As with other types of accidents, freediving accidents are rarely caused by one event or factor; instead, they typically result following a chain of events. Understanding the factors that commonly contribute to freediving accidents will help you to recognize and deal with them in the event they occur.
Malfunctioning Equipment - Contributing Factors For Freediving Accidents
Although freediving equipment is basic, each item used is of vital importance. If a piece of equipment does not fit properly, it is more likely to fail at a critical point, increasing feelings of stress and limiting your ability to remain calm as you make your way to the surface. Some common equipment problems include the following:
- The loss of a piece of equipment
- Wearing a suit that doesn’t fit properly
- Wearing the wrong type of suit for water temperature
- Worn out or improperly maintained equipment
- Improper use of equipment
Familiarity with your freediving equipment won’t just help keep you safe, doing so will help you enjoy your dives more.
Environmental Factors - Contributing Factors For Freediving Accidents
It’s vital that you select appropriate sites for freediving. The stress on your body and mind will increase as conditions become more challenging; the risk of an accident will increase at the same time as fatigue sets in. Environmental factors that increase the potential for fatigue and a subsequent accident include:
- Strong wind
- Strong current
- Shifting current
- Rapid current
- Extreme temperatures
- Low visibility
Pick freediving sites that offer good visibility and shelter from strong winds. Paying close attention to weather forecasts and tide charts will help you stay safe.
Physical Factors - Contributing Factors For Freediving Accidents
Freedivers have nothing to rely on while underwater, other than their own physical strength and the single breath of air they carry in their lungs throughout the dive. For this reason, it is vital that you freedive only when you feel healthy, and only if you are physically fit. Some physical factors that contribute to freediving accidents include the following:
- Smoking
- Illness
- Compromised airway
- Fatigue
- Muscle soreness and cramping
Listen to your body while planning for freediving. If you don’t feel one hundred percent healthy, you should save your dive for another day.
Psychological Factors - Contributing Factors For Freediving Accidents
As you train for freediving, you will learn about the importance of fostering a sense of calm. Take care of your mind in the same way that you take care of your body, thereby helping to prevent some of the psychological factors that can inhibit your ability to freedive safely. These include:
- Alcohol abuse
- Drug abuse
- Taking medicines that alter your mental state
Alcohol abuse causes your body’s reactions to slow, and it affects the way your body and mind function. Drugs and medications can also alter your mental state or prevent you from focusing completely on your dive. Eating right, exercising, and meditating are some things you can do to keep your brain healthy.
Lack of Experience - Contributing Factors For Freediving Accidents
It is absolutely vital that you train properly for freediving, and that you gradually increase your experience level. Freediving training and certification are available in many places, and it’s best to take advantage of them if possible. The lack of technical knowledge greatly increases the odds of an accident occurring.
Most freediving accidents are compounded by human factors, and many are preventable. Selecting the right equipment and taking good care of it, choosing your dive site with care, diving only when healthy, and investing in training are easy methods to make freediving safer – and more enjoyable.