Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Mozambique

I got one of the biggest frights of my life! I recently went to Mozambique. Its Sunday... about 5:30 am, it was overcast, and the sea was rough and unforgiving.

It was my last chance to go spear fishing before the drive home. I navigated my way into the surf and over the rocky point, at the same time, trying to avoid getting totally broken on the rocks which were being exposed when the water receded.

The water visibility was up to shit, only about 1.3m. I swam out about 700m in the hope of getting better vis, but I was shit out of luck, as it was as bad as the vis along the shore line. I went down to about 15m to see if I could find any game fish, I found nothing but disappointment and frustration.

I started my assent, muscles burning, and lungs stinging for air. As I was nearing the surface, I glanced down only to see a shark swimming straight for me! It was about 70cm wide pectoral fins splayed out telling me it’s pissed off with me being there! In one motion, I pointed my spear gun in its direction and I broke the surface, took a breath of air and I immediately plunged my head back under the water to try see where the shark was, but it had vanished into the murky water! I promptly made a quick exit plan and headed to the relative safety of the bay whilst regularly looking out for the shark! That was the longest swim of my life!




Im not too sure about this one...


Priorities'.






Part of a dead jelly fish.





Yet another dead jelly.


The local market.


A typical run down building in Mozambique.


A soccer game where most of the players had no shoes.




Friday, December 4, 2009

Dairy farm

Piles of cow shit greeted you around every corner, just begging for the moment you step on them! Your nasal cavity is assaulted with all sorts of unpleasant smells and odours alike. One of the more frustrating parts to the entire exercise is knowing there is copious amounts of bovine excrement caked to the bottom of each one of your tripod legs.

It had been so long since I had last trotted around a dairy farm that I had almost forgotten what to expect...


The fly and tong


I see you!


The old barn