I fulfilled a life long goal today of a 100 foot deep freedive (constant weight, dual fins). Had some ear equalization issues below 80 feet on the first attempt but everything went smoothly on the second attempt.
Two other cool things about the day - the dive was at Cenote Angelita in Mexico, where there’s a layer of white hydrogen sulfide gas right at 100 feet deep (suspended between the salt water below and fresh water above). Touching this layer of gas was a cool addition to the achievement. The other fun thing was sharing the day with my daughter, who set her own new PR of 65 feet deep.
That’s very cool. I’m curious, how long did the dive take?
I’ve never freedived but used to swim in open ocean and got myself held under water by the current a few times. I have no idea for how long but vividly remember coming back up gasping for air. Likely from being a bit panicked than actual time under. But it felt ike forever!
I thought that the century club would be the college-level challenge of 100 shots of beer in 100 minutes. (or about 8 beers in 1 hour 40 minutes) I don’t know anyone that completed it but I knew a lot that tried.
Congrats! Touching that layer is a nice visual memory of your achievement!
And I had completely forgotten about it, but I do recall a few friends attempting it back in the day. I don’t think anyone even got close to finishing.
There’s a big difference between getting sucked or pushed underwater and intentionally preparing for a breath hold, so I wouldn’t try to compare them. I got pushed under at a turn buoy at Tri Nationals in Burlington one year, and that was a little scary given the mass of swimmers above me. I had to fight for space to breathe again.
The 100 foot dive took a little more than 2 minutes. Tbh the breath hold time is not that much of a challenge. I was never uncomfortable and as you ascend again the air in your lungs reexpands and you feel more comfortable as you come back up.
The biggest challenge is getting the entire process and many of the details right- keeping your head and body position right, not doing any jerky movements on the turn (which can cause tissue damage at that pressure), and staying ahead of your need to equalize the pressure in your ears (this becomes more difficult as your lungs shrink and your diaphragm contracts).
The tiny bit of air in your lungs down there is also up against your diaphragm, which makes it harder to create pressure in your mouth to pop your ears. And you start to descend faster below 50 feet (by 75 feet you’re in full free fall without kicking), and so the need to pop your ears can come on suddenly, even though the biggest pressure gradient is in the first 33 feet (when the pressure doubles). So after 60 feet you really want to be clearing your ears constantly as you need to create pressure across your whole sinuses.
There are many other small details to get right, and like any sport with practice you develop some muscle memory. I still have a long way to go and have only had three days of formal instruction. That said I’ve done a lot of spearfishing so I have a free diving background. The instructor was more impressed by my daughter who hasn’t got my background. 65 feet in three days with no experience is crazy! Proud parent!
I’ll definitely return again for more and hopefully make it through the sulfur cloud. That would only take another 5-10 seconds of free fall although of course there’s a longer return journey! When you get a dive right it’s an amazing zen-like experience!
Free diving isn’t for me, but I do have an odd biological quirk that lets me equalize my ears by just thinking about it. I have some sort of manual control over my eustachian tubes. To be honest, I have no idea what sort of advantage that gives me as I can’t compare to anyone else, but I have dove 80 feet (with scuba gear) in under 5 minutes without needed to clear my ears. Only have issues when I have a cold like anyone else.
Thanks. There are definitely risks, but our instructor was very safety conscious, which was reassuring.
I think a lot of triathletes can relate to pushing one’s limits, and that’s definitely part of the appeal. That said, the consequences of doing that with free diving can be more serious.
It is a similar feeling to stretching or clinching your jaw, but whatever I am controlling is more in my head/ near my ears. No need to plug the nostrils. When I pop my ears open I can hear my breathing inside my head.
First heard about free diving from an article I read when I was a teen in HS. That article and your post here has the same reaction from me. – very curiously interesting to hear. . . But yeah, not for me to try and do.
(I’m good w/snorkeling and scuba. Actually, scuba cert was so long ago and so long since I dived, I wouldn’t trust myself w/out some refresher).
Props that you and your daughter do this together too. That’s awesome bonding.