Five-year-old Ocean Sercombe one of the youngest freedivers and spearfishers in the world

He’s one of the youngest in the world to do what he does, but little Ocean Sercombe is only getting started.

Five-year-old Ocean Sercombe one of the youngest freedivers and spearfishers in the world

Ocean Sercombe is already one of the youngest freedivers and spearfishers in the world, and now he can add another bow – or spear – to his belt.

At only five years old, Ocean just earned his first official entry in the record books after spearing a massive 1.025kg white-lined cod, earning a certificate from the Queensland branch of the Australian Underwater Federation.

But superlatives are nothing new for this underwater ace, who started freediving at just three years of age and picked up his first speargun at four.

Five-year-old Ocean Sercombe one of the youngest freedivers and spearfishers in the world

Although diving more than four metres down in the middle of the ocean while grasping a potentially deadly tool might seem a feat beyond his tender years, Ocean was born to this lifestyle.

Both his grandfather, Nigel, and father, Ant, are accomplished adventurers, and little Ocean first hit the open waters for major fishing expeditions at the age of two.

Now Ant and Ocean share their father-son experiences online with a YouTube and Instagram page, with followers growing by the day.

“I started spearfishing with my dad when I was about eight and it’s always been that special thing we’ve done together, so I knew I wanted Ocean to share that bond too,” said Ant.

“I started to get him comfortable with a mask when he was about one-year-old, just in the pool at home.

Five-year-old Ocean Sercombe one of the youngest freedivers and spearfishers in the world with father Ant

“The next year I took him out on the boat to get him used to that, at first just in nice, calm, flat water but then we slowly weaned him into weather that wasn’t quite as good.

“By the time he was three, he could go out in any weather. We slept off Cooktown in near cyclonic weather and he was the calmest one on board, he just thinks it’s all normal.

“He started snorkelling that year too and then progressed to freediving and spearfishing and he just loves it.”

Ant said while he loved to see his son follow in his flippers, their adventures were only driven by Ocean’s desire,

He said he never pushed the five-year-old to keep going, but so far he never had to.

“He has plenty of other interests, but he’s definitely driving this,” he said.

“Right now he can dive down to about four metres, his lungs are still super small, but he just loves it.

“He’s speared dolphin fish off of Far North Queensland in 100m of water, he thinks nothing of it.

“But the highlight for him so far has to be his state spearing record. He’s only five but he’s already surpassed his dad and granddad.”

Five-year-old Ocean Sercombe one of the youngest freedivers and spearfishers in the world

Originally published as Five-year-old Ocean Sercombe one of the youngest freedivers and spearfishers in the world