[Article] Going Deeper: Will Trubridge's Master Class

[ArticleBot]

Regular DeeperBlue.com Writer Christopher joins us to tell about his time in the Bahamas Blue Hole and joining Will Trubridge's Freediving Master Class

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[fcallagy]

Great article Christopher thanks. I just started some hatha yoga and was interested in the breathholding asanas which are a big no no in traditional teaching from what I can see. can you expand on this or is it something to "dangerous" to do on a forum ie with out being shown in person.

 

[Fondueset]

I would really recommend getting some of Simon's DVDs. It is absolutely the best asana work I've encountered and he teaches in a very safe way.

His site is Yoga Synergy: Intelligent Yoga based in Sydney, Australia, with main schools in Bondi and Newtown | Yoga Synergy

The work with Uddiyana is particularly helpful for deep diving - Will T. also teaches a variation of this which is very intense.

Best is if you ever get the chance to take the course - really amazing concentration of expertise between Simon and Will!

 

[azapa]

Great write up Fondi, that one is on my 'must-do' list. May be next year though. They may have fixed those hinges by then, or hell, I may just take a pair along and do it for them.

The Blue Hole is wonderful, for anyone wondering. It is REALLY wonderful.

 

[Fondueset]

I kinda liked 'em broken - it was just the front screen there on the villa.
But I'm sure they are fixed by now.

Did you stay at the Villa? I love that place.

 

[azapa]

They sound just fine broken.

I stayed both times at "Ellens". Olivia is so nice its hard not too. And I can walk to Max's for a beer and meal. I have been to the Villa though and it's very nice. I will have to see when Will's next master class is, although my 2010 freedive agenda seems happily quite full already. Maybe I could squeeze another trip in?

I wonder if my wife reads this?

 

[Fondueset]

I'm likely to go there at some in-between time - just to spend some time meditating with the Tarpon.

 

[romm]

I was there and it was unbelievable. It was my first freediving class, well second if you count the Stage class I did the week before with Will, but I just count it all as one. I was even more of a beginner than Christopher but Will took the time to coach me along and in few days I was doing what I thought I could never do. Will is a great guy. Even though he is a WR holder, when I hit my PB of a paltry 30m he was more excited than I was. To me that's just amazing. He is a great teacher. I look forward to going again this year.
Great article Christopher.

 

[azapa]

I'm likely to go there at some in-between time - just to spend some time meditating with the Tarpon.

I am hoping Will chimes in here with the next master class dates.

I have always thought, selfishly, (because I can get there for less than 2K:crutch) that the blue hole would be optimal for a DB dive-out. Maybe 2 weeks: a one week course with Will, bashing some PB's, then one week tooling around the reefs behind the Blue Hole with a pole spear and drinking Kalik.

How good does that sound?

 

[Fondueset]

Romm - am I guessing right that you were the Bahamian contingent? It was great meeting you and seeing how fast you progressed! I agree - Will's genuine interest in everyone's individual achievements is wonderful.

I hope we can dive together again soon!

I did my final PB the day after class was over - added 3 and a half meters! Next stop is 60m - then I want to go no fins for awhile.

Azapa - its no so much getting there as lodging that breaks the bank. I agree though - two weeks would be ideal. My first trip there was with Eric F. and Pete and thats about how long I was there.

 

[laminar]

Nice article!

It was an aria to the high tide mark and a sonnet for tarponades and snotty smiles.

You capture the spirit of this dear sport with one hand behind your back.

And you make me laugh out loud. Which is pretty f@cking cool.

Looking forward to battling sand fleas with you next time, Fondue.

 

[Fondueset]

High praise, Pete. :thankyou They left off my captions though - the one of Ken - the guy in the red swim cap - was 'Are these ALL my hands?!'

(it was such a revelation when I realized I could use a question mark and an exclamation mark at the same time! It expresses so much of life so succinctly)

 

[Blue Hole Villa]

Chris,
Delightful article! Cheryl and I are pleased you enjoyed yourself and that your trip resulted in an improvement in your diving skills. We were just down to the island for a week from the 17th to the 24th. Nice water/weather, but a bit cooler, after winter, than your experience. It was mostly a maintenance run for the villa. We were also out over the Christmas holiday but with lots of family in tow - a good time!

The saga of the screen door - I wasn't able to fix that darn screen door over this year's Christmas visit for lack of the proper hinges and fastenings, but I got it done first thing in the trip just ended. I'm at a loss to figure out what happened to the new screen door closing gas cylinder that I installed months prior to your visit. It was gone! I guess, subsequently, someone looking the place over must have left the door ajar and a squall caught it and took it off the door post. Originally it only had two hinges. I just added a third hinge and another door closing cylinder. In the meantime I'll be shopping for a differently designed screen door.

We went down to the abandoned Diamond Crystal salt plant on the Sound side, west of Hard Bargain, for the first time during this last trip. It was quite the facility. People have been collecting salt for centuries on the islands and this plant was extensive. They tore up some natural island salt pan ground but also created some interesting recreational opportunities. They just up and left about 1984. I'm not sure why but I'm trying to research it. At any rate, they left all sorts of capital equipment laying around. How about a rusting, decrepit tugboat, still at moorings, on dirt in a partly dried up basin that is no longer open to Exuma Sound? It is all just inland, otherwise along a stretch of pretty, classic Caribbean beach. I think the Diamond Crystal salt brand is now owned by the Cargill conglomerate.

Adios for now, stay safe and have fun! Chris Kierst.
P.S. We are also now members of this interesting website as Blue Hole Villa.

 

[Fondueset]

Thanks for posting! Didn't mean to make you feel bad about the hinges Salt air and wind spell sudden entropy for aluminum doors down there. As the owner of a 100-year-old-farm house I find perfection alienating.

I thought about fixing it myself but ended up reading Kinky Friedman novels instead. Besides, with a little wrangling it was doing the job just fine.

The Salt plant sounds interesting!

For the record everyone: The Villa is absolutely impeccable. It has two roomy bedrooms with two beds each and a big living/dining area and a huge kitchen. (also a washer - in the garage) It comfortably accommodates five or six divers - particularly if one of them is like me and prefers to sleep on a couch. It also has an awesome outdoor shower - AND it's literally just a few hundred meters from the Blue Hole - less to Turtle Cove. You can feel the surf as you drift off to sleep and theres nearly always a soft breeze flowing through the bedrooms.

With stone tile floors it is set up really well for not getting wrecked by divers.

Near as I can tell its the best possible place to say I'm aiming to get there again soon - but probably a little deeper into winter when it's cooler!

 

[cdavis]

A DB dive out. . . . . That sounds incredibly fabulous. Fondue, keep that idea developing. I don't know how I would make such a thing, but its worth some serious thought.

Maybe we could talk some Telegraph Cove types into coming.

Connor

 

[Will]

We haven't confirmed the dates yet, but at this stage the 2010 Master Class is scheduled for October 11-15.
We are looking at getting an additional, very exciting guest instructor for this year's edition. Dates and details will be published first at Freediving Courses - Vertical Blue Freediving Apnea Academy as they come to hand.

 

[azapa]

Thanks Will. Interesting dates.

Connor: how far did you say your boat could get out off Fort Lauderdale?... you know what I am thinking here don't you....

 

[cdavis]

You betcha I know what you are thinking, me too! But it ain't goin to happen. The Blue Hole is 400+ miles, mostly wide open up wind from Florida and the boat draws too much water to get over the sand bar. Heck of a thought, though.

Now come to think about it, with another year to plan (and save $) could we make a week in the boat to the north end of Long Island with one batch of divers, Leave the boat at Stella Maris Marina, do a master course, then a week back to florida with another batch of divers? Hey Fondue, how does that sound?

Will, do you expect to be running a master class about the same time every year?

Connor

 

[Will]

Most of the water between Florida and Long Island is calm, and coming down the Exuma chain is some of the best territory in the Caribbean.
Almost all boats can get into Salt Pond harbour (30 minutes to blue hole), and Clarence Town Harbour (5 minutes) is even deeper, but you would need to come down the north, exposed side of Long Island.

The Master Class is every year in September.

 

[cdavis]

I did not realize that CT was so close to the blue hole. They have a marina, too. Is there any dockage at Salt Pond these days? Still have to get across 3 pieces of water that can get pretty nasty. Need a lot of time to ensure a weather window.

Connor