Interviews with spearfishing experts, authorities and characters from all over the world.
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NSP:321 Pinnacle Hunting Remote Great Barrier Reef and Beyond with Matty Parker
mercredi 2 septembre 2026 • Durée 01:45:56
At 26, Matty Parker was locked into a Pilbara mining job. He came over for one Coral Sea trip, went home, sold everything inside a couple of months, and drove across Australia to get out of the golden handcuffs. Twenty-five years of spearing later he manages Divers World in Cairns — the biggest and longest-running shop up that way — and runs MBP Spearfishing Charters, and he's the bloke every local kept telling Shrek to interview. This one gets into the weeds properly: his entire dogtooth setup top to tail, the three-point brief he gives clients before a Coral Sea drift ("when you think you're closer, get closer again"), why he keeps a scorecard of every fish landed and lost and what one-in-three actually looks like, the 10–30kg window where doggies get eaten fastest, and why he moves off a spot the moment it fires. There's also a proper, unflinching yarn about the shark situation in North Queensland after an ugly year for Aussie spearos, and Matty's flat-out best answer of the episode — what it costs you to spend two years shooting fish in eight metres. Cost 'em nothing. Gain everything. If you're saving for a blue water trip, thinking about your first big gun, or you just want to hear a bloke who's put in the hours talk about hunting instead of depth numbers, this one's for you. Matty Parker @mbp_spearfishing Spearfishing Gallery (Add guest photos here) Important Timestamps 00:00:44 — Shrek sets up the episode: dogtooth gear, guiding pitfalls, social media's grip on spearos, and the shark conversation nobody wants to have 00:01:20 — Free shout out to Spearo App, a completely free spearfishing forecasting app, and the level of detail that gobsmacked Shrek 00:03:00 — Fish One Hook's power band size calculator, plus the free Noob Spearo scorecards at spearfishingcourses.com.au/scorecard 00:05:34 — Matty comes highly recommended — Shrek explains who kept telling him to get Matty on the show 00:06:49 — Started spearing at 10 in a small northern WA town; the Coral Sea trip at 26 that made him sell up and drive across Australia away from the golden handcuffs of mining 00:09:13 — Why "the trip of a lifetime" is the wrong mindset to bring on charter, and what the fish actually are (a bonus) 00:11:01 — WA vs the East Coast: fish density and shore access over there, weather-dependent reef trips over here 00:13:05 — Seven trout a day in Queensland is "astronomical", and why the North QLD weather is a green zone in itself 00:14:12 — His first Coral Sea mission: two doggies landed before he lost one, then the figures went backwards fast 00:15:07 — Why hiding your gear from other spearos isn't okay — shot placement and gear are the only two things we control, so share them 00:18:22 — THE FULL DOGTOOTH RIG, TOP TO TAIL: a 130–150cm conventional gun (he runs a 70" Riffe Rader), three or four 16mm rubbers, 8.7mm shaft, slip tip, 23m float line, a 3-atmosphere float, a short 2–5m line, and a second 3-atmosphere float. Nothing else 00:21:19 — The shot-placement point most people miss: all that gun power is for getting through a foot-and-a-half of fish, not for taking longer shots 00:22:14 — Stone shots, the anti-climax-then-relief feeling, and why hearing the boys screaming on the surface is the best part 00:23:25 — "Doggies bring out the best and the worst in everyone" — diving on each other and shooting each other's fish vs. proper team work 00:25:33 — What happens in the first 60 seconds after the shot: withstand the first run, then get it up fast, because that's when they get eaten 00:26:31 — Matty's shark theory — the 10–30kg window where doggies are too strong to overpower but small enough for sharks to eat quickly, and why big fish often survive longer 00:27:28 — The scorecard he's kept since day one: every shot fired that doesn't end on the boat counts as a loss, and he's landing roughly one in three 00:29:42 — The three-point brief: get closer twice (take two more kicks when you think the shot's on), take your time, and work as a team 00:30:44 — Fish karma — why not taking the bad shot pays you back somewhere else, maybe a year later in another country 00:32:16 — There are blokes on Matty's list who can't buy their way back onto a trip 00:33:53 — Life in the shop at Divers World, and the pre-YouTube days of nagging the newsagent for the first-Thursday-of-the-month dive mag 00:35:00 — The apprenticeship problem: "everyone wants to be the tradesman and no one wants to do their apprenticeship" — plus 100 hours a year, five years, then start pushing depth 00:36:59 — An 8kg red doesn't taste as good as a 4kg red, so who exactly are you shooting big fish for? 00:37:20 — Matty's definition of a good spearo: someone who knows how to find fish and hunt them. That's it. "If you want to be a free diver, go be a free diver" 00:38:31 — Shrek on the gap between physiology and wisdom — you can learn to lay on the bottom in 20m quickly, but the ocean will still beat you 00:42:54 — Advice for green divers: pool training, join the club, then find one or two people at your level and grow together 00:43:11 — The self-check Matty runs on every dive: surface, look around, and if no one's within 20 metres you're only diving at 30% today 00:46:25 — How MBP started — the client on the tender who reignited it, four or five years of trips through the shop, then going out on his own 00:47:38 — His October 4–12 Coral Sea trip and the nine-day structure: steam out overnight, wake up in the Coral Sea, six full dive days 00:51:08 — Why the Coral Sea holds every Australian dogtooth record — the vis, the pinnacles rising from a kilometre of water, and how few boats actually get out there 00:52:14 — Doggies aren't migratory and aren't even tuna — they're mackerel (Gymnosarda unicolor), resident on their pinnacles, and Matty's seen the same fish a year apart 00:53:18 — When to be in the water: tide change, first light, and the golden hour on a shoal 00:55:00 — Why he never dives the same spot twice on a trip, even after a 20-fish afternoon — spread the pressure and the fish are there in three years 00:56:59 — Eating doggie: it freezes badly, ciguatera risk on the big models, sashimi most nights on the boat, and euro mounts for the jaws 00:59:28 — Burley and flashers: pilchards over fish frames (running a knife through fish aggravates sharks), and his basic buzz-bomb flasher with a knife jig and three double-sided mirrors 01:01:00 — Flash with purpose — "don't just do it because I said go over there and flash", plus why he stays on the flasher to call the dives 01:02:22 — Tracking a big gun with a breakaway: gun down, hand on the handle, and steering it through the water by the muzzle like a surfboard 01:04:21 — Finding the white dot on the tail knuckle in black water — and why the fish is invisible without it 01:05:39 — He works out every diver on the boat at the dinner the night before the charter 01:06:40 — "I won't shoot a doggy under 30 kilo" — how expectations set by social media wreck people's trips before they get wet 01:08:14 — Shrek's horror story: the charter client who wouldn't buddy up, 100 nautical miles offshore, and how far Shrek escalated it 01:11:33 — A week with no reception, and how the bloke you wanted to push over the side on day one is your mate by day four 01:13:52 — Shrek's vision statement — reconnecting people with themselves, their food, the natural world and each other 01:15:18 — Beyond doggies: red emperor, Maori sea perch, buffalo emperor, iron jaw and green job fish, plus the wahoo, yellowfin and marlin you have to go and hunt separately 01:16:37 — The 140–150kg marlin that snapped a straight shaft last year — another argument for slip tips 01:17:32 — Reading current in the Coral Sea (it's all ocean current, not tidal), and the October moon that fired then went dead five weeks later 01:19:59 — The Noob Spearo x MBP trip: a Great Barrier Reef trip heading north past Lizard Island in March 01:20:40 — What the B in MBP stands for, and the middle name Shrek and Matty share 01:21:43 — SHARKS: an ugly year for Aussie spearos, and Matty's honest read on why it's changed 01:22:03 — His two-part theory — social media virtue signalling plus an education gap — and the fact that a shark now has no commercial value in Australia 01:24:51 — Shrek's flake confession, and how spearos take an abundant freezer completely for granted 01:26:18 — The maths on shark bycatch, and how visibly the aggression has changed in the water in five years 01:27:57 — The angry email Shrek wrote about "just buy your fish from the supermarket" comments on dead divers' posts 01:29:53 — Matty's in-water protocol: he can read an area in ten minutes and pull everyone out. "There's no fish that's worth any part of my body" 01:31:06 — The reefs off Hinchinbrook with resident, territorial bull sharks, and bites that happened in 20m of vis 01:33:21 — Shark deterrents: no one wearing one has been bitten, the scorpion tail zapping you on the duck dive, and how confidence itself changes a shark's read on you 01:35:00 — Shrek gets charged on the bottom by a bull shark, and the seasons where he simply can't relax enough to dive properly 01:36:42 — The most dangerous thing beginners (and plenty of experienced blokes) do: gun handling, clipped guns pointing at the diver behind them, finger on the trigger 01:38:36 — The best answer of the episode: if you could only shoot fish in eight metres for the next two years, what does it cost you? "Cost 'em nothing. And you gain everything" 01:40:09 — Shrek's traditional ocean poo story request, answered from a back deck in California 01:41:16 — Where to find Matty and both trips, plus the price bracket 01:43:31 — Outro: Deep North with Matty and Shrek, March 2027 — spearfishingcourses.com.au/deepnorth Links Mentioned, Partner Deals and Discounts + Froth Connect with Matty Parker MBP Spearfishing Charters — Coral Sea and Great Barrier Reef charters out of Cairns Instagram: @mbp_spearfishing MBP Spearfishing Charters on Facebook Divers World Cairns — where Matty manages the shop 🔥 DEEP NORTH — Noob Spearo x MBP | 13–21 March 2027 Nine days aboard the Norkat II out of Half Moon Bay Marina, Cairns, hunting remote sections of the Great Barrier Reef north of Lizard Island. Ten guests max, two in-water guides the whole trip (Matty and Shrek), all meals, fish processing and freezing, tenders, reef fees and a custom trip shirt included. $7,200pp, $2,500 deposit, payment plans available. → Deep North | Great Barrier Reef Spearfishing Charter Also mentioned Spearo App — free spearfishing forecasting app Fishes One Hook — power band size calculator under Gear Reviews Free Noob Spearo Scorecards — Spearo Readiness Scorecard (not started yet) and Skilled Spearo Scorecard (already diving). Two minutes, custom results to your inbox Gear referenced: Riffe Raider 70" (or 67"), 8.7mm / 11:32 shaft, 16mm rubbers, slip tips, 3-atmosphere floats Shark Shield / shark deterrent units Previous episode referenced: Johnny Mitchell on decoding the wild Previous episode referenced: Rob Allen on flasher design 📱 YouTube: @noobspearo 🌊 Instagram: @noobspearo 🤿 Sail x Spear Charter Information and Booking Spearfishing Courses, Retreats, Charters and Adventures (with Noob Spearo) Adreno Spearfishing – Buy your spearfishing equipment here. Use the code NOOBSPEARO save $20 on every purchase over $200 at checkout – Flat shipping rate, especially in AUS! Neptonics Spearfishing and Freediving – Use the code NOOB10 to save 10% off anything store-wide. Free Shipping on USA orders over $99 Old Man Blue | Wickedly tough and well thought out gear! Spend $300 or more at oldmanblue.com.au and use code NOOBSPEARO for a free vinyl filleting apron! Aqualyte Hydration | 10% off for listeners with code: NOOBSPEARO Noob Spearo MAD GEAR | Merch for Frothers Audible.com Get a free audiobook along with a 30-day trial here. Listen to 99 Tips to Get Better at Spearfishing Dog & Gun Coffee | 10% Off Discount Code: NOOB10 HohnkeOutdoors.com – 20% off with code NOOBSPEARO 50 Patrons are powering the Noob Spearo Monthly – find out more HERE 3000+ frothers are subscribed to the Floater Email Newsletter – find out more HERE Audio Engineering by James Paterson
NSP:320 Decoding the Wild with Johnny Mitchell
lundi 24 août 2026 • Durée 01:39:12
What if becoming a better spearo had less to do with diving deeper or buying better gear—and more to do with learning how to actually see what's happening around you? In this episode, Shrek sits down with commercial fisherman, spearo, hunter and lifelong observer of the natural world Johnny Mitchell, with Johnny's longtime mate Tim McDonald joining the conversation. Johnny has spent decades living, fishing, hunting and observing in the bush and on the water. From commercially chasing Spanish mackerel and mud crabs to living out of a swag, caretaking Cape Capricorn lighthouse and spending countless hours simply watching animals behave, he has developed an extraordinary ability to recognise patterns in the natural world. The conversation explores awareness, natural intelligence, tides, weather, animal behaviour, sensory awareness and pattern recognition—and why asking simplistic questions like "Is the full moon better?" or "Does falling barometric pressure make fish bite?" can actually hold back your learning. Johnny explains why every productive fishing or spearfishing location has its own combination of features and conditions, and why the better question is often: Why were the fish here today—and why weren't they here yesterday? Tim also shares how Johnny's influence has completely changed the way he approaches spearfishing: shooting fewer fish, observing more, recognising short feeding windows and learning to know where to be, when to be there and why. This one goes well beyond spearfishing. It's a conversation about reconnecting with the natural world, waking up dulled senses and becoming less dependent on apps, assumptions and handed-down rules. Important Times 00:00 – Introduction to Johnny Mitchell 03:00 – Johnny joins Shrek and Tim McDonald 04:00 – Johnny's background: fishing, hunting and living wild 06:00 – Your subconscious is collecting more information than you realise 07:00 – Awareness: the foundation of everything 09:00 – Living at Cape Capricorn lighthouse 11:00 – Why good experiences lead to better questions 12:00 – Hunting versus simply observing animals 15:00 – Watching fish footage 100 times 17:00 – How Johnny changed Tim McDonald's approach to hunting 18:00 – Pattern recognition and exponential learning 19:00 – The most important question: Why? 20:00 – Observational intelligence versus handed-down knowledge 23:00 – Nature is multidimensional: beware single-variable thinking 29:00 – New moon vs full moon: are we asking the wrong questions? 31:00 – Understanding the specific tide window for a spot 34:00 – Johnny's "Zoom Out" technique 36:00 – Using landscape, wind and Google Earth to understand a fishing location 38:00 – How modern life dulls our senses 40:00 – "Unbroken connection" with the natural world 44:00 – How disconnected have we become? 46:00 – From awareness to recognising patterns and predicting opportunities 48:00 – Knowledge removes scarcity and makes you a more generous diver 52:00 – Making more space in your life for the outdoors 54:00 – You can start reconnecting with nature in ten minutes 58:00 – Why understanding fisheries can become extremely complicated 1:00:00 – Observing more and killing less 1:04:00 – Spearfishing has to become about more than killing fish 1:06:00 – Old-school dogtooth tuna and spearfishing stories 1:09:00 – You don't need a $100,000 boat 1:10:00 – Why most fishermen don't actually understand weather 1:12:00 – From reading conditions to predicting a 130 cm barramundi 1:14:00 – Johnny's Break Free three-day program 1:16:00 – Becoming a better spearo by becoming a better person 1:18:00 – Psychology, learning and actually applying knowledge 1:22:00 – Everything Johnny teaches can begin at a duck pond 1:24:00 – Throw the barometer question in the bin 1:28:00 – Testing theories instead of turning observations into rules 1:31:00 – What does Break Free actually mean? 1:32:00 – Johnny's links and wrap-up Links Mentioned Johnny Mitchell / Wild Adventures JM wildadventuresjm.com.au Fishes One Hook fishesonehook.com Check out their free Speargun Band Size Calculator. Spearo.app Free spearfishing-specific forecasting tool. Noob Spearo Patreon patreon.com/noobspearo 🤿 NOOB SPEARO 🌊 Courses, retreats and charters: https://spearfishingcourses.com.au 📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/noobspearo/ 💻 Website: https://www.noobspearo.com 📧 Newsletter: https://noob-spearo.kit.com/floater 📱 YouTube: @noobspearo 🌊 Instagram: @noobspearo 🤿Spearfishing Courses, Retreats, Charters and Adventures (with Noob Spearo) Adreno Spearfishing – Buy your spearfishing equipment here. Use the code NOOBSPEARO to save $20 on every purchase over $200 at checkout – Flat shipping rate, especially in AUS! Neptonics Spearfishing and Freediving – Use the code NOOB10 to save 10% off anything store-wide. Free Shipping on USA orders over $99 Old Man Blue | Wickedly tough and well thought out gear! Spend $300 or more at oldmanblue.com.au and use code NOOBSPEARO for a free vinyl filleting apron! Aqualyte Hydration | 10% off for listeners with code: NOOBSPEARO Noob Spearo MAD GEAR | Merch for Frothers Audible.com Get a free audiobook along with a 30-day trial here. Listen to 99 Tips to Get Better at Spearfishing Dog & Gun Coffee | 10% Off Discount Code: NOOB10 HohnkeOutdoors.com – 20% off with code NOOBSPEARO 50+ Patrons are powering the Noob Spearo Monthly – find out more HERE 3000+ frothers are subscribed to the Floater Email Newsletter – find out more HERE Audio Engineering by Nick Santalucia
NSP:319 The Unknown World Record Dogtooth Tuna Story | Jean Napier-Hattingh
dimanche 9 août 2026 • Durée 01:10:22
In 1989, Jean Napier-Hattingh hung mid-water off a reef 20km out from the Mozambique coast with a 1 metre speargun and shot a dogtooth tuna the same size as she was. It dragged her until her mask and snorkel came off. They had to cut it into four pieces to weigh it on a 20kg scale. It was 52 kilos — a men's world record she had no idea she'd broken, and a women's international bluewater record that still stands today. Jean spent a year in hospital as a seven-year-old being told she might not walk again, decided she'd live the most adventurous life on Earth, and has spent forty years backing that up: a 138kg marlin landed solo on a 1.2m gun with a rusty spear, a 26kg barracuda world record in Sierra Leone she also didn't know about, and a wrist full of silver bangles that accidentally invented the flasher. She talks about being laughed off boats in a sport that had no place for women, why patience beats strength on big fish, and how she hunts each game fish species differently. For anyone who thinks you need a big gun and big lungs to shoot big fish, and for every woman wondering whether there's room for her out there. KEY TOPICS COVERED: The 52kg dogtooth tuna world record shot on a 1 metre gun Landing a 138kg marlin solo with 90 metres of borrowed float line Being the only woman in South African spearfishing in the late 1980s How silver bangles worn outside her wetsuit worked as the first flashers Why weak arms made her a better hunter — patience, close shots, slow retrieves Species-specific game fish tactics for Spanish mackerel, kingfish and wahoo Two close great white encounters and why Shark Shields only come out in Australia Writing Against the Tide during lockdown and the records she never claimed Conservation in South Africa and Mozambique — abalone syndicates, poaching and trawlers Still diving at nearly 70, and what it takes to keep going CONNECT WITH JEAN: Instagram: @spearfisherlady Book: Against the Tide — on Amazon in paperback and e-book, plus all major online bookstores Full show notes: noobspearo.com/jean NOOB SPEARO: Spearfishing Courses and Retreats: spearfishingcourses.com.au Instagram: @noobspearo Website: noobspearo.com Newsletter: noob-spearo.kit.com/floater PARTNER DEALS: Adreno Spearfishing: spearfishing.com.au — use code NOOBSPEARO to save $20 on orders over $200 Neptonics: neptonics.com — use code NOOB10 to save 10% storewide Old Man Blue: oldmanblue.com.au — use code NOOBSPEARO for a free vinyl filleting apron on orders over $300 Aqualyte Hydration: aqualyte.com.au — use code NOOBSPEARO to save 10% Dog & Gun Coffee: dogandguncoffee.com — use code NOOB10 to save 10% HohnkeOutdoors: hohnkeoutdoors.com — use code NOOBSPEARO to save 20%
NSP:318 5 Spearos Finish Instructors Course in Bali + Spearfishing Rumpongs | Matty and Liv, Noffs, Rhys (No Viz) and Chiz with Spearo Co
mercredi 8 juillet 2026 • Durée 01:10:09
Part two of the Bali crew adventure. Matty, Liv, Noffs, Rhys (No Viz) and Chiz push through flu, blood noses and an LMC scare to finish their freediving instructors course with Adam Sellars and The Pressure Project — every one of them nailing their 32m depth, static and dynamic requirements. Then they head up the coast to spear the rumpongs, Bali's handmade floating FADs, with the experienced local guides at Spearo Co: first-ever dolphin fish, triple tail everywhere, and Matty sprinting across the open ocean after a jammed roller gun. Liv's one-shot redemption dynamic after four failed attempts is the moment of the episode. If you're curious about a freediving instructors course or spearfishing Bali on a budget, this one's for you. KEY TOPICS COVERED: Finishing freediving instructor requirements while sick — and when to listen to your body instead Mouth fill technique made simple: when to charge it and why it unlocks depth Why you don't need a massive pre-dive breath to dive 30-40 metres Dynamic apnea mental blocks and Liv's one-shot redemption protocol Spearfishing Bali's rumpongs: triple tail, mahi mahi and flasher tactics What a $625 Bali spear charter with Spearo Co actually gets you Kraken Spearguns with Helios, owner of Spearo Co, plus fad season (April-December) CONNECT WITH THE CREW: Spearo Co (Bali charters): Instagram @spearo_co NOOB SPEARO: Spearfishing Courses and Retreats: spearfishingcourses.com.au Instagram: @noobspearo Website: noobspearo.com Newsletter: noob-spearo.kit.com/floater PARTNER DEALS: Adreno Spearfishing: spearfishing.com.au — use code NOOBSPEARO to save $20 on orders over $200 Neptonics: neptonics.com — use code NOOB10 to save 10% storewide Old Man Blue: oldmanblue.com.au — use code NOOBSPEARO for a free vinyl filleting apron on orders over $300 Aqualyte Hydration: aqualyte.com.au — use code NOOBSPEARO to save 10% Dog & Gun Coffee: dogandguncoffee.com — use code NOOB10 to save 10% HohnkeOutdoors: hohnkeoutdoors.com — use code NOOBSPEARO to save 20%
NSP:317 5 Spearos Learning to be Freediving Instructors in Amed, Bali | Matty and Liv, Noffs, Rhys (No Viz) and Chiz
vendredi 26 juin 2026 • Durée 01:14:56
No host behind the desk for this one. Five of the Noob Spearo crew — Matty, Liv, Noffs, Rhys (No Viz Adventures) and Chiz — hand the mic around in Amed, Bali while they work through their freediving instructor course with Adam Sellars at The Pressure Project. You'll hear the full airport saga (a declared speargun, a false-positive drug swab on the podcast recorder, a phone lost forever), Rhys talking through his first-ever loss of motor control on a static, the mouthfill "great mystery" that throws every spearo sideways at 15 metres, and the mindset gold from Adam — the nana voice, the poo emoji, and diving with no plan B. It's Full Froth, No Ego in the flesh: a crew coming up short, laughing about it, and getting better the next day. Heads up from Shrek — these guys are learning in live time, so take the technical stuff with a grain of salt. For any spearo curious about crossing into proper freediving, or wondering what really happens on an instructor course. KEY TOPICS COVERED: The full travel disaster: declaring a speargun, a false-positive recorder swab, a lost phone Rhys's first LMC on day one — what it felt like and why his ego put him there Knowing when to push (mental) and when to stop (physical) The instructor requirements: 3:30 static, 75m dynamic, 32–40m depth, assignment and presentation Mouthfill from scratch — the mechanics and why it throws every spearo off Adam's mindset tools: the nana voice, the poo emoji, no plan B, and relaxation as king Why free immersion "feels like cheating" to a spearo Honest Amed travel tips and why every boat needs a proper first aid and oxygen kit CONNECT WITH THE CREW: Rhys / No Viz Adventures: [CHECK: channel URL + handle] The Pressure Project (Adam Sellars), Amed, Bali: [CHECK: URL] NOOB SPEARO: Spearfishing Courses and Retreats: spearfishingcourses.com.au Instagram: @noobspearo Website: noobspearo.com Newsletter: noob-spearo.kit.com/floater PARTNER DEALS: Adreno Spearfishing: spearfishing.com.au — use code NOOBSPEARO to save $20 on orders over $200 Neptonics: neptonics.com — use code NOOB10 to save 10% storewide Old Man Blue: oldmanblue.com.au — use code NOOBSPEARO for a free vinyl filleting apron on orders over $300 Aqualyte Hydration: aqualyte.com.au — use code NOOBSPEARO to save 10% Dog & Gun Coffee: dogandguncoffee.com — use code NOOB10 to save 10% HohnkeOutdoors: hohnkeoutdoors.com — use code NOOBSPEARO to save 20%
NSP:316 The 1770 Beginner Spearfishing Retreat Debrief Vol. 2
lundi 4 mai 2026 • Durée 01:11:13
Twelve beginners. Two days on the reefs of Agnes Water. One bloke who was mentally drafting his Marketplace listing for his speargun on Saturday afternoon — then shot a red throat emperor at 20m and became a fully committed spearo on the spot. This is the 1770 Beginner Retreat debrief, Mark Two, and it's everything the Noob Spearo ethos stands for: full froth, no ego, and a group of total strangers backing each other so hard it makes your abs sore from laughing. Shrek gathers the whole crew — students and instructors — on the last night for an unfiltered roundtable covering their biggest wins, worst moments, frothiest memories, and the universal lesson that keeps coming up no matter who you ask: slow down, persevere, and trust the process. If you've been thinking about doing a beginner retreat — or you just need a reminder of why you fell in love with spearfishing — strap in. KEY TOPICS COVERED: Luke's redemption arc: from "listing my speargun on Marketplace" to stoning a red throat at 20m Mackenzie's first-ever ocean experience — four bull sharks on Day 1, unfazed by Sunday The Cobia Chronicles: Lachlan and Patrick's multiply-missed, eventually-landed fish Maddie's Mu: stoned cold with a borrowed gun and the boat bearing down The universal lesson: slowing down, settle on the bottom, let fish come to you Equalisation tips: the pool exercise for divers who EQ flat but struggle vertical Flash's biggest instructor takeaway: spear more fish yourself to teach better "It's not what you think" — Scotty on how mental limits disguise as physical ones Christian on spearfishing as a team sport, not an individual one Why beginner retreats create formative dive buddy bonds that last CONNECT WITH THE CREW: Dive Spear and Sport (Yemala): Agnes Water https://www.instagram.com/dive_spear_sport_1770/ Underwater Culture (Bri): https://www.instagram.com/breeesea/ No Viz Adventures (Flash/Reese): https://www.youtube.com/@novizadventures NOOB SPEARO: Spearfishing Courses and Retreats: spearfishingcourses.com.au Instagram: @noobspearo Website: noobspearo.com Newsletter: noob-spearo.kit.com/floater PARTNER DEALS: Adreno Spearfishing: spearfishing.com.au — use code NOOBSPEARO to save $20 on orders over $200 Neptonics: neptonics.com — use code NOOB10 to save 10% storewide Old Man Blue: oldmanblue.com.au — use code NOOBSPEARO for a free vinyl filleting apron on orders over $300 Aqualyte Hydration: aqualyte.com.au — use code NOOBSPEARO to save 10% Dog & Gun Coffee: dogandguncoffee.com — use code NOOB10 to save 10% HohnkeOutdoors: hohnkeoutdoors.com — use code NOOBSPEARO to save 20%
NSP:315 Making Fins Great Again (+ what happened to Sharkshield?) with Ed Martin
dimanche 3 mai 2026 • Durée 01:41:49
NSP:314 — KillShot, Deep Apnea & the Real Shark Shield Story | Ed Martin Ed Martin is one of those blokes who genuinely can't help himself — after years running a dive shop, guiding charters, and building timber spearguns under the KillShot brand in the Florida Keys, he bought carbon fibre fin company Deep Apnea, got involved in bringing Shark Shield back to market, and watched it all peak and crash at the same time. He's since closed the shop, sold the boat, moved 400 miles north to an 80-acre former turtle farm near Ocala, and is now running two manufacturing businesses out of separate buildings he's literally wiring himself. This episode covers the real Shark Shield story, hard-won business wisdom for anyone thinking about turning their spearfishing passion into a paycheck, and an in-depth breakdown of carbon fibre fin construction — including why "soft, medium, hard" is a terrible way to choose your fins, and what actually matters. If you're a spearo who thinks about gear and business, this one's worth a full listen. KEY TOPICS COVERED: Why Ed closed his Florida Keys dive shop and what the real cost of chasing too many opportunities looks like The Shark Shield saga — why the Freedom 8 never made it back to shelves, and where to get one now (Sentinel Ocean Systems) How Deep Apnea carbon fibre fins are made: hand layup process, resin management, and why less resin means better performance Fin stiffness selection explained properly — body weight, dive frequency, depth, and the static deflection test Ed uses to compare flex The flip flop chest loading pad hack: how to rig a full thong with dyneema for an adjustable, depth-stable chest pad Business advice for aspiring spearo entrepreneurs: exit strategies, profit margins, and why you need to know when to walk What's next for Deep Apnea and KillShot — CNC automation, doubling accounts, and the dream of destination spearfishing CONNECT WITH ED: Deep Apnea Freediving Fins: deepapnea.com — use code NOOB10 for 10% off blades KillShot Spear Guns: killshotspearguns.com Sentinel Ocean Systems (new Freedom 8 / Shark Shield stockist): sentineloceansystems.com NOOB SPEARO: Spearfishing Courses and Retreats: spearfishingcourses.com.au Instagram: @noobspearo Website: noobspearo.com Newsletter: noob-spearo.kit.com/floater PARTNER DEALS: Adreno Spearfishing: spearfishing.com.au — use code NOOBSPEARO to save $20 on orders over $200 Neptonics: neptonics.com — use code NOOB10 to save 10% storewide Old Man Blue: oldmanblue.com.au — use code NOOBSPEARO for a free vinyl filleting apron on orders over $300 Aqualyte Hydration: aqualyte.com.au — use code NOOBSPEARO to save 10% Dog & Gun Coffee: dogandguncoffee.com — use code NOOB10 to save 10% HohnkeOutdoors: hohnkeoutdoors.com — use code NOOBSPEARO to save 20%
NSP:314 The Nordic Endeavour, NZ Tahr Hunts & Near-Blackout Lessons | Josh Halley Josh Halley of Souls Untapped is back on the Noob Spearo Podcast. He's a spearo, adventure filmmaker, and self-described chaos merchant from the Shetland Islands, Scotland — and this time he's got big news: he's rowing the entire coastline of Norway with an ex-Olympic rower, a freediving coach, and a fellow adventurer, spearfishing and cleaning up the ocean along the way. That's before we even get to the near-blackout in Bali, the 50kg dogtooth he deliberately left at depth in Papua New Guinea, and the mouthfill EQ technique that changed everything. Mix in a helicopter tahr hunt in the deep south of New Zealand, honest talk about ADHD and self-discovery, and some straight-up safety wisdom on float lines and reel guns with big fish — and this is one of those episodes you finish and immediately want to send to someone. KEY TOPICS COVERED: The Nordic Endeavour: rowing the full coast of Norway with Glen Sadler, Martin Helseth (ex-Norwegian Olympic rower and freediving coach), and Anders — July 12 departure ADHD and neurodivergence: Josh's experience of self-discovery through expeditions and why the ocean has been his best classroom New Zealand hunting: helicopter drop into the South Island for Himalayan tahr, camping in the rain, and a bull shot with a bow Near-blackout in Bali: what happened, why it happened, and how Josh had to completely relearn how to breathe The 100% framework: how tides, solo diving, thick wetsuits, cameras, and a floating boat all chip away at your safe dive capacity Mouthfill equalisation: the technique that finally unlocked diving below 20m Float line vs reel gun safety: real stories of lost gear and close calls with big kingfish and dogtooth tuna Papua New Guinea: tent living, ear infections, and the 50kg dogtooth Josh spotted — and chose not to chase CONNECT WITH JOSH: soulsuntapped.co.uk Instagram and YouTube: @soulsuntapped Nordic Endeavour Instagram: @nordic_endeavour_2026 BOOK MENTIONED: Scattered Minds by Gabor Mate UPCOMING TRIPS WITH NOOB SPEARO: 1770 Agnes Water Beginner Retreat (July SOLD OUT - Sep 7 Spots LEFT): spearfishingcourses.com.au/1770 Sail and Spear Whitsundays (August, 2 trips): spearfishingcourses.com.au/sailxspear PNG Intermediate+ with Tim McDonald (September 12-20): spearfishingcourses.com.au/png NOOB SPEARO: Spearfishing Courses and Retreats: spearfishingcourses.com.au Instagram: @noobspearo Website: noobspearo.com Newsletter: noob-spearo.kit.com/floater PARTNER DEALS: Adreno Spearfishing: spearfishing.com.au - use code NOOBSPEARO to save $20 on orders over $200 Neptonics: neptonics.com - use code NOOB10 to save 10% storewide Old Man Blue: oldmanblue.com.au - use code NOOBSPEARO for a free vinyl filleting apron on orders over $300 Aqualyte Hydration: aqualyte.com.au - use code NOOBSPEARO to save 10% Dog and Gun Coffee: dogandguncoffee.com - use code NOOB10 to save 10% HohnkeOutdoors: hohnkeoutdoors.com - use code NOOBSPEARO to save 20% Audio Engineering by Nick Santalucia
NSP:313 Tactical Breathing for Spearing and Life | Cindy Yang
lundi 30 mars 2026 • Durée 01:45:59
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. Important Times 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 Spearfishing Courses, Retreats, Charters and Adventures (with Noob Spearo) Adreno Spearfishing – Buy your spearfishing equipment here. Use the code NOOBSPEARO save $20 on every purchase over $200 at checkout – Flat shipping rate, especially in AUS! Neptonics Spearfishing and Freediving – Use the code NOOB10 to save 10% off anything store-wide. Free Shipping on USA orders over $99 Old Man Blue | Wickedly tough and well thought out gear! Spend $300 or more at oldmanblue.com.au and use code NOOBSPEARO for a free vinyl filleting apron! Aqualyte Hydration | 10% off for listeners with code: NOOBSPEARO Noob Spearo MAD GEAR | Merch for Frothers Audible.com Get a free audiobook along with a 30-day trial here. Listen to 99 Tips to Get Better at Spearfishing Dog & Gun Coffee | 10% Off Discount Code: NOOB10 HohnkeOutdoors.com - 20% off with code NOOBSPEARO 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
jeudi 12 mars 2026 • Durée 01:31:05
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. Important Times 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 Links and More 🌐 Website: https://karmadives.com.au/ 📱 Instagram:@karmadivesshop 📱 YouTube: @noobspearo 🌊Instagram: @noobspearo 🤿Sail x Spear Charter Information and Booking Spearfishing Courses, Retreats, Charters and Adventures (with Noob Spearo) Adreno Spearfishing – Buy your spearfishing equipment here. Use the code NOOBSPEARO save $20 on every purchase over $200 at checkout – Flat shipping rate, especially in AUS! Neptonics Spearfishing and Freediving – Use the code NOOB10 to save 10% off anything store-wide. Free Shipping on USA orders over $99 Old Man Blue | Wickedly tough and well thought out gear! Spend $300 or more at oldmanblue.com.au and use code NOOBSPEARO for a free vinyl filleting apron! Aqualyte Hydration | 10% off for listeners with code: NOOBSPEARO Noob Spearo MAD GEAR | Merch for Frothers Audible.com Get a free audiobook along with a 30-day trial here. Listen to 99 Tips to Get Better at Spearfishing Dog & Gun Coffee | 10% Off Discount Code: NOOB10 HohnkeOutdoors.com - 20% off with code NOOBSPEARO 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
