Since I was only small I have been watching my adventurous dad, Brett Vercoe, do a lot of spearfishing. Dad has often taken me out in the boat and I loved watching him bring in all the big and interesting fish. I have often snorkeled along side him and hoped I would be able to spear a fish one day too.

Dad put together a little speargun of my own so I could have a try for myself as I am now 11 years old. He showed me how to load the gun and aim with my arm held out straight.

The next day mum, dad and I went out to sea to try and spear some dolphin fish. I used a prangerhead on the end of my spearshaft. We motored our boat way off shore. Coffs Harbour was a long way in the distance. I jumped in feeling nervous but excited.

I was diving in 100m of water. I practiced a bit and my first couple of shots missed. I didn’t give up. I was very excited to see the beautiful colours of the schools of dolphinfish swimming right in front of me and around me. It made me determined to do my best and shoot one of these beautiful blue and gold fish.

I duck dived down a couple of metres and that’s when I saw a big school of small dolphin fish swimming towards me.

I duck dived down a couple of metres and that’s when I saw a big school of small dolphin fish swimming towards me. Dad was watching as I dived down and aimed the speargun. I selected one of the fish in the school and held my gun out in front of me and lined it up with the fish and pulled the trigger.

It took me a moment to know what was happening and when I realised that the prangerhead was in the fish and I had not missed my shot I was so happy and excited. This is the first fish I have ever speared and I came up to the surface of the water and spat out my snorkel and screamed out to Mum who was boatgirl, “I got one’’. Mum took some photos of me and I had it for dinner that night.

I would really like to thank my dad for getting me into spearfishing because I really enjoy it.