How do you know how deep?

[snorklebum]

I hope this doesn't sound like too dumb of a quesion, but how do you know how deep you are going?
I generally have very little idea how deep I am--I know that I'm deeper than I"ve been before Ive been before and other relative measures, but I'm always telling people I saw somethng at 35 feet and somebody says, "At Manchones Reef? That"s more like 45 feet." How do you KNOW you're at 75 feet or whatever?
I,m talking about free diving here, not scuba where I assume the diver has had a depth meter surgically implanted or has an internet hookup or something.

[clogz]

Diving computer is good help.

[Cliff Etzel]

There are a few freediving specific instruments available from the Tank Diving Equipment companies.

The Suunto Mosquito

The Mares Apneist

The Sporasub Raptor - page is in french

I know that these are the main ones talked about in the various forums I have visited... There may be more, but at least it will give you a starter.

Hope this helps...

[scott]

I just use a simple depth guage - available all the time on e-bay for $20 or less.

Scott

[Pekka]

Originally posted by scott
I just use a simple depth guage - available all the time on e-bay for $20 or less.

Scott

I bought a simple depth guage, I think it is better for freediveing, because it has very simple face that has usually big numbers and the max debth indicator, so you can easily wach your diveing as you go down and you'll have max depth when you surface. plus they are cheap =)

[Erik]

Hey snorklebum, I use a Mares Apneist, and am looking at the Suunto Mosquito, just because it's more hydrodynamic. I love the Apneist, but it doesn't have a second-timer for surface intervals.
I can usually tell how deep I am from "feel" and the amount and interval of equalizations needed, but I would not have known that if I didn't have a guage in the first place. The Apneist has audible depth and time alarms, which I found come in handy in a few situations. Whilst spearfishing on the west coast (or attempting it, at least), I became so involved in hunting and the technique that I completely lost sense of time, and the timer alarm(set for 2:00) would remind me that it was time to go,NOW. I can see why so many spearos die every year, despite the self awareness that all freeedivers have. The depth alarm is good for performance training. It will tell you that it is time to suck that last small lungfull of air into your mouth at a certain depth(if you're going deeper), and also tells you where you are in very low vis, or if you don't want to waste energy by looking up(down).
Cheers,
Erik Y.

[snorklebum]

Sounds like my Stanley steel measuing tape isn't going to make it, huh?
I was hoping for some sage old mystical trick like counting bubbles or moss growing on the sides of coral heads, but I guess sometimes you just have to get gadgets. Thanks