Since it is one of my fantasies to swim in the ocean as a mermaid, I wanted to develop the ability to dive deep and understand the science of breath-hold. Little did I know that it would be 3 years before I would be able to freedive properly!
April 2009: I take a weekend course in Vancouver (with Performance Freediving). I invest in a cold-water freedive suit and plunge into the course. Alas, I cannot plunge into the depths as my ears will not equalize when I dive head-first!
January 2011: I hire a freedive coach for a few sessions in the pool. Yet again, my body did not understand how to equalize head first
April 2011: I find a freedive instructor while in Thailand and try a private session. However, he did not know proper training protocols and brought me into choppy waters with zero equipment and zero instruction, asking me to “just dive”.
May 2012: I return to Thailand and take level 1 training with Blue Immersion Freedive School. I do not pass the 2-day course since I cannot equalize head first.
I take the course again to continue practicing. Still I do not pass.
On the third round, an instructor-in-training gives me an exercise that makes all the difference and that very day, I dive head-first to 15 meters (49 feet) and fulfill all the tests for level 1!
That same weekend, I dive to 25 meters depth (82 feet) so all the instructors encourage me to take Level 2.
Three days later, I pass level 2 after completing a rescue at 15 meters (49 feet) depth, achieving a personal best of 26 meters (85 feet) depth and practicing the free fall!
Finally, I was able to experience the magic of freediving and get closer to my mermaid fantasy!!
The key was to stay focused on the goal and not let the impasses create negative thought patterns. Patience and persistent effort!
And the inspiration for this effort was not a desire to compete as an athlete, it was fueled by the dream of being a little “mermaid” that just wouldn’t quit…
xox little woo
UPDATE: In November 2013, I went diving with Performance Freediving in Kona and reached 97 feet of depth.
The story of my mermaid fetish: http://littlewoo.org/dreams-of-a-little-mermaid/
Some awe-inspiring freedive videos:
Guillaume Nery freediving at Dean’s Blue Hole (edited montage)
Guillaume Néry freediving to 109 meters
William Trubridge freedives THE ARCH at Blue Hole, Dahab
Kirk Krack and Mandy-Rae Cruickshank
Vancouver Apneist Club (a wonderful Community of Freedivers!): http://www.vancouverapneist.com/
AIDA recognized world records in Freediving (from Wikipedia):
* Remember that Advanced Scuba Diving only allows for 30 meters of maximum depth!
Static apnea (stationary breath-hold):
11 min 35 sec/ Stéphane Mifsud (2009 men’s world record)
8 min 23 sec/Natalia Molchanova (2009 women’s world record)
Dynamic apnea with fins (swimming for distance, not depth):
273 meters/Goran Čolak (2011 men’s world record)
225 meters/Natalia Molchanova (2010 women’s record)
Constant Weight Apnea (freediving with fins for depth):
125 meters/Alexey Molchanov (2012 men’s world record)
101 meters/Natalia Molchanova (2011 women’s record)
No-Limits Apnea (freediving by any means for depth):
214 meters/Herbert Nitsch (2007 record)
160 meters/Tanya Streeter (2002 women’s world record)
