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#notsotrustysidekick Friday Flashback takes us to roughly 2010 when we first started Penetrator Fins. The Penetrator Fins boat was a tinnie, now a schmick looking Haynes Hunter that I the #notsotrustysidekick helped with and we were developing some of the first custom coloured fins. We have new logos, awesome brand ambassadors all over the world, elite freedivers and spearfishermen (women), as well as our AMAZING everyday divers like you guys and gals! Keeping it real is what we do and we love to see all your pics coming through over the years. Tonight we take a look back at some of our first.....  This is one of our first "BIG FISH" photos sent in by Kenny Schmidt in the USA in 2012 
Above is a giant Kingfish caught by one of our long time customers Evan Leeson and on the right is one of Brody's (Larry our Fearless Leaders son) first catches diving the Seaway here on the Gold Coast. Below is the ever mysterious and mystical he who shall not be named Sea Ninja..... in the background Tri Tran (2014)  Some of our first Ultra Clear now Ghost Blades from early 2014! With a great catch by Jackson!  On our last photo look carefully and let us know what you can see! Other than Brody.... take a close look..... What are your favourite Flashback Friday photos? Share them to our Instagram @penetratorfins #penetratorfins or facebook page so I can check them out. Looking forward to reposting some of your #fbf pics Happy Diving #notsotrustysidekick  Look closely now!!! Let me know when you can see!!
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Only if its in a glass and called a Frozen Margarita! For those of you who haven't seen Frozen, YouTube it go on I dare you! (after you read this though) I managed to catch up with our newest female diver and brand ambassador Magali Cote, who is currently living on a sailboat.... hang on.. what.... a land sailboat?! Actually her Ute (Truck for our overseas friends) is pretty awesome, and I am kinda jealous. She is able to travel and have creature comforts of home in some of the most amazing destinations that Canada offers (and freezing to from her Instagram pics @misssnorris).  As Larry would not let me travel to Canada to conduct the interview and I couldn't quite pin point where to find Magali, I had to make do with intermittent chats when Magali had reception. What I learnt is that our Mags' is a jack of all trades, down to earth and a seriously cool chick. So without further ado lets get into it!  #notsotrustysidekick Hi Magali, welcome to the Penetrator Fins family. We like to ask our ambassadors a few questions so that our followers can learn a bit more about you. So to start what got you into free-diving and spearfishing? @misssnorris Hi Everyone! Call me Mags and I've always had a passion for the water and started scuba diving at 16 years old. I loved it so much I became a commercial diver and worked for years on big underwater projects, like construction and maintenance of dams and bridges. In my early twenties, I traveled and fell in love with the West Coast (of Canada) and decided to move there, but it was hard to find dive work, so ended up working on land. It took me a few years to realise what I was missing in my life. It was water. So I booked myself a flight to Hawaii and a free-diving class! From so many years spent in the water, I was already confident and a natural in the water but I had to learn the basics of safety, etc. It didn't take me long to realise it was going to become a new passion! #notsotrustysidekick That is pretty cool working on the dams and bridges, I never thought about people maintaining them underwater as well as on top. Also the water must be freezing in Canada, a friend of mine from there says the weather is always cold? So if you could dive anywhere in the world where would it be and why? @misssnorris It's not always cold! Like right now I am wearing flip flops (thongs/pluggas for us Aussies) and about to head to the beach, in Summer it easily gets to 35 degrees. But if I had a chance to dive anywhere, it would probably be in a high altitude remote lake on top of a mountain, under the ice and snow and only accessible by hiking or skiing. I have always had a strong interest for exploration and adventure. I've been spending some time under the ice in Canada in the past few years and this type of diving made me realise there was so many places no human ever dove and have never seen before. Being Canadian and a skier since age 3, it is definitely a big motivation for me right now, as unpleasant as it seems for other divers!  #notsotrustysidekick Right so Larry and I will plan a trip around Spring/Summer time then! Okay wait a minute. You said you dive under the ice like UNDERNEATH it! Do you take an ice whacker with you or something?? What about the hole, doesn't it freeze up while your under? I am claustrophobic for you just thinking about it?! @misssnorris Hahaha an ice whacker, no I would never be able to break that ice! We always dive in pairs and have someone watching our back. When you dive under the ice you really need to be alert and you must ALWAYS have a dive buddy. Due to the nature and danger of it, you need to tether yourself to the surface, and someone watches and holds the rope (a tender) if the visibility is not good. When we get good visibility, we can go under the ice without a rope, but you must stay near the hole and you follow the light to come back up. Your dive buddy stays near the hole in the ice watching you dive closely from the hole in the water, ready to intervene if necessary. But we are always careful ice diving, always. #notsotrustysidekick Please kids do not try that at home. Magali is a professional, leave it to her, I will be. Plus we don't get much ice in Australia. So other than ice diving and making me claustrophobic, what is your favourite memory from your freediving/spearfishing days so far? @misssnorris Every dive I have had is memorable. But one of my favourite dives was when I made it to 47 meters for the first time when I was training in Kona, Hawaii. I grabbed a handful of sand from the ocean floor and brought it back to the surface as a proof I reached the bottom. Surrounded with good friends around the dive float, the stoke was real and everyone was cheering, like we always do for our friends who realise a new personal best. I felt so happy and blessed at that very moment, I will always remember this day! #notsotrustysidekick Well done! How beautiful is Kona, it is so laid back and relaxing. Our fearless leader Larry (and i) loved the Big Island and diving it. Who would you say are your biggest influences in the freediving/spearfishing world? @misssnorris Because I started freediving in Hawaii, I had the pleasure to dive with many accomplished divers from the islands. Annabel Edwards AKA “dive mom” was one of the first and biggest influence I had. Every year, she welcomes people at her house and takes them under her wing. She lends lead for dive belts and fins, offers not only mentor-ship but also friendship to anyone willing to learn. She shared her knowledge selflessly and happily with me and is now a very good friend. Thank you Annabel! To "give back" to the wonderful diving world that has embraced me I carry on this tradition of mentoring young divers, I just love and enjoy helping them achieve, it is something that I have put a lot of time and effort into with a great learner Kaelyn recently. She has such a passion for the sport and I think she will follow in her mother's footsteps and be a great spearfisher.  #notsotrustysidekick It's nice that you can pass on knowledge you gained to others, then the cycle of learning can continue on. Being a mentor to others, what tips do you have for someone starting out? @misssnorris Take a freediving class. The end. It will not only make you a safer diver from the beginning, but you will also meet people who might just become your dive buddies! Having a good friend that you entirely trust with all your guts is something extremely important for this type of diving. A lot of people spend so much money on getting fancy gear and have no money left for a class. Even with a surf wet suit and little plastic “flippers” someone can learn the ropes. So don't sweat it, go for it and have fun, the rest will follow as you learn what you really need for gear! #notsotrustysidekick Quite a few people say the same about freediving classes. If you had to give some advice/inspiration to those wanting to get into the sport or are already in the sport, what would it be? @misssnorris I would say to always remember do it for themselves. Our sport can be healing in so many ways. It is like a medication on it's own and it soothes your soul. If you can relax your brain enough to hear the sounds of the ocean inside you, you will find peace down there and every breath will feel amazing once you get back up. #notsotrustysidekick You may know that I do not dive, but float like a pro! As someone who is not comfortable in the water I like to know and I'm sure other do to, how do you remain calm when underwater and not freak out? @misssnorris One of the things you learn in a freediving class is how your body uses the gases in your lungs when you are at depth and what happens when you spend time down there. Once you have learned why and how this all takes place and have a good dive buddy around you, you will feel more confident and relaxed to spend more quality time holding your breath at the bottom. Go do a class!!  #notsotrustysidekick Haha one day I might. At Penetrator we like to remind people that the sport can be dangerous and we need to dive with a buddy and watch each other at all times. Have you had any bad experiences or setbacks during your time freediving/spearfishing? @misssnorris I try to stay as safe as possible every time I dive, but I definitely remember some gnarly shore dives in Hawaii, getting in and out in rough winter swells. I had to learn how to count sets and play with them carefully! #notsotrustysidekick Yeah my legs met some lava rocks in Kona, the sting was real! We had the awesome @mic_strong take us out and see some new terrain and wildlife that made up for it. Do you think the amount of time you have spent in the water has made you more interested in the environment and conservation? @misssnorris Freediving was without a doubt a big eye opener for me. I was already pretty close to the ocean and it's inhabitants, but the fact I could only stay down there for so long made me observe things with a much different eye. After traveling a lot for diving, I was more aware of the major issues with our oceans, but did not know much about my own Canadian waters. My interests shifted to Canada quickly and the impact of our actions. I unquestionably am now very concerned about a few different things, salmon open net-pen fisheries being on top of my list.   #notsotrustysidekick Even though you have done so much in your life already, are there there things we can still expect from you in the future? @misssnorris Always! I want to dive more remote places. I want to see the unseen, document it and share it. Cold water is a source of inspiration to me and I want to explore it more, in different ways. I also have been working on some fun projects lately with a few people and I cannot wait to see the outcomes. I published my first article in a dive magazine last year and I will try to write more and share my images and words with readers more often. #notsotrustysidekick Lots of people assume being an brand ambassador means all you do is dive all day everyday. Are you lucky enough to do this full time or do you still have a “real” job? @misssnorris I really wish this was my full time job! Fortunately, I have chosen exciting career paths that made my “real” job almost as fun as freediving, so it's not too bad, after all! After commercial diving, I worked as a welder in the oil and gas industry and it lead me to become a rope access technician and work at heights. I climbed amazing infrastructures for work and everyday has been a new physical challenge. I am actually in the process of starting a new career, with the Canadian coast guard this time. All of the ocean adventures made me realise that being close to the ocean was a must for me and I am taking the steps to make it happen! #notsotrustysidekick You like to do things to the extreme! From the bottom of the ocean diving to to top of tall structures and ice diving. You certainly know adventure! We have seen some great pictures from you on Instagram, how are you able to capture such images? Is it all in the timing or a carefully planned scene? @misssnorris I always enjoyed capturing moments and portraits myself. I got an underwater camera last year and I have been playing around with it a lot. I often hang out and dive with other photographers and artsy people that fuel my creativity. It is always such a pleasure to collaborate with others and get inspired with amazing images and story creators. Most of the photos and videos we take are from a real live moment, rarely staged and planned. #notsotrustysidekick Thank you for taking the time to answer our Penetrator Fins questions. I know that our followers like to get more insight into the industry and our divers. Good luck with all your endeavors and adventures. I will not be joining you on an ice dive! But have fun, it looks awesome! @misssnorris Your welcome. And go take a freediving class!!  Magali chooses to wear Penetrator Fins "Naked" Carbon fins in Soft. Photos supplied and produced by Magali Cote.  Penetrator Carbon Fin Blades "NAKED" Exposing the bare beauty of carbon fibre!
Strong but flexible, the latest technology for high performance fins. The Penetrator Carbon range offers the ultimate in fin performance. Identical profile to the composite blade, 72 cm working blade length, 25 degree toe angle for efficient surface fining and extremely lightweight at 325 grams with wide water channeling rails. This means less fatigue and lower oxygen consumption for divers who appreciate the advantages that can be gained from high performance equipment. See our testimonials about these blades. These are NOT recommended for rock hopping in heavy swell. Penetrator blades are manufactured using a proprietary Capillary Closed Moulding System (CCMS). This system is a culmination of 25 years’ composites manufacturing experience applied to fin blade development over the past 8 years by Penetrator Fins founder Larry Gray. The process eliminates the requirement for secondary processing materials used by other manufacturers producing an outstanding surface finish on both sides of the blade and reduces waste. These 2 outcomes alone produce a blade with a smoother flex curve and reduces the environmental footprint of the manufacturing process. All metal production tooling has been produced in-house utilising Penetrator Fins CAD design and CNC manufacturing capabilities. Mould temperatures are digitally controlled through the process to ensure the specially formulated resin system reaches its ultimate mechanical properties. Only certified carbon and glass fibres issued with a certificate of conformity (usually reserved for aerospace applications) are used. Full process control over these parameters ensures engineering performance measures are consistently achieved. Carbon Fiber blades receive a protective layer of Kevlar 49 multi-axial reinforcement in the tip of the blade to prevent chips and cracking. This system is unique to Penetrator blades. Kevlar is an extremely resilient and flexible material providing added impact resistance while allowing full flexibility of the blade tip. Once moulding is complete fin blade profiles are CNC machined to an accuracy of .01mm. Penetrator Fin’s proprietary rubber water rail is then added with cyanoacrylate adhesive in purposed built pneumatic clamping jigs. Logos are added using hard wearing epoxy inks or In Mould Labelling (IML) techniques during manufacture. Our graphics are digitally printed onto lightweight media and incorporated during the moulding process using IML. Blade dimensions: Working blade length: 72cm Insert length: 14cm Blade width: 19cm Angle to foot pocket: 25 degrees Blade weight bare in grams: Carbon Naked medium: 240g Carbon Naked soft: 215g Okay so were do I begin, so much has happened since I last spoke to you all! The #notsotrustysidekick and our fearless leader Larry have been welcomed to the Big Island of Hawaii courtesy of a great mate of Larry's. We also caught up with our awesome Hawaiian rep and all round good bloke Mr Mike Hong and trusty sidekicks Justin Lee, Kiley Umeda and Puu. Then it was Christmas... enough said!   And now we find ourselves almost at April!! OMG! The time is just flying, so what have we been doing? We have been in the workshop busy working on some new awesome fins that we will release to the market soon, we have added to our Ghost range with a Pearl and Ghost Blood range of fins that are available now to purchase. We also have fin bags coming back into stock very soon to so keep an eye out for them, they are great for when you travel or just to store your fins while not in use. Email me at admin@penetratorfins if you want to pre-order and prices. So now that we are in Autumn (Fall for you Americans!) but its still like Summer in Queensland Australia, as I sit poolside, tropical coconut drink in hand, I realise I need to profile our latest Brand Ambassador and introduce him to you all. Well lets get cracking I need more coconuts for my drink. So if you are on Facebook and Instagram you may already know who @thewildcoconutt is! If not let me introduce Waade, currently on a break from training baby dolphins (not really sorry girls!) he decided to pop in and see Larry to report on some gear he had been testing out so I thought why not hit him with the hard questions and blog this out. #notsotrustysidekick Hey Waade, hows' it going? While your here I would like to interview you for our blog Penetrator Talk so we can introduce you to our followers and let them know what you love about diving and Penetrator! @thewildcoconutt Just got back from a dive so pretty good. Sure, sounds good, lets get into it. #notsotrustysidekick So can you tell us all what got you into free-diving and spearfishing? @thewildcoconutt I've always loved the ocean and fishing. In my late teenage days I happen to break 3 vertebrae in my spine whilst riding dirt bikes. So now I could no longer ride and surfing became quite difficult. I started to see spearfishing clips popping up here and there and thought it's a way i can still be a part of the ocean, so I brought a speargun, grabbed the body board fins and away I went.  #notsotrustysidekick OMG! Your lucky you can walk?! Well I am glad you were able to get back into the water and an adventure sport again. How long have you been diving for? @thewildcoconutt Yeah I reckon, I have been diving for about 5 years, but diving seriously for the past 3. #notsotrustysidekick Wow so only a few years, that's still awesome. I have seen some of your catches and they are great. So if you won the lottery and you could dive anywhere in the world where would it be and why? @thewildcoconutt Well I have always been fascinated by the mighty Cubera Snapper. It's basically a Mangrove Jack, just on steroids!. So definitely heading to Panama and chasing these fish would be number 1 on my list! #notsotrustysidekick That would be cool. So even though you have been diving for 5 years now, have you got a favorite memory from your time free- diving/spearfishing journey so far? @thewildcoconutt The memory that tops all the rest and really stands out, would have to be swimming with a whale shark here locally off Brisbane. Such an amazing experience  #notsotrustysidekick That is amazing, I didn't realise that we got them over this side, I thought it was only in Western Australia! Who are your biggest influencers in the diving world? @thewildcoconutt No we don't normally but this was a rare occasion. For me my biggest influence would have to be Mark Healey. I've followed Mark since I was about 10 years old through the surfing scene. Hes a cracking diver And such a humble dude that is living one epic adventure! #notsotrustysidekick I know that your only fairly new so you probably would have some great tips for someone starting out? @thewildcoconutt Honestly, the best tip I can give to someone starting out, is don't rush it. Take your time and enjoy the journey. Don't think you have to shoot epic fish and dive deep straight from the word go. Also do your research on the dangers of this sport, it can be quite unforgiving at times.  #notsotrustysidekick Great advice, often you see people pushing themselves to hard and the consequences can be dangerous. Also people should always dive with a buddy, shallow water blackouts are more common then people think. @thewildcoconutt Exactly! Enjoy it, do right and watch your dive buddy! Take in and experience what the ocean has to offer, it's a whole different world down there. #notsotrustysidekick So as we all know I am not a diver, but a floater. How do you remain calm when underwater and not freak out? @thewildcoconutt I sing, literally. From the moment I leave the surface, I just sing. At the moment I'm rolling with "Fast Car" by Tracey Chapman! Hey, it works. Keeps my mind clear of unwanted thoughts. #notsotrustysidekick All good if it works! I know you previously surfed and have been in the water diving only a short time, but have you had any bad experiences or setbacks during your time free-diving/spearfishing? @thewildcoconutt Loosing people you know to the dangers this sport offers, tends to make you step back and take a look at what we do for a moment. But, I will have to say the biggest set back was a personal experience with a certain great white early last year. Now, I've had a few run ins with this species of shark, where they range from 3-4m in length, but they have all been well behaved, they just pop up to say "hey" then carry on to where they are headed. But this day, this particular shark was significantly larger then the rest, and I guess she thought I was a Gold Coast burrito! Fortunately it all ended well. For months on-wards and even to this day that event still plays tricks on my mind.   #notsotrustysidekick At Penetrator Fins we are all about sustainable fishing and looking out for the environment. Do you think given the amount of time you have spent in the water it has made you more interested in the environment and conservation? @thewildcoconutt Oh definitely, I've seen first hand what netting, fishing line and plastic does to our marine life. I think everyone should take notice of it. It's not pretty! #notsotrustysidekick What can we expect from you in the future? @thewildcoconutt More awesome fish pics? Haha. My best mate and I are going to start producing short clips of our journeys here in south east Queensland in the near future. So stay tuned! #notsotrustysidekick Larry has shown me some of your clips, they are good, one I recall shows your singing ability with a Tenacious D song, so I'm sure our readers will look forward to them! Our readers often ask our brand ambassadors if you lucky enough to do this full time or do you still have a “real” job? @thewildcoconutt I wish, is that even possible? Sadly I'm in the construction industry. #notsotrustysidekick Yeah I have a "real" job to. But lucky we get to rep for Penetrator! I know you don't get to do it full time but you have some incredible photos on your Instagram, how are you able to capture such images? Is it all in the timing or a carefully planned scene? @thewildcoconutt We just wing it haha. Most of the time you look back at photos ,footage and just laugh as its tuned out like absolute crap. But sometimes it all falls into place and looks good. #notsotrustysidekick Such an Aussie (Australian) thing to do and "just wing it". Thanks for answering our blog questions today, we look forward to seeing more of your photos and video's soon. @thewildcoconutt Thanks guys. Waade uses Penetrator "Naked" Carbon Fins and our 130 Carbon Elliptical Speargun. Don't forget to keep tagging #penetratorfins @penetratorfins so I can see all your awesome pics and you to could get the chance to do our diver profile! Until next time #notsotrustysidekick All photos supplied are by @thewildcoconutt Penetrator Carbon Fin Blades "NAKED" Exposing the bare beauty of carbon fibre!
Strong but flexible, the latest technology for high performance fins. The Penetrator Carbon range offers the ultimate in fin performance. Identical profile to the composite blade, 72 cm working blade length, 25 degree toe angle for efficient surface fining and extremely lightweight at 325 grams with wide water channeling rails. This means less fatigue and lower oxygen consumption for divers who appreciate the advantages that can be gained from high performance equipment. See our testimonials about these blades. These are NOT recommended for rock hopping in heavy swell. Let me introduce Kate Rogers @k8osm8os to you.... Kate is a talented diver who grew up in Ulladulla located in the southern part of New South Wales, Australia but now calls our nations capitol Canberra home. Kate has recently joined our Penetrator Fins family as a brand ambassador for women in spearfishing! Kate is currently trialing Penetrator Carbon Fins with Cetma pockets and her feedback regarding them is very interesting! So while Kate lives in Canberra and it is currently winter in Australia the #notsotrustysidekick did not fancy a trip down south to freeze (Sorry Kate! Oh yeah I have been to Canberra before in winter, I grew up in NSW its like a right of passage to go, we froze in our caravan - literally we got frozen in by condensation!) so I stayed in sunny warm Queensland (yeah I'm a chicken we should all know this by now) and had a chat with Kate long distance style asking her our hard hitting Diver Profile Questions!  #notsotrustysidekick Good Morning Kate how's it been down there in Canberra? @k8osm8os Its been all good, except for the horrid swell and wind, other than that can't complain! #notsotrustysidekick Nice, now I know you have been using our Kevlar Blades for a few years now but how did you first hear about Penetrator Fins? @k8osm8os I first discovered Penetrator Fins on Instagram, when I was looking to upgrade from my little flippers that I had been using since I was a teenager. (I started off with bodyboard flippers... it seems so funny to call them flippers now! Hahaha!) I was looking for an Australian made brand, and decided on Penetrator because I was able to message Larry directly and ask him all sorts of questions with quick responses. I remember one of them was - "will the gold Kevlar blades attract more sharks?" I also liked Penetrator because I had seen a lot of other talented divers using them on Instagram. #notsotrustysidekick What got you into freediving and spearfishing? @k8osm8os I've been lucky enough to have grown up on the south coast, in Ulladulla so being near and in the ocean has always been a part of who I am. It was my dad who taught me about diving for crayfish and abalone when I was younger. He taught me about the ocean, and everything I could love about it! It wasn't until recently that I discovered my love for spearfishing. I love the entire thrill of the hunt, from that first moment you put your face in the water, to cleaning and cooking your catch. Even if sometimes I don't come back with anything for the table, every dive is a different adventure and different thrill. I guess it's the "I wonder what I will see today" and the "I hope it's a big kingfish!" that keeps me coming back.  #notsotrustysidekick Wow your very lucky to learn at such a young age! So if you could dive anywhere in the world where would it be and why? @k8osm8os I absolutely love the tropics - even though I have only have experienced this once - on my trip to Guam earlier this year. But the diverse fish population on the reef, and the close proximity of big pelagics' on the drop offs and even over the reef is for me the perfect match. A few of the bucket list places I would like to go to are - Tonga, Tahiti, Christmas Island and also Norfolk Island. I also really hope to be able to take a few more trips to the coral over the next few years! #notsotrustysidekick The tropics are good, warmer water and weather! With your long diving history do you have a favourite memory you would like to share? @k8osm8os So far I've had the best of times with my buddy Irene. She was with me when I shot my first kingfish. We had been in the water all last summer looking for them, we had come painstakingly close, missed a few, and then this one day it was finally meant to be. The weather was crap, the visability was crap, the swell was crap. We had jumped in at one of our favourite spots, and within 10 minutes she had me onto the biggest fish I'd ever shot! It was awesome to be able to share the experience with her. This summer we hope to both get onto them! #notsotrustysidekick While we know your Dad was a big influence with your diving especially when you were first starting out and you have your friend Irene who you dive with, do you have anyone else who influences your diving and knowledge in the spearfishing world? @k8osm8os YouTube! I love watching how different people approach Spearfishing - I've watched almost all of the YouTube videos from Australia and I guess I take a little bit from each one and try and emulate what they do in some way. It's the people who have fun and push sustainability and respect for their catch that really stand out for me though. And for me it's also the people who don't just tell you about what they're doing, but are happy to show you how. With Instagram and Facebook I like watching those people who constantly push the limits - in freediving, spearfishing, movie making, and not to mention the manufacturers who continue to innovate and refresh the sport.  #notsotrustysidekick I am not someone who is a diver (big chicken prefer land etc), do you have any tips for people like me or someone starting out and those interested in freediving and spearfishing? @k8osm8os Really?! Well I'd advise anyone who was starting out to do as much research as possible. Watch YouTube videos, tutorials, read up on it. Then....... My tip would be to get in the water as much as possible and learn how to be comfortable there. I think you learn the most through experience, and if you have a mentor or buddy who you can practice with in a safe environment then the possibilities are endless. #notsotrustysidekick Do you have any techniques you would like to share that help you remain calm when underwater and not freak out if sharks want your catch? @k8osm8os This is something I actually struggle with still - there are different scenarios I find myself in where i can either stay calm, or my excitement gets the best of me. Seeing some awesome fish will always get my heart rate up and my adrenaline going. But I'm learning to take my time, and not rush the shot. When I'm holding my breath, I try to relax as much as possible and be mindful of my body. It's an important part of my routine to know that when I'm down - I'm only half way there. I haven't been in a situation where I've felt like panicking or that I could blackout. On the other hand, seeing sharks is still a surprise sometimes, not always a very welcome one - but I try and assess the situation, stay calm, take careful observations on their behaviour and make a decision on what to do. I've only ever seen one big shark, it was just cruising, but we had been chumming a lot that day and we decided not to tempt fate and got out of the water asap. I always try and keep an eye on any sharks at all times. Accepting that sharks are in their natural environment, and you're just a visitor there helps with that process. #notsotrustysidekick Ocean awareness and sustainability are very front of mind these days for a lot of both freedivers and spearfishermen, do you think the amount of time you have spent in the water has made you more aware of the environment and conservation? @k8osm8os Absolutely. We're pretty lucky to have healthy fish stocks down here in Ulladulla, but I have seen the impact of overfishing in some areas. I'm also interested in line fishing, and sometimes you just can't pinpoint the fish, and are left wondering why you couldn't catch anything in that certain spot. Being able to get in the water and look at the fish stocks that are there - size, species and numbers, gives you an insight into that environment. When I'm diving, I'm conscious of what reef fish I take based on what I can see.  #notsotrustysidekick What can we expect from you in the future? @k8osm8os In the future I plan on going to some of my bucket list locations, write about my experiences in a blog and make some videos showcasing the whole "ocean to plate" process. I also want to continue to promote selective and sustainable seafood through social media and help get more people involved. I hope to help change the attitudes of people who are against spearfishing that think that we just kill for the sake of killing or have the unfair advantage in the fishing world. #notsotrustysidekick I love that! Spearfishing is definitely not an easy sport or way of fishing, I don't think people realise the skills needed to safely fish and to also identify what they are actually catching. So you have been lucky enough to try our new Cetma foot pockets and Carbon Penetrator blades. What did you think? Did you like the feel of them? And how do you feel they compared to traditional foot pockets and blades? @k8osm8os Yes! I have the Penetrator soft carbon blades paired with these foot pockets! (Thanks guys!) Compared to traditional footpockets that have rails, these feel much lighter, and have more maneuverability. I think the angle of the foot pocket is perfect to achieve the optimum blade action. I had a look at this by swimming backwards and could see the full blade flex and easy motion pushing through the water. It took a day to get used to, but now the other footpockets feel heavy and like gumboots! #notsotrustysidekick I'm glad you liked them! Well thank you for your time today Kate, I hope the weather starts to warm up for you and the conditions get better for diving and chasing your dinner! @k8osm8os That's okay, I hope it gets better soon to! I will keep you guys posted on how I go!  Want a pair of your own Penetrator Carbon Blades? Then just shop below! You can also follow Kate on Instagram @k8osm8os.
As always keep tagging #penetratorfins @penetratorfins so we can see all your awesome pics and you to could get the chance to do our diver profile! Until next time #notsotrustysidekick My, my, my how time flies!! I don't know about you all but I know that I will be glad when Winter is over (in Australia anyway!). So what have we been up to?! Lots, new products, product testing, brand ambassador programs, planning business trips the list goes on! Larry is currently away on assignment product testing potential new blades for Penetrator Fins (this will be his first time back in the water since his grade 3 AC tear, which has kept him out of the water for quite some time). You may recall a few years ago we printed an Italian Flag to go into a carbon fiber bonnet, for our good mates at Cawthorne Composites using Texalium.  Yes its very pretty, but what is Texalium you say? Texalium is a fiberglass cloth with a thin coating of aluminum to make it silver and shiny, so anything that you print over the top will stand out brighter. It also comes in a variety of colour finishes like red, blue and yellow. For both our and Cawthorne projects we used the original silver Texalium We have used this in a limited edition set of our Blue Water Camo blades and teamed it with Cetma S-Wing Footpockets.
 Cetma S-Wing foot pockets are very cool, they have no spines attached on the pocket itself and the fin blade sits directly under the foot in the foot pocket, which helps with load distribution and comfort for the diver. These anatomically designed pockets are made to maximize comfort by wrapping and following the natural shape of the foot. You will notice instead of the spines you will see two vertical stabilizers to avoid a side slip motion and to ensure effective water channeling. Cetma S-Wing foot pockets also feature a system of variable stiffness bands spread out through the foot pocket which firmly hold the divers foot in an optimum position again reducing fatigue on the diver. Larry is pretty excited to be diving with these on his current assignment and when he gets back I will give you all a report on how he felt they were. The other great thing is they range from a size 35 up a 48, so if you have been having trouble getting a smaller fitting foot pocket these will be a great option for you. (Finally, I hear some of you say!!)  These foot pockets are going to be a game changer to underwater sports, be it snorkeling, free-diving or spearfishing one thing always remains the same, we all want less fatigue and more energy efficiency with each and every dive we do. In fact Penetrator Fins believes these pockets are going to be so awesome that we will be stocking them!! We should have our stock here by the end of next week, so if you have any questions please feel free to send Larry or myself an email. Below is a video from youtube showing the blades in the foot pockets. (Unfortunately its not in English but you will get the idea of what hes saying) Don't forget, keep tagging us in your pics on Instagram and Facebook, there have been some exceptional photos lately and I will try to re-post as many as I can. As always happy and safe diving. #notsotrustysidekick What first began as a way to gather food, pearls, sea sponges and salvage from shipwrecks freediving has now become one of the most highly photographed underwater adventure sports. Originally from Florida, USA, now calling the beautiful islands of Hawaii home is the much loved mermaid of the sea, social media influencer and our brand new Penetrator Fins Recreational Freediving Ambassador ....... Kim Kertz! (@kimkertz) So while I wasn't allowed a trip to Hawaii to formally congratulate Kim, I was able to catch up with Kim on the eve of announcing her as a Penetrator Fins Brand Ambassador for some insight into how she got into free diving and what she thinks of our fins.  #notsotrustysidekick: Firstly I would like to say on behalf of the Penetrator Fins family "Welcome" and thank you for taking on such a great role with us! @kimkertz: Aloha! I'm excited to officially start working with you guys and become part of the family. #notsotrustysidekick: Kim we have seen you quickly become the face of our Ghost Fins on Instagram, how did you first find out about our Ghost Penetrator Fins? @kimkertz: A friend of mine knows how much I loved the transparency of clear fins but I could never find crystal clear ones, so he showed me the Ghost fins on your website and said "Kim you need these in your life!" Hahaha he was right! Now I am obsessed with them, I just love the clarity and high performance I get every time I use them!  #notsotrustysidekick I like that friend! So have you always been into freediving? @kimkertz No, Ive probably only been freediving for about two years now. Before freediving my passion was scuba. I got into the freedive scene one summer when I was on a scuba live-a-board in the middle of the Caribbean with my best friend and we just couldn't stay out of the beautiful waters so we jumped in and began snorkeling and diving deeper and deeper. It was the "weightless" feeling of having no gear that was immediately addictive and since then I have just been hooked. #notsotrustysidekick Wow! I would love to be able to do that, you will find that I am both a big chicken and a floater (snorkeler), so do you have any tips/tricks that you could share with me and our readers? @kimkertz Well my two biggest pieces of advice are to one, never doubt yourself and your abilities, you can do anything with the right training and practice. And my second is to fully educate yourself in safety and proper form. Look at taking a course on freediving, safety and knowledge are power and in this sport it could just save your life or your friends.  #notsotrustysidekick Okay so I need practice and to trust myself more, but here in Australia there are lots of things out to get you, sharks, stingers, crocs, box jellyfish the list goes on. How do you stay calm and not freak out when you see the local wildlife while trying to get to new depths? @kimkertz When I'm in the water I fully understand that I am no longer in my world, I'm a visitor in a completely different element. I respect every bit of life and movements in the water and trust that I am a welcomed guest. Of course like everyone I've had my moments, but I just remember that panic will fix nothing and swimming away only makes you look like bait. #notsotrustysidekick I do not want to look like bait!...... Ever.... @kimkertz Well make sure you stand your ground and make your presence known if ever aggressively approached by anything. With new depths of breath holding I trust in my training and that my body will let me know when it's time to make my way to air. Never panicking is the key, it only burns more oxygen which you don't want. Freediving is about a calm relaxed state of mind that is important to keep at all times. #notsotrustysidekick Okay so I need to stay calm, practice, not doubt myself, stand my ground, not panic and not look like bait! I'm exhausted already!! @kimkertz Hahahaha you are a big chicken aren't you!  #notsotrustysidekick YEP! So with all that training and knowledge you have, have you ever found yourself in a confronting situation? @kimkertz Unfortunately I have. I like to squeeze in some pretty tight spots but always manage to find a way out but not on this one day. That day I had managed to pin myself between two walls of lava rock and coral about five feet from my exit and twenty feet from the surface. As my body began to beg me for air my mind started to race. I thought so many crazy things before reminding myself to stay calm and figure it out. After what felt like forever I finally ripped myself out scratching up a lot of my right leg and my stomach on my not so graceful exit. I hit the surface and gasped the biggest breath of air I have ever taken. This experience didn't quite set me back but made me realize how much more careful I needed to be with my cave explorations and how important safety really is. #notsotrustysidekick Wow! That was lucky! I have seen a video of yours cave diving it was both cool and scary at the same time. How do you get those great photos and videos for Instagram? Is it planned or just "spur of the moment?" @kimkertz I owe most of these images to the incredibly talented photographers I'm so lucky to dive with. They truly are amazing and each individual has such a unique style and eye for different moments. Some of the images are softly planned but most are caught of me in the middle of a drop. The majority of the time I am off in my own world searching for different things or just working on my breathing. I don't really pay attention to what they're taking photos of but every time they seem to catch that perfect moment. The photographers are the true artist I'm just an aspiring free diver with a deep passion for what I do.  #notsotrustysidekick Have you got a favorite memory from your freediving journey so far? @kimkertz I've had some pretty spectacular moments while underwater but I've gotta say my favorite was the morning of my last birthday when I turned twenty five. It was my first birthday away from my family and friends in my hometown. I went out for a morning dive, the first thirty minutes were quiet so I went to the bottom of the ocean floor and started practicing my bubble rings. As I began my third drop I turned around and was pleasantly surprised to see two huge pods of dolphins swimming over to check me out. I had the water all to myself as my dive buddy was occupied at the other end of the beach. For almost an hour these majestic creatures danced and played with me underwater, let me swim with their young, and even launched out just feet in front of my face spinning through the air. I truly felt as if this was my birthday gift from mother ocean herself. I was filled with such thankful joy it brought tears to my eyes. Days like that one are what I live for and what makes me have so much love for the ocean and free diving. #notsotrustysidekick That is very cool! So your quite a big social media influencer, I'd like to know who are your biggest influencers? @kimkertz My biggest influencers aren't any specific people but the free diving world itself. The pure excitement divers get from sharing their passion about freediving and watching each other reach new depths is what influences me most. Yes it can be a competitive sport but even when you're competing, everyone is still on the same team. We're all here to grow and get better together and the community of freedivers is a very welcoming and supportive group of talented individuals. It's something I've loved most since the beginning.  #notsotrustysidekick Having spent so much time diving, do you think its made you more aware of the environment and conservation of the oceans? @kimkertz I've always carried interest in the environment, land and water. I wouldn't say the amount of time that I spend in the water makes me more interested specifically in conservation but more eager to share not just the good but also the bad. Conservation is very important to the survival of not just our oceans but the planet we live on. Knowledge is everything and most of the time people just don't know the damage they're causing. Sadly the reality is, most of us want to show only the beauty without all of the trash we're constantly picking up. Reef clean ups aren't just a scheduled event but an every day part of my life. #notsotrustysidekick That is so true, there is always a dark side to all the beautiful photos that often social media doesn't let us see. So finally I would love to know what can we expect from you in the future? @kimkertz Well I plan to travel around the Polynesian Islands, coastal lines of Europe, Indonesia, and so much more spreading my love for the ocean and all it has to offer. I have only begun my freediving adventure and hope to reach new depths and longer breath holds while training around the world. In the process hopefully change some lives along the way while sharing the beauty and peace of free diving through images that can take people on a short trip under the surface. #notsotrustysidekick Well hopefully we can catch up in person next time. Thank you for your time today Kim! @kimkertz Your welcome, I look forward to seeing you guys in Hawaii soon! If anyone has any further questions for Kim on diving or on the Penetrator Fins she uses please find her on Instagram under @kimkertz. Happy Diving #notsotrustysidekick All photos used are credited to the corresponding photographers that were listed on first publication unless not first credited.  Hi all, sorry for the lack of posting of late. I cant believe how quick time has gone. Larry and I have been working hard behind the scenes to bring some awesome things coming over the next few months! (plus that pesky thing called a real job keeps getting in the way hahaha!) So whats been going on....? Over this last month we have traveled up to Far North QLD of Australia to Cairns in support of the Underwater Hockey Association club event. Thanks to the Cairns Crays for having us! If you missed our posts head to our Instagram Page to check the event out.  As I had never been past Bundaberg (Not exactly a problem! The distillery's fine work and I are great mates!), Larry thought he would show the #notsotrustysidekick around. It was up to Cape Tribulation for us and some sightseeing and catching up with friends while in Far North QLD. There are some beautiful waters up there and we would've loved to get in and had a swim but due to box jellyfish, Irukandji (more poisonous jellyfish!), sharks, crocs and not having a stinger suit to wear we went "nah"! and kept our toes out of water. We have also been busy in talks with a soon to be announced freediving brand ambassador!! We are very lucky to have so many of you support our Australian Made family business and we are blessed to have achieved world wide notoriety within the freediving, spearfishing and underwater sports community. Over the next few months I will attempt to re-post more of your wonderful photos so keep tagging us @penetratorfins, #penetratorfins and #notsotrustysidekick. The photos that have come through of late are just incredible, we have some skilled photographers out there!  Before I go just a quick reminder that the Australian Bluewater Classic will be on this weekend in Woolgoolga near Coff Harbour NSW. Unfortunately we wont be able to make it with the new dates for the event, but get along and good luck to all those who participate. The weather should be good this time around!!
As usual if you want me to cover anything in our blog posts send me an email to sales@penetratorfins.com. Happy Diving, #notsotrustysidekick Welcome to the world of Octopush, better known now as Under Water Hockey!! Originally called Octopush (still known by that name in the UK today) the original rules called for teams of eight players (hence "octo-"), a bat reminiscent of a tiny shuffleboard stick called a "pusher" (hence the "-push"), an uncoated lead puck called a "squid", and a goal known at first as a "cuttle" but soon thereafter a "gulley". Underwater Hockey (UWH) was started in the United Kingdom by Alan Blake in 1954 and has been in Australia from about the 1960's-70's with the first Australian Championships held in 1975, and has been steadily growing in popularity ever since. UWH has a great following from the Spearing and Free-dive community as they can put the breath hold skills required to free-dive or spear to use in another form of underwater fun. Players who tend to be most successful in this game are strong swimmers, have a great ability to hold and recover their breath, and are able to produce great speed underwater whilst using skills in puck control. Team work is also key to a successful outcome of this sport. Basically there are two teams with about 10 a side. Only six of the team may be in the water at one time, three are offensive players or forwards and three are defensive players or backs, subbing in and out the others players when needed. Teams are broken up into colours generally being black hockey sticks and white white hockey sticks. Each team starts on the wall of their opponents goal area while the puck is placed in the middle of the pool. Once the ref signals game on, its all in to get the puck to your goal end!! While it may look like a free for all there are actually rules that players must follow, so not to get a penalty. There are a number of penalties in underwater hockey, ranging from use of the stick against something (or someone! Not recommended) other than the puck, playing or stopping the puck with something other than the stick, and guarding a player to put yourself between a team-mate who has the puck and an opponent. Like in football, if a penalty is minor a ref will award an advantage, the team that committed the foul is pushed back 3 meters from the puck, while the other team gets free possession. For major penalties, such as a dangerous flick (don't aim at or near an opponent's head!), intentional or repeated fouls a referee can sin bin players for a period of time or for the remainder of the game. A defender committing a serious foul sufficiently close to his own goal may be penalized by the award of a penalty shot or a penalty goal to the fouled player's team. Games consist of two halves generally ten to fifteen minutes in length.  So what do you need to start playing UWH?? Well you will first need a mask and snorkel and some safety gear like a mouth guard, glove and a head cap (like a water polo cap or swimming cap). You will also need a stick, when you buy these you will generally get two: one black one white. It's also handy to get yourself a puck so you can practice at home or a pool, but also in case you need a puck on game day. Pucks will generally be about 1.5kg and have numerous coloured coatings. Most important piece of equipment....... Your Penetrator Sub Sport UWH fins of course! Just like your free-dive or spearing fins you will need particular fins blades for UWH. The fin for UWH is much shorter than other fins as it is needed for speed and power in a short rapid movement. Therefore UWH fin blades only come in two strengths, Medium - most popular choice and Hard. Foot pockets are glued and fixing kits are applied to the fin to keep it extra secure, in International Games a polymer layer is stuck over the top and bottom of the fin to prevent injury to players if one happens to be broken during play. This rarely happens and only tends to happen when kicked accidentally on a wall or pushing off the bottom of the pool during active game play. Others tend to be broken if not removed before walking away from pool edge to seating benches when subbing. So does Under Water Hockey sound like the game for you? There are lots of teams to join in every state and territory in Australia, simply type in to Facebook or Google Underwater Hockey and your location and you will get a great choice of teams to check out. This year we have again supported and sponsored the Cairns Crays Comp so head to their Facebook page to show your support!! I have attached the promo for everyone to look at. Up for grabs at the Comp is a pair of our Sub Sport UWH Fins! For all your Underwater Hockey fins needs click below to buy. Happy Diving #notsotrustysidekick  #notsotrustysidekick would like to thank the ABC in Canberra for their video and UWH Australia for the group photo of UWH players. Research obtained through various sources, UWH Australia and UK.
 Well folks its that time of year again when we suit up and head to the gorgeous Coffs Coast on Northern NSW Australia. The Bluewater Classic has been going strong for now 22 years and it looks like its 23rd will be a cracker of a year. The 2017 Australian Bluewater Freediving Classic will take place in Woolgoolga this year, hosted by Coffs Harbour Bluewater Freedivers. https://www.facebook.com/Coffs-Harbour-Bluewater-Freedivers-CHBF-323356488824/ This year we have donated a pair of Penetrator Fins Ghost Blades for a lucky winner to receive!! The team at Penetrator Fins also looks forward to hopefully being able to attend and participate in. Registration for this years event will be at Woolgoolga RSL between 2 and 4pm, 31 March 2017. With the competition on the 1st and 2nd of April 2017. Entry is $70 with proceeds going to the National Spearfishing Team. You will also need to be a member of either the AUF or USFA. Competitors are able to dive all day Saturday, but will need to be back onshore by 2pm Sunday for the weigh-in at Woolgoolga Reserve Organisers will provide GPS co-ordinates for the southern and northern boundaries. There is no limit on where you launch or how long you dive So here are a couple of the rules that need to be stuck to in order to qualify entry at weigh in: Only 5 species per diver (you can present 2 of a species but the second fish will score less), fish score to a maximum of 25kg. You can spear whatever you like and find but for the competition weigh in please only present Pelagics', Jewfish and Snapper. To find out what species are on the list of head to the Australian Bluewater Classic Facebook page: facebook.com/AustralianBluewaterFreedivingClassic Competitors may only land fish between Evans Head in the north (29.10 S) and South West Rocks in the south (30.96 S) for purposes of competing. Safety is paramount and no diving without a float will be permitted. To find more information and the full rules please head to the Australian Bluewater Classic Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/events/1294549540567207/ With just over 2 weeks to go we look forward to seeing you all there! Good luck! #notsotrustysidekick and Larry Want your own set of Ghost Fins then head to: http://www.penetratorfins.com/store/p22/Penetrator_NEW_%22GHOST%22_Clear_Composite_Fibre_Fin_Blades_.html  Some of the species on the list - see Facebook for full listings Custom Design Fins are seriously becoming the hottest item of 2017. Penetrator Fins owner Larry, has been at the forefront of implementing ways to improve on the features, prints and look of fins in today's markets. Over the years we have been lucky enough to manufacture custom fins for you guys, our wonderful customers. We get some pretty awesome designs and ideas come through from you all, and often are are asked to design and create something unique based on a theme or logo. (#notsotrustysidekick fave at the mo is the banana leaf) All our prints and custom prints are done using our IML ( In Mould Labeling) Technology, which means it wont peel or scratch off. Prints can be placed front and back using this advanced technology we have developed, creating a more personal look for each client. Penetrators' IML technology has come at great cost and research, constantly trying to improve the appearance and vibrancy of prints, reviewing inks, materials, application processes, ensuring that the resin and heating cycle used for the blade making process itself doesn't interfere with the end result, giving us the products you see today. Our in house digital printing capability means we have full control over image design and quality. It also allows us to be able to provide fast turn around on custom fins with most taking no more than a week from initial concept to completed fins. We can work closely with you to push the boundaries and deliver result based products. I want to say a special Kia Ora and Mahalo to all of you who are loving our Tangaroa and Hawaiian Fins, they are going off on our Instagram! While all of them look awesome and we love to see the end results, here are a few that we will make special mention to. To see more of our custom jobs make sure to like our Facebook and Instagram. To create a truly unique pair of fins we just need you to sketch out a concept or even better supply completed artwork or images. High resolution photos work best but we can talk you through the process step by step so why not get in touch via our Contact Us page and we can look at options for you. Happy Diving #notsotrustysidekick  |
Larry Gray
Penetrator Fins Founder Archives
June 2018
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