diving cape moreton

im thinking of having a spear dive around cape moreton when some good weather comes along ive never really speared much before mainly free diving for aquarium fish ive seen some big jew, snapper, cod, sweeties and so on down around the rocks the only thing im slightly worried about are the large fish with big teeth as ive seen many out of the water and never in the water should i be worried as its not commonly dived area and im not sure how ide react with a large shark swimming around, any tips on dealing with this or minamizing the risk of having to deal with this problem or should i just put some concrete in my drink :P

JJ I'd say your caution is justified. Best to dive with a mate so youse can keep an eye out for each other. It also feels a lot safer when there is more than one of you.....cuts the odds down so to speak!
My advice would be start slowly and just go step by step, your confidence and comfort levels will rise with experience, start in the close-in shallower spots and if Noah makes an appearance and you feel scared, which we all do at some stage and with good reason, just come back to shore and dive somewhere else or at another time.
The way I see it, it's all about fun, no need to put yourself through anxiety just for a fish or two. You will become more comfortable around sharks, then the other problem, complacency, can arise but that will prob be a little while off yet.
I've never been to where you live JJ, but I've had the great pleasure of reading some of your reports and it sounds like an awesome place. My guess is there would certainly be some serious bities in the area, so I'd be avoiding the prime feeding periods of dusk and dawn. Try going on a rising tide on a nice sunny day when the visability is good, get a few dives under your belt so you are familiar with your gear, the terrrain, etc.
Make sure you have entry and exit spots for each dive firmly in your mind at all times. With sharks, if they are relaxed in there behaviour I find I don't feel too threatened, but if they start getting too active or inquisitive I'm out of there. My tolerance level is admittedly not very high!
I would definitely use a float if I were you, and tether your fish to it rather than have them attatched to your belt etc.
Mate take your time, but be warned you will find spearfishing addictive.
I'm really pleased you have posted this, it is vital to be aware of the risks inherent with spearfishing. With proper management of these risks, you are going to have an absolute ball!
You will also get some great advice from other members who are far better spearos and way more familiar with your area than me.
Cheers.

Definitely worth a dive just take a buddy so you can both keep an eye out. I've had a snorkel around the cape and seen a few guys head out with a handspear, staying close to the rocks though.
A guy got taken by a shark off the beach there a number of years back, and there are plenty of sharks on the surf beaches so just keep your wits about you.

yeah its fine to dive.. you need good conditions and to be aware of tides and currents... its a very remote area and you need a buddie and good gear.. start slowly carefully you will get good results.

Ill be out there tomorrow hopefully will have some results

Some great advice here fellas. Current, and dive buddy...I reckon theyre first on the check list. With the toothies, if a decent bull or tiger does cross your path, try to stay calm, stand your ground, and ALWAYS keep your eyes on her. Every inch of your body is telling you otherwise, but if you retreat, it may just see you as prey. When the coast is clear, make your steady way back to the shore. I wouldn't hang around if there are big bulls/tigers in the area (pretty rare in the middle of the day), they can test your wits a little too much at times. I've tagged countless whalers/hammers over on the western side, and dinner time is usually from 4pm onwards. Around the corner (Honeymooner's bay etc) there is a greater chance of seeing a tiger early morning, and even a white in the cooler months, but still pretty darn slim. But yeah, ALWAYS have at least one buddy with you at all times. Enjoy it, moreton skinning's bloody great!

Cuzza

I agree with all the above I've been diving for 30 years and have over 1000 dives accredited and spearfishing for 10 years.

I have a lot respect for the sea, if you respect it, it will normally respect you.

Peter