10 replies to this topic

[JulioJoglar]

A video showing the the fatal freedive of Audrey Mestre is at the following site:



Audrey Mestre, wife of freediver Francisco "Pipin" Ferreras, died on October 2002 while attempting to break the depth record set by her husband.

For complete information on the death of Mestre, go to:

http://www.sanluisob...rts/5117370.htm

[triggerfish]

pretty terrible incident. i feel for pippin....imagine bringing the lifeless body of your wife outta the water....

[chinacat46]

Julio you running out of new material this is almost two years old!

[triggerfish]

was it THAT long ago?????

[JulioJoglar]

The incident is almost two years old but the video was released recently.

[chepar]

I had read about the incident back when it happened, and even read pippin's account of it.

It was however, very sad to actually see the video.

Obviously I know diddly-squat about freediving, because I always thought that the divers kicked down to depth - not riding the sled all the way down. Although I suppose that given how deep they were going, it makes sense.

[Walter]

I always thought that the divers kicked down to depth - not riding the sled all the way down.

There are different categories with different records. For constant weight, they do kick down and kick back up. The sled is for the unlimited competition.

[Trymixdiver]

About a year ago my sister was on the boat with Pipin, james Cameron and an actress, whose name eludes me for the moment, doing research on what happen during this incident. The actress was up for the role of Audrey. Also, if im not mistaken Pipin broke the record on the anniversary of his wifes passing.

I have not heard my sister mention anything in the last 6 months about this film or Documentary. From her last tid bits of info about the project was that it is on hold due to litigation about Audreys death.

I knew about the incident but the vid sure puts it in perspective. What a shame, heartbreaking to say the least.

Andy

[Terri]

Was the actress on the boat Salma Hayek? I saw on the web that the movie (officially untitled, but tentatively called The Dive) has probably been scrapped.

[Trymixdiver]

yeah it was Selma. i hear all the divers on the boat were all googly eyes for her, can say i blame them

Andy

[FreeFloat]

I freedive. I'm mostly a self-termed "underwater tourist" as I prefer to dive, look around at whatever there is to see (wreck, scuba divers, rocks, fish, etc) then come back up when it feels right to do so. Depth and time are not that important to me.

That said, I participated in the Eastern Region Championships in May here in Canada. I competed in Static (for time), Dynamic (for horizontal distance) and Constant Ballast (for depth) categories.

That said, I don't think I'd have the guts to try No Limits (the category where Audrey died; freediver is brought to depth by a weighted sled, and back to the surface by a lift bag)

For me, freediving is all about one's body in harmony with the water, and in accordance with one's personal limitations; in No Limits, I think I'd feel more like someone just along for the ride, dependent on machines to do my dive for me while I tagged along. No thanks..........

And yes, some freedivers are really competitive, you wouldn't believe the extremes to which they'll go to set that record or beat someone else's. I'm not saying that I don't get a real rush when I discover I've just beaten another of my Personal Bests, but I don't compare my PBs to other divers'.....