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The 9th Annual Blue Water Hunting and Spearfishing Extravaganza! Sunday March 30, 2008 The wind in our faces and the hum of the outboard motors were the only indicator of forward movement. The lack of texture on the oily-calm ocean surface gave the illusion of stillness even at a cruising speed of 25 miles per hour. We are one of eight teams totaling 24 divers leaving from various locations on the west side of the Big Island via swimming from shore, Kayak, Jet Ski, Canoe, Paddle Board or Motor Boat racing to where each team believes the winning fish will be found. For nine years The Blue Water Hunter spearfishing store, located in the Kaloko Industrial area on Kauhola Street, has hosted the state of Hawaii's only spearfishing event that targets exclusively restaurant quality fish, such as Ono, Mahi Mahi, Ahi and Marlin. This event is for the chosen few who dare to brave the sharks in the deep ocean blue on a single breath of air and a rubber band powered spear. Would anyone like some vulnerability for breakfast? Team Riffe, consisting of Hanalei Adric, Calvin Lai sr., Calvin Lai jr., Tanya Bierne and Derek Hong, with, by far, the fastest boat in the tournament, raced in the opposite direction heading north to O.T.E.C buoy along with a scattered field of divers charging as far north as the North Kohala lighthouse and as far south as the South Point boat launch. Ultimately, the team with the largest fish of the day will bring home the Grand Prize but with generous donations from Riffe International, Izuo Brothers, Spetton and The Blue Water Hunter, everyone was bound to score some great prizes! Team Blue Water Hunter arrived at B buoy, outside Milolii, to find a plethora of fishing boats already working the area. After a brief check at B and no luck finding any worthy targets, we headed to the most southern buoy of the day, called TT, only to find a hungry pod of Steno (Rough Tooth) Dolphins, which are sure to eat all of our chum and scare away any potential winning fish. We unanimously decided to try our luck at a different location in the “Ono lane,” which stretches the entire perimeter of the Big Island basically determined by a “short” distance from the shore in roughly 200 – 400 foot depth of water. Meanwhile, Team Jeff's Boat have found two Mahi Mahi at UU buoy and are working hard to get a shot. The larger Bull (Male) Mahi is managing to avoid the divers and leads them on a wild Goose chase around the buoy. A smaller Mahi makes the mistake of getting too close to the divers and becomes Team Jeff's Boat 's largest fish of the day at 21 pounds. Team Riffe has arrived at O.T.E.C. buoy and found themselves two Mahi to contend with. Between Hanalei and Calvin Lai jr. both Mahi found themselves on the end of the spear shaft. Hanalei landed a 15.5 pounder and Calvin's at 14.5 pounds totaling 30 pounds of fish for Team Riffe. Down south near Pebble Beach in the “Ono lane,” Team Blue Water Hunter located a small bait fish school known as Opelu and threw a few handfuls of thawed Anchovies like an offering to the ocean god to provide us with a fish, any fish and it doesn't even have to be a winning fish... just something so we can represent. Rotating divers in the water with who plays boat Captain, Jeff is manning the controls on the boat while Bruce and I brave the frigid, early morning ocean blue. I am looking in the direction of Bruce as he swims calmly in my general direction when I figure I should check my 6:00 o'clock to heed any unwanted jagged toothed predators dawning a grayish colored suits with vertical stripes, when to my utmost surprise I spy five silver colored, bullet shaped fish known as Ono and they're almost sniffing my fins. As I dive and turn in their direction, they move off slightly unsure of my intentions. I calmly wait for the closest one to present itself perfectly and take the shot, paralyzing the 28.5 pound Ono instantly. The remainder of the school circle around and start heading for the deep. Bruce takes a moment to assess the situation than dives. He powers down quickly to about 80 feet, takes a long and difficult shot on the largest Ono in the group and hits it well. The fish takes off pulling his float under the water for about three minutes but luckily seems to be swimming in a big circle so Bruce can follow the float. Finally, the 34 pound Ono is brought to the surface qualifying it as the largest fish of the day and gives Team Blue Water Hunter a total weight of 62.5 pounds of fresh sashimi. The rules of the tournament state that no one team is allowed to win both categories, largest fish and total weight. Therefore, the standings were as follows:
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