49 replies to this topic

[Mermaid Lady]

My 100th post!!

Any other Single Divers here who like to shed their tanks from time to time and swim unencumbered in the deep blue sea? (or shallow green lakes for that matter lol).

For those who occasionally say "thanks but no tanks" please identify yourselves on this thread. Perhaps we can hook up on an SD trip sometime and practice our skills.

Wherever you are, I would love to hear from you.

Edited by tuttt, 04 October 2005 - 07:53 PM.

[annasea]

Teresa,

You may want to try contacting Cliff (freedivers). He's not a premier member but he's got contact info in his profile. (AND he's cute! )

Congrats on your 100th post!

Edited by annasea, 04 October 2005 - 08:01 PM.

[TraceMalin]

I'm a freediving instructor & instructor trainer if that counts? Unfortunately, I'm not very cute :dltears:

Trace

[Walter]

Freediving is an often overlooked (and unfortunately seldom covered in most classes these days) but delightful way to explore the ocean. I love it.

[MNJoe]

I spend more time in the water without a tank than with it. You'll find me cruising through the weed beds of the lake where my grandfather built a cabin. The depth of my dives are usually limited to 20 feet or less. I catch fish deeper than this at times, but I don't see them there when I dive.

I did get a chance to hook up with some freedivers this summer. I got to try their long fins, pretty cool. A storm blew in on us so I didn't get a chance to try their mono fin. I did make it to the bottom at 70'. It was quite exhilarating, but pushing my limits.

MNJoe

[Mermaid Lady]

Unfortunately, I'm not very cute :dltears:

Oh yes you are

[Mermaid Lady]

I spend more time in the water without a tank than with it.  You'll find me cruising through the weed beds of the lake where my grandfather built a cabin.  The depth of my dives are usually limited to 20 feet or less.  I catch fish deeper than this at times, but I don't see them there when I dive. 

I learned to freedive in Walden Pond when I was living in Massachusetts. It was warm from may thru sept. (My last dive there was Sept 10 2001 <sigh>, a last peaceful evening prior to that fateful day.)

Have you ever been to the Dells in Wisconsin? Is the water clear there?

I did get a chance to hook up with some freedivers this summer.  I got to try their long fins, pretty cool.  A storm blew in on us so I didn't get a chance to try their mono fin.

I love my long fins. Not even split fins come close. I also have a monofin, but mostly just use it in my mermaid tail.

I did make it to the bottom at 70'.  It was quite exhilarating, but pushing my limits. 

MNJoe

70' Wow! the deepest I have gone is 40' (keep running into this thing called the "bottom" ). Looking forward to practicing in deeper water. I hope to do 100' some day.

Like I told a friend once: Swimming happily along at depth without scuba, is like walking on the moon (figuratively of course!).

Edited by tuttt, 05 October 2005 - 07:13 AM.

[MNJoe]

Have you ever been to the Dells in Wisconsin? Is the water clear there?

Lake Wazee is near the Dells, viz can be quite good there, it is a flooded iron ore pit, it does get deep.

Lake Wazee

[jextract]

Another of our own on this board (BigBluePlanet), and a friend of mine whom unfortunately I haven't seen in a few months, is Grant Graves. You can check out his bio and read some of his excellent articles here:
http://www.deeperblue.net/bio.php/107

[austinbrunette]

Call me silly....but 100' with no tank!!! How is that possible?? I don't know much about free diving!

[Hipshot]

Call me silly....but 100' with no tank!!!  How is that possible??  I don't know much about free diving!

There are different types of freediving, some of which enable divers to reach hundreds of feet below the surface. The most extreme (at least to my knowledge) form of free diving is "no limits," where the diver is brought to depth by an anchor on a sled (going down a weighted line). At depth, the diver releases the anchor and inflates a lift bag on the sled to return to the surface.

Several years ago, I met Tanya Streeter at Beneath The Sea dive show. She holds or has held a number of freediving records. For example, on 22 July 2003, she set a record in the Constant Weight Without Fins Class by making a free dive to 115 ft--it took 1 minute and 44 seconds.

The link below will give you a primer on the different types of freediving.


Redefine Your Limits

Enjoy,
Rick


Redefine your limits--Tanya Streeter

[Ariesno1]

Unfortunately, I'm not very cute  :dltears:

Oh yes you are

Yes, he is cute

I met Trace last week in North Carolina.

HeyTrace, I forgive you for not liking my fins.

Doris

[Hipshot]

A storm blew in on us so I didn't get a chance to try their mono fin.

I've competed in finswimming using a monofin, and I've used one snorkeling around. It seems to me like a monofin would be too oxygen-intensive to be much good for freediving. However, in apnea finswimming events, some fantastic times have been clocked (like approximately 15 seconds for 50 meters).

Rick


I can't deny it
With that smile on her face
It's not the kill
It's the thrill of the chase
--Deep Purple

[TraceMalin]

Call me silly....but 100' with no tank!!! How is that possible?? I don't know much about free diving!

I normally train at Dutch Springs in Bethlehem, PA where the water depth is a maximum of 105 ffw (feet fresh water) most of the time. When the water table is high the depth can be about 110 and when it's low the depth can drop into the 90 feet range. I teach a two day freediving program where the majority of my students reach 80 to 100+ feet by the second day of the course. Personally, I can double that depth in the ocean. One of my former students who is from Canada should be competing on the Canadian team because he descends 250+ feet. These are constant ballast dives. For fun, we'll do variable ballast & no limits training.

I'm not impressed with current depth records because I just think we've began to scratch the surface of what the human body can accomplish underwater. There is only a very small segment of the population involved in freediving. I think if freediving were as popular as soccer around the world we'd see much more incredible depths and breath hold times being attained. I think techniques will change and the future will surprise people. Just like it was once thought a sub four minute mile could not be run, I think no limits diving will break the 600 foot depth.

I'm most impressed with a freediver's fluidity, grace, energy conservation, form and attitude toward the sport than I am with times, depths, etc. Some of the top freedivers in the world are UGLY when it comes to movement. I try to turn divers into artists.

Maybe I should do an SD clinic?

Trace

[TraceMalin]

HeyTrace, I forgive you for not liking my fins. 

Doris

That's only because I didn't see them ON you