I don't know a lot about the various underwater achievements and competitions that many of you participate in, but I've been around/in/under the water my whole life, and it occurs to me that the concept of Human Breaching is really a pretty cool idea. I mean think about it: the existing factors or parameters for all the other water-related achievements I can think of can be broken down into only four categories: (1) time (speed, races, who finishes first, who can stay under the longest, etc.), (2) depth (how far down can you go), and (3) length/distance (how far horizontally can you go); (4) score (goals, targets, shots, hunting, weights, etc.). (did I miss any?)
But there's an obvious factor not present: Height/Altitude, or how high can you go. Out of the water. Can a human, under his or her own power, clear the surface of the water, or how high can someone get out of the water, and with what kind of style or technique? A simple-enough question. Dolphins can do it easily (see attached). And there are plenty of people who say "yeah, I know a guy down in Botswana who did it." But are people really doing it? Is there proof? And if so, why aren't there competitions for this? Or at least categories or events within larger competitions. Now that would be something worth watching on TV!
And there could be different variations on the theme. Like "Aquatic High Jump" (from Eric Fattah), or "Aquatic Vault" (me). Then there's the True Breach (all parts of the body and appendages clearing the water at once). With different classifications under that: (A) "Pure Breach" -- no fins, nothing; (B) "Modified Breach" -- fins, arm fins, Eric's "Jump Box" or Andy's "squid umbrella", anything that's attached to your body and that still requires your own human propulsion; and finally (C) "Open or Freestyle Breach" -- anything goes: compressed air, using a partner, being shot out of an underwater canon... ;-)
I guess in a way, Breaching is sort of the opposite of this group's name and purpose, and that's maybe why some people are not that interested. But think about it: We've left the earth's gravity and landed on the moon. We've flown across the English Channel in human-powered flight. We've climbed the highest mountains. We've gone into the depths of the oceans. But who can say that they've escaped our watery world and launched themselves completely into the atmosphere under their own power?
And where's Ted and Lunocet? Here's a quick clip from Christopher Morey's piece from December 2008 after trying out a Lunocet: < ... I've spoken extensively with the inventor, Ted Ciamillo, and he's been very clear about what the Lunocet is designed to do.* The Lunocet is designed to enable a human being to breach out of the water under its own power.* That's it.* Anything else it is good at is icing on the breach. > What's the latest on that?
Breaching... the last frontier.
Haraldo
(who tried breaching today in a swimming pool with bi-fins but could only get out up to his swimsuit, which isn't saying much as any good water polo player can do the same treading water with his hands and feet. I'm definitely not going to be the first breacher, but I can't get the subject out of my head!)
But there's an obvious factor not present: Height/Altitude, or how high can you go. Out of the water. Can a human, under his or her own power, clear the surface of the water, or how high can someone get out of the water, and with what kind of style or technique? A simple-enough question. Dolphins can do it easily (see attached). And there are plenty of people who say "yeah, I know a guy down in Botswana who did it." But are people really doing it? Is there proof? And if so, why aren't there competitions for this? Or at least categories or events within larger competitions. Now that would be something worth watching on TV!
And there could be different variations on the theme. Like "Aquatic High Jump" (from Eric Fattah), or "Aquatic Vault" (me). Then there's the True Breach (all parts of the body and appendages clearing the water at once). With different classifications under that: (A) "Pure Breach" -- no fins, nothing; (B) "Modified Breach" -- fins, arm fins, Eric's "Jump Box" or Andy's "squid umbrella", anything that's attached to your body and that still requires your own human propulsion; and finally (C) "Open or Freestyle Breach" -- anything goes: compressed air, using a partner, being shot out of an underwater canon... ;-)
I guess in a way, Breaching is sort of the opposite of this group's name and purpose, and that's maybe why some people are not that interested. But think about it: We've left the earth's gravity and landed on the moon. We've flown across the English Channel in human-powered flight. We've climbed the highest mountains. We've gone into the depths of the oceans. But who can say that they've escaped our watery world and launched themselves completely into the atmosphere under their own power?
And where's Ted and Lunocet? Here's a quick clip from Christopher Morey's piece from December 2008 after trying out a Lunocet: < ... I've spoken extensively with the inventor, Ted Ciamillo, and he's been very clear about what the Lunocet is designed to do.* The Lunocet is designed to enable a human being to breach out of the water under its own power.* That's it.* Anything else it is good at is icing on the breach. > What's the latest on that?
Breaching... the last frontier.
Haraldo
(who tried breaching today in a swimming pool with bi-fins but could only get out up to his swimsuit, which isn't saying much as any good water polo player can do the same treading water with his hands and feet. I'm definitely not going to be the first breacher, but I can't get the subject out of my head!)
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