 20m for scuba divers.
  • 00:48:37 — Business exit strategy advice. Set a concrete number before you start, stick to it, and don’t be the guy selling gear out of the back of his truck in the car park.
  • 00:52:43 — Deep Apnea vs the market: why the fins were originally designed for spearos by spearos, the case for tendon foot pockets over tendonless, and the moment Ed dives to meet his buddy who just shot at 60 feet — and why you should too.
  • 01:03:58 — Why “soft, medium, hard” is a useless scale and what actually matters: static deflection testing, the parabolic flex curve, and how to match fin stiffness to your body weight, dive frequency, and depth.
  • 01:09:00 — The lamination deep dive: where the carbon layers are stacked (closer to the foot pocket for torque, tapering toward the tip), and why Ed’s medium fins have 10 layers of carbon and 80 pieces to cut per batch.
  • 01:17:16 — Hand layup vs vacuum bagging: why Deep Apnea fins have a matte finish, how the press squeezes out excess resin, and why less resin means a lighter, more responsive blade.
  • 01:20:44 — Carbon fibre nerd-out: what 3K vs 12K actually means (3,000 vs 12,000 strands per tow), and why more K doesn’t automatically mean better.
  • 01:22:16 — What’s next: doubling customers already this year, CNC automation, a possible carbon fibre propeller for a half-drunk neighbour’s airboat, and the dream — destination spearfishing, elk hunting, and getting the businesses to a point where Ed can actually leave.
  • 01:31:05 — Where to buy: deepapnea.com and killshotspearguns.com — both rolling under the Deep Apnea platform. Use code NOOB10 for 10% off blades.
  • 01:35:13 — Outro: 1770 Retreat debrief teased as coming next episode — described as “arguably my favourite debrief” and one of the funniest episodes in the show’s history.

Links Mentioned, Partner Deals and Discounts + Froth

📱 YouTube: @noobspearo

🌊 Instagram: @noobspearo

🤿 Sail x Spear Charter Information and Booking

50 Patrons are powering the Noob Spearo Monthly – find out more HERE

3500+ frothers are subscribed to the Floater Email Newsletter – find out more HERE

NSP:314 Nordic Endeavour Ocean Rowing and Sailing + Neurodivergence with Josh Halley

NSP:314 Nordic Endeavour Ocean Rowing and Sailing + Neurodivergence with Josh Halley

by | Apr 27, 2026 | Noob Spearo Podcast

NSP:314 The Nordic Endeavour, NZ Tahr Hunts & Near-Blackout Lessons | Josh Halley

Josh Halley is back — the Shetland Islands spearo, filmmaker, and certified chaos merchant behind the Souls Untapped YouTube channel. Last time he was on (ep. 206) he was chasing pollock in North Sea washing machines. Now he’s planning to row the entire coastline of Norway with three mates including an ex-Norwegian Olympic rower and freediving coach, shooting fish and cleaning up the ocean along the way. In between, Shrek and Josh unpack some genuinely gold content: the “100% framework” for safely assessing your dive capacity in tough conditions, a near-blackout in Papua New Guinea that changed how Josh breathes forever, the mouthfill EQ technique that finally unlocked depth for him, and why you should never chase a 50+ kg dogtooth tuna without a working alarm on your dive watch. If you love adventure, raw honest storytelling, and practical lessons paid for in blood, sweat and jungle tent living — this one’s for you.

Josh Halley @soulsuntapped Spearfishing Gallery

Important Timestamps

  • 00:00:00 — Cold open: Josh’s quote about holding his first breath — and what happened next. Sets the tone perfectly.
  • 00:00:35 — Shrek intro: Who is Josh Halley, what’s the Nordic Endeavour, and why this episode matters
  • 00:01:30 — Event shout-out: Eden Spearfishing Challenge, June 6 — hosted by Southern Zone Spearfishing on Facebook
  • 00:01:50 — Promo: Three spots left in the July 1770 Agnes Water beginner retreat; Sail & Spear trips in August filling fast
  • 00:02:00 — Baby news: Shrek and his wife are two weeks from welcoming their fifth child — and first daughter
  • 00:04:00 — Josh is back: Souls Untapped returns to the podcast 100+ episodes after episode 206, with more facial hair and more story
  • 00:04:30 — Shetland geography lesson: what a “voe” is, why Shetland sits almost exactly halfway between mainland Scotland and Norway, and why Fair Isle sounds unhinged
  • 00:07:30 — The Nordic Endeavour announced: rowing the full length of Norway’s coastline with Glen Sadler (ep. 227), ex-Norwegian Olympic rower and freediving coach Martin Helseth, and adventure athlete Anders — departing July 12
  • 00:09:00 — The mission behind the row: ocean cleanups through freediving in coastal communities, charity fundraising, and Josh’s personal goal of self-discovery — plus how they landed a major communications company as a sponsor
  • 00:10:30 — Training row in Norway: Josh and Glen’s first face-to-face meeting after years of calls — eight hours rowing, couldn’t put their own pants on at the end of it
  • 00:12:00 — The boat “Little Nell”: fibreglass, ~6–7m, sleeping cabins fore and aft, and heavier than expected when loaded with dive gear and four blokes
  • 00:13:00 — Norway’s appeal: tidal cod in a 40m-wide fjord entrance, halibut hunting, fjords you’d never see from the open ocean — why they’re threading the inside route instead of the safe offshore line
  • 00:18:00 — ADHD and self-discovery: Josh opens up about neurodivergence, the highs and lows, and why expedition-style trips are the best classroom he’s ever found for understanding himself
  • 00:22:00 — New Zealand tahr hunt: helicopter into the South Island with Irish mate Darren, a whiskey-fuelled 21-hour drive, climbing into cliff faces after nothing for days, and the moment Josh disappeared into a black void of monkey scrub with a rifle above his head
  • 00:32:00 — Hunting vs spearfishing: the patience gap — why hunters will sit all morning watching nothing, but spearos bail on a spot in two minutes, and what Josh has taken from one discipline to improve the other
  • 00:33:00 — New Zealand spearfishing: Mokohinau Islands with the Chasing Gallaher [CHECK: confirm spelling] crew, finally getting close to a kingfish vortex, and the chaos of helping Rudy land a 30kg king with two spears and a lot of grunting underwater
  • 00:43:00 — Float line vs reel gun safety: real talk on line management with big pelagics, two mates who lost gear, and why you need to relearn float line skills before you go chasing wahoo, yellowfin, or dogtooth
  • 00:50:00 — The washing machine kingfish: a tidal pinnacle in the middle of nowhere, Ollie Craig, a mask ripped clean off mid-fight, and what happens when your line wraps your GoPro housing instead of your arm
  • 00:53:00 — Papua New Guinea: tent living in the jungle, ear infections from the “Bali doctor” [CHECK: Josh said Bali — he means a remote local medical setup], bad nutrition, and two days of relentless diving before Josh’s first dogtooth
  • 00:58:00 — Near-blackout in PNG: the moment Josh felt his body “go” — the twitches, the terror, and why he almost didn’t recognise it for what it was until it was nearly too late
  • 01:00:00 — The 50kg dogtooth that got away: spotting what might be the biggest fish he’s ever seen at depth, checking his watch alarm, and consciously choosing not to chase it
  • 01:05:00 — Alarm watches for spearfishing: how Matt Hill’s training in Bali introduced Josh to depth and time alarms — and how that subconscious check saved him in PNG
  • 01:08:00 — LMC on the surface in Bali: the sunfish that spiked his heart rate, a deep dive that went slightly too long, surfacing then losing consciousness — Matt Hill’s immediate rescue response, and how Josh had to relearn freediving from scratch after
  • 01:11:00 — Overbreathing and hyperventilation explained: Shrek breaks down the CO2/O2 relationship and why “breathing up” can actually tank your performance and safety as you get more experienced
  • 01:12:00 — Luca’s PNG technique: watching a 40m diver hunt dogtooth with barely a kick, spending 30+ seconds dropping in near-static, working through 20 contractions before surfacing — the most relaxed aggressive spearing Josh had ever seen
  • 01:14:00 — Mouthfill EQ game changer: the technique Matt Hill taught Josh that finally cracked depth below 20m — one fill, one equalisation, done
  • 01:16:00 — The 100% framework: how solo diving, thick wetsuit, strong tides, a camera, and an anchored boat all bleed your available dive capacity — and why assessing your percentage before every session is a non-negotiable
  • 01:19:00 — Supporting the Nordic Endeavour: the £250 Club (your name on the boat), charity plans for mental health and Norwegian rescue (RS — Norwegian equivalent of the RNLI), and how to follow along on the journey
  • 01:21:00 — Future vision: Josh and his partner — who is studying psychology with a focus on neurodivergence — want to run ocean therapy events combining spearfishing and mental health support
  • 01:22:00 — New Nikon Z underwater photography rig: Josh’s new camera, plans for an underwater housing, and his vision for feature-film-quality adventure content from the Nordic Endeavour

Links Mentioned, Partner Deals and Discounts + Froth

Connect with Josh: https://www.soulsuntapped.co.uk  https://www.instagram.com/souls_untapped

 https://www.youtube.com/@SoulsUntapped

Nordic Endeavour: https://www.instagram.com/nordic_endeavour_2026

Episodes mentioned:

Noob Spearo ep. 206 — Josh Halley first interview

Noob Spearo ep. 227 — Glyn Sadler ocean rowing

Luke from Aquatic Rehab episode 

Book mentioned: Scattered Minds by Gabor Maté 

Audible — free audiobook + 30-day trial: http://www.audibletrial.com/noobspearo

Upcoming trips:

📱 YouTube: @noobspearo

🌊 Instagram: @noobspearo

🤿 Sail x Spear Charter Information and Booking

50 Patrons are powering the Noob Spearo Monthly – find out more HERE

3500+ frothers are subscribed to the Floater Email Newsletter – find out more HERE

NSP:313 Tactical Breathing for Spearing and Life | Cindy Yang

NSP:313 Tactical Breathing for Spearing and Life | Cindy Yang

by | Mar 30, 2026 | Noob Spearo Podcast

Reset Breathing, Equalisation Fixes & Ocean Glide: Cindy Yang on Spearfishing, Freediving and Mindset.
What happens when a Taiwanese-born Californian firefighter, underwater photographer, and freediving coach moves to Australia for love and brings two decades of ocean wisdom with her? Cindy Yang of Ocean Glide joins Shrek for a wide-ranging conversation that covers her extraordinary life arc — from a hyperactive kid in Taipei who’d never seen the ocean, to chasing abalone on the Northern California coast, to becoming one of the few female firefighters in her station, to eventually leaving her dream career to chase a different kind of depth. Along the way, they dig into practical gold: Cindy’s seasickness microdosing protocol, a deep dive into sinus anatomy and why surgery isn’t always the answer, her natural wetsuit lube (and exactly how to use it), and the episode’s standout gem — the RESET acronym, a breathwork framework drawn from firefighting and freediving that you can use mid-dive, mid-panic, or mid-argument with your kids to snap yourself back into calm, clear decision-making. If you’ve ever struggled with EQ, stress underwater, or just want to feel more in control in and out of the water, this one’s for you.

Cindy Yang @cindyatsea Spearfishing Gallery

Important Timestamps

  • 00:02:00 — Listener tip from Matt: using coconut oil drops for ear lubrication and near-effortless equalisation, plus a 50/50 vinegar-alcohol rinse for ear hygiene after heavy diving
  • 00:06:00 — PNG spearfishing charter announcement: Shrek and Tim McDonald taking 12 divers to Bali, September 12–20, $7,500 — intermediate-plus, 12m+ divers only
  • 00:07:00 — Cindy Yang intro: free diving coach, underwater photographer, founder of Ocean Glide
  • 00:13:00 — Cindy’s origin story: growing up in Taipei, ADHD energy with nowhere to go, parents applying for a US green card when she was born and it coming through 12 years later
  • 00:14:00 — Arriving in California at 12 with zero English, landing in a school with no other Asian students — how adversity sharpened her observation skills
  • 00:19:00 — UC Davis, wildlife conservation biology, and why veterinary school didn’t happen
  • 00:20:00 — The moment spearfishing clicked: watching abalone divers emerge from the ocean at Mendocino and immediately joining them in a surf suit with goggles
  • 00:23:00 — Career pivot to firefighting: what it was like being a small Asian woman in a male-dominated American fire station post-9/11, imposter syndrome, and how team culture eventually won out
  • 00:30:00 — Spearfishing journey builds: mentor Larry with a tiny wooden speargun, the annual Mendocino camping extravaganza, and how California diving shaped her ethic
  • 00:33:00 — First trip to Mexico, then the moment a local gear shop owner told her she had to do a PFI course in Kona first — and she did
  • 00:38:00 — Moving to Australia for love: why it took Cindy a full year to write her resignation letter from a job she adored
  • 00:41:00 — Seasickness protocol: how Cindy microdoses Quells (half a tablet early morning, another half at the boat ramp) to dive without drowsiness
  • 00:43:00 — Sinus anatomy explained: why flat-faced anatomy creates drainage issues, the histamine-sinus-EQ connection, and why steroid sprays alone don’t fix the root cause
  • 00:44:00 — The allergy desensitisation protocol: visiting an allergist, the checkerboard scratch test, and the injection series that cleared years of chronic sinus inflammation
  • 00:46:00 — Surgery vs integrative medicine for EQ issues: why going ENT-first often skips better options, and the Santa Cruz integrative medicine approach that changed Cindy’s health
  • 00:54:00 — Freediving technique: constant diaphragm engagement and why so many divers breathe wrong at the surface without realising it
  • 01:06:00 — Ocean Glide origin story: zinc sunscreen in surf shops, then switching to natural-based wetsuit lube after reacting to chemical conditioners on reef dives
  • 01:09:00 — How to use wetsuit lube properly: one to two teaspoons dry inside the suit, a quarter-cup of water, seal and shake — don’t over-dilute
  • 01:13:00 — Shrek’s personal story: dropping a full clothing size (42-inch waist to 40, 3XL to 2XL) over three days at a freediving retreat — not weight loss, just inflammation from cortisol reduction
  • 01:20:00 — Why Cindy reframes “breathing up” as “breathing down” — you’re not pumping yourself up, you’re breathing your nervous system down
  • 01:21:00 — The double inhale technique backed by Andrew Huberman research: how it hijacks a neural circuit to snap your brain out of a stress loop (also works on diaphragm cramps)
  • 01:22:00 — The RESET acronym unpacked: Recognise, Exhale, Stillness, Evaluate, Trust — a step-by-step breathwork framework for in-water panic, life stress, or anything in between
  • 01:32:00 — Firefighting analogy for trust: how tunnel vision in new firefighters mirrors panic underwater, and why you train when you don’t need it so it’s there when you do

Links Mentioned, Partner Deals and Discounts + Froth

https://www.instagram.com/cindyatsea/ 

https://www.cindyatsea.com/links

https://oceanglide.co/ 

Podcasts mentioned

https://www.hubermanlab.com/subtopics/breathwork-protocols

https://www.hubermanlab.com/episode/how-to-breathe-correctly-for-optimal-health-mood-learning-and-performance

https://www.noobspearo.com/dornellas/ – overriding the limbic for freedom

Books mentioned

Why We Swim by Bonny Siu

Deep by James Nestor

Breathe by James Nestor

Last of the Bluewater Hunters by Carlos Eyles

Bluewater Hunting by Terry Maas

📱 YouTube: @noobspearo

🌊Instagram: @noobspearo

🤿Sail x Spear Charter Information and Booking

50 Patrons are powering the Noob Spearo Monthly – find out more HERE

3500+ frothers are subscribed to the Floater Email Newsletter – find out more HERE

NSP:312 Depth Progression with Mark Davies from Karma Dives

NSP:312 Depth Progression with Mark Davies from Karma Dives

by | Mar 12, 2026 | Noob Spearo Podcast

Depth Progression for Spearfishing: EQ, Technique, Safety & Training with Mark Davies (Karma Dives)
On the Noob Spearo Podcast, host Shrek talks with Mark Davies from Karma Dives (Hervey Bay) about safe depth progression for spearfishing and freediving, focusing on why divers plateau and how to move from 10m to 15m, 20m and beyond. They cover equalisation troubleshooting (tongue positions, head-angle training, pulsing/warmups, balloons), refining technique and streamlining, disciplined surface intervals, and the added risk of spearing versus line diving. Mark shares cautionary blackout/samba stories, warning signs of pushing too hard, and practical training ideas like pool sessions, walking apnea, stretching/diaphragm flexibility, hydration, and gear considerations such as low-volume masks and appropriate fins. Mark also outlines his Maldives depth-progression retreat (ending with tiger shark dives) and mentions upcoming spearfishing retreats.

Mark Davies Karma Dives Spearfishing Gallery

Important Timestamps

00:00 Depth Progression Teaser
00:42 Shoutouts and Trips
02:21 Sponsors and Welcome
03:27 Mark Davies Background
04:19 Freediving Inspiration
08:03 Teaching and Mindset
12:59 Sharks and Big Catches
19:52 Safety Before Depth
23:13 Blackouts and Pool Lessons
31:23 Beginner Depth Barriers
32:58 EQ Techniques and Drills
36:51 Lifestyle and Hydration
39:55 Confidence and EQ Discipline
45:25 Continuous Equalizing Debate
46:46 Breaking Past 10 Meters
48:11 Technique for 10 to 15
50:17 Surface Intervals and Safety
53:02 15 to 20 Training Tools
54:18 Stretching to Prevent Squeeze
57:45 Warmup Dives and Mindset
01:01:55 Team Diving at 20 Meters
01:04:16 20 to 25 Slow Progression
01:07:29 Gear Choices for Depth
01:11:03 Hypoxia Warning Signs
01:14:33 Leg Strength and Fin Power
01:19:43 Maldives Retreat Breakdown
01:28:26 Wrap Up and Next Episodes
 

Links Mentioned, Partner Deals and Discounts + Froth

📱 YouTube: @noobspearo

🌊Instagram: @noobspearo

🤿Sail x Spear Charter Information and Booking

50 Patrons are powering the Noob Spearo Monthly – find out more HERE

3500+ frothers are subscribed to the Floater Email Newsletter – find out more HERE

NSP:311 Frothy Stories, Big Fish & Reef Vibes | Sail & Spear Trip 2, 2025 Recap

NSP:311 Frothy Stories, Big Fish & Reef Vibes | Sail & Spear Trip 2, 2025 Recap

by | Feb 9, 2026 | Noob Spearo Podcast

Host Shrek opens the Noob Spearo podcast with a listener voice message from Matt sharing ear-care tips for divers (coconut oil drops before diving and periodic rinses with a 50/50 vinegar and alcohol mix).

The episode then jumps into a last-day, post-trip recap of the Whitsundays Sail & Spear Trip 2, 2025, with Sam the Waterman explaining the context: sailing through the Whitsunday Islands to the outer Great Barrier Reef, hundreds of fish landed across the trip, multiple 20kg+ GTs caught on rod and line between spearfishing sessions, and notable catches like Red Throat and Spangled Emperor on luncheon meat, alongside strong crew bonding.

In a roundtable-style debrief, guests and instructors share highlights, misses, and “frother” shoutouts: exhaustion from consecutive days of diving, stories of drift dives and tidal creek/lagoon systems, Spanish mackerel attempts using throw flashers and diver formations, bull sharks around the boat, and lessons on relaxing during deep dives (relax jaw, hands, feet; free-float the top 10m). Several divers celebrate first-time or milestone catches including yellow lip emperor, coral trout, Red Throat Emperor, Red Emperor, parrotfish, and multiple GTs landed early in the morning.

The group emphasizes buddy diving, safety, instruction quality (notably Tim), and the unique Great Barrier Reef scenery. The episode includes sponsor reads for Neptonics, Adreno Spearfishing, and Aqualyte, and closes with details on how to join future Sail & Spear charters via spearfishingcourses.com.au, plus a push to watch the video version on YouTube/Spotify and check out the revamped Noob Spearo YouTube channel with help from Sam the Waterman.

Sail x Spear 2025 Trip 2 Spearfishing Gallery

Important Timestamps

00:00 Podcast intro and where to watch
00:48 Ear care equalization tip
02:11 How to send a voice message
02:38 Sam sets the scene
05:10 Day three recap begins
06:24 Exhaustion and wetsuit woes
07:59 Dive buddy teamwork highlights
09:14 Spanish mackerel scramble
10:22 Trip reflections and family plans
12:24 Ryan’s end of trip debrief
14:39 Ja’s rampage Pete and fishing lord
17:06 Sponsor break Neptonics ad
18:01 Tony’s highlights and firsts
20:15 Liv’s injury and deep dive tips
23:56 Laws first fish and mega froths
28:05 Captain Crispy shoutouts and bull sharks
30:39 Steve and Liv buddy diving synchronicity
36:32 Steve on ego and lessons
38:18 Blaze reefscapes and gratitude
41:43 Big Chiz on misses and trout recovery
45:57 Trip Reflections
47:01 Sponsor Adreno Deal
47:46 Neptonics Gear Promo
48:44 Aon Coral Trout Story
51:50 Brogan Big Day Recap
55:32 Aussie Shrek Creek Dives
59:54 Lord Nick Reef Takeaways
01:06:38 Pete Last Session Push
01:08:31 Aqualyte Cramp Fix
01:09:01 Adam and Huss Chaos
01:18:30 Sam Roller Breaks
01:24:07 Tim Wrap Up Lessons
01:28:21 Final Call To Join
 

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