Well, this sucks. No more pool.

[Triton1715]

Well, this sucks. I finally made it down to the pool and got in a training session. Woo-hoo. Unfortunately, as I was getting out, the manager came over and politely informed me that due to a change in their insurance policy, they can't allow any more diving related activities in the pool (not even scuba for local dive shops). This really sucks as the pool is just 5 minutes from the house and I'm not sure I'll be able to find another one that'll let practice within any reasonable drive time.

I sure wish someone would start an insurance company for freedivers that would let them get a rider or something that would absolve any pool from liability should an incident occur there. You could just present it when you enter and get a waiver from them to train there. Sigh.

Talk about being unbelievably frustrated!

 

[HydroApprentice]

Oh noooo, my condolences...

 

[Kars]

I got more or less the same here. Actually this and other rules make me feel very unwelcome in the society I'm born in. Apparently nearly all my outdoor hobies are against rules or are feared by the public and police. Maybe you can offer a contract to say they are not liably for you inwater activities?

 

[Triton1715]

I got more or less the same here. Actually this and other rules make me feel very unwelcome in the society I'm born in. Apparently nearly all my outdoor hobies are against rules or are feared by the public and police. Maybe you can offer a contract to say they are not liably for you inwater activities?

It has certainly occurred to me. My wife is an attorney and could easily draft one, but I suspect it would all be for naught. I have a feeling that I'd get the run around of "we need to check with this group, have these attorneys look at it, run it by our insurance carrier, etc." and they'd probably just say it isn't worth their trouble for my $4 visit fee (or $150 annual).

I have some calls into some other pools I found. Not anywhere near as convenient, but at least they are a potentially viable candidate if faced with the potential option of doing nothing at all anymore.

Talk about letting the wind out of your sails though.

Kars, Have you had any luck finding another place or some other means to train during the cold months that isn't all dry?

 

[Triton1715]

"Actually this and other rules make me feel very unwelcome"

That's about right. I don't understand how it is that society can be so litigious that you can't even be allowed to take your own risks anymore without someone being "liable". I'm just waiting for the day when freediving will be banned in State or Federal waters for the same silly reasons. It's like everyone needs a nanny now. I've heard it before and feel it bears repeating again, but sometimes I think the most dangerous words in the English language are "there ought to be a law. . . " Ugh.

 

[HydroApprentice]

An interesting point in this discussion is if it's safer to send people away from pools. "Let them have their diving accidents somewhere in an uncontrolled environment" comes to mind... If this becomes a general policy, I'm afraid of the consequences for small diving groups...

 

[Triton1715]

Very good point Hyrdo. . . not that I think the lifeguards will/would be/have been particularly useful in freediving related accidents (given the history of it and all). Nonetheless, it still decreases the eyes in and on the water and pushes people into more precarious training situations.

 

[HydroApprentice]

I get it that the lifeguards should not worry about diving accidents in the first place, but it also would be nice to find some kind of middle ground. Common sense doesn't seems to be as common as one would hope...

 

[Triton1715]

Common sense; so rare it should be considered a super power!

 

[Apneaddict]

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[Lehmann108]

Anyone have any success with apnea activities with pools in South Florida? The Coral Springs Aquatic Complex has no problem as long as I pay them $100 per hour for a section of their diving well!

 

[Triton1715]

That's interesting Lehmann. I was actually given an option similar to that today. Basically, I would have to pay $115/hr for "private use" and give them proof of some sort of liability insurance policy. . something like a $1M+ umbrella policy. I didn't bother getting into specifics since $115/hr is absolutely ridiculous, but evidently it must be some sort of thing sweeping through the aquatic community.

Dang though if it isn't ever frustrating.

 

[Apneaddict]

Anywhere that has underwater hockey or synchronized swimming has no reason to discriminate against freediving.


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[cdavis]

Something you might try.

They have to be consistent or you can get them by the legal short hairs. Do any competitive teams practice there? Swim team drills often include under water swims of up to 25 yards. If they allow that, you have an angle. Same for underwater hockey or syncronized swimming.

Approach them from the "I'm just trying to keep you out of trouble" avenue. They will explain why what they are allowing is ok, and then you probably got'em. Develop an argument of why what you do is no different. If you can get them to allow 25 yards, that is all you really need.

Alternative, require them to produce the insurance policy and look for loop holes.

 

[Triton1715]

Something you might try.

They have to be consistent or you can get them by the legal short hairs. Do any competitive teams practice there? Swim team drills often include under water swims of up to 25 yards. If they allow that, you have an angle. Same for underwater hockey or syncronized swimming.

Approach them from the "I'm just trying to keep you out of trouble" avenue. They will explain why what they are allowing is ok, and then you probably got'em. Develop an argument of why what you do is no different. If you can get them to allow 25 yards, that is all you really need.

Alternative, require them to produce the insurance policy and look for loop holes.

Thanks for the advice cdavis! I'll definitely keep that in mind while I explore my options

 

[Kars]

Thanks for the advice cdavis! I'll definitely keep that in mind while I explore my options

Currently im diving into local lakes, depth 20m, 10c, viz 5m. I'm working on getting comfortable again, getting to 20 on exhale. I'm also tryin Aharon's cheeks equalisation technique, see his latest youtube video.

There are Two more indoor pools nearby, 10km, but this means more cycling to them, and i'll need to work their relation all over again, building up the trust and good standing with staf and other users.
My fear is that institutions will proceed making more rules, too keep themselves employed and we'll have very safe buildings with no taxpayers making use of them because too dangerous.

The 'getting an angle on them' tactic does feel to mee like encouraging more rules.
The pool that excluded my training said that i could join a club that makes use of their pool, so i can do my underwaterhobby there. why only respect groups?

in the past i've heard of goverment outdoor pools that got rid of the lifeguards and just had the visitors organise their own safety, or swim without, imagine that, the horror!

but i think its a sign of the times,promoting groupthink,fear,dependency,huge burocracies, and stomp out individuals, their posibilities, their courage, their risk taking, their every independace.
schools are teaching this as the new normal. its a big cultural shift, and it will take years to undo.
However we freedivers know the value of risktaking. We manage, enjoy and benefit a lot from our risk taking. we could start helping children survive the mind smothering anti risk hating school experience.

 

[Triton1715]

Currently im diving into local lakes, depth 20m, 10c, viz 5m. I'm working on getting comfortable again, getting to 20 on exhale. I'm also tryin Aharon's cheeks equalisation technique, see his latest youtube video.

There are Two more indoor pools nearby, 10km, but this means more cycling to them, and i'll need to work their relation all over again, building up the trust and good standing with staf and other users.
My fear is that institutions will proceed making more rules, too keep themselves employed and we'll have very safe buildings with no taxpayers making use of them because too dangerous.

The 'getting an angle on them' tactic does feel to mee like encouraging more rules.
The pool that excluded my training said that i could join a club that makes use of their pool, so i can do my underwaterhobby there. why only respect groups?

in the past i've heard of goverment outdoor pools that got rid of the lifeguards and just had the visitors organise their own safety, or swim without, imagine that, the horror!

but i think its a sign of the times,promoting groupthink,fear,dependency,huge burocracies, and stomp out individuals, their posibilities, their courage, their risk taking, their every independace.
schools are teaching this as the new normal. its a big cultural shift, and it will take years to undo.
However we freedivers know the value of risktaking. We manage, enjoy and benefit a lot from our risk taking. we could start helping children survive the mind smothering anti risk hating school experience.

I think you've hit the nail on the head. It seems like there has been an ever increasing push to remove the individual/self with an all-knowing, nanny-style government; a bubble-wrapped world like children's play areas where you can do whatever you like (assuming it is okay with the government) in a consequence-free environment. I suppose it's only human nature to a lesser extent, but it seems that people fear the negative consequences of their actions so much that they'd rather ban them outright then be left with the self-determination to decide for themselves and potentially end up hurt. As Ben Franklin said, "Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."

 

[freediverdude]

It's really all about the insurance. Insurance companies come in and say they won't insure the pool for this or that activity unless you pay a lot more, or even not at all. Ever wondered why most hotels now have 3-4 foot deep pools, barely just waist or chest deep? And the new zero-depth-entry pools are suddenly all the rage? All the nice ones that you could dive into are slowly being replaced as the hotel chains find they can save a lot of dollars on the insurance if the pool is basically a wading pool instead. Actually, paying that $100 per hour for one hour each week, $400 per month, might start to make sense if you get a lot out of it. Plus you'd have the pool to yourself!

 

[David Bisel]

Well that's not very encouraging.....Recently moved from Florida to Kansas (there is a fair bit of water around but most of it is as clear as chocolate milk, makes me wonder how there's enough dirt left in the fields to grow crops). I have been looking for a place to practice and was wondering about this very issue. Maybe a dive shop with a pool?

 

[Kars]

Someday all freedivers will do internet based work, from their cottage next to Dean's blue hole...