Diving

Salt Life SUP and fishing pro, Bri Andrassy recently went on her first scalloping excursion on Florida’s west coast, and we were lucky enough to be able to experience it with her. While Bri has charted many miles of Florida’s eastern shore on her stand-up paddleboard, the west coast is new territory for her. Bri and her friends accumulated eight gallons of freshly caught scallops, all varying in size, and even snagged a couple of snappers that she was able to clean and cook for dinner.

Spearfishing is an iconic aquatic sport that began booming in the early 1930s, but this rooted means of survival goes back much farther in human history. As one of the oldest and most sustainable fishing techniques, spearfishing can be dated back to the Paleolithic era when early man began making home across Africa's coast. They used barbed poles (harpoons) and even documented this on ancient cave walls. Along with this, spearfishing was so utilized throughout the years that you can even find mentions of it in the bible, Job 41:7. 

Pushing technological advancements aside for a moment, spearfishing has not altered much since the invention of the first harpoon. And though it has clearly withstood the tests of time, it does not change the fact that getting started is not exactly an easy process, especially with the laws and regulations in place today to ensure that this fishing practice stays sustainable. Now, if you still crave to master this extreme sport and tap into your primal instincts, here is a comprehensive overview on how to get started:

For Salt Life’s Captain Jimmy, diving has been a lifelong passion. Growing up by the Rainbow River in Florida, Captain Jimmy started diving around the age of three - that’s right, three! “Almost every day, my mother, brother, and I would dive, swim, and snorkel in the river,” Captain Jimmy fondly remembers. These days, Captain Jimmy loves to dive in the Caribbean, especially in the Bahamas and around the Cayman Islands.

Luiza’s love for the water started with swimming lessons as a child. She spent a lot of time in the ocean, thanks to many family trips to the beach. She started diving around six years old and hasn’t stopped since! Luiza’s favorite place to dive? She says, “definitely the Cayman Islands!”