By: Capt. Tony Young
The ideology, belief, connection, or passion between a diver and the ocean is what drives most of us to the water. Whatever you want to call it, the ethos of spearfishing does connect you in a higher way, both to yourself and the fish. The more you dive, the more connected you feel, your respect for the ocean will grow. This respect is not only for the fish you harvest but also for the predators you are competing with. You understand the separation from above the surface and below, all of our advancements in evolution as a human are eliminated and we rely on equipment to see and propel ourselves. The ocean is a beautiful place, but at times treacherous and deceiving. Diving is calming but also terrifying, a seasoned diver will grow great appreciation for the ocean. This creates a pendulum balance that always puts us in check, both physically and mentally. Over time it has helped myself and many others grow in all aspects of life, understand our daily meanings, life purpose, and all the difficult stoic aspects of life that are seemingless undefinable. This is spearfishing, let’s dive in!
I believe the greatest gift someone can be given is purpose and passion, it is more powerful than any amount of money or tangible asset. The feeling of waking and resting each day with a goal to better yourself from the previous is more powerful than anything I have ever encountered. Over the eight years I have owned Forever Young Spearfishing we have met some of the most amazing people on the planet. One of those individuals is a man named Jim Bruce! When we first met Jim, he was a technical scuba diver and had never touched a speargun. He called for a charter and wanted to give spearfishing a shot, this was seven years ago. We went on our first trip together and Jim was hooked, it did not take long. He was immediately connected to the ocean in a way he never was before, his energy was powerful and pulled us in. Everyone on the boat immediately knew that Jim’s life was changed, that in just a few short hours, Jim found a new purpose in his life. As a guide, this is very powerful, it fills your heart with joy to see another diver appreciate spearfishing the way you do. Over the years as Jim excelled in spearfishing, he simultaneously excelled in life. He always was, but even more so now, the most appreciative and grateful person we all grew to know!
This story gets tough here, but I promise it will come around. In July of 2023 Jim was suddenly diagnosed with a stage three blood cancer called Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma. Shortly after one of his trips with us, he broke the news to me and the Forever Young team. Jim is a good friend and brother to us all, this news hit very hard. His doctors urged him to start treatments, but Jim made the decision to postpone so he could attend our annual Dry Tortugas spearfishing trip. Furthermore, Jim confidently said they had a plan for treatment and that he would see us next year for our annual spearfishing grouper opener trip on May 1st. Jim’s contagious positive energy, as always, made us smile and confident for the future. If Jim said he would be there, well then, he would be!
We kept in touch with Jim and helped as much as we could, we sent a lot of prayers and fish pictures his way. At one point during his treatment, he took a break to go skydiving, not something cancer patients do. His energy and confidence made him one of the most liked guys at the hospital, through the ups and downs Jim kept his head up high. The year progressed and Jim started to improve, it took a toll on his body, but Jim is now in remission and just like he said, Jim was there with us on May 1st for the grouper opener trip!
I wanted to share Jim’s story because I believe we all need to remember how important the simplest things in life are. The reminder of how special each second is and to never take a breath for granted. We will always be faced with challenges and the older we get the harder it is.
For Jim and myself, spearfishing gives us a strong purpose in life. It is a way to grow physically, mentally, and emotionally. It is the connection to the ocean, the fish, the meals we cook, the friends we meet, the memories we create, and the power to push through the hard times life will put on us. Thank you, Jim, for your strength and showing us how powerful we can be when our heads are in the right place. You are an amazing man Jim, and we are all blessed to have you in our lives!
Dive safe!