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Looking for beginning freedivers in Tampa

Thread Status: Hello , There was no answer in this thread for more than 60 days.
It can take a long time to get an up-to-date response or contact with relevant users.

TampaBrian

Reaching for 5:00
Aug 16, 2007
56
1
0
If anyone is in the area and is a beginner like myself, or doesn't mind diving maybe once a month with a partner, let me know.
I live in Brandon, just outside of Tampa.
-Brian
 
I'm not sure; hopefully by USF, so that would be north Tampa. I'm finally going back to school to do something I like, marine biology.
 
excellent. I'm in brandon, just east of tampa. I have yet to take my fins into the bay, for now I just fool around in the pool when I have my fiance around to watch me. Good luck with the move and all and I'll talk to you later.
-Brian
 
Hey Brian,

I'm not in the Tampa area, but would be interested in diving with you. I'm always looking for new places to dive and pepole to meet. I must say that I'm not a beginner. But I do enjoy helping others learn how to dive better and safer. I'm about two hours from you, and would not mind traveling to meet you. Maybe we could get you out of the pool and into something a little deeper.

Actualy, if you don't mind driving about two hours, I have a dive trip set up on the 8th & 9th of September that would be perfect for you. I am getting some dive buddies together to work on saftey and dive techniques. We will be meeting at Ginnie Springs on the 8th. It is about a two hour drive up I-75 for you just out side of High Springs. There are 7 springs there. They very in depth from 12ft to 40ft. If you have a wetsuit, bring it, the water is 72 degrees. We will be camping there that night. On the 9th we will drive about 1/2 an hour to Troy Springs State Park. Troy is wide open and is about 60ft to 70ft, depending on the water level. At troy I will have a dive line set up from a float to the bottom. If you decide to join us, I can show you how to kick in you dive reflex ,do longer, deeper and safer dives WITH A BUDDY. It will be alot of fun.

If you can't make it, I understand and we can set something up some other time. By the way, just so that I know were your at on your diving, what are your personal best. Mine are as follows:

PB Static : 3 min. 30 sec.
PB Depth : 99 Feet / 30 meters (PFI course, hit plate)
Average depth : 50-70 ft
Average time : 0:45 - 1:20

Talk to you soon,
Brian
 
Hey, that trip sounds awesome, but I won't be able to make it this time. I'm actually relatively new to the area. Moved down here last november without a dime and have managed to make a life for myself down here, but I do work alot. Ok when I say beginner, I mean beginner. It's still an infatuation thing and I'm hoping to stick with it. I rarely get time to get out and hardly ever have anyone to go into the water with me so I'm very limited as to what i can do..until I get out and learn a thing or two, i'll probably be stuck where i'm at right now. I've learned for me that in order to hold my breath, I not only have to be relaxed, but also in the right frame of mind....I've studied quite a bit of hypnosis and I somewhat have to get into that state in order to completely relax and let my body control it, I just can't hold my breath past 1:30 and maybe 2 once before, but the other night I got in my little mindset and had my fiance watch the clock. I looked over at her to say im ok and she stopped the clock accidentally and I know I had at least another minute in me. My main issue is fighting the contractions, they are just so darn uncomfortable, and while I think they may be getting more tolerable, i still hate 'em and can't seem to be able to handle them for more than 10 seconds......is there a point in the breath holding where you have contractions and then they go away, or is it just minute after minute of contractions until your done? Perhaps I don't practice enough.
As far as the other stats, I have no idea, I think I can hold my breath for 30-45 seconds while monofin swimming(i have 2 single fins though, I just use them like monofins) I have never gone past 20 feet in the lake I used to live on. It usually got too cold and too much pressure for my sinuses, but that was before I started all of this. I'd love to try a 30 or 40 foot dive sometime, I would just get scared doing it without an oxygen tank simply because I've never been down that far and don't understand the whole thing about resurfacing and having to stay there for a little bit....so much for me to learn...I appreciate you taking time to send me a message, and I really appreciate the offer...not ready for that just yet. Perhaps I need to get to 3 minutes and be able to control the contractions a bit better before i'm comfortable with the whole thing...One question I do have though....I once heard if a guy popping a blood vessel in his "brain??" from holding his breath....is this a bunch of bull or are there certain dangers?
Give me some time, I'll come out of my shell, and thanks again!
-Brian
 
First off, I have never heard of someone popping a blood vessel in thier brain from holding thier breath. Yes, there are risk to holding your breath and breath hold diving. But like everything else, if you know the risk, it is easy to avoid.

Your time and depth are actualy better than I thought they would be. You said that you were not ready for something like the trip to Troy Springs. You are really at the perfect level for that trip. I have another diver going that is in the exact same place as you, and I'm expecting for him to do 50-60 feet in depth. Currently he has a P.B. of 25 feet, never done a static, and does 30-45 sec. dives. Sound familer. When I met him, he could not swim, and now he freedives. If you can not make this trip, then maybe we can set one up when you have the time and money. If needed, you can even make it a one day trip to save a little money. It is two hours each way, drive time. Also, if you have someplace to dive in your area, I could meet you in your area. I'll check and see what dive sites I can find there.

When you do your statics, are they on land or in the water? If you do them in the water, you will be able to hold your breath longer, but you also increase the risk greatly. If your fiance does not know what to look for or what to do if something happens, then she does not do you any good watching you. If you do them on land lying down, about the most that will happen is that you black out and have a nice dream. If sitting or standing, you could hit your head on something. And the contractions, they don't go away. Last night I had contractions for 1 min 20 sec during a breath hold. Not fun. Each contraction is worse than the first. You do build up a tolerence to the Co levels and increase the time before you have a contraction. Currently, I can go for about 1 min 25 sec before a contraction during a dry static.

Well, I have to go for now. I'll send you some information later that will help you with equalizing, contractions, and longer statics. Also, I would have no problem traveling to you, even just for a pool session. I would rather take a day to help you do better an be safer, than for you to hurt yourself trying to learn on your own.

Talk to you later,
Brian
 
hey guys,

I didn't read all the posts, but I read Tampa and I happen to be in Clearwater looking for a group to freedive with. I've only practiced holding my breath in bed and in swimming pools but I really want to start the real thing. E-mail some info so we can get something going. I also have access to three kayaks in Dunedin (north of Clearwater) savid152@hotmail.com. And put freediving in the subject line so it doesn't get tossed.

Reid
 

little devil's spring is the 45 ft deep one right. i got to say great choice to go free diving at ginnie. i go every summer and am trying to get a group together as well for the coming summer. how often do you guys go there im from the sarasota area so its not that much worse a drive.

and where is that other spring system?

thanks
 
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