It is addressed to those Spearos who already have some familiarity with the marine environment and the use of specialized equipment for freediving and spearfishing and wish to learn the theory and hunting techniques correctly and thoroughly in order to lay the necessary foundations for training, efficiently and safely.

The purpose of the training seminar is for the participants to acquire the necessary knowledge that affects the environmental conditions and the presence of prey in it, but also to delve into the details of the basic techniques of underwater hunting.

At the end of the seminar, you will be able to identify and hunt efficiently and safely, selected prey at medium depths and with various techniques. You will also be able to predict the type of prey you will encounter in each different type of seabed and devise the appropriate hunting strategy for catching prey.

Content

The theoretical part of this program, which includes at least 14 lessons of one hour and takes place in an auditorium, or online by using a specific platform, analyzes all that useful information that will prepare the participants for their upcoming free diving in the sea and/or in the pool but also the basic safety parameters that should govern underwater hunting with apnea (spearfishing).

The subjects taught include:

• Specialized free diving gear adapted for underwater hunting
• Specialized underwater hunting gear
• Introduction to ballistic physics
• Underwater hunting safety equipment
• Advanced underwater hunting techniques
• Characteristics and conditions of the marine and underwater environment that affect prey’s presence
• Meteorological principles/weather forecasting models
• Anatomy and physiology of prey in the area of interest
• Possible risks during the activity and safety precautions
• First Aid in a diving accident and procedures flow chart
• Spearfishing in couples practice (Spearfishing Buddy system)
• Selection of fishing destination and organization of excursion
• Ecological fishing behavior of the underwater hunter
• Introduction to conservation and performance enhancement for underwater hunters
• Local spearfishing legislation

Subsequently, in the practical part of the training seminar, the participants through the corresponding excursions to the sea and/or the pool, perform a predetermined series of customized exercises in order to lay the right foundations and experiences in the following subjects:

• Gear adjustment and specialized equipment use
• Arming and disarming a speargun (Loading and unloading a speargun)
• Inspection, modification, and maintenance of specific speargun’s parts (Speargun workshop)
• Safety procedures when at sea
• Duck Dive with a Speargun
• Aiming and shooting exercises (Aiming and shooting with a speargun)
• The Drop Diving Technique
• The Shallow Static Ambush (SSA) technique
• The technique of hunting in the hole (Hole Spearing - HS - Technique)
• Spearfishing in couples, practice in spearfishing (Spearfishing Buddy system)
• Parameters of silent movement underwater for each technique
• Use of safety equipment
• Post-capture prey management

Participation requirements

Documents and conditions of participation:

• Τhe participant must be over 16 years old
• Identity Card or Passport
• Medical certificate issued within the last 12 months
• Disclaimer form (to be completed at the beginning of the procedure)
• Parental consent document in case the interested party is under 18 years old
• Freediving level 1 * Certification, or if the participant is an experienced free diver, a certificate from an active Freediving instructor that the necessary conditions of knowledge and performance are met.
• Spearfishing Level 1 * / Incipient Spearo) certification, or SI Cross Staging certificate or if the participant is an experienced spearo, a certificate from an active SI spearfishing instructor that the necessary knowledge and performance requirements are met. (Can be provided by SI after the necessary theoretical and practical evaluation process)