Hand Bitten, But Kept Fishing

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30873, 5 October 1965, Page 19

Hand Bitten, But Kept Fishing

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON.

A New Zealand competitor was bitten by a moray eel during the world championship for underwater fishermen at Moorea, near Tahiti, the New Zealand captain, D. S. Timbs, said yesterday.

“Dave Barnett was bitten when he shot a big Napoleon,” said Timbs. “When he came up with his hand bleeding, I called a doctor, but Dave refused to come out of the i water because there were only [lO minutes left. ! “He went down again but [ the fish got away, with two spears in it.” Timbs said the New Zealanders gained great and valuable experience in diving and competitive spear fishing, but

the last impression would be the friendliness of all the divers and their amazing sportsmanship. The winner of the individual championship, Ron Taylor of Australia, shot a 1101 b Napoleon, a groper-like fish which won him the title. “He lost the fish when his line broke. The Italians, the Tahitians, the English boys and the New Zealanders were all swimming over him,” said Timbs.

| “The fish was open to anyone to shoot when Taylor came up for another spear, but they didn’t touch it. Had he lost it, he would have been placed fourth. “Ron Taylor was diving for an average time of two minutes underwater at approximately 70ft.” He was doing this dive about once every three minutes—he spent about half of his 12 hours’ diving in the championships down below 50ft. The championships were held in two spells of six hours, each one each day. “Taylor knew the fish and all their habits, and he beat Tahitians on their own ground. "As far as the New Zealanders were concerned, the

coral, and the fish were all completely strange. “We had a Tahitian pearl diver teaching us. He was attached to the Club Mediterrane where we stayed, as diving instructor. We had a great deal of help from all the people, and from Mr Blitz, who owns these clubs round the world. “The New Zealanders, D. Barnett and W. Baldwin, of Auckland, and M. Blair (Wellington). were one of 11 teams competing. “I didn't find out till I got there that the captain was not allowed to compete, but had to keep a strict watch on his team while they were underwater.”

The French Navy had a 2000-ton landing ship standing by, and a helicopter was on call.