Anguish or Adventure

 My freediving, first experience – Anguish or Adventure…

 

Well, for those without prior knowledge or experience of what 'freediving' is, it is diving in the ocean without scuba diving equipment. This means you can only stay submerged for as long as you can hold your breath. While the experience of swimming underwater in a swimming pool, clean, clear, and only a few feet deep with the surface within easy reach, can feel tranquil and freeing. Freediving in the ocean can be exciting and comes with an element of danger such as oxygen starvation, nitrogen narcosis, decompression sickness, and even blackouts. Especially for a beginner like myself, a lack of preparation and guidance by trained personnel can lead to serious injury or death. So, I joined a group, paid 2500 pesos for the coach, and the rest was out of my hand because I was venturing into the unknown, at least for me. I'm glad to say that it is truly an adventure when guided by a skillful and trained professional,professional basics, proper safety, precautionary measures, and a few accompanied dives to help boost your confidence.

 

Freediving requires a few basic eqquipment to be practiced safely, especially by amateurs and novice-level divers. Unlike masks worn for various purposes on land, a mask used for free diving has to be specifically designed to fit the shape of your face so that it keeps water out of your eyes and nose. This is mainly to avoid accidental inhalation of water and because the human eyes are designed to work best open to the air, not water, especially salty water. The other two pieces of equipment are the snorkel which helps you breathe at surface level, and flippers which help you move more efficiently by consuming less energy underwater, which is essential for conserving oxygen. So, at that moment, I was thinking of owning one, and of course, swimming fins. 

Initially, the first attempt at diving while holding my breath was an assault on my senses and every instinct we are used to. The resistance of the water restricts movement, vision takes getting used to, and there is fear and a sense of panic because I felt unsure of how long I can safely hold my breath. Understanding how to move laterally and vertically, unlike on land, your movement is three-dimensional, and you can easily get disoriented. And another aspect of teaching yourself is to consciously inhale and exhale with your mouth instead of the nose. So, at the start, it can overload the mind and body. By being patient and taking it one step at a time, you can learn to adapt to the requirements of what you need to be conscious of and calmly practice. By staying within your safe zone, you quickly realize your abilities and get better, with confidence, and so does the level of enjoyment. Equalizing underwater is still a big 'ah-ha' for me, every time.

When you have gained a certain level of confidence and understand the rules to follow, like staying in groups, not diving or resurfacing too quickly, and other recommended safe practices, it can be one of the most spectacular experiences, especially as it offers the ability to view and experience marine life, a world alien to us land creatures, in a never before seen and felt manner. The colors, type, shapes, and variety of creatures that forms the marine ecosystem and their interactions within their world is an amazing experience and truly an adventure.

For me, more freediving adventures to pursue to get better and enjoy it to the fullest.