Hi there. Just found this excellent site through clicking on spearfishing / freediving links the other day.
Introductions are perhaps in order. I'm 42, living in Wellington, New Zealand. I started using a pair of goggles when I was about 8, collecting mussels to cook on a little fire that my friend and I would light in the rocks by the beach. Then moved on to using a Hawaiin Sling to feed the cat, and later a speargun to gather kai moana (Maori name for seafood) for family and friends.
I got my scuba ticket when I was 16, but to this day prefer breath hold diving, and only use tanks perhaps a few times a year. These days I don't take too much either, perhaps a few fish, Crayfish (if I'm lucky) and Paua (NZ abalone). Much of the sea life around here is concentrated around 20 - 40 feet, and my hunting dives rarely exceed a minute.
Like many people, I wasn't really aware of freediving as a sport in itself until I saw The Big Blue at a film festival. I'd been water starved for a while, working on a film project in China, and editing etc in London. I still remember involuntarily holding my breath every time they were about to dive.
Did an introductory freediving course a year or so back, managed 33m constant, 66m dynamic and 4min static. The dynamic training just about killed me - as I was/ am pretty unfit and carrying a few extra kilos. 4 min static was reasonably comfortable after the breathing exercises (max they would allow on that course) and 100 feet was hitting sand.
For me, getting into and under water is pure therapy - the best way to destress and rejuvenate life force.
See you around
Introductions are perhaps in order. I'm 42, living in Wellington, New Zealand. I started using a pair of goggles when I was about 8, collecting mussels to cook on a little fire that my friend and I would light in the rocks by the beach. Then moved on to using a Hawaiin Sling to feed the cat, and later a speargun to gather kai moana (Maori name for seafood) for family and friends.
I got my scuba ticket when I was 16, but to this day prefer breath hold diving, and only use tanks perhaps a few times a year. These days I don't take too much either, perhaps a few fish, Crayfish (if I'm lucky) and Paua (NZ abalone). Much of the sea life around here is concentrated around 20 - 40 feet, and my hunting dives rarely exceed a minute.
Like many people, I wasn't really aware of freediving as a sport in itself until I saw The Big Blue at a film festival. I'd been water starved for a while, working on a film project in China, and editing etc in London. I still remember involuntarily holding my breath every time they were about to dive.
Did an introductory freediving course a year or so back, managed 33m constant, 66m dynamic and 4min static. The dynamic training just about killed me - as I was/ am pretty unfit and carrying a few extra kilos. 4 min static was reasonably comfortable after the breathing exercises (max they would allow on that course) and 100 feet was hitting sand.
For me, getting into and under water is pure therapy - the best way to destress and rejuvenate life force.
See you around
