Apnea/Freediving Course

[ILDiver]

I'm getting an OMER 5mm Mimic. I have not felt the difference, but I know they why. I know the gloves and booties are pushing it. But with the booties, I have no more room. 5mm will fit I'm sure, but it will be tight I'm sure. I'll know better once the stuff gets here.

--Chris

 

[bgill]

Well, I'm tired of posting on this one...Its a go...or its not...Seems like spring is the best all around option...most of us won't get out much after October anyways...And surely we'll ALL be itching to try out our new gear and such come spring. A big plus then also - is that almost ALL the lakes will have crystal clear water :inlove. We could even do it in Madison then too.

I vote for spring...

We could possibly even do it right before the "palooza" at Wazee.

So I say Jon...Pick a date for Spring and lets do it...I'm sure many more will be on-board for it then.

 

[Tol]

c'mon you wusses, let's do this in November. Just stuff some newspaper into your suit!
On a serious note, I don't plan to stop diving for winter and none of you had better either. So..... pony up

As Jon mentioned, I plan to stay warm by wearing a drysuit with some serious underwear. I may also light myself on fire with lamp oil while out of the water. The rest of you have no excuse.

I'm actually quite serious about November. Sure; it's less convenient, may require tracking down some gear, has taken some juggling to plan, and won't be quite as comfy. But if we are all planning to dive through the fall and winter, why not get some learnin' in now, practice until summer, and then walk into summer that much smoother in the water.

I make a motion that we run a course at Wazee on November 3-4. Do I have a second?

Tol

 

[Whopperhead]

I posted the dates I have off - I believe the one in nov works for me as well- I too plan on diving until Ice prevents me from doing so- and then - I have to check on rules and stuff and then go through the ice. There is always the OUTLET! one of my favorite spots. I went to Green Lake today for just a little bit- Vis varied some spots it was 5' some 15' I saw alot of Carp only got 1 10# - Had a very large school of Small mouth follow me around for some time. That was cool - Green Lake has potential to be a very good spearfishing lake! I will bring my boat next time- I would like to get deeper. (Jon - I did finally fix my boat - it was the Spark Plugs) Also Tried out my new Camera - FREAK'N AWESOME! Pic quality is unreal! It does not float though - I will have to rig it up to me somehow.- I'll get a vid on here as soon as I can get to it-

 

[Jon]

I would highly encourage anyone who doesn't have one to buy a 5mm freediving wetsuit.

Some of the best diving is done during the winter- and is actually when I do most of mine. The vis is much better and the fish are still there. The boat traffic is almost non existant and there are fewer altercations with the anglers.

Of course, we still ice (free)dive in February and you can't really do that in a 3mm. A 5mm freediving suit works aobut perfect. The outlet should be open most of the winter and is the easiet winter dive I know of- lots of big fish!

November culd work for me as well, but camping is probably easir in October.

Jon

 

[bgill]

The only problem for me with November Is that I'll be up in a tree most of that month!

You see....I have my fingers in too many pies! Other than that I might get lucky and get the big boy before that!

If you are from Wisconsin you know what I'm talking about!!!!

I think my profile says "I like to kill stuff and eat it"!!!

For everything....There is a season....For me November is DEER season. Last year my family and I ate 4 deer! I did'nt have to buy ANY beef at all until June!!!

 

[Jon]

Well,

You can all see how much trouble it is trying to get just 6 divers together for a class- now you know why I couldn't get the 16 divers together needed to have Kirk come up and run a full PFI course.rofl

Jon

 

[maytag]

Well,

You can all see how much trouble it is trying to get just 6 divers together for a class- now you know why I couldn't get the 16 divers together needed to have Kirk come up and run a full PFI course.rofl

Jon

I nearly sprayed vanilla cherry yogurt all over my office computer screen as I followed the last few posts roflroflmaybe we should start a poll again and pick the date that hits 6 (or five) first.

For a variety of reasons, I regret I won't be up for any of the 2007 dates. However, if you guys need a 6th sponsor let me know as I'd like to see the course happen. ILDiver, thanks for offering the ride!

 

[bgill]

Maybe we should wait until spring...Possibly have people sign up and send in thier money now....If we do get 16 or more by spring maybe we can have Mr. Krack come up here and do the PFI course....?

I know its alot more money but just driving to Florida & back cost more than the Intermediate PFI class.

I guess I forgot what its like to have a boss & not be able to get days off when I want 'em.

I may not have alot of money...But I AM rich in other ways! I work to live...I don't live to work - Thats the way I like it....

Hopefully we can pull this off - atleast in the spring of "08".

Jon...What would the cost be for the PFI course IF we got 16 diver's together?

I'm beginning to think a long weekend and an airplane trip to Miami may be in my future! But I'm sure my wife won't let me do that until next summer or fall as I've picked up ALOT of new toys this year already. I'm the spendthrift and she's the miser...Nice balance though...Without her I'd probably live on a boat....or in a cardboard box!!!!

 

[Jon]

When I was in contact with Kirk and Mandy we were talking about the four day, intermediate, course. Total cost is like $695 a person and I needed to have 16 people paid, up front, plus find a pool and a deep enough lake to run the openwater sections. To do this meant trying to use a pool in Milwaukee, which would cost extra for pool time, and also charter fees to get out in Lake Michigan far enough to get the depth needed to run the course- which are also extra fees for the students.

I took the PFI course in Miami, back in 2001, and it cost me some cash to drive down there, rent a hotel, pay for the course, and pay for the charter fees. Of course, there's meals and beers to buy along the way so it wasn't cheap. I will say that it was, hand's down, the best diving course I've ever taken- even more informative than my Instructor's course or my Advanced Trimix class.

I also looked into getting Martin S. to come up here and teach a Monofin specific course. He only needed four students, at $400 a piece, but they needed to have already gone through a similar level course to the PFI Intermediate class to participate. I had 4 interested divers, but they hadn't all done the other course first. this would be a two day class.

If I was going to put together a class for someone else to run it would be the Monofin course- so I could learn something new as well. I think that we might have enough divers with the proper qualifications to try and pull this one off by next summer. I just don't see how we would ever get 16 divers together in this area to get Kirk and Mandy to come out?

Jon

 

[ILDiver]

Well, I'm interested in a PFI class as well. If we have 3 or 4 interested in that? I would be interested in their March class. I could help drive down. After the class I would want to (not required, I could help drive back) spend a week in Bradenton/Sarasota and I could fly back pretty cheap.

I'd still be interested in a class with Jon as well.

 

[land shark]

Jon, have you given up on the underwater hockey thing ? if you still have a corner of the pool pehaps we could have some practice space?? just a thought?

 

[Jon]

After the hit I took last year I'm pretty much done with that sport- per doctors orders. I'm still having headaches but, after at least a dozen trips to the chiropractor this summer, the numbeness is now gone in my left arm- getting old sucks.:crutch

Jon

 

[Pinggene]

TOL,

I'm good for a trip in November. I plan on diving through the winter.

Scott, the only thing I see in the regs, is that the season must be open for rough fish (some places have closed seasons at different times), and that you can not cut a hole in the ice to spear from...I need to read that one further, because it might mean that you can't cut a hole and stand above the ice to spear...like I said, I will need to read it closer.

Yup, 5mm open cell freediving wet suit is the way to go! Year round, not matter what the temp. Last year's Ice Dive was -10 at the surface! We lasted 1.5 hrs...Jon & Nostres even longer than I. The only thing that got cold on me was my index finger...now I just keep it moving more. (in 34 degree water)

Jon, let us know.

 

[Tol]

Pinggene,
Trip it is! My schedule will be in flux for a bit but I'll lock it in before I commit to anything. Since this thread has a few people looking and I'm shameless, I'll highjack it right......

now

Possible trip to Wazee on November 3-4!
-location is up for discussion
-dates are up for discussion
-excuses related to travel or gear (with the exception of suits) are probably not going to fly, there is just too much generosity in this group
-I may make chili or something equally gut-warming
-diving to be followed by campfire, silly talk, tall tales, too much food, good beer, and curling up satisfied in a tent on a cool fall night

If there are a few hurrahs, we'll start a formal thread and the discussion will begin.

 

[Pinggene]

Hurrah!!! I'm in...love to camp in the fall/winter.

 

[bgill]

You could ALMOST pull me outta the woods for that....I will be in Bayfield County with my bow, patiently freezing my buns off in a tree, waiting for Brutus the Whitetailed Buck to walk by...Maybe I'll get 'em before then though...But first I gotta hang up my wet-suit for more than 3 days at a time!!!!

If going to Wazee or Black River Falls area...You may well have to break through some ice by then!

Last year I ice fished during the gun deer season after I shot three deer. I think that was November 16th?

 

[James Jay]

After considering the freediving class that Jon has generously offered to teach, I'm convinced that I need to take this class as well. I do not have my freediving suit or much else yet. Will be ordering one within the next few days. I vote for later on in the spring of 08, only because I hope to have some down time with my new suit etc... before hand. I don't want to be struggling with trying basic things while trying to learn what Jon is teaching. I could probablly make araingements to come to the class whenever you decide but I would like spring better. I'm planning on ordering a feedivers manual to prep me for this. Is there any particular books etc. that you would recomend as precursors to the class Jon?(that is of course, if you decide to teach it here in WI.)

See ya

 

[ILDiver]

I bought Manual of Freediving and really like the book.
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Manual-Freediving-Underwater-Single-Breath/dp/1928649270]Amazon.com: Manual of Freediving: Underwater on a Single Breath (Freediving): Books: Umberto Pelizzari,Stefano Tovaglieri[/ame]


Not much for learning, but a great mag is Hawaii Skin Diver.
Hawaii Skin Diver Magazine Shop - The Breath of Freedivers Everywhere

 

[Jon]

I have my own set of readings that I hand out with my class. As far as books go that you should buy I would suggest these:

FREEDIVE! By Mass and Sipperly

It's a good book, with lots of pictures, that gives a great overview to the sport for people just starting. It covers shallow water black out, spearfishing, monofins, underwater hockey, wetsuits, and other topics. this is a must have for anyone starting out.

If your looking for a bit more in-depth reading I would highly reccomend Umbertos book in English: Welcome to DeeperBlue.net - Books

There are some other ones you can buy if you want a bit more informaton, but these two should give you a pretty good overview of the sport and answer a lot of questions that you would have to dig through hours of posts on here to answer for yourself.

The most important piece of diving gear to buy for diving in Wisconsin is a Freediving wetsuit- more important than long fins or a small mask. IF you have a good wetsuit you can use almost any mask or fins to spearfish in and still be safe and comfortable.

Jon