While many freedivers book their dives with professional dive centers, there are often times when professionally arranged freedives aren’t available. If you elect to dive without the help of a certified freediving professional, you’ll find the following planning tips helpful.
Research Your Site Ahead of Time - Planning Tips For Freedivers
Research your dive site ahead of time to ensure that it is suitable for freediving. In addition, ensure that you check the weather forecast before heading out, as conditions can change rapidly. Ensure your selected dive site is well-protected and will not be affected by strong tides or changes in wind speed or direction.
Select a site with good visibility, so you can maintain eye contact with your buddy during your ascent. If you cannot see the bottom of the freediving line, use a lanyard to connect to it to ensure that you are not separated from it during your dive.
Wear the Right Wetsuit - Planning Tips For Freedivers
Wearing the right wetsuit for conditions will ensure that you stay warm enough. Because exposure to cold water strengthens the body’s mammalian dive reflex, some inexperienced divers try to stay as cool as possible. If you get too cold, you will be less able to hold your breath, and your body will not be able to use the available oxygen efficiently. If you get too cold, you will also be uncomfortable. Wearing the right wetsuit will allow you to enjoy your dives rather than suffering through them.
Be Cognizant of Boat Traffic - Planning Tips For Freedivers
Many sites that are ideal for freediving are also popular with boaters, anglers, and other water sports enthusiasts such as windsurfers, jet skiers, and kite surfers. Be sure that you tow a dive flag and a large buoy to alert others to your presence, and be sure that you have someone monitor for boat traffic.
Plan to Share Space with Other Divers - Planning Tips For Freedivers
Scuba divers and other freedivers may be sharing the same site you’ve chosen. Take turns if there is not enough room for everyone; being respectful and allowing everyone plenty of space will make your session safer and more enjoyable. Try to leave at least five meters between buoys, and ensure that you monitor the surface for scuba divers’ bubbles before making your descent. A collision between a freediver and a scuba diver could lead to injury, probably to the freediver.
Be Prepared for Emergencies - Planning Tips For Freedivers
Every member of your freediving team should be prepared for worst-case scenarios. Periodically practicing rescue techniques will allow you to stay on top of important skills, and you should plan to spend a few minutes per freediving session on practice. In addition, everyone in the group should carry emergency signaling devices and a non-diver should be aware of your plans.
Local freediving experts are familiar with the best freediving sites in your area, and those who offer guided trips take care of all the planning and logistics so you don’t have to. When a guide isn’t available, be sure to take the five points above into consideration as you plan and execute your freedive.