Hello, I am Marco and it’s a pleasure to share with you my Introduction to Spearfishing in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. A few weeks ago, after many months of working with Spearfishing Today as the web guy (I admit, I like being on land, jaja), I decided to get out of the office and experience by myself the first time Spearfishing.
So, armed with a swimming trunk, good spirit and bravery for this 4 to 5 hours trip into the ocean I headed to the beach in Playa del Carmen Mexico to begin this true fishing adventure….
Our meeting point was on the beach in front of Martina Beach Club in Playa del Carmen. Once there I met Diego, our Spearfishing guide who introduced me to the clients and we had a quick talk to get to know each other a little bit. My Introduction to Spearfishing was about to start….
Spearfishing is for everybody (no scuba diving), from curious people trying to experiment something different to experts who convert underwater hunting into a way of life. Our clients explained to be hunters at home and had practiced that hobby all over the world until they decided to uncheck Spearfishing from the TO DO list. Not exactly the kind of hunting they were used to but worth to “give it a shot”.
First step while awaiting the boat to be ready, Diego gave to each of the guests a great Spearfishing explanation; the fish we were going to be able to encounter during the trip and also explained which one could be caught or not, requesting to respect local fishing regulations. I have the opinion that this is an essential part of an Introduction to Spearfishing.
Once the boat was ready, we departed to the first sight located near XCaret Park in Playa del Carmen within a good 15 minutes boat ride. Diego gave a briefing, which was very extensive touching all details a Spearfishing beginner must know. How to swim, how to breath and hold your breath, how to use the speargun (rubber bands) and approach the fish. Of course as well explaining a lot about safety procedures during the trip. Diego is a very experienced Spearfishing guide, he has been in “the Spearfishing business” in Mexico for more than 10 years , has a wide knowledge and….. he is really patient with beginners (like me, jaja); I would say he is really the perfect guy for an Introduction to Spearfishing.
Once we got to our first Spearfishing spot, it was time to get wet and practice what we had learned from Diego. The first stop is in shallow water to become more comfortable while getting used to the Spearfishing routine. Diego carried the spearguns for safety in the beginning and he will give you the speargun as soon as he sees you are comfortable; from that moment, it is all up to you. Approach silently the fish from above, unlock the safety of the speargun, point and shoot. Finishing the trial our clients jumped back into the boat and we were headed to the first real Spearfishing location.
After this point, the whole trip consists of doing different Spearfishing spots trying to catch fish. This gives you time to rest a little bit in between, to get some water and to eat some fruit.
During the trip the group was able to catch fish and after some more attempts were made without luck. The Spearfishing tour and my Introduction were over before I knew and the captain turned the boat around and sailed back to Playa del Carmen with our tired but satisfied clients.
Finally, happy to be on land after an adventurous morning, it was time to say goodbye to our customers who headed toward their resort proudly carrying their dinner. From sea to table!
All and all a fantastic Introduction to Spearfishing in Playa del Carmen, Mexico showing a sustainable way of (spear) fishing: provecho.