Looking for a good place to train?

[Absolute]

In your opinon where in the world is the best place to train for competitive freediving?
I have been freediving for about 5 years now and I am ready to take it to the next level, but where I am now people are just not into it. So where would be the best place for one to really harnes thier potental as a competition freediver?
Thanks, Jay

 

[DeepThought]

Are you bringing your own dive partners? If so then the options are much wider.

The first place that jumps into my mind is Dahab, Egypt (red-sea).
It's cheap (not as cheap as SE-Asia though).
There are usually resident and transitory freedivers most year round.
Water condition is usually good all year round.
20m+ viz is almost guaranteed.
There is also what to see underwater, so you can dive recreationally on your rest days.
You got the blue hole - 90m~ deep, protected, a few meters from the shore - but you can't live near it, you will need a taxi (maybe 3-6 euros both ways if you share).
Swimming out from whereever to deep water is quite easy.
There are tech divers who you can pay for deep safety there.
Minuses: you might find it hard to do dry training at 30c-40c during the the hot season.
Some people are not that fond of staying in the desert.
When there's wind there's wind surfers, watch out.
You would be bothered endlessly in the first few days/weeks by taxi drivers and restaurant goblins (found no better name for those) to use their services.

 

[Erik]

Dahab or Vancouver BC. In both places you're in excellent access to deep water from shore, plus both have active freediving communities.
Peace,
Erik Y.

 

[jome]

So far the only diving abroad I've done was in Nice (CIPA), and it was a very positive experience...

I think the apnea academy gang also runs some kind of dive center in italy that is supposedly very good?

 

[Will]

Dean's Blue Hole in Long Island, Bahamas, is probably the best freediving resource on the planet. I am looking at setting up a winter training base there in the very near future. Advantages include:
- unlimited depths (200m+)
- no current
- sheltered from waves & wind
- excellent visibility (30 - 50m)
- perfect water temperature (good enough for no-suit diving)
- little other snorkel/scuba traffic
- easy access
- unrivalled spectator areas (beach or on top of the cliff)
Anyone who is seriously interested in coming to Long Island to train for a period greater than 1 week please PM me.

 

[Will]

The Apnea Academy has a training centre (Constant weight lines and VW sled) in Sharm el Sheikh, at Domina Coral Bay. Frederico or Ricky of Apnea Academy Egypt can be contacted directly for information on training there.