Hawaii Skin Diver The Breath of Freedivers

. . .That's what the first Tako looked like, and then a jet of water tossed up some sand. It hid so well, I wasn't even sure it was one until I tickled around. It was my first tako and it's been one of my new passions since then. Diving's different from surfing. It's like that feeling you get when you're the only one out. Or in the barrel. Just you and the sea's silence. Nevah mind that it was only 1 pound, felt big.

The other day I did my second tako dive. A lot different from the 1st dive, 'cause on that one I found the first tako (well, baby tako). On the 2nd dive my girfriend's father picked up two before I even figured out that these suckers are smarter than I thought. He pointed at the reef below, about ten feet down. All I could do was look back at him and act like I saw something. See, on the first 1st dive, the tako were in shallow water and were covering the holes, fully exposed, but sort of invisible besides there eyes. On this 2nd dive, they were in pukas so small I probably passed over a few without even checking. After that it was all gravy.

I learned two things that day: 1) The freakin' tako was smarter than me. 2) I've got a LOT to learn.

Congrats on your catch!

I remember the first tako I caught was at Kaawa. The guy was probably only 1.5# or so. At that time I only had a fiberglass three prong from Walmart, mask, cheapo fins, and a MacGyver float. Since I didn't have a wetsuit or rash guard, that first tako gave me hickies all around

Like you, I got the bug and would go out once twice, maybe three times a week. After a while though, I kinna realize that these tako take a while to grow. Nowadays, I only take one or two, and they gotta be 2#+. Besides, that size makes a great gyotaku, and taste better smoked!



Yogibear