NSP:161 Derek Marshall Dunning - Cape Town Spearfishing with DMD

Interview with Derek Marshall Dunning Today's episode is with Derek Marshall Dunning, president of the South African Underwater Fishing Federation, founder of DMD Fins, freediving instructor, national judge, master freediver and absolute spearfishing nut in Cape Town, South Africa! He along with South African Freediving Federation president Matt Stow (referenced in the episode a few times), run NAUI Freediving Africa and offer a wide variety of freediving and spearfishing courses. Find out about spearfishing in Cape Town, how to hunt local fish like Cape Bream (known as Hotties to the locals) Mussel Cracker and Red Roman, some great ways to cook Yellowtail and some remedies for difficult equalization. You can buy a pair of fins from him as well and you can do one of his courses and if you're in Cape Town come and join the Blue Spearos Spearfishing Club, they have a telegram group that is full of people who love spearfishing! We hope you enjoy this episode, let us know what you think in the comments! Important times: 00:12 Welcome back to the Noob Spearo Podcast! 06:55 Welcome Derek 07:42 How long have you been involved in spearfishing in South Africa? 08:38 Was freediving natural to you? 10:36 Getting back into the water 11:16 You have a sticky left ear, tell us about your equalizing history 12:38 What do you do to fix this? 13:45 Medicine or training your body to equalize better? 14:22 Cortisone 15:22 Snort salt water 15:32 Tell me about your courses 17:15 Weighting for new divers 20:01 TV interview about spearfishing 22:32 The value of teaching basic skills 23:24 What common problems do you find in your students? 24:47 "How do you hold your breath for longer?" 25:26 Diving with better divers and spearfishing clubs 26:48 Memorable fish in SA and how to hunt Mussel Cracker 28:59 Recipes 29:56 Yellowtail recipes 32:54 Merits of diving in the shallows 34:43 Competitions 35:36 Tell us about conditions in Cape Town 37:51 We travel for big fish 38:37 What is your approach to spearfishing? 39:40 Cape Bream - The Hottentot, good eating? 40:21 How do you find Cape Bream and Red Roman? 41:28 What is an experience that scared you? 43:39 We went through a series of Matt being a dick 44:52 You meet a lot of interesting people and make good friends 45:42 Veterans Vault: DMD Fin 47:43 Plastic fins vs composites vs carbon 51:17 I was a gearslut with a rolling tab at Rabitech 52:10 The value of pool training and being in a club 53:33 The value of doing a spearfishing course 54:09 The history of spearfishing clubs in Cape Town 55:45 Fuzzy takes new spearos out into the sea 56:14 Enter the competitions 58:15 What foot pockets have you settled on? 59:14 Woman in spearfishing in SA, Mariette De Jager and Talya Davidoff 01:01:32 Competitive freediving vs spearfishing - head space 01:03:57 What makes a good spearo, my fish nemesis 01:06:21 More funny stories 01:08:52 What's in your dive bag? 01:10:21 What is Hydroglide? 01:12:10 Where can people buy your gear? 01:14:37 Spearo Q&A Best piece of advice you've been given for spearfishing If you could start over, what would you do differently? What's something you do differently in your spearfishing? What does spearfishing mean to you? 01:16:46 "If there's water, we dive" - Thank you Derek! 01:18:54 Sam Veasey's voice message Listen in and subscribe on iOS or Android https://link.chtbl.com/Download_This_Episode Important Links Derek on Instagram DMD Fins Shopify DMD Fins on Instagram DMD on Facebook NAUI Africa's website NAUI Freediving Africa on Facebook NAUI Freediving Africa on Instagram Sam Veasey's video on dive knives Noob Spearo Facebook Community Noob Spearo Instagram Noob Spearo Partners and Discount Codes Adreno Spearfishing – Buy your spearfishing equipment here. Use the code NOOBSPEARO save $20 on every purchase over $200 at checkout – Flat shipping rate, especially in AUS! Neptonics Spearfishing and Freediving – Use the code NOOB10 to save 10% off anything store-wide. Free Shipping on USA orders over $99 KillShot Spearguns | Simple, Effective, Dependable Wooden Spearguns. Use the Code NOOB to save $30 on any speargun:) Penetrator Fins Use the code NOOBSPEARO to save $25 on the full Penetrator Spearfishing Fin Range here. Immersion Online freediving classes | 28-day Freediving Transformation (CODE: NOOB28 for 15% off) | Equalization Masterclass – Roadmap to Frenzel | Free Courses | Freediving Safety Course | How to Take a 25-30% Bigger Breath! How To Freedive | The 5 minute Freediver | Break the 10 Meter Barrier – Use the code NOOBSPEARO to save $ Noob Spearo MAD GEAR | 'Spearo Dad' | 'Girls with Gills' | 'Jobfish Tribute' Spearing Magazine Subscribe to the best spearfishing magazine in the world. International subscription available! Audible.com Get a free audiobook along with a 30-day trial here. Listen to 99 Tips to Get Better at Spearfishing