Aleah didn’t grow up in the water. She wasn’t a surfer, didn’t fish as a kid, and had no connection to the ocean beyond the occasional beach trip.
That all changed post-COVID when she took her first “real holiday” with her now-husband Tyler to Cairns. They tried scuba diving, and something clicked. She was hooked.
Two years later, scrolling through YouTube looking for diving holiday ideas, Aleah stumbled across a spearfishing video. She can still remember the moment—running into Tyler’s office, excited, saying “I want to do that!”
For Aleah, it aligned perfectly with how she lived her life: earth-conscious, low footprint, intentional. She and Tyler had a veggie patch, composted all their food scraps, and only bought local meat from farmers markets.
“We were already doing this with vegetables and local meat,” she explains. “Spearfishing just made sense—it’s the ultimate way to source your own food sustainably.”
There was just one problem: she had absolutely no idea where to start.
The Overwhelm
Unlike scuba diving, which had a clear path (book a course, get certified, dive), spearfishing felt like a maze with no entrance.
The obstacles were stacking up:
- ❌ Didn’t know anyone in the area who spearfished
- ❌ Already struggled with equalization issues from freediving
- ❌ Had no confidence judging when it was safe to enter the ocean
- ❌ Completely lost on gear—what did she even need?
- ❌ Zero network—“I didn’t know ANYONE”
She was already trying competitive freediving through the Brisbane Bullsharks, but that world felt separate from spearfishing. The freediving community was supportive, but they weren’t hunters. And the hunting world? She didn’t know how to access it.
“I lacked confidence with equalization issues, let alone knowing where to go and what to do when I got there,” Aleah admits.
The gear overwhelmed her. The ocean intimidated her. And the thought of going alone? Terrifying.
Finding the Path
Aleah did what most people do: she watched heaps of videos. She researched online. She consumed content.
But she quickly realized something: watching videos wasn’t going to cut it.
“No way I was going to give it a go without having some skills behind me I could rely on,” she decided.
That’s when she discovered Noob Spearo—first the podcast (which she and Tyler now listen to every Sunday afternoon while meal prepping), then the beginner retreat at Stradbroke Island.
What attracted her to Noob Spearo wasn’t just the content—it was the culture:
- Light-hearted and fun (not intimidating or bro-heavy)
- Strong focus on safety (critical for someone with equalization anxiety)
- The “no ego” rule (huge for a woman entering a male-dominated space)
- Sustainability as a core principle (aligned with her values)
But she was still nervous. Really nervous.
“I was initially very intimidated by going into a large group of men,” she admits. “But I was given as much time and respect as any other participant.”
The Breakthrough Moment
The Stradbroke beginner retreat delivered something Aleah didn’t expect: proof that she could actually do this.
Her biggest doubts going in:
- Could she even dive deep enough?
- Would she have the skills to use the gear?
- Could she battle a fish? (She and Tyler didn’t even line fish)
- Would she be taken seriously as a woman in the group?
Then it happened: she shot her first fish.
“Breakthrough was actually shooting a fish! First hurdle! You can do this!!”
The retreat gave her more than just a fish—it gave her:
- Linked freediving principles to spearfishing (finally, her freediving practice had context)
- Practical gear knowledge (no more confusion about what she needed)
- Safety protocols she could trust (critical for her anxiety)
- Confidence that she belonged (respected as an equal participant)
There was one hilarious learning moment: she tucked her first fish into her belt (like she’d seen in videos) and promptly lost it on the next dive. But even that became a lesson—and a funny story.
The Reality Check
After the retreat, Aleah faced a new challenge: where she lived wasn’t ideal for shore diving.
“My main mistake? Not realizing shore diving in Moreton Bay was terrible,” she laughs. “I wish someone had told me earlier to get a boat license.”
Without a boat license, she couldn’t get spots on other peoples boats. Without regular dive buddies, she couldn’t progress as fast as she wanted. The retreat had given her skills, but geography and logistics were holding her back.
Her solution? She and Tyler got their boat licenses. Now they’re actively seeking out good people to dive with—people who’ll have her back in the water and won’t treat her “like a girl.”
“I’m more keen to get in the water,” she says. “The main issue now is finding people I trust.”
Where She Is Now
Aleah describes herself as someone shaped by permaculture gardening principles, hoping to one day have a small hobby farm. Spearfishing fits perfectly into that vision.
What spearfishing means to her:
- Adventure and disconnection from the daily grind
- Challenge and personal growth
- Providing dinner sustainably
- Living in alignment with her values
She’s still in the early stages—building her network, getting out on the water when she can, and growing her confidence. But the foundation is solid. She knows she can do this. She just needs the right crew.
Her Advice to New Spearos
If you’re stuck where Aleah was at the beginning, here’s what she wants you to know:
- “ALWAYS do a course. Your life is worth more than the risk to your life.”
- “Find out if your local area is shore dive friendly. If it’s not, don’t waste time. Get a boat license to get a spot on a boat.”
- “Leave ego on the shore. Ego makes you a bad boatie and a bad dive buddy.”
Her biggest regret? Not getting her boat license sooner. It would’ve opened doors much faster.
Her biggest win? Choosing to do a proper course instead of trying to figure it out alone.
The Core Truth
Aleah’s journey shows something important: you don’t need to grow up in the water to become a spearo. You just need the right start.
She went from completely landlocked with zero network to shooting her first fish and building the foundation for a lifetime in this sport. Not because she was naturally gifted, but because she:
- Acknowledged her fears and gaps honestly
- Invested in proper training before trying to wing it
- Found a community that respected her and prioritized safety
- Aligned the sport with her deeper values
“I doubted I could do it,” she reflects. “Doubted I could go deep enough, have enough skills, use the gear, or even battle a fish. But I did it.”
If you’re curious about spearfishing but overwhelmed by where to start, you’re not alone. Aleah’s story shows that the right first step—proper training in a supportive environment—makes all the difference.
Learn more about the beginner spearfishing retreats here