Cape Town Yellowfin Tuna Open Tournament

[Wilddiver]

Here's some more info I have received from the organising committee. There are a few individuals looking for others to make up teams...contact me so I can put interested parties together.

In our Tuna grounds we are lucky, in the sense that we have a very large small
boat commercial tuna fleet, as well as a Longline fleet who target a fish
called Hake in our tuna grounds. Finding the fish is not a problem .The Tuna
in our water are pristine and in great numbers and spearing them is
extremely easy in the sense that once you locate a longline boat you fall in
behind them while they retrieve their line and you start chumming and the
yellowfin appear around the boat - that is why we limited the catch to 10 fish
in total per boat per day between 3 divers .The average weight per fish for
last season was 58.8 kg with many up around the 80 and 90 kg mark.

The accommodation is for your own account and we can assist by doing the
booking from our side to save you money as well. Average costing at a guest
house per person will be $40 to $50 . Some 4 to 5 star guest houses are
available close to the venue. Should you want to stay in really comfortable
self catering units it will cost $15 to $20. (We do provide Meals in the
morning and most evenings at the Tournament)

Our water temp is between 17 to 21 degrees C so a full 3mm open cell is the
minimum wetsuit required - we South African divers here in the Cape all use a 5mm farmer john and a 3mm hooded
jacket.

We really would like to have international competitors so the costs for
our overseas visitors are the same as for the local competitors. We as the organisers
will assist in any way we can by collecting you at the airport and taking
you to the venue etc. Distance to the venue from Cape Town International
airport is +- 40 km.

There are no problems at customs bringing in your diving equipment or
spearguns for that matter.

There are direct flights to South Africa from Washington Dulles or JFK, and from most other countries in the world. South Africa offers gtreat value for international visitors - the US $ is currently about $1=R7.80 and local goods, meals, beers etc are really inexpensive. Pluys you can pick up locally made dive equipment - Rabitech, Rob Allen, Tommy Botha, and even the Aussie Pelaj at great local prices.

[SpearMax]

Very good information Daryl! Thanks for posting it up. Tony

[Wilddiver]

One more team from the USA signed up today so I've heard. Bernie Finnerty, former dogtooth tuna world record holder, and two others...great news, I look forward to spearing with you again Bernie!

[Wilddiver]

Latest news on this comp is that a big international spearfishing equipment manufacturer may come on board as event sponsor for a five-year term. This will assure the future of the event and also add considerably to the prize pool. It is also likely that the event will always only allow a limited number of teams - this year it is 12 x 3-man teams - so teams that have participated in the past events will probably get preference for future registrations.

This is shaping up to be a great addition to the world spearfishing events calendar, and IMHO these open bluewater events, much like La Paz and Hatteras are the future of spearfishing competitions.

Well, my team is in...is yours?

[Wilddiver]

I just received my new gun for this contest - 3 band 1,5m Euro style gun, 8mm shaft...will try to post some pics when I can!

[kill shot]

Yes this is surely going to be a great competition. The location of this event will prove to be a exellent location for a long time to come in the future.

Eric

[AJRABIE]

Hi Guys
Thought I'd give everyone a quick peak of some of the international guys coming to the event. If you need e-mail addresses mail me personally and I'll supply.
Please book accommodation at Oatlands Holiday village before it's full.
The organizing committee will assist were possible.
I will post tournament booklet with the menu's/ dates /time of the events like the opening function closer to the time.
The organizing committee consists of close to 30 members from either Bellville under water club or Cape Boat club, who will organize endlessly to give everyone an international class event. There will be SAB events equipment to create a carnival atmosphere.
The venue is awesome and we encourage teams to spend some time at the Cape Boat club house.
Participants will be greeted with warm soup and coffee after diving days and most days your breakfast and dinner will also be served at the club house.
Boats will be pre-fueled and launched for you, you can just board and off you go.
Feel free to go look at Cape boat's webpage: http://www.capeboatandskiboatclub.co.za
There is a nice picture on the home page of the club house.
The international teams joined so far is:
TEAM CORAL SEA AUSTRALIA
Captained by Martin Cunningham
Crew: Chris Brumley
Crew: Reece Bennett
TEAM IF + SN
Captain by Daryl Balfour
Crew: Zak Zuccaro
Crew: Eric Walker
TEAM NORTHEAST YANKS
Captain: Bernard Finnerty
Crew to be confirmed
USA Team lead by Wolf Zizic from florida
Tentative not yet confirmed
Cheer's
AJ Rabie
Tournament Secretary

[Stealth Stoners]

Sounds good will post on our web-site.

[SpearMax]

Originally Posted by AJRABIE

USA Team lead by Wolf Zizic from florida
Tentative not yet confirmed

Hmmmmm................that is good Wolf! Let's discuss that when you have a chance. Tony

[Man-O-War]

We are waiting on confirmation from our equipment sponsor, and are pricing flights. In few days I will contact AJ and wire the entry fee for our team. 23six, myself, and third diver is TBD.

Wolf

[SpearMax]

That is wonderful! Keep us posted. It should be a fabulous trip.

[AJRABIE]

Every competitor where possible, should bring a digital camera/ recorder. The club house have a large flat screen TV and computer hooked up and we will download all the action/ pictures everyone took during the day and show it during dinner.
Also all data will be burned on DVD and supplied to all contestants at the price giving event.

AJ Rabie

[ANYH2O]

Would you might posting all the details on the meet and the trip and costs there?
Mike

[AJRABIE]

Question:
I would love some more details on this meet.
If flying from the US where do we fly into? And then how far to we travel to the port and then how much is it to stay and eat there?
Cash prizes? Fish counted by wt? limits on the fish? Yellow fin only? Do they school around high spots or just chase bait?

Answer:

You need to fly either directly to Cape Town International or via Johannesburg but end up in Cape Town.
The airport is about 45 km from the venue.
On the transport side you have 3 options:
Rent a car for about $50 dollars a day with a GPS included from AVIS car rental.( for the duration of the comp(+-$300) in total divided by 3 contestants is about $100 per person.
This would probably be the best option, since public transport is not advisable and on your days not diving you will be able to go see Table Mountain and maybe Stellenbosch wine route.
The second option is to rent a Taxi at the airport to Simonstown and it will drop you of at Oaklands holiday accommodation. The venue is walking distance from the official accommodation.(+-$100 or $200 return divided by 3 divers is about $70 per person)
The 3'rd option is that we will come and pick you up from the airport if you give us your date and we will drop you at your accommodation. Make sure you bring a international driving license, for your days off, it will be cheapest to rent a car for driving in an around Cape Town. Avis will deliver the car to your accommodation for the 2 days not diving.(+-$100 for renting a car on your days off = $ 35per person)
Most competing days food breakfast and dinner will be included. Generally food is very cheap for international people. Beers should cost about $1 to $2 US, and a 500kg T-bone and chips should cost about $12 in a good steakhouse. Fuel is expensive for us at about R8 a liter, +-$1 a liter. But you will not use more than a tank full for the duration of your stay in the rental. (+- $60 = $20 per person for the duration). Accommodation is at Oatlands holiday accommodation (Accommodation to be organized by teams. Oatlands Holiday Village 021-7861410 or Boulder’s Beach Guest House 021-7861758 ) change the zero to +27 .
Cost per day at Oatlands is about $20 per person and for the guest house at about $50 per person per day. There will be allot of spearfishing prizes mostly sponsored by Rabitech and Rob Allen both owners should be present at comp. The cash prizes however will mostly be going to the Skippers who will be donating/sponsoring their boats free of charge for the duration of the comp. Since we want this comp to be an annual event the main focus with cash prizes will go the skippers.
Fish will be counted by weigh, any game fish, this will mean either Yellowtail, LongFin tuna or Yellowfin tuna. In our Tuna grounds we are lucky, in the sense that we have a very large small boat commercial tuna fleet, as well as a Longline fleet who target a fish called Hake in out tuna grounds. Finding the fish is not a problem .The Tuna in our water are pristine and in great numbers and spearing them is extremely easy in the sense that once you locate a longline boat you fall in behind them while they retrieve their line and you start chumming and the yellowfin appear around the boat that is why we limited the catch to 10 fish in total per boat per day between 3 divers. Hence the yellowfin chase the bait generated as waist from the nets being pulled in by the big fishing vessels. The average weight per fish for last season was 58.8 kg. You may keep one fish per competing day, the rest gets donated to unite against hunger. Our water temp is between 17 to 21 degrees so a full 3mm open cell is the minimum wetsuit required we all use a 5mm farmer john and a 3 to 5mm hooded jacket.
This means that you will probably spend $ 300 per person above and beyond your entrance fee to cover all your basic expenses for the comp. The entrance fee and fuel costs for the boats are +- $ 1200 per team divided by 3 members = $400 per person + $ 300 per person for accommodation + car hire + site seeing and food not included. This means you are looking at +-$700 per person, excluding your plain tickets.


The dates for this year’s tournament are as follows:
Tuesday:
6th May 2008 Opening Function at 19H 00
Wednesday to Saturday
7th - 10th May 2008
2 Diving Days starts at 06H00 - 15H00
Saturday 10th May 2008 Closing Function 19:00

[SpearMax]

Originally Posted by ANYH2O

Would you might posting all the details on the meet and the trip and costs there?
Mike

AJ, Mike here is one of our top US freedive contestants in our tournaments. FYI, Tony