Freedive
Submitted by dd83wa on Fri, 2010-01-01 17:09
Thought I would post up a pic of a dive I did last weekend. 24.4m. Down for 52 seconds only.
Felt very comfortable when I turned and ascended. Am going to have a crack at breaking 30m tomorrow if everything works out and I have someone to spot me on the bottom.
Adam Gallash
Posts: 15609
Date Joined: 29/11/05
nice work
I wish I could do that deep!
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dd83wa
Posts: 169
Date Joined: 01/10/08
Yeah that was me a year
Yeah that was me a year back, sure you could with some training. I want to get comfortable hunting in 25-30m and ill be happy I rekon.
desmond
Posts: 116
Date Joined: 27/12/06
Hey just a tip
Though I've long since quit the sport, it always scares me when someone mentions taking the plunge. Soon you'll be doing 3-5mins and then things get pretty dangerous.
Make sure your spotter can do AT LEAST the depth you're going for if he's freediving as well. Especially if you're both new and going for new targets. Weakest diver sets the limits. I told my buddies that I'd rather shoot them with a line than explain to the family why I lost them!
If he needs to go get you, chances are that you'd have sunk further by the time he gets there esp if he's on scuba. The adrenalin of rushing to get your buddy will limit your depth by quite a bit. Practice belt release till you can do it with 1/4 brains left and do it before you're out.
If you're setting new targets, try not to do it over a bottomless pit. You can strap to a buoy to be 100% but it's a little troublesome in open water.
Happy new year and safe diving.
dd83wa
Posts: 169
Date Joined: 01/10/08
Thanks for the tips Desmond.
Thanks for the tips Desmond. Duly noted and definitely agreed. I would not ever push myself without a buddy, end of story. And a good point on not training over a bottomless pit, makes sense.
Although I do dive alone which I know is a no-no also, but only in very, very easy depths. We train at pools and always have buddies for dynamics and statics.
I have just started to get the knack of hands-free equalizing (frenzel) and it really does allow you to go deeper, faster than ever before. Which of course can be very dangerous.
Lucky Tim
Posts: 2536
Date Joined: 28/11/07
how long did the frenzel
how long did the frenzel technique take to learn? I've just started trying it but haven't had the chance to test it in the water yet.
dd83wa
Posts: 169
Date Joined: 01/10/08
Oh I haven't mastered it,
Oh I haven't mastered it, but I have used it to clear hands free. It's something best practiced dry I think. To get the coordination of the tongue, cheeks, epiglotis, throat.
Have you got some decent literature on it? There are a few good write-ups on the web that helop you understand the practicalities of it, the physiology invovled etc etc. And the risks.
Lucky Tim
Posts: 2536
Date Joined: 28/11/07
yeah I've got some excellent
yeah I've got some excellent stuff on it with full instructions and descriptions etc, just gotta pratcise more.
desmond
Posts: 116
Date Joined: 27/12/06
You can tow a torpedo
I think we've all done that NO NO.
If you dive alone drag a torpedo - i never dove alone without one. Mine was inflatable and had a dive flag. Hardly any drag. And it should keep boats a bit further. Also gives you something to hold on to while topside.
Know your rate of ascent (w and w/o belt) or time to top. So you'll know before-hand that you've already messed up and pull the belt early. The Marseilles style belt is idiot proof and won't jam in the open position like regular dive belts. Prepare to lose it so you won't think twice about pulling - you never get your life insurance premiums back do you?
Another note, diving shallow doesn't make it safer. There's a reason for the term SHALLOW WATER BLACKOUT.
dd83wa
Posts: 169
Date Joined: 01/10/08
Yeah Desmond, tow a float
Yeah Desmond, tow a float for the visibility thing, good to hold on to for breath ups and i string my fish onto it. Have been diving for a little while now. And know all about shallow water blackout, what causes it, steps to minimise the risk etc etc.
I do watch my acent/descent and surface intervals. I can set alarms that sound if a certain depth or ascent/descent rate is reached. And then I can plug it all into the PC and look at my logs in a depth vs time vs surface interval format.
I am always very careful.
desmond
Posts: 116
Date Joined: 27/12/06
Sounds like you're havin a ball!!!
Yeah, the computers were just becoming popular when I stopped diving. They were prohibitively expensive back then. And so were proper dive cameras. Wish I'd spent the money but there was little of that when paying for college.
Looks like you've got good diving habits. Good on ya!
Dive safe.
Lucky Tim
Posts: 2536
Date Joined: 28/11/07
Mate 24m is a top effort and
Mate 24m is a top effort and good luck with the 30m. I was freediving once with a guy who was looking under ledges in 22m. I was having a good day and hitting about 12-13m which is good for me but I was pretty jealous of him. My main problem is having to spend so much time and effort equalizing, not so much with the breath hold times.
Hazell
Posts: 194
Date Joined: 26/10/09
Thats some dedication paying off
Its the equalizing that hinders me. Unless it feels perfect I'll stay above the 10m line. Its something I am trying to work out this summer.
Ash Hazell
"A cast a day keeps the psychiatrist away"