freediving at night

[1 Tadpole]

Hello DB contributors!

I'm about to embark on my first night time freedive with a couple buddies and would like to know how other freedivers manage this kind of diving and any additional safety equipment/measures you might use. This will be shallow diving of about 40-45 feet.

Looking forward to hearing your insights and experiences.


Thanks!

 

[glennv]

my 2 cents / open doors:

Bring lots and lots of light. (i have 2 Q40's one on the mask and one on the arm. and i suggest putting one or more on the line as well)
Stay very close (e.g. in contact ) to the line.
Tighter then tight buddy procedures.
Don't go for PB's


Other that that it's lots of fun. Only done it once actualy by mistake. Got dark rather fast

 

[tuomo]

I would consider just very recreational diving. Play around with the biolumince and have fun. Dont push it.
I've done it in red sea two times, its absolutely worth it and kinda spooky..
well have fun.

Tuomo

 

[cdavis]

Night free freediving is great, just go slow. It takes more than a little getting used to. The guy who introduced me to it probably thought I was surgically attached to his back for most of the first session. Lots of light is a good suggestion, but don't forget to turn off the lights some time during the dive. Most of my night diving has been in very shallow water, 25 ft or less or next to vertical structure, lobster diving and spearfishing mostly. It is a LOT of fun, enjoy!

Connor

 

[Lambis]

Night freediving is one off the besst ways for me to come very colse in contact with the big blue.
Like cdavis say I turn off the lights some time during the dive.
The sea is very close around you no sun that remind you about the world out there. Try to do this in moonlight!!
But when I freedine att night is nore for fun & enjoy not for training.

Try to put the hood behind your neck, like a pillow and lay on the back in a night witout moon. It is a great feeling

Lambis

 

[Brian Hamilton]

I am planning a night dive in the very near future and will be using a descent rope. Do any of you use a strobe at the bottom of the rope or does this ruin the effect of diving into the black?

I will be diving with a Princeton Tec Surge and like the idea of turning this of at some stage during the dive to enjoy total darkness. However I am worried about disorientation kicking in when it is dark and think that a strobe will help me keep oriented.

Has anybody had any disorientating experiences underwater?

Brian

 

[1 Tadpole]

Thanks for the replies folks!
I haven't been yet due to timing with buddies but I look forward to it soon!

Tad

 

[flyboy748]

Thanks all,
I'm going to try it this week with some scuba buddies, looking forward to it!
Aaron

 

[1 Tadpole]

I'm going this Thursday night!

 

[JMD]

Have a good time, I've been a couple of times off Vancouver Island and would recomend you use as little light as possible, preferably none at all.

The phospholuminescence (sp) is beautiful, we spent a half an hour just diving down and watching the sparks fly off our hands. Good times

 

[1 Tadpole]

Last time I saw the phos I was about 10 years old while on a boat at night. I can't wait to be IN it this time!

 

[Frank O'Donnell]

Just to echo what everyone said ... my nighttime freediving experience has been limited to pleasure diving and pretty low-stress lobstering. Light failures are common, so it's helpful to bring a backup. I wouldn't do serious training or deep/long dives. As others note, bioluminscence is very cool. I've also noticed that when swimming around on the surface with a dive light, I've often gotten pelted by little sardine-type fish attracted to the light.

 

[1 Tadpole]

First night dive last night!

Wow, what a blast!! Despite a leaky mask and towing a float it was fantastic. It was very relaxing and peaceful. The illumination from my buddies lights not far away against the occasional kelp leaves was beautiful. At the bottom (25-35 feet) there was plenty to see including some BIG ling cod. Visibility was not bad at about 25 feet.

Thanks Dean and Peter! I look forward to the next one!

 

[Pekka]

I have been night diving some... and few things I would suggest..
Well orientation.. no worries you'll know where the surface is even if you can't see it.. try diving at daytime for practise.. just close your eyes and boom... your in the dark.. then Keep your hands ahead of your body at all times.. there just might be rocks and things you don't want to bump your head into.. even with good light the sphere of light is limited.. so try not to hit anything with your head..
I tend to move lot slower at night time.. that is because I have better idea where I am going..
it is fun to dive in total darkness you should try it.. shut the light and wait that your eyes get used to the darkness and then do your dive.. (hands ahead of your head at all times)
Spook some fishes as they lie motionless at the bottom.. always fun....
Don't do it alone.. I have done some diving at night alone and it makes me nervous... it just had the "jaws" feeling to it for some reason.. and enjoy.
hope you do some good night dives in the future!
Pekka