WPC's NorCal Seamen Slinger Extravaganza

Oakietree · Sep 14, 2010

What an unbelievable good time. Four consecutive days of free diving can take it out of you.

First off, I must express my extreme thanks to our wonderful sponsors who donated a huge abundance of amazing gifts and prizes.
Vector001 brought an armload of machetes w/custom sheaths and a bunch of Fast Axe II's
Equinox Coronado
http://hawks.equinoxcoronado.com/
John and Denise McCann continued to show there amazing support to the outdoor community with boxes of survival and preparedness products that will help ensure attendees survival on future adventures
Survival Resources
http://bepreparedtosurvive.com/
Rob Lytle sent the most perfect and beautiful bushcraft knife we had ever seen. It was given away to the first time diver with the largest abalone.
Woodbite Knives
http://woodbiteknives.com/
Jen, of Fluid Film, made sure everyone went home with some of their incredible industrial spay lubricant to help keep their gear in working order.
Fluid Film
http://www.fluid-film.com/
I probably wouldn't have made it through the week without the quick and nutritious energy that Clif Bar so generously provided. They have an amazing line of products that kept everyone in camp going.
Clif bar
http://www.clifbarstore.com/index.asp

Thanks to Nightdog/Blackarrow/Phil for driving way out of his way to come spend such a short time with us just to gift us with his amazing prototypes. Hope you can make it to the next one for longer.

Also a big thanks to all attendees, especially my fellow brethren of the Westside Pirate Crew, who made this such a glorious event. To participate in such camaraderie at a place that is so dear to me was humbling. Also my thanks to the new divers, who were willing to brave the unknown and were hopefully rewarded by some of the most amazing natural beauty on the planet. I have spent truly countless hours at the Reef campground and dove there easily over 100 times and never have I enjoyed myself as much as I did at this past event.

Also thanks to the following for great prices and customer service. They got us the right gear even on short notice.

Dano and Brad at Mako Spearguns. He got my gun built and shipped on very short notice. As well as 3 or 4 others.
http://www.makospearguns.com/
Ft Bragg Marine for the best deals on wetsuits on the North Coast.
http://www.fortbraggmarine.com/
For deals on premium freedive gear
http://www.freediveshop.com/
Adorama camera for getting me my underwater housing for a deal on short notice.
http://www.adorama.com/

Here is a sampling of pics. I will be back with more pics, details and videos.
Our beautiful campgrounds.

The waters edge.

Flying the colors

Most of the group

Top secret product testing. (Patent Pending)

Wrecked

Double wrecked

Westside

Matt
More to come..........................

Doc13 · Sep 14, 2010

Looks like you all had a great time:thumbup:

Oh yeah, I want some of those top secret arrow/spear cards..lol
Not so secret is it.(Insert evil laugh here)Hahaha

baldtaco-II · Sep 14, 2010

Been looking forward to this.

mtnfolk mike · Sep 14, 2010

aaahhh... great pics Matt...:thumbup: i feel like such a dumb a$$, this whole time, i thought that this gathering was 9-15th through the 19th.. i spoke to Rksoon about going up with me and he informed me that i missed it..

sorry man.. i was really wanting to go... we'll all have to make the next one for sure...

j williams · Sep 14, 2010

Nice.....looks like a great time, and great spot. Cant wait to see more pics.

HikingMano · Sep 15, 2010

Good stuff, can't wait to see more :thumbup: Man, looked like the weather was NICE up there!

Bummed I couldn't make this one, but I'm looking forward to the next :thumbup: Mike, next time we'll double check with each other well in advance

Oakietree · Sep 15, 2010

All right here are some more pics. The first video is uploading to youtube.

The main idea for this campout was to share an outdoor activity and experience that I am familiar with and love. By holding it over 5 consecutive days it gave new divers a chance to work out all the kinks in their gear and technique. Last year there were a few new divers and a few divers of little experience that really got exposed to a new skill and passion. Those who attended but didn't dive last year came ready to dive this year. In addition a few new people came to take part. Over all, I think we ended up with over 30 in attendance with about half of those people getting in the water. Everyone who put the time in were able to harvest abalone. They really got to know the skill. Besides all that, just getting together with a bunch of friends, old and new, is a great time.

We were very blessed by weather and ocean conditions that were extremely favorable. Having 5 nice sunny days on the north coast is unusual. The ocean swell and visibility got better each day. It was really calm and clear.

My family and I were the first to arrive on Wed. at about noon. The campground was pretty empty and we were able to grab our favorite campsites. Others started rolling in shortly after and began setting up camp.

A few of us hit a quick dive to get the new guys used to the water and their gear. (You can see it in the video.) There were some gear adjustments that were easily made.

The next morning with most in attendance I did a quick abalone freediving class trying to cover the basics.

Over the next three days a number of us dove for up to a few hours a day. Most had no problem once they got the hang of it. I was really impressed by the group as a whole. One new diver, Steelhead, popped his first 3 abalone and shot his first fish on his second day diving. One lady, Jen, had never swam in the ocean. She reported having a great time snorkeling and sightseeing. She will be getting her ab card next time. Everyone seemed pretty ecstatic.
Some of the group suited up

Dive taxi

Fgod(7.62shooter) after trying to keep up with me ;D

Even though I spent most of the time guiding I was able to squeeze in a few fish

Here is the first video. I only had the crap software that came with the camera. The next video is better both in content and quality. It will give you a little bit of an idea of what it is like.
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I dont know if that will work or not so here is a link.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQV1rCt_aJY

I will be back with more.

Matt

j williams · Sep 16, 2010

Even more great shots.....I need to get out there for one of these. Too much fun. :thumbup:

McHellfire · Sep 16, 2010

Just want to voice a hearty THANK YOU! To the Westside Pirate Crew for an amazingly glorious Seamen Slinger Extravaganza!

The events, dives, food and plundering were only superseded by the camaraderie and extremely friendly welcoming Pirates. They threatened me to not say such nice things but the lot of em was just such dang good people I decided to take the risk. Even though I had to scuttle early I thoroughly enjoyed myself and look forward to future raids.
Being a solo first timer at such an event, and knowing the reputation of the ocean going scum I had cached my valuables in safe hiding before reaching the campsite, lest I be loosened of valuable earthly belongings. I was immediately aware such cautions were unnecessarywait, wheres my wallet?..sunnova...scurvy pirates...

The foreboding coastal fog lifted as I pulled in and was greeted by smiling faces and outstretched hands, a vibrant buzz about all attendees, making traps, knife and stick sparring and general mayhem. The next two days were spent in and out of the water, sharing laughs and trying to keep awake despite having to go home to my wife and daughter who were sick with a cold each night for a refreshing 4 hours sleep.:yawn:

It was a grand time. I especially want to thank Matt/Oakietree for all the help getting set up with the freediving stuff, the spearfishing stuff, untangling me from my floatline, showing me where the abs live, pushing me underwater again and again until I got it, patience of a saint and opening the door to what will be my newest pastimespearfishingdamn you!

Since I didnt get a chance to say it to the group when I left: THANKS ALL!:thumbup:

Best,
Steelhead/McHellfire

Oakietree · Sep 16, 2010

Continued from above.............

On Thursday and Friday we set up a competition, for the new divers, to see who would end up with the biggest abalone. For the grand prize we had a custom bushcraft knife made by Rob Lyttle of Woodbite Knives. http://woodbiteknives.com/ It was really an amazing peice of workmanship.

My brother ended up with the largest ab. You can see him take it in the first video. Not to bad for someone from AZ.

Egregious Ed(Anvilsmith) took second place and was awarded one of the bitchin' new Fast Axe II's from Equinox Coronado http://hawks.equinoxcoronado.com/

It was really hard for me not to include myself in the competition, so I could keep one of these for myself.
"Whoever beats me can have this.......You're all on your own!"

There were some other awards given but for legal reasons it was decided that it was best not to post them.

After awards we had a huge giveaway were all attendees left with some great gifts thanks to our other wonderful sponsors.
Survival Resources http://www.bepreparedtosurvive.com/ sent a huge assortment of quality survival gear. I am continually amazed at their generosity and dedication to make sure you can cover you ass. Fluid film http://www.fluid-film.com/ was also very generous as was Clif Bar. http://www.clifbar.com/ Everyone went home with a good supply from both.

Jen from Fluid Film swam in the ocean for the first time.(Beginning of second video)

Cairological flew in from Spokane, Wa

Snowbound sandwich

The Fgod's(7.62shooter)

Snaps10 from Sequoia Mt. SAR

My wife and I

Besides diving there was a lot of trap making practiced

Game processing

Plenty of good food

Beautiful beaches

Cool gear to try out

Hanging with friends and family

Even some Ninja training(click on pic for video of the Sigmiester in action)

It was an unbelievably great time. I have gotten numerous phone calls from people who attended saying it was one of the greatest time of their lives. That means the world to me. I fell so honored to have such a great crew to adventure with and to be able to share something that is so dear to my heart and has given me so much. The Ocean is so important in my life. It is my sanctuary and church. To see it touch the lives of so many new people and to share the experience with those who already know is wondrous.

With that here is part 2 of the video. I figured out the software a little more, so the production quality is greatly improved.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1aCcuJwzDFc

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Thank you everyone

Matt

mtnfolk mike · Sep 16, 2010

more awesome pics Matt.. looks like a blast.. :thumbup: i'm still bummed i missed this...

HikingMano · Sep 16, 2010

So envious...diving, toys, and even some eskrima lessons

:thumbup::thumbup: The videos are awesome, btw, watching them now

rroundy · Sep 17, 2010

VIVA the WEST SIDE.

ryan

762 shooter · Sep 17, 2010

T'was an excellent week. I should have a couple of pics up soon...