SPEARED BY A MARLIN!

A fishing trip turned to terror for three friends when the huge fish leapt directly toward them

- Diane Godley

QUENTIN PECK KEPT a keen eye on the forecast in the days leading up to his fishing trip. He was concerned that the weather would turn bad. But as the time drew closer, he could see that conditions would be ideal for the short break with his brother, Nathan, and their friend Andy Sprott.

On Tuesday morning, 21 May 2019, Quentin packed his car with a wetsuit, fins, mask, spearguns, and everything else he needed for the trip to the north coast of New South Wales, Australia. The 46-year-old pulled out of the driveway of his Sydney home mid-morning. After picking up Andy, 46, and his gear, the pair drove north for three-and-a-half hours to Nathan's home in the coastal town of Old Bar.

When they arrived, the three experienced recreational spearfishermen prepared Nathan's boat with childlike enthusiasm. They wanted the boat to be ready for an early start in the morning.

The sun was just peeking over the horizon when the trio piled into Nathan's Ford Ranger truck the next day. With his five-metre inflatable powerboat in tow, they drove another three-and-a-half hours north to Wooli. When they arrived at 10 a.m., they headed straight to the town's boat ramp.

BY THIS TIME the sun was high in the clear blue sky, gently warming the trio as they pulled on their wetsuits and launched the boat into the calm, sparkling ocean waters. They couldn't have asked for better diving conditions.

With excitement mounting, 48-year-old Nathan started the boat's engine. Standing shoulder to shoulder at the helm, the men raced out to sea, enjoying the wind and water spray as it brushed against their faces.

The first stop was about 40 minutes north of the boat ramp, in the Solitary Islands Marine Reserve, an area where the south-bound East Australian Current, carrying both tropical and subtropical waters, overlaps with a cold current flowing north.