Holding your breath and immersing yourself in silence can change your life. Kids instinctively do it for fun at bath time or in the pool, but as we grow older we tend to forget simple pleasures. Freediving is one of the fastest growing sports, and yet it's really so much more than a sport. As the best in the field demonstrate, the discipline merges the science of body and mind to create an unforgettable experience that is both addictive and totally uplifting. Whether you're counting off seconds of breath or measuring distance in metres, the experience of apnea is synonymous with descent into oneself. And since there's virtually no equipment, few disciplines test trust in oneself, and in those looking out for your safety, as much as freediving.
The Origins of Freediving
From the Baltic and Mediterranean Seas in the north to the coasts of South America and countless islands in between, humans have been gathering food from the seabeds for around 10,000 years. Traditional apnea divers in Japan, the Philippines and Polynesia still make regular daily descents on a single breath as they continue this ancient ritual. Generally using some form of goggles or mask, a weight device and little else, these aquatic men and women commune with the ocean in a way unlike any other. Since the advent of competitive freediving in 1949 men and women have pushed themselves and each other to not only discover the secrets of the depths, but to also test the limits of human endurance. The 1998 film The Big Blue, a work of fiction highlighting the exploits of the legendary Jaques Mayol, did much to popularize, and romanticize, the sport and helped spawn a generation of intrepid underwater athletes.
Apnea Equipment and the Various Disciplines
Compared to that of a scuba diver, freediving equipment is simple, yet every item is designed to ensure maximum efficiency. Apneaists use a smaller, more flexible mask, two longer fins or a monofin, a rubber weightbelt, and often a nose clip which aids breath holding. Scuba diving suits may be used though professionals prefer the lighter single cell suits. In the water, technique focuses on controlled yet relaxed movements to ensure divers are as aquadynamic as possible while conserving energy and therefore oxygen.
The freediving disciplines vary considerably. From Static Apnea, in which the athlete holds his or her breath for as long as possible in a pool, to the most daring and dangerous No Limits descent, where divers may use any amount of weight to achieve maximum depth and return to the surface using any kind of inflatable assistance, apneaists explore a number of underwater challenges. Whatever the discipline or equipment, each modality brings the chance to face not only the ocean but also oneself at a deeply personal level. Outside the water, preparation includes yoga breathing techniques, meditation, as well visualization to achieve and maintain the all-important restful mind. The related article Introduction to Freediving Equipment and The Various Disciplines has more information.
The Science and Safety of Freediving
As with scuba, being able to compensate for pressure changes through the ears is a prerequisite. Doctors have identified a set of instinctive physiological responses that were previously thought to only exist in whales and dolphins. These changes include bradycardia (slowing of the heart), contraction of the spleen (resulting in more oxygen being squeezed into the circulatory system) and blood shift (where blood leaves the extremities and is directed to support the heart, lungs and brain). The responses, triggered by immersing the face in water, slowed breathing and changes in pressure on the body, are what allow divers to comfortably reach depths of 30 - 40 metres and beyond for extended periods without being crushed by ambient hydrostatic pressures.
Safety rules are simple and non-negotiable. Never hyperventilate at any point before or after a dive, and never, ever, dive alone. Blackouts in themselves are not considered dangerous and tend to happen at, or near, the surface but will be fatal unless a trained and alert safety diver is on hand. Also, due to demands on the body during a dive, eating within 4 hours before is not recommended. Depending on the discipline, foods which promote blood acidity or alkaline levels should be taken.
The sages tell us that infinity is to be found in the present, in the space between breaths. Proficient freedivers are able to forget the breath and celebrate the now. As underwater adventurer and photographer Wolfgang Leander says, "I submerge, open my eyes and dream." (Music plays when this website opens.) What could be better than living a dream?
Grant van der Vijver - I love nature, people and the power of words. My range of interests includes science - particularly the mystery of water, nutrition, ...
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