My Mentor and Best friend, Attacked by a Great White Shark.

It's Tuesday the 8th of October 2013 and I have just stepped off a plane in Darwin on my way to work. I turn on my mobile phone as I am waiting for my transport to the hotel and the usual barrage of  messages comes through, one catches my eye for all the wrong reasons.
First off its not from a number in my contact list, second is the subject "Greg Attacked By Shark" meaning only 1 person, my best friend Greg Pickering.

Greg with a Record sized Amberjack from one of our many Bluewater Trips.

First I must rewind back to 1999 when I first met Greg, I had just returned to Western Australia after a 12 year absence working out of the Eastern States. I had taken an internal transfer with the Copper mining company I was working for and moved back to Perth. I was working fly in fly out and looking to get back into Spear Fishing in my time off so I contacted an old friend Alistair McNeil, he suggested I get in touch with Greg as he was always looking for someond to dive with during the week.
I contacted Greg and he was keen to have someone to dive with and we arranged to go on a day trip to Corner Break off Leeman a few days later. We were joined by Lee Paxman for the trip and even though I spent half the time laying on the deck sea sick I had a good time and learnt alot. I also learned how inadequate the gear I had was. I realised I was going to need to upgrade almost everything if I was going to have a good go at Spearfishing.

Slowly over the next couple of years and with Gregs guidance I got together a set of gear that was adequate to handle just about any fish I was likely to encounter in local waters. It was during this time that on a visit to Gregs house I first saw his IBSRC World Record Yellowfin Tuna. The moment I laid eyes on it I knew that was what I wanted to pursue, and so began the journey I am yet to complete.  When I told Greg I wanted to chase fish like that his first piece of advice was, unless you are prepared to invest thousands of hours in the water watching good fish swim past waiting for that one, be happy with what you do right now. I decided right then that I was in for the long haul.

I spent many hours talking to Greg about the gear I would need and how to best use it. One day I asked about freedive training to dive deeper and longer and Greg gave me what I consider the best advice I have ever got. He said if you can dive to 10 meters and hold you breath for 30 seconds at that depth, then given time in the water at the right location and time there is no fish that you cant get. It was around this time the two of us took a trip to Exmouth and I speared my first Spanish Mackerel, a nice fish of around 20kg. This gave me a new perspective on the gear I would need if I was ever going to land a record sized fish.

Over the next decade Greg has encouraged and supported my every venture providing me with invaluable advice on how to deal with any number of fish species. He advised me on tactics and strategy regarding competition Spear Fishing, and I have no doubt that my success in winning the 2010 20Fathoms  La Paz Bluewater World Cup was in no small part due to his advice and guidance.  I am still to get my Yellowfin Tuna and the holy grail a big Dogtooth Tuna but I know when I do Greg will have had a hand in my success.

Now back to the present.
I am stunned Greg is an Abalone Diver and although I know it is always a possibility it still hit hard. Is he alive? has he lost any limbs? there are just so many questions running through my head. I called the person that sent the message but they were not able to provid me with any more information. I called another person I figured would know and was relieved to find he was alive, had not lost any limbs and would indeed survive. Now just on a week after he was attacked and after many phone calls and emails I am relieved to be able to say that Greg will in time make a full recovery. He has since been discharged from hospital and is recovering at home, he is carrying some serious injuries that will take quite some time to heal but heal he will.

He will be the first person I visit when I return home from work and I will be there for him during his recovery just as any good mate would.  Will he ever get back diving? I dont know, time will tell, I hope he does he loves the water too much not to. I know one thing for sure I will be there for him if and when he does.
Get well soon Greg.