passing on the baton to the next generation

[Gerald]

Hello All,

I would like to dedicate this thread to the next generation, to our precious kids with freediving daddies and/or mummies.

It doesn't matter if You post some pictures, share links to some clips or just write a nice story. It would be great to know how Your kids are discovering the joy of freediving for themselves and how they progress.

I am starting with two clips where You can see my 13 year old son doing his first unassisted and free immersion attempt in Austria's new Diving tank near Graz, Austria.





Thanks to Hennie for organizing the trip to the "Tauchturm" and for letting me use her camera at the bottom of the tank.

 

[Dewit2it]

Here's some pics of my two nephews. I got the older snorkeling last year and the other on SASY this year. Unfortunatly the younger is stuck on the surface with autism. I took him out on his first shipwreck where his mom and I hid a treasure chest for him to find. When he opened it you could hear him screaming thru his regulator with excitement!

 

[iceselkie]

THat is so awesome! I have an 8 yr old who practices "dives" at the pool where I work (3m depth). My 4 year old loves wearing my omer mask. I can't wait until they get a little older, they already talk about going diving with mommy and daddy someday! <3 <3!

 

[Dewit2it]

They can start with SASY at 5 years. If you are good at building things, you can pretty easily build a SASY rig from a life jacket. I used a neoprene ski jacket for flotation and built a old Scubapro backpack into it. I did have to add some closed cell foam to the back panels. I sewed a modified Trident retractor onto the sholder to help return the regulator to the users face. I had a crotch strap made, and the cylinder strap shortened by the local tent and awning shop.(they used thread thicker than what Scubapro used and both jobs cost $2) I set this one up to use a Al30 cylinder. For regulator, I used my old SAS octopus and the first stage that came with it. You really don't need a high performance regulator when they can't get down more than a foot. But if they're getting ready for scuba in a few years, go with higher performance. For pressure I used an old Oceanic spg.(it paid to keep that old junk all these years) I spent around $300 to build it. A commercially built unit can run $1000+.

Keep a close eye on the pressure gauge! Kids can burn that cylinder quickly!

 

[BlueKarma]

i guess i am one of the next gen. does being 15 count me in? if so then i have to say mahalo to all of you who are helping us, either in person as dive guides/buddies or as wealths of information here at DB. TYTYTYTY

aloha
blue!

 

[Gerald]

@Bluekarma: welcome aboard!

I started with freediving when I was about your age. I didn't even know how to equalize then and luckily my eardrums didn't break. At that time a buddy from high school passed on a book to me that explained the secret of equalization. At the same time I started to practice holding my breath during class in high school. I worked myself up to 3½ Minutes that way. I am glad the teacher never asked me something when I was in a hypoxic state :duh.

But the main thing: I haven't lost my joy in freediving until today. Back then I didn't have all these tons of information at my disposal. That wasn't entirely bad! Today's temptation is trying to shoot sparrows with a cannon, as a german saying goes.

To feel comfortable in the water is the most important thing to start with. That may also include scuba diving and swimming. I don't want to segment water activities rigourously. The book I mentioned above didn't do that either. As a matter of fact, for my CMAS*** certificate in 1978 I was examined in swimming, freediving and scuba diving.

@all young people and beginners: have incredible joy pursuing a meaningful activity for the rest of your life, where you learn to dive safely and only measure yourself against yourself.

Have safe and pleasant dives,
Gerald