Free Diving: Zen and Danger
As a snorkeler I did it all the time. My best friend's daughters, the water babies, are practically pros at it. Granted we weren't trying to achieve any deep free diving record, but last year in the Florida Keys we were free diving somewhere between 15 to 20 feet. Filling our lungs 
with air, diving down into the silence to investigate the turtle heading away from the reef our mask would squeeze our face and up we would surface gasping for air and shouting "Did you see that?" Then gasp again to peer at the baby shark ray scuttling in the sand below. The water babies who were respectively 9 and 13 amazed me at how they handled the three foot swells toppling over their snorkels and how fearlessly they dove to investigate what moved underneath us. We were exhillarated each time we surfaced for breath amazed at the sealife below.
With 15 to 20 feet of water I didn't worry. There was no fear of Decompression Illness and we weren't going beyond our limits. We were pure amatures donning our masks, snorkels, fins and our yellow inflatable emergency vests. We didn't have weight belts nor any professional device to help us sink. It wasn't until yesterday when I found the story of the Nekton crew member who died during a free diving accident, did I really start to wonder about the dangers champion free divers face.
Similar to scuba diving, free diving (or skin diving) requires a diver to always dive with a buddy, equalize ears, and remain physically and mentally fit. Like scuba divers, it is important for skin divers to know their limits and not exceed them........that is unless you are trying to break deep skin diving records like Tanya Streeter. Professional free divers who practice this extreme sport risk crippling pressure to seek their record depths some going beyond 500 feet. Divers' lungs shrink by the water pressure and their heart beat drops as low as 60 beats per second. The divers are surrounded by constant risk. While the innocent spectator points the finger at the risk of shark attack, a free diver has other concerns. If not careful, a ruptured eardrum can cause a diver to become disoriented and not know which way is to the surface. And shallow-water blackout can happen without warning as a diver begins to surface. Usually occurring 15 feet from the surface, shallow-water blackout is a potentially fatal loss of consciousness from oxygen starvation. Jason Hijirida, a national spear fishing competitor, said with these in mind divers should maintain conservative depths, drop their weight belts at the first sign of trouble, and never dive alone.
Whether free diving or scuba diving, the key words are limits and respect. Divers must know, respect, and dive within their limits. Diving accidents occur not necessarily out of equipment failure, but more often because a diver neglected his/her personal limitations.
With caution and wonder, I will still go under with or without a breathing apparatus. Hopefully, I will get to join the water babies with their mama and aunt again to explore the blue wide open.
Sources::Island Scene
Extreme Sports Café
Woman breaks free diving record
with air, diving down into the silence to investigate the turtle heading away from the reef our mask would squeeze our face and up we would surface gasping for air and shouting "Did you see that?" Then gasp again to peer at the baby shark ray scuttling in the sand below. The water babies who were respectively 9 and 13 amazed me at how they handled the three foot swells toppling over their snorkels and how fearlessly they dove to investigate what moved underneath us. We were exhillarated each time we surfaced for breath amazed at the sealife below.With 15 to 20 feet of water I didn't worry. There was no fear of Decompression Illness and we weren't going beyond our limits. We were pure amatures donning our masks, snorkels, fins and our yellow inflatable emergency vests. We didn't have weight belts nor any professional device to help us sink. It wasn't until yesterday when I found the story of the Nekton crew member who died during a free diving accident, did I really start to wonder about the dangers champion free divers face.
Similar to scuba diving, free diving (or skin diving) requires a diver to always dive with a buddy, equalize ears, and remain physically and mentally fit. Like scuba divers, it is important for skin divers to know their limits and not exceed them........that is unless you are trying to break deep skin diving records like Tanya Streeter. Professional free divers who practice this extreme sport risk crippling pressure to seek their record depths some going beyond 500 feet. Divers' lungs shrink by the water pressure and their heart beat drops as low as 60 beats per second. The divers are surrounded by constant risk. While the innocent spectator points the finger at the risk of shark attack, a free diver has other concerns. If not careful, a ruptured eardrum can cause a diver to become disoriented and not know which way is to the surface. And shallow-water blackout can happen without warning as a diver begins to surface. Usually occurring 15 feet from the surface, shallow-water blackout is a potentially fatal loss of consciousness from oxygen starvation. Jason Hijirida, a national spear fishing competitor, said with these in mind divers should maintain conservative depths, drop their weight belts at the first sign of trouble, and never dive alone.
Whether free diving or scuba diving, the key words are limits and respect. Divers must know, respect, and dive within their limits. Diving accidents occur not necessarily out of equipment failure, but more often because a diver neglected his/her personal limitations.
With caution and wonder, I will still go under with or without a breathing apparatus. Hopefully, I will get to join the water babies with their mama and aunt again to explore the blue wide open.
Sources::Island Scene
Extreme Sports Café
Woman breaks free diving record
posted by Jen B at 3:28 PM
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