Hello, from florida and wanting to improve

[springfree]

Hi deeper blue, Ive been reading the posts on the site for a few weeks, but am just now getting around to posting. I am new to freediving (2 months, max depth 62ft) and i have a question about staying under longer. I am doing most of my dives at a local fresh water spring that allows freedives to the opening of a cave system at the 62ft mark where you must be cave certified scuba to enter. I seem to be able to get to the bottom just fine even with the current of the boil rushing to the surface but it seems that whether I dive to 40-50ft or go to the bottom I get a tight feeling in my chest that im guessing is due to the pressure and it makes me want to surface quckly. If anybody has any tips on what I can do to enjoy the scenery a little longer it would be appreciated. Also if anybody can recommend a local instructor that'd be frikkin fantastic!! All the dive shops Ive spoken with seem to be very Anti-apnea.

[BatRay]

Welcome, Springfree. Several other members live in Florida, and some posts deal talk about diving in springs. It sounds like fun.
Check out the Freediving section. There's a ton of information on techniques on holding your breath while moving, or while sitting still. Much of the time, it's a question of relaxation. Search the Freediving forum, then ask questions as they occur to you. I'm sure they will .
Performance Freediving International sometimes does clinics in Florida, if I'm not mistaken. Check out their website. It has dates on classes and locations. It would be an awesome opportunity if you took one of their classes, as you'd be learning from world-class freedivers like Kirk Krack and Mandy-Rae Cruickshank.
The anti-apnea shops are probably mostly scuba shops. Freediving is still equipment-intensive, but not as much as scuba. They probably don't want to lose your business Anyway, welcome to Deeperblue. Feel free to browse, post, and have a great time.

[cdavis]

Hi Springfree, Welcome to DB.

Sounds like you are diving Blue Springs State Park. A group of us will be there on Saturday, Sept 16. Come join us.

About the tightness thing. You're right, its preasure. After a while, you get used to it. Working on chest flexibility helps. Use the search function to look up "diaphram stretch", "chest stretch" , "chest flexibility" and similar topics. Also, are you using a very low volume mask? After 50 ft or so, it makes a difference.

Connor

[MKDVR]

Originally Posted by springfree

All the dive shops Ive spoken with seem to be very Anti-apnea.

That's because they know you won't be spending a lot of money.

You only need a cavern cert. to dive past 60' in Blue Springs.

[springfree]

Yeah, im only 2 miles from the springs, and Saturday sounds good, im not a deffinate, just a probable right now, I gotta check on my sons t-ball situation. But Im at the springs almost every weekend, usually its on Sunday, but with football closing in that might have to chenge. Right now im using tourist stuff, but i did just order a shorty and im shopping masks and fins. Leaisurepro seems to have some good deals, can you guys suggest anything

[cdavis]

Spend a couple of evenings reading various posts. Use the search function to research masks, fins etc.

Small volume masks are sensitive to the shape of your face. Get some knowledge and then try some on, should be an assortment available Saturday.
Same thing on fins. You will want some version of longfins, but the variety is huge and fit is very individual. What size are your feet?

Connor

[springfree]

i got my eyes on a pair of omersub "milenniums" not to expensive and i dont think they will tire me out to quick, size 12 feet. Im noticing that about the masks too, lots of comments on narrow/wide faces. You got any advise on breaking in my suit, my wife just told me it was delivered?

[cdavis]

There might be somebody there on Sat. that will have feet that size. You can probably fit in my Cressi's for a short time. I think they are about equivalent stiffness to the milenniums. I'll bring my sporas,several sets of blades and some masks that you can look at and/or try.

Just wear the suit, your cold tolerance must be better than mine.

Connor

[springfree]

oh man, that would be great. As far as the cold I just wanted something that would extend my total time at the spring. Ive just been diving in board shorts, and they've been fine but after a few hours the cold does start to eat away at the bones. How long have you been diving? what other spring have you been to, have you seen: http://underwaterflorida.homestead.com/springs.html
hey btw, ive got ive got a photo saved in my profile but it doesnt show, u know any thing about y that might be?

Christian

[cdavis]

Hi Springfree,

I'm not much of a spriing diver, mostly salt water, at it since 1965. Don't make me think about how long that is.
There are some good springs near Gainesville, Troy for example, and in the Panhandle, llike Morrison, that are freediver accessable. I'm planning to try Troy on the 17th. I've done Morrison a bunch, but that was a long time ago. Good dive. Warm Mineral Springs is just down the road from me, 200+ staight down, toasty warm, freediving allowed(they don't know how deep we go), but the visibility is about 10 ft, black as pitch below about 40 feet. Not my cup of tea.

No idea on the photo, I'm severly technology chalanged.


Connor

[BatRay]

Springfree, try asking about the photo on the tech support forum, or send a private message to icarus pacific, because I think that was his project in the first place. I checked just now and saw a photo of someone underwater - is that the one you posted?

[springfree]

Batray, its my son diving the spring, i did firgure out that i need to have it saved as an avatar, not a photo I just have to figure out how to get it down to an acceptable size. Thx for the tip.

[BatRay]

If you have Paint Shop, you should be able to open the picture in that. From there, you can resize your photo.
It's nice that your family is diving as well.

[ROBERT REYES]

Many years ago I went freediving to the blue springs, the caves were awesome, at 60 feet inside, there was a sigh warning to not go beyond without proper certification, I was taking pics of the sign and you should have seen the faces of the divers coming out and looking at me.
Dont freedive alone, go with the guys that have wrotte you here, deph will come slowly and safely with a litle time and technique, a great way to improve is with a Freedive class, try to go with a buddy to the clinic.
There was a lot of life in the springs, from manaties , tarpons , turtles, all sort of fish, pretty cool, I was freezing to death, am just too used to warm water.

[springfree]

I never dive alone, my brother-in-law has been bit by the freedive bug also. I have another question now, maybe i should start it in a new thread, but sometimes i have problems diving to even 10 ft due to pressure in my sinus', It doesn't hurt my ears at all but the pain in my sinus cavities is pretty severe sometimes. I have taken decongestants, and that prety much solves the progblem, but it creates a new one. The decongestant speeds up my heart beat and noticably shortens my downtime. Does anybody know of a decongestant that wouldn't affect my heart rate, if not, is this a common problem and what should I do. Obviusly I'll accept shorter downtime to be able to dive pain free, but if theres a way of keeping my heart rate normal also I'd love to know.