Thread: Doppler Divers

I was a PADI dive master for years at South Auckland Divers saving the arses of all of the wives that did not want to be under the water but were there because their husbands insisted. I haven't been on scuba these past 20 years and haven,t eaten cray or scollies in nearly as long.

Originally Posted by R93

I have got crays around Oraro? in 2m of water Munsey. January is the time mate.

That's insane , have heard that they can be that shallow . Not saying I would not like catching crays but always when I say I'm going to make an effort to catch them I see big fat butters and get my spear gun and rest is history . I always have 3 pots out in south bay normally catch my 6 crays that way , so up there for a week 40 crays ! That's more than enough for one family

munsey i spearfish aswell managed to get a cray in knee deep water off the beach at south bay hardly had to get wet

Originally Posted by longrange308

munsey i spearfish aswell managed to get a cray in knee deep water off the beach at south bay hardly had to get wet

I must have blinkers on when up . Have only seen two crays ever and both where just too deep . Very frustrating getting within two meters of them and having to go back up .

Originally Posted by Munsey

That's insane , have heard that they can be that shallow . Not saying I would not like catching crays but always when I say I'm going to make an effort to catch them I see big fat butters and get my spear gun and rest is history . I always have 3 pots out in south bay normally catch my 6 crays that way , so up there for a week 40 crays ! That's more than enough for one family

I am sure they come in close in Jan for a couple of weeks. I can remember never doing that well around south bay. I spose like everything, you have to be in the know.
There are a few reefs just North of Oraro and in close that go nuts for bugs in Jan. Decent ones as well. You should get some free diving there. I am spoilt in Haast I dont even have to get wet now. A good mate runs the cray factory in the bay.

Originally Posted by R93

I am sure they come in close in Jan for a couple of weeks. I can remember never doing that well around south bay. I spose like everything, you have to be in the know.There are a few reefs just North of Oraro and in close that go nuts for bugs in Jan. Decent ones as well. You should get some free diving there. I am spoilt in Haast I dont even have to get wet now. A good mate runs the cray factory in the bay.

I've never tried down oraro way , may give it a go this summer , want to get a good spot for moki as well , they sometimes a bit hard to get onto in south bay I do all right with the pots at south bay , take my daughter out to set and retrieve them , she's a wee sea dog now , normally spots the cray floats before me now . Only a matter of time before she sees a whale up close , that will be a buzz . I've seen one , came up right beside boat probably 5 mts away , very cool and a little bit scary . Some good hunting up there too , I could easily live there but my mrs would divorce me ! Ummmmm that's a thought !

Originally Posted by R93

I have got crays around Oraro? in 2m of water Munsey. January is the time mate.

Dave I would not have a clue where Oraro is but I remember my mate would fly a skydive plane from Glenorchy to Big Bay and wouldn't even have to put his head under for a feed of cray and paua from the rock pools.

Originally Posted by kiwijames

Dave I would not have a clue where Oraro is but I remember my mate would fly a skydive plane from Glenorchy to Big Bay and wouldn't even have to put his head under for a feed of cray and paua from the rock pools.

kiwi james "Oraro" is just south of kaikoura .

Originally Posted by kiwijames

Dave I would not have a clue where Oraro is but I remember my mate would fly a skydive plane from Glenorchy to Big Bay and wouldn't even have to put his head under for a feed of cray and paua from the rock pools.

Dont know about crays James but if I was working anywhere south of Smoothwater river on a good low tide, I would land and get 10 paua with out getting the lowas wet. You could get kina as well but I was happy to leave them where they were.
Your mate could have landed at Beansprouts or Jamestown to do that as well. I am not sure if there are any other strips that would give access to an easy feed.
Big bay is a primo spot.

Originally Posted by Munsey

I must have blinkers on when up . Have only seen two crays ever and both where just too deep . Very frustrating getting within two meters of them and having to go back up .

lots there but they normaly too small

Got my ticket in 1975 NZ Basic Scuba, similar to Padi advanced. Since the mid eighties I have worked part time construction diving ( Constuction class 3)on the Hydros and outfalls around Central NZ. Mainly scuba but also a bit of hard hat diving as well. Still Diving but only for small jobs and only in my area now. Love diving with my Son and Daughter and sometimes if it's clear the Wife as well, in the Coromandel for the pot.

Originally Posted by Gapped axe

Got my ticket in 1975 NZ Basic Scuba, similar to Padi advanced. Since the mid eighties I have worked part time construction diving ( Constuction class 3)on the Hydros and outfalls around Central NZ. Mainly scuba but also a bit of hard hat diving as well. Still Diving but only for small jobs and only in my area now. Love diving with my Son and Daughter and sometimes if it's clear the Wife as well, in the Coromandel for the pot.

Thats a whole new take on hydradponics

SSI Divecon here.

Sadly my semi dry has shrunk a bit too.

I blame the dark as theres bugger all light getting into the closet these days.

Mainly a hunter gatherer too.

Diving in the Hawkes Bay is very hit an miss mostly due to poor viz, however on the right day getting a cray of the northern rock is easier than buying one at pack n save.

Did three dives on the barrier reef a fortnight ago ...... bloody awesome!

Cheers
Pete

I don't dive due to eyesight but most of the extended family does. I'm just the bays resident boatman.
My Uncle is a qualified instructor and is awesome under water, he can turn 230 bar in to 1 to 1.5 hours on the bottom easy.Best Ive seen him do is 60 bar turned in to 40mins on the scolly bed at 10-13m.

I dive for both the pot and to enjoy the scenery. Some of the most memorable dives have been on the east coast of the far north around doubtless bay and North Cape. The West Coast of the SI can't be beat for bugs. I hope to dive fiordland and haast this summer.