| We've discussed one of our favorite pastimes | | | | His quest led him to achieve 'the ultimate dive'. |
| frequently here - scuba diving, but there is a further | | | | In June 2005, within 3 weeks and only 10 dives in the |
| dimension to diving - freediving. Free diving has | | | | Red Sea, Patrick Musimu marked history by diving |
| become an extreme sport where competitors attempt | | | | consecutively to 100, 136, 151, 170, 185 metres, and on |
| to attain great depths on a single breath - without the | | | | the 26 th of June, he finally reached the mythical mark |
| assistance of underwater breathing apparatus. | | | | of 200 metres. |
| However, this is not only a competitive sport. A simple | | | | On 30th June 2005, his body, exhausted, forced him to |
| definition of freediving is "an inch and a breath" - or | | | | stop after a dive of 209,6 metres, shattering the |
| otherwise ... an inch underwater on a breath of air. You | | | | deepest human performance registered by almost 40 |
| needn't be an athlete to enjoy freediving because the | | | | meters. His record was finally broken by Herbert |
| sport is more about mindset, technique and correct | | | | Nitsch on 14th June 2007 with a dive of 214m. See |
| weighting than strength. | | | | more in the next article... |
| Snorkelers do qualify, but there is one important | | | | Musimu is a very focused man. Listen to his thoughts |
| element separating freedivers from snorkelers (and | | | | on how he achieves his dives: "During a free dive I feel |
| this is heresay) - apparently you achieve a feeling of | | | | my mind detached from my body. As I merge into the |
| true ease and relaxation under the water. You live in | | | | maritime world, I separate from the predetermined idea |
| the moment, so absorbed that an hour under water | | | | I have of myself. Nothing is absolute and barriers are |
| (obviously not all in one go if you're free diving!) erases | | | | mere mental hypotheses. Little by little, my mind gains |
| a week of worries... | | | | the conviction that there are no limits. In this quest, free |
| Wikipedia's definition of freediving is: any of various | | | | diving becomes my instrument, which I play like a |
| aquatic activities that share the practice of | | | | virtuoso in the silent world of great depths." |
| breath-holding underwater diving. Examples include | | | | It is not necessary to dive to 200m. After all, it's dark |
| breathhold spear fishing, free-dive photography, apnea | | | | down there... A 45 second dive to about 30ft is |
| competitions and, to a degree, snorkeling. The activity | | | | generally quite deep enough. Most of the ocean's |
| that garners the most public attention is competitive | | | | colour and animal life resides within 30ft of the surface |
| apnea, an extreme sport, in which competitors attempt | | | | so there's little reason to go deeper. 45 seconds is |
| to attain great depths, times or distances on a single | | | | generally enough time to take a few photographs, chill |
| breath without direct assistance of a self-contained | | | | out with the fish, or even shoot your supper. Best of all |
| underwater breathing apparatus (scuba). | | | | the average person can master these sort of dives in |
| The record holder for freediving, an incredibly | | | | about 2 weeks without spending valuable cash on |
| dangerous sport, is Patrick Musimi who dived an | | | | expensive kit. Your essentials - mask, snorkel, fins, |
| incredible 687 feet on one breath. He was under | | | | wetsuit and weightbelt pack easily into a duffel bag. |
| water for close to three minutes. | | | | If you have any romantic views on achieving, or |
| Patrick's record is incredible. Ok - 3 incredibles... but | | | | attempting to achieve, depths similar to Patrick |
| that's how amazing his record is! His decision to step | | | | Musimu's - please first watch the 1988 film "The Big |
| out of the freediving competitions and go for the 'no | | | | Blue". Nothing but tragedy will be your reward so for |
| limit' catagory marked him out as an extroadinary | | | | heavens' sake admire others and stick to where there |
| human being. According to him, this category should | | | | is light in the ocean! - unless of course you do it |
| not be considered nor used as a sport! | | | | properly, take instruction, etc etc etc. |