for the past 5 years, i’ve been calling dogtooth tuna “uso maguro” in japanese. uso means lier. it’s really called iso maguro. i feel like a fool.
i haven’t free dove in a while so i was pretty excited to get into the water. takahashi-san dropped me off on a pinnacle in the middle of the ocean. it’s a 25 meter ledge dropping to 40 meters. that’s 82′ dropping to 131′. so i jump in, i see some tuna’s on the bottom. i drop down to 50′ on my first dive, they come up to check who the heck i am. i line up the big one, i take the shot. bang!!! he takes my shaft down to the bottom and rips off. shit! lose a big tuna! i reload, i’m on the top looking down. not the tuna’s are smart and know that i’m coming for them. my second drop, i go down 23 meters or 75′. i’m already losing my breath and decide i better start going back up. the tuna’s start coming in, i wait, the smallest one comes in so i take the shot. it starts screaming towards the bottom, i hold on for my dear life because i have no tag line and buoy. if i let go, i lose my gun. i look up to the surface (not a good idea), i’m 80′ down with a tuna pulling me under. somehow i manage to swim up. i get one tuna on the boat. like everything, i want more. i jump back in, i reload, and shoot another one. i had to work hard for these 2 dogtooth tuna’s.
anyway, okinawa is a beautiful place. i’ve been here about 20 times and never can get enough. friends, food, surf, dive, and the mensore spirit. aloha!
