Does SCUBA spoil the fun of APNEA and Freediving?

[deepergreen]

Hello all,

I partially began freediving from a sidetrack of not being able to get scuba lessons. After discovering the potential of humans apnea, I was instantly enchanted, the human body is an amazing thing! I have recently encountered a "hukkah" sysyem that is overall cheaper than scuba gear and needs no lessons (plus it will work for hours more than scuba). A friend of mine wants to get this.... if we do will this spoil the fun of free diving? Will I no longer want to free dive after I have accessability to this item? Anybody in a similar boat? Or perhaps anyone outside a similar boat? Thoughts and opinions appreciated!

Thanks, DeeperGreen

 

[Chris_C_NZ]

not sure what you're referring to by a hukka system, maybe a surface air supply? *shrug* personally I enjoy both. They offer different aspects so i dont consider them similar.

 

[foxfish]

I googled "hukkah it comes up with some sort of drug!

 

[Johan Andersson]

not sure what you're referring to by a hukka system, maybe a surface air supply?

Yes, probably a hookah diving system - surface air supply.

 

[cdavis]

You will find that dragging around a hose, being limited by its reach, and hassling with the rest of the gear will be annoying after the ease and freedom of freediving. Hookah, like scuba, has its uses, and it is very good at those things, but it is not a substitute for freediving. I would not worry about hookah making you not want to freedive.

Connor

 

[apneaboy]

You need no training for this system you say?

I would suggest that wouldn't be prudent as many of the same problems you have with Scuba are still there if you are breathing compressed air at depth. Strange there should be no instruction, or you think there should be no instruction.

With the depth you could do with it its just like a really really expensive noisy snorkel.

 

[mcspud]

If you're like me having that weighty crap on and feeling like a hippo will make you like freediving more

 

[deepergreen]

From what I've heard you can go fairly deep.... I will check it out though.... It seems it would be lighter than a scuba tank and gear

It doesn't require a course but it comes with an access code to get information online on safety

 

[Simos]

don't know if the below link will work for you - amazing footage but will probably put you off

BBC - Human Planet Explorer - Fishing (pictures, video, facts & news)

Also have a look at this if this works:

BBC - Human Planet Explorer - Fishing (pictures, video, facts & news)

If the videos don't work, you might be able to find them on YouTube

 

[hank49]

Hello all,
I have recently encountered a "hukkah" sysyem that is overall cheaper than scuba gear and needs no lessons (plus it will work for hours more than scuba). A friend of mine wants to get this.... if we do will this spoil the fun of free diving?

Huka diving is exactly like scuba diving when it comes to decompression sickness, barotrauma from rapid ascents and all the other dangers. You should take a scuba course and learn all of this. There are villages in the Philippines where there are many cripples...permanently....and fatalities from huka diving with no knowledge of dive tables.

As to wanting to free dive after learning to scuba or huka? I hardly scuba at all now. I started seriously free dive spearfishing after 10 years of scuba diving. Both are a lot of fun. Plus, it's illegal to scuba spear in Belize....but even if it was legal, I probably wouldn't do it.

 

[apneaboy]

don't know if the below link will work for you - amazing footage but will probably put you off

BBC - Human Planet Explorer - Fishing (pictures, video, facts & news)

Also have a look at this if this works:

BBC - Human Planet Explorer - Fishing (pictures, video, facts & news)

If the videos don't work, you might be able to find them on YouTube

Good post!

 

[Simos]

Huka diving is exactly like scuba diving when it comes to decompression sickness, barotrauma from rapid ascents and all the other dangers. You should take a scuba course and learn all of this. There are villages in the Philippines where there are many cripples...permanently....and fatalities from huka diving with no knowledge of dive tables.

As to wanting to free dive after learning to scuba or huka? I hardly scuba at all now. I started seriously free dive spearfishing after 10 years of scuba diving. Both are a lot of fun. Plus, it's illegal to scuba spear in Belize....but even if it was legal, I probably wouldn't do it.

Very true - in fact, just during the filming of the above documentary, the camera crew had to treat one of the divers for DCS!

 

[deepergreen]

Well... if we do get it i will be sure to educate myself.... and not die, though it would matter much as long as i was alive

 

[Simos]

Well... if we do get it i will be sure to educate myself.... and not die, though it would matter much as long as i was alive

Have you not watched the big blue (le grand bleu)? There's a scene at the beginning (his dad diving for sponges) showing how safe hose diving is. :crutch

 

[Simos]

Also Kalymnos was a place where a lot of this type of diving was taking place in order to find sponges:


The Sponge Divers Of Kalymnos

 

[ReefTroll]

Don't do it, I saw The Big Blue! Danger!

 

[Kars]

LOL, Yes, in "The Big Blue" any diving is crazy and dangerous!

But I agree if you think that because you don't need to get a 'paper' / 'licence' things are without risk, then I think you may need to reconsider how many things you did in the past that were dangerous and didn't need a licence.

It is said that 'assumption is the mother of all fuk-ups'.

Wisdom is not a matter of choosing the right believe.


Love, Courage and Water,

Kars

 

[deepergreen]

This site ocasionally feels like a second mother.... (what with the safety on everything).... not that its bad its just not what i was wondering about... i know it is dangerous, i know what trying it without any information would be like, do not worry about that.
I am aware....very much related to wisdom

I guess my question is.... have any of you dived before? what do you enjoy more and why?

 

[ReefTroll]

I personally just think SCUBA is a fairly large pain in the bum in terms of all the gear etc.

 

[cdavis]

Deepergreen,

Pardon our emphasis on safety. More than a few of us have had the experience of watching a buddy B0, sometimes when pushing the limit, sometimes completely unexpected. It tends to contribute to very reasonable paranoia.

Your question is unclear. I'll assume you mean diving with the different types of gear. I've done a whole lot of scuba, more freediving, and some hookah. All have their place, advantages and disadvantages. I prefer freediving because of the simplicity of gear, flexibility, freedom, and being much closer to the feeling of flying like Peter Pan (an old childhood dream).

Connor