General thread for freediving and/or spearfishing, since I don't see one mentioning either.My personal questions:I've been thinking about taking a certification course so I can learn to do these things correctly and safely. I'm probably happy just doing the diving, but spearfishing seems like an easy and practical extension. I only casually skindive and rod-and-reel fish at the moment. Does anyone have experience taking such a course?I know I'll need my own gear early on, but each instructor I can find seems to have their own equipment shops, so I imagine they wouldn't be impartial about the quality of other gear on the market. I live on the Pacific coast of the US, so I see that a 7 mm open cell wetsuit is strongly recommended. What good/bad features should I look out for on wetsuits and other equipment? For non-competitive diving, carbon fiber fins are almost certainly not worth the price, right?
I posted a thread about this about a month ago and people seemed to think paying for a course "to learn how to hold your breath" was a great joke. I think a course is a good idea because:-I was able to dive to 100 feet on day 2; on my own it would probably have taken me months to get that deep, if ever-They teach you about all the different disciplines and techniques; it's an older and more organized sport than you'd think-if you have a cert then you can go to many beautiful places around the world and dive no questions asked-having experienced people train you in breath holding is very valuable, although I suppose you could learn the same techniques on youtubeI don't think it matters what course you do because most places will accept equivalent certs from other schools. Your instructor should provide all gear for the course; that way you can get an idea of what you want to buy for yourself. If you do want to buy gear, splurge on a nice quality low-volume mask and a snorkel with a purge valve. You can wear any old wetsuit while you're a newbie.>7mm open cell wetsuitI use a 5mm open cell suit to dive in Colorado where water temps are around 50-55 degrees. My hands and face get very cold, but otherwise my body is warm and I am comfortable.
>>2758167my brain went retard when I typed that, day 2 was 20m, so 65 feet. Still, though
>>2758167Thank you for the info. I'll try to look up your thread from last month. I had the same initial reaction to the courses, especially for beginners, but looking around the web there seems to be a strong consensus on the advantages you point out. I'd much rather spend a relatively small amount of money, considering the huge amount of time and safety knowledge it would net me versus trying to ignorantly assemble techniques and practice methods myself. Really, it seems almost foolish to not get certified unless one plans on doing nothing but paddling around your local lake with a buddy.>purge valveDo you use it often? I saw a lot of "simpler is better" for freediving snorkels, since you mostly don't use it once you're reading to start diving, and extra features like that just add drag or things that could go wrong with your equipment.>5 mm open cellGood to know that's doable at those temperatures. It would be nice to get by with a thinner suit. I'll do more research on the areas I plan on going, since some of them are mountain lakes and I think they get very chilly down below.
The ocean scares the shit out of me so I can't participate in any of this stuff. My parents showed me all the Jaws movies when I was single-digits years old so yeah nah.Pickerel, POV diver swallowed whole in Jaws 3 traumatized me
>>2758189I did my cert in Utila. Expensive to get to, cheap to certify.>>2758195Funny thing is sharks react with curiosity or indifference to freedivers. Google Fred Buyle.
>>2758195You could dive in clear lakes. Or maybe estuaries, lagoons, and deeply recessed bays where there aren't as many spooky critters. I'm with you on the ocean being scary as hell, but I guess learning about and mitigating the dangers is part of the education you can sign up for.
>>2758253https://www.livescience.com/in-rare-attack-great-white-shark-decapitates-diver-in-mexico-but-why
>>2758270I feel a little better in lakes, but swift rivers are best. I grew up near a lake and we used to go to the little muddy local beach there and it was always murky and full of leeches and shit. And then the ocean is even worse.One time at the ocean in Maine my brother and I got really bold (we would have been around 11 and 13 probably) and we swam out past the waves, and it was super peaceful even though the water was well above our heads. We started diving down to the seabed and even with your eyes closed you could grab these gigantic clams off the sea flood that were the size of a small purse. At one point while we were just floating and treading water something massive hit my legs and knocked me upside-down in the water and it hit him too. We noped the fuck out all the way back to the beach and we both got stung to shit by a bloom of jellifish that were are all bunched together near shore caught in the wave swells. It went from being a wonderful ocean-beach day to a nightmare. He still had one of the gigantic clams in his hand though and everyone on the beach was impressed while my mother sprayed the shit out of us with solarcaine
>>2758279You definitely highlight the big issue with being in the water anywhere, really -- a sudden change in the situation can take you from comfortable relaxation to life and death within a second. I don't think I would enjoy going diving in the ocean except on days where the visibility was fairly good.>swift riversAs long as you don't get caught in the current. My personal understanding (out of my own ass) is that swift rivers are the most dangerous of the water types. You can get sucked under by a current that's flowing downward, and then trapped in an underwater pot hole, where the water gets stuck in a permanent little vortex that you can't swim out of. Or get your leg stuck to an old piece of rope, or a branch, or between two rocks, and then pulled beneath the surface and unable to free yourself.
It's rainy all the time and the sea is murky af -.- I'm starting to get serious spearfishing withdrawals. >>2758279Its better with a mask on. you can see whats going on underwater and react to animals coming close. feels less like being a helpless monkee splashing around on the surface. with a speargun, you also have a pointy stick to poke at sharknoses, if they get too curious. but ngl, if the visibility is shit and I got a bleeding fish in the water, it's still an uneasy feeling, especially since there are bullsharks around.
I asked in the equipment thread but this place seems appropriate too, since you people swimI want to get one of these underwater masks with an air tank, but I was just wondering what your guys's experiences are with it? how long do you usually last underwater on what volume tank?I see aliexpress (lol) is also selling smaller scuba kits, just a 2L tank and face mask connected to it, what about those?everything swimming/water equipment related is a clusterfuck of everyone shilling different things and there is zero sense to be made. I just want to dive closer to the bottom of the sea and see stuff.
>>2758371lmao, looks like china junk. I've never used something like that or one of the tiny tanks, but I'd get a proper diving mask and snorkel and a separate tank with regulator and mouthpiece. that way, you have a good mask, no matter what and can trash the tank if it sucks. they should last you maybe like 5-10minutes, depending on you breathing and depth. dont go deeper than 10m or so and remember to full breath out before surfacing, especially if it runs out unexpected and you get the urge yt go up fast.
shortstory,,,,done.
>>2758356yeah shallow rivers with lots of smooth riverstone are nice but getting swept into a canyon or pothole would be a fucking nightmare>>2758370I would still be a little reluctant to use a mask in the ocean, some things are better left unseen
>>2758371If you go deeper than a few meters with that you will die a very painful, and very avoidable death from the bends. At that point you may as well just hold your breath. With a little practice you can probably breath-hold dive for as long as that dinky tank would last you.That kind of chink shit is endangering lives of the ignorant, should be illegal.
>>2758392those eyebrows, holy shit
>>2758373>>2758566>chinkshitwell I wouldn't get one from aliexpress of course but a more trusted (regional) site. I know it doesn't matter but regulations and whatnot do. anyways I won't get one, I'd rather not take the riskhow should I go about increasing my lung capacity for diving? I know people breathe in a different gas than just air to help with that but besides that I have no idea. or just how do I get started with freediving?
>>2758618I wasn’t saying the quality of the equipment would kill you, rather the bubbles of boiling nitrogen in your bloodstream. Diving with an air source should never be attempted unless you have scuba training.On the other hand, people have been freediving to hundreds of feet for millennia to search for food and pearls. Our bodies evolved to be in the water. Under wetness and pressure, your heart rate slows, your organs process oxygen more efficiently, you are physically unable to fill your lungs with water even if you wanted to. In one breath of air there’s not enough nitrogen buildup to cause you problems, unless you’re going deeper than a few hundred feet. For freediving, the challenge is not breath holding. If you’re not a chainsmoker, most fit people can hold their breath for 2 minutes under water without too much trouble. What you need to learn to start out is the Frenzel equalization technique. Search Adam Diver’s videos on YT. Also yogic breathing techniques.
>>2758687thanks for the sources, I'll check them out. I suppose going the freediving way is a lot better for what I want to do. I explained here why I'd prefer not ro do scuba >>2758731
>>2758735NTA, but if you plan on getting into freediving without formal training to cut costs (which I am just guessing you might), be careful and dive with buddies. There are a lot of things that could go suddenly wrong when you're underwater, and without safety precautions the fatality rate for all of them is just about 100%.
>>2758747>just aboutI like those odds!nah I won't *really* get into freediving like the pros who go 50-100 meters (150-300 feet) down. I want to swim about 10, maybe 20 meters max depth. I might just go up and down a hundred times in the same place if I want to. out of curiosity, how do freedivers know when to go back up? I imagine that if you go down and notice too late that you have no air to make it back up things would be less than ideal.
>>2758772>cute water puppersI was waiting for one to get curious about that hose and pull the mouthpiece out.>how to know when to get back upyour body tells you. if your after a fish, the hunting instinct can sometimes overwrite it a bit though, so you have to be aware of your limits and your depth/time back to the surface in mind. if you're down 20m+ that can feel like a very long distance, if you start your ascend late.
>>2758371Looks like kinda coolio honestlyhttps://www.youtube.com/shorts/qmcgkD9RkVw
>>2758371This is practicaly asking to get killed. Terribly unsafe.In addition to this, that's a large volume of air attached to your face, with no BCD nor weigh to manage your buoyancy, so that will make actually diving harder because your face will want to float more. These masks are designed for surface palming and that's all.Get good a freediving, you will be infinitely more free in your explorations, and getting to a couple minutes of dynamic apnea is attainable for anyone but the more cardiovascularly challenged landwhales, or take the scuba diving route.
>>2758195
>>2758948Notice he's not going deeper than a few feet. I hope it at least comes with a manual on decompression sickness. These people literally don't care if they're killing people as long as they sell a product.
>>2759117according to my research the bends sets in at about 30m (depending on certain conditions). I don't think anyone with a small tank augmenting their snorkel is going that deep. in any case they must have proper instructions because otherwise it's basically a fucking Saw contraption
>>2758131Just came face to face with a 14 foot Mako....it charged me head on and I missed my shot with the speary. Drew my knife and stabbed it to death. Took a chunk out of my shoulder. Getting surgery now.
>>2759304pics or it didn't happen
>>2759304That's why I always carry a spear in each hand
>>2759304don't bad mouth sharks like this. your little fictions are harmful to the makos
How the fuck do people die from rip currents?Literally don't do anything to not die. Chances are if you are so unfit that you get exhausted easily, you are also fat enough to float without effort.
>>2759380I've always guessed it's because they1) don't know how to swim and get sucked out from very near shore2) they panic and burn all their energy trying to swim directly against the current back to shore3) ???I've actually never understood it either. I think being really stupid / irresponsible is the X factor. I met a guy who apparently once got sucked fairly far out into the ocean without knowing how to swim, and people had to call the lifeguards from a nearby beach over to rescue him. But if you met him, within a few minutes you'd think to yourself, "man, this guy seems like the kind of person who would somehow let themselves be sucked out into the ocean"
any specific recommendations for masks or snorkels? or just ''one that fits well''
>>2759832threepane,,,reflections from side windows act like rearview mirrors.,,,,seethem sneaking up!,,,snorkel,,,straight pipe,notoo wide so easy to clear.
>>2759836in english doc?
guys this thread is dead anyways so just help me out >>2759832or just discuss what gear you guys use and why you prefer that
>>2759832I'd say it depends on what you're doing. This is a freediving thread, so I assume you're freediving. You should get one with a very low volume that sits close to your face, so you can equalize more easily. You only need a snorkel when you're cruising around the surface, so I'd get a simple one without frills that won't get in your way.
>>2758195tits or gtfo
>>2760418so it doesn't matter much, as long as it fits wellthanks
>>2760420I would say so, but I'm only one person. Some people that spearfish like to get reflective lenses so that the fish can't tell they're being looked at. Other people specifically want clear lenses so that if they black out or are in trouble their diving buddy can see their eyes. I haven't tried a lot of masks, but the color of the silicone also matters to some degree. White/clear will let more light in, which can be semi-blinding on bright days, but perhaps improves your vision below the surface. Black will give you tunnel vision but cuts down on that glare on the surface.
>>2760421>but I'm only one person.well I've seen plenty of people post the same ''if it fits you it's good'' sentiment before. I've also seen people post more in-depth and specific recommendations like you did after that sentence with the type of lenses and colors.I'm not really looking for anything specific for my case something that fits would be more than enough
Does learning free diving help make you better scuba diver overall? I'm considering ditching scuba becuase it's a such a pita to haul gear.
>the water
>>2760418>without frills that won't get in your way.You definitely want one with a purge valve though. Nothing worse than coming to the end of a 4-minute meditative breathe-up and a wave chokes you half to death.
>>2760903>cool_shit_to_see.jpg>>2760974Do you have the snorkel in your mouth while you're diving, and use it to breathe when you return to the surface?
>>>/wsg/5642557Has it happened to you?
>>2760978>snorkel in your mouth while you're divinggetstarted,,now.,,,socheap,,soview!,,,,my world changed getting 3pane mask,anda straightube snorkel, nosissy fag purge abomination!,dolphinshave purge systems?,,STRAIGHT pipe for breathing,,smallish diameter soless water to clear.,,,,,buyit now,,useitin the Tube.,,,bebornagain,,,witha porpoise.
>>2762110>witha porpoise
>>2760978They say you shouldn't keep the snorkel in your mouth while diving, because if you're hypoxic and having a seizure when you surface, you can choke yourself or inhale water. It's just used while you're floating face down, getting your CO2 levels balanced between dives.
Not gonna read every post because I'm a lazy fuck.But I'm pretty keen on freediving and often give it a go, as I live by the sea and swim almost every day in it.I'm looking for some basic tips and methods in increasing the time of holding my breath. I can easily do 20-30 seconds these days and have also managed to dive down to around 15 meters. But I find the deeper I go the less time I'm able to hold my breath. It's a lot easier when I'm diving in a lesser depth.Is this due to pressure, also?
Bros my ears hurt real bad when I dive more than 5m. What do I do to mitigate?
>>2762220stay on the blessed land anon and not in the filthy water
>>2762222Quads of truth. But I like swimming with the fishies and bringing back shells for my wife from the sea floor.
>>2762188>But I find the deeper I go the less time I'm able to hold my breath. It's a lot easier when I'm diving in a lesser depth.Is this due to pressure, also?Pressure and you are exerting yourself faster. Obviously, you are going to be able to hold your breath longer if you play dead on the surface than if you dive down 30ft and fight against your natural buoyancy to stay down there.
>>2762220Equalize more. Before your ears start to hurt, not after. Use Frenzel, not Valsalva.>>2762188>>2762254>fight against your natural buoyancyHe can consider using a weight belt. The weight belts make it easier to descend faster and with less exertion, although obviously he'll have a bit more resistance on the way back up. Don't die.
>>2762254Uhm acktually I don't play dead, I'm usually around a meter underwater and swimming, full strength horizontally.As opposed to when I'm descending, I'm alot more intentional with my force and movement.But I also didn't think about the fact that I'm also fighting against my bouency.I've been contemplating getting some flippers to, to be quicker on descents.>>2762271Weighted belt scares the fuck out of me, as some times I'm cutting it pretty close on my ascent
>>2762271>>2762313I like to bring a steel weight attached to a float with a line. I can hook the weight to the float and pull it while swimming on the surface, then take it into one hand to descend and stay down with less effort. for ascend, just drop it and go up without resistance, then pull up the weight with the line. the float is also somewhere to tie the fish to, so the bloody fish is not too close in case a shark is checking for an easy meal.
What kind of fins have you guys tried? Plastic, fiberglass, carbon fiber? Angled or flat? I am wondering how significant the performance difference is between plastic and the other two. I have fairly rocky beaches near me, and I really don't want to damage or break expensive fins. I am not doing competitions or anything like that, where I need the maximum output.
I knew some beach bum in Hawaii that spear fished with an elastic band, no scuba or anything. Snorkel and just holding his breath, got food this way.
>>2762323Damn that's a great idea actually.Thanks!I shant have to worry about sharks and danger, as I'm in an island in the Mediterranean. Biggest worry is jellyfish.
>>2760903This is cool not scary
>>2762610It's cool as photos but it's scary if you're in the water tho :[
Do you guys carry anything for safety if separated when coast diving? As in, if you get swept away by an unexpected current. Do you always tie yourself to a buoy? Carry a beacon or anything?
>>2763012As far as I understand, fins and especially freediving fins are plenty strong enough to fight a ripcurrent. For record-breaking dives, yes you are attached to a line on a buoy, though that’s mostly because they tend to dive with eyes closed.
I decided I should get a certification, and recently had a first session with a freediving instructor, covering theory/safety. I didn't learn almost a single thing that I hadn't already known, but I guess that was to be expected. I felt bad for the people in my class that didn't already know how to Frenzel equalize, because the technique explanations given didn't seem useful.The one thing that stuck out to me was that, while the lungs obviously compress while diving, the mouth apparently doesn't compress, or perhaps not nearly as much. I've never paid attention to that before. What is the explanation for that? I've tried to look up information about it a few times, but haven't found anything addressing it.
>>2759040I have asthma and high-ish blood pressure and I can now stay down for 1:21 at 25 feet after a few weeks getting back into it.Anyone can do it with patience.I'm just glad I found something that brings me to a relaxed space where I can forget the world. Plus I get free fish.
>>2762367molchanovs core silicone bifins sound ideal for your context.
>>2766037This is a good idea, thanks. I've never seen any reference to silicone fins before.
>>2764880>Anyone can do itquadrapalegics?,,,,youlucky lazy Blessedivers,,,getting tofloatabout weightless,,Most bizzare creaturescurring everywheres!,,seesmall cave,,divein narrow edge,,see tunnel outhe back,,late in day cowardice.,,,,nextday, wake upto nakey Hot girlson the beach,,Kepple island islikethat.,,,fresh on the reef,,,see tunnel entrance,Macho Mod!, hugh breath andive aiming straight for tube,,3 feets wide(1yard foryou Euros),,covered in weird posibly deadly corralystuff,,no problem just dontouch ANYTHING!,,,,,ease halfinto back of cave,,hang lookingout feeling smug,,large rock floor,?,,wasnthisand yesterday?,and this rock HAS AN EYE!!!,,,HUGHEYE!!,whathe,,??,shock float up againsthe ceiling,,over there the rock has Gills?!?,,,,,scan the whole thing,,itsa GIANT stingray,,like,,HHHHHUGH@!,wasleeping,,now pissed.,flexing its 12 inch barb on whipy tail outside cave,,wanting to Spear me throughtheart!,lowcave saves,, TRAPED!,noway out!!,.....thatswhen i learned to swim backwards,,outhe tube,,mashing every creature inthere flailing.,,,,airwasnever sogood!
>>2758566no nothing here, you can get the bends from diving a few meters?
>>2767738Pressure builds very, very fast underwater (the entire atmosphere from space to sea level presses as much on you as the first ten meters of water), but I think it's a slight exaggeration on his part, depending on what "a few" means. It is very, very dumb to breathe compressed air underwater unless you've been scuba certified and understand exactly what's going on in your body when you do that. Holding your breath from the surface involves other risks, but not the bends unless you're a world-class competitor.>>2767734That's horrifying. I'm glad you didn't get impaled, or that you didn't reflexively jerk back into some venomous urchin or whatever.
>>2767764>but not the bendsasingle,,tank hasnorisk.,,,onehour at surface/thirty minutes athirty feets.,,were confusing "nitrogen saturation/embolism",,fizzy blood or lungsquirtingoutyour nose?,,,,,surface breathing isonice!,unlimitedelicious!,,,sodump the Weigh beltank cluter!,always floatowhere theairis, haveto Meanito dive,,,worthy.,,,,im talkinglike you allready have a fitted wetsuit.,,youdo have oneright?
>>2770002a life jacket and a wetsuitthey'll save your life
