15/05/2026
Basking in the afterglow of an unforgettable week in Pomene, I’m left with that rare feeling only certain trips leave behind — the kind that lingers long after the trip home has ended and the gear has been packed away. My cup is overflowing. Overflowing with gratitude for good mates like Peet & Stephen who somehow always turn these missions aboard Shackelton into something far greater than just another trip. And for our better, prettier halves, who are happy simply being in paradise while we disappear over the horizon chasing fish and stories out in the blue.
For me these trips are never just holidays. Time in the water testing guns and gear is invaluable. Every shot, every fish landed, and every hard lesson adds to the confidence behind the gear we send out to some of the best divers doing high-stakes spearfishing far away from my small workshop.
That is also why, on the 1st day, when the surf was absolutely firing, I couldn’t bring myself to paddle out. As hard as it was watching perfect lines peel off the point, I knew where my focus needed to be. The opportunities out there felt too important to miss. So I went spearing instead… and yes, it hurt a little.
For a week straight we dived in near-perfect conditions. We shot some epic fish and let some even more epic fish swim on — marlin included. At some point you realise enough really is enough. We only had so much hatch space, and the thought of a magnificent fish baking on a hot deck purely for noddy badges never sat right with us. Besides, we already had more than enough good eating fish, and still landed up giving plenty away.
There is something about Pomene that quietly changes you. Maybe it’s the endless blue water, the peeling waves, or simply the reminder of how small we really are out there. Whatever it is, a piece of me will remain drifting somewhere out there for a very long time.
FULL EDIT COMING SOON
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