Hello from Russia

[Fondueset]

Hi hyeparis,

Spearfishing laws are quite stupid here in Northern Michigan - so I mostly take photographs while freediving instead. You can see them in the link in my signature. I dive year 'round mostly in Grand Traverse Bay and Lake Michigan.

(I wish they would fly those big Bear bombers over here - they are loud (possibly loudest in the world!) but extremely retro-cool looking - 'cold war chic')

 

[Pastor]

Don't let that picture fool you, Fondueset's mates asked hin to hold his breath underwater for as long as he could just as the winters first freeze was due rofl

 

[hyeparis]

Hysterical video! Mmmmm Britney (pre-nutjob-days) young and firm....Great dancing moves too, how much Vodka did you drink to pull off those moves? And is that a pneumatic pistol? Great stuff rofl

)))))
I actually had about 50 grams of home-made grappa -to warm up and calm down after having to ski back from the bank of that river to the place where our Niva SUV was parked in a wet suit with weight belts on and that bag - so I was not drunk - but I was in a real good mood - so I just pranced around ( I cannot dance and don't dance- except when I have to - armenian folks dances at weddings) . We were actually dancing to Offspring's Pretty Fly that happened to be the first thing playing on car radio when we turned it on, but our moves turned out to go well with
The gun is pneumatic - called Kayuk and made in neighboring Belarus by a guy whose name is Yuri Kozlov. It is very agile and light, (which matters when you have to maneuver it in sunken trees in murky waters) but not very precise ! see pics here DIVING.shop.by - âñ¸ äëÿ äàéâèíãà è ïîäâîäíîé îõîòû

 

[hyeparis]

2 Fondueset - this is the most beautiful winter freediving photo I have ever seen! It is just stunning!!!! How thick is your suit for winter? I have an Ukrainian-made one - 8 mm and 10-mm Picasso open cell smooth skin
2 Pastor )))))))!

 

[Fondueset]

In order to preserve the proper Gonzo Spirit I use a 6 mm suit. Top is smoothskin with painted camo (elios) because it is much warmer in cold air (-10c sometimes). Water is about 2c. I used to use my 5 mil all winter but it is nylon out and gets cold in the air.
Right now the water is about 10c - I am using 5 mil bottoms with my 6 mil top.
Some amazing night dives under the moonlight - too dark for pictures though. The water here gets very clear in the winter - around 30 meter vis sometimes!

 

[hyeparis]

2 Fondueset
You must have thick skin! )))
I won't last in a 6 mm for more than 45 minutes in winter. Some folks here do dive in 7 mm, but they also put thin vests under the jacket. I, being the child of the south, feel comfortable when diving in 8 mm - can last for about 2 hours.
You dive in winter at night too! That must be beautiful! Where do you find open water for such dives?
In the Moscow area water in lakes do get a lot clearer, but it is all covered by ice and while I have done some diving with a scuba on a rope thru a hole we would cut in ice, I would not risk doing that at night. As for the few local rivers which do have open water stretches in winter - they are too murky and one won't enjoy divivng in them at night.

 

[Fondueset]

It depends on the wind - but usually the bay is open. Sometimes it closes up for a few weeks. So far we do not dive under the ice. The picture is from after the bay froze last winter - we dove near the mouth of a river to find open water and there was some clear ice along the edge of the open area. I can usually go a couple of hours in my 6 mil - depending on how deep and how many long breathholds. This winter I will have my monofin all winter - I can do monofin sprints to warm up so maybe longer dives.

 

[hyeparis]

Good for you! Daytime winter tempratures usually stay below - 7-10 degrees Chere and it can be as low as - 35 C at nite - so no hope that even fast rivers won't freeze to say less of lakes (((
PS Albeit last winter was abnormal - very warm - like 0 C for months!

 

[island_sands]

That photo is a beaut, Chris. As always.