I really enjoyed today would be my overall summary….
We started in the classroom with a review of what we had previously read. We covered equipment and physiology which has some similarities with scuba and some differences too. Regardless its a good review and put the day and course into context. We also practiced our duck dive and rescue techniques. Its difficult to imagine doing the techniques in a classroom stood up rather than in the water, but it is always good to have a dry run and its also an easier way to correct techniques.
Its fair to say we all felt a little silly though – which was good practice for our breathing techniques too.
A ‘breath up’ is done before every freedive. Its the process of the oxygenation of your cells and relaxation but definitely NOT hyperventilation which is not good. Don’t worry you will learn why on your course. Below you can see us practicing our breathing and relaxation techniques ‘dry’ before heading to the water.
I must say I was quite dubious that I would be able to perform a 30m dynamic (horizontal) swim which we were to do this afternoon but I was certainly game to give it a try. We traveled to Jansom Bay by long-tail and after the buoy and line had been set up, we practiced the duck dive, which went well. This was followed by our first attempt at swimming the measured 30m.
Surprisingly, to me , I managed it and it felt quite easy. I hate to jinx myself but the hardest thing, being a scuba diver, was trying not to breath out on the way up. Yes, I did.
TG, above, is in a much better position than myself and that’s something that I have to work on for tomorrow. In freediving you should tuck your chin in to look at the line which is crucial for orientation, when you are going down. This is what we will be doing tomorrow… a discipline called free immersion… which involves pulling yourself down a vertically positioned weighted line.
Check back to see how we get on …………
