SSI-L1-Freediving

Introduction:

Have you ever met a freediver? If you have, you may have noticed that they're a proud bunch. In a lot of cases - even more so than many scuba divers. Like me - did you ever wonder why? As the owner of Dive Flag App I was approached by a high number of freedivers - asking me to include more freediving content on; Dive Flag App, Dive Flag App's Facebook Page and on Dive Flag App's website. I was not comfortable in doing so without knowing exactly what I was promoting or talking about. Thus, I began my journey to learn about freediving.

Freediving can be defined as 'a form of underwater diving that relies on a diver's ability to hold his or her breath until resurfacing'. This differs from scuba diving where the diver makes use of a self contained underwater breathing apparatus to continually breath whilst submerged. Freediving techniques are used in a multitude of sports including, but not limited to; breath-hold spear fishing, freedive photography, recreational breath-hold diving, mermaid shows, and to some degree, snorkeling.

Unlike scuba diving anyone can attempt to freedive - regardless of age. However, not everyone can manage to successfully freedive right away. Freediving is about practice, rhythm and being in tune with your body's physical processes.

Fortunate for me I have access to one of Australia's leading and most accomplished freedive instructors - Amber Bourke of the Snorkel Safari group. Amber recently competed in Serbia at AIDA and returned with a bronze medal and three new Australian records. Amber is a freediving instructor for Scuba Schools International (SSI). Over two days I will be taught both Basic & Level 1 freediving courses. Hopefully I will find out what the craze is all about.

About SSI's Free Diving:

As I previously mentioned freediving is about practice and progression. SSI have broken free diving down into the following four main levels. Each level progresses you through a series of new skills and increased limits.

Freediving (Basic)

Freediving Basic is your chance to get wet and experience what freediving is all about. Signing up for a Freediving Basic course is a great way to decide whether getting a freediving certification is right for you.



Freediving (Level 1)

Learn proper breathing techniques, familiarize yourself with diaphragm breathing and take a deep breath like you never have before. In the SSI level 1 Freediving course you acquire the proper skills and knowledge to participate in Freediving to depths of 60 ft. (20 meters).


Freediving (Level 2)

You will learn new advanced equalization techniques and apnea training methods to carry you past 60 ft. (20 meters) and develop the skills necessary to freedive to depths up to 90 ft. (30 meters.)



Freediving (Level 3)

The apex of the SSI Freediving Program, Level 3, will take you to depths of 120 ft. (40 meters.) Freediving well below the residual volume of the lungs, this is the specialist deep diving course.

My Free Dive Experience:

The course's manual is entitled 'Freediving Level 1 & 2' by SSI. The manual outlines gear selection tips, the physiology of diving, beginner freediving skills and what you can expect to encounter in your freediving environment.

Day 1

We met at Snorkel Safari Brisbane - on the first day. After receiving a quick introduction which outlined the course structure and requirements Amber asked some general questions which highlighted ultimately why each of us were interested in learning to freedive.

Other group member responses included:

1. "I have never tried scuba diving. I am interested in trying freediving first."
2. "We have a holiday coming up where we will have the opportunity to free dive with whale sharks. Which we believe allows us to get closer than scuba diving." 
3. "I am a scuba diver branching out to see what freediving is about."

In the above video Amber introduces Dive Flag App members to the Level 1 pool training (basic) skill set. We commenced by performing a series of stretches which prepared us for the day's session. This included shoulder, back, lats and leg stretches.

Once we completed the stretching routine we practiced some breathing techniques. The breathing techniques focused on reducing our heart rates, also, clearing our minds and allowing us to feel the physiological responses our body goes through when holding our breath. The aim of freediving is of course to conserve oxygen by moving through the water with as little effort as possible.

Holding your breath underwater may sound difficult and unnatural but the human body has several adaptations which enable the your body to endure depth and lack of oxygen far beyond what one would assume is possible. These adaptations are covered by the term: mammalian diving reflex.

These adaptations include:

• Reflex bradycardia: Drop in heart rate.
• Vasoconstriction: Blood is directed away from the limbs and into the torso.
• Splenic contraction: The releasing of red blood cells carrying oxygen into the circulatory system.
• Blood shift: Blood plasma fills up blood vessels in the lung, which reduces residual volume. 

Once in the pool we combined our new breathing techniques with the before mentioned affects of the mammalian dive reflex. I was able to hold my breath for just over 2 minutes on my first 'static hold'. This surprised me. 

Then we practiced our breath holds whilst swimming underwater. 

After everyone completed their 30 meter minimum requirement in underwater kicking distance, on a single breath, we were required to achieve the same distance by using only our arms. 

After these drills, Amber demonstrated how the monofin freediving style differs from that with two fins. 

The most important rule in freediving is to never dive alone. This is for safety. Our final skill for the day was to perform important Rescue Response Revive drills. These drills will allow us to rescue our freediving buddies should something bad ever happen. After which we were required to complete a 200 meter swim with no fins.

After completing all our basic pool training - we returned to Snorkel Safari Brisbane to sit a quick exam. The exam tested us on the theory in the training manual. After completing the exam we were briefed on the structure of day two which is outlined below. 

Day 2

After day one we were all excited to test our new skills at Cook Island, Australia. Amber outlines the day's activities and structure in the video below.

Once we arrived at Cook Island we set up two Neptune Freediving Buoys. These buoys were linked to the back of an anchored boat - at a spot with a maximum depth of 12 meters. The first buoy was used solely as the resting buoy. This allowed us to conserve our energy and maintain a low heart rate between dives. When it was our turn to freedive we swam to the second buoy and performed a head first dive / duck dive with a spotter (dive instructor) the whole way.

The first requirement was a duck dive to a maximum depth of 5 meters. Once we had all successfully reached 5 meters we advanced to a 10 meter target. Below is a video of Amber spotting a freediving student during their 10 meter descent.

On two rest breaks we had a pod of dolphins swim nearby. It was incredibly fortunate for us that on our first day of freediving we were able to do so with dolphins. They didn't stay around us for very long but it was still a great experience to see them underwater. 

Once we all reached the 10 meter target depth we performed the same drill with only our arms and then as a safety drill (recovering a buddy from the bottom). Below is a photo of the Neptune Freediving Buoy equipment used on day two of the course:

Available for purchase from: Dive Import Australia

Dive Flag App's Overall Review:

The Level 1 SSI freediving course was a lot of fun. As we all know - the quality of your learning experience can be influenced greatly by your instructor. SSI make use of the best possible trainers which adhere to their strict international standards. Amber was vibrant, helpful and contagiously happy. The course was quick but comprehensive. After completing the course I feel prepared enough to practice freediving with my buddies.

The book was helpful, easy to read and most importantly was compiled by industry experts. A lot of dive related books waffle on and are very repetitive. This book got straight to the point and as such felt like a breeze to read. 

Smaller class numbers always allow for a more personalized learning experience. As such SSI limit their freediving class numbers to four students per instructor. This ensures that everyone is given enough opportunity to try and retry skills without feeling pressured to rush through them. This is very important when trying freediving.

Like with scuba diving I would highly recommend that SSI make use of a DVD which demonstrates the freediving techniques employed at each level. This DVD would be for in-class demonstration and enable for both a step-by-step audio talk through and an in-time visual demonstrations. I believe this is a powerful learning tool.

Furthermore, I would highly recommend showing some professional freediving videos in-class which highlight the more extreme possibilities of freediving. I believe this would motivate and excite more students to continue through each levels. These videos and perhaps photos would entice more people to strive harder to reach the limits and further their training.

Below are some reasons why you should try free diving:

1. Animals come in closer to you when you are not breathing out loud bubbles, 
2. You learn important breathing and relaxation techniques which not only improve your scuba diving but which can also be used in your normal day-to-day environment,
3. Freediving expands the number of activities you can participate in on your next dive trip / holiday, and
4. Having completed the course you are more proficient in assisting someone who is over come by loss of motor control or blackouts underwater. 

Furthermore, freediving can be as relaxed or competitive as you would like to make it. If you're only interest in shallow breath-hold snorkeling or setting a new world record - the choice is yours. Challenge yourself or have a friendly competition with friends - either way - its exciting and fun!

I highly recommend SSI freediving courses - to everyone. I will be contacting Snorkel Safari Brisbane soon to book in my level two training session.

Over score: 10/10

If you would like more information regarding this experience, please feel free to contact me ( info@diveflagapp.com ). I would be more than happy to answer your questions. 

For more SSI freediver information please visit the SSI website. 

Frank Vorster

Dive Flag App

Owner

info@diveflagapp.com 

+61 420 222 139

Fish Rock Dive Center

Location: Fish Rock, South West Rocks, NSW, Australia. 

South West Rocks is located on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales, Australia. With a population of less than 5,000 people, the tourist population of South West Rocks increases markedly during the holiday season. This is attributed to the beautiful scenery, numerous beaches, man-made attractions and awesome scuba diving sites.

One such dive site is the island of Fish Rock. Above water the island has a rough and jagged form carved by the rough open ocean swell. This appearance however gives no indication of the truly incredible diving that the surrounding ocean has to offer.

Fish Rock offers a number of diving options including a 120 meter long swim-through (pictured above). This swim-through is one of the largest ocean caverns in the southern hemisphere. Fortunately we had the privilege of enjoying four dives at Fish Rock - but it only takes one for you to realize - why it has repeatedly been voted one of the top 10 dive sites in Australia. Whats more, is you can dive this site over and over with every experience being unique. Coupled with the fantastic marine life and especially the close Grey Nurse Shark encounters is why Fish Rock has attracted divers from around the world.

Fish Rock boasts large wobbegong sharks, bull rays, painted crays, bat fish, decorator crabs, nudibranch, sea cucumbers, large schools of cow nose rays, moray eels, loggerhead turtles, green sea turtles as well as blue cod to name a few. Often humpback whales, dolphins and tiger sharks can be sighted at Fish Rock too.

The water temperature varies throughout the year with lows of around 17-18 degrees Celsius during winter months. Always call ahead before booking to find out what water temperature to expect. At these lows we recommend diving with Sharkskin including hood, gloves and boots. If you do not already own Sharkskin products you can purchase them from Fish Rock Dive Center, the local dive operator.

Fish Rock Dive Center  

Jon Cragg purchased Fish Rock Dive Center eight years ago, both because he wanted to share his passion for diving with others, and also, to promote the fantastic diving that South West Rocks has to offer. He has a keen interest in marine life and providing for low impact diving which is very important from a professional diver's point of view. This helps to maintain a very natural dive site that everyone can enjoy.

Fish Rock Dive Center caters for both local students and tourists. Whether you're interested in receiving your dive certification or enjoying a recreational dive they've got you covered.

Our dive experience with Fish Rock Dive Center is outlined below.

The Vessel

The boat is perfectly suited for 12 divers. Easily makes it out to Fish Rock. The bow is suited to tanning during the surface interval. On-board refreshments include; tea, coffee; cake, candy, soup and water. 

Fish Rock Dive Center cater for greater numbers by offering a second trip later in the day. The vessel has a step down/up ladder at the back making entry and exit from the water simple and safe. Most descents are controlled and performed down the anchor line. Depending on swell you may be required to perform a negative descent and meet your dive group at approximately 6 meters deep along the wall. 

Dive Breakdowns 

Fish Rock is approximately 15 minutes from where you board the boat. Once there you're provided with both a site and dive brief. The first dive we conducted was around Fish Rock to ensure that all divers can become comfortable with the diving conditions, including temperature, swell, marine life and to ensure their equipment is functioning correctly.

We conducted four dives at Fish Rock over two days. This allowed us to build an intimate understanding of the site - but left us wanting to dive more. It is highly recommended that if you make it to South West Rocks that you dive for as many days as possible. Aside from Fish Rock there are many other dive sites near by including Green Island which provided for fantastic marine life encounters too. 

We experienced favorable dive conditions on both days. Visibility varied significantly between 6 and 30 meters depending on our location at each point around the dive site. Despite the water being cold - the exciting grey nurse shark encounters kept every diver underwater for our maximum allowable time. 

Dive #1 - Trenches

Dive Details:

Maximum Depth: 28.3 (m) / 93 (ft)

Water Temperature: 18 degrees Celsius

Downtime: 44 minutes

Our first dive was along the South / South East wall of Fish Rock. From the start of our descent I could see the first Grey Nurse Shark. This dive site really does live up to its reputation. The shark moved slowly below unperturbed by our presence. By the time we settled along the bottom it had only just passed us by.

We moved East along the island reaching a maximum depth of 28.3 meters. Despite the visibility being a little low on this side of the island the dive site was still teeming with life. On two occasions a school of about 40 cow nose rays passed by. 

The marine life at Fish Rock is very inquisitive and tends to get very close. The ocean floor is littered with resting wobbegongs and grey nurse sharks can be spotted in almost every other direction including directly above you. 

Dive #2 - Fish Rock Cave - Deep-to-Shallow

Dive Details:

Maximum Depth: 22.4 (m) / 73 (ft)

Water Temperature: 20 degrees Celsius

Downtime: 45 minutes

The second dive required us to descend to ~ 6 m deep and move around a shallow ledge, before descending to a depth of 24 m taking us to the swim-through's deep opening. We were motioned to follow one another in single file leaving a couple of meters between each diver.

We required a torch for the first ~ 70 m of the swim through. From the opening you advance horizontally for about 20 m until you come to a noticeably large crack in the left hand side of the rock's wall. If you shine your torch down this side you will see the eyes of many painted crays reflecting the light back at you. 

When you are ready to ascend through the main chimney it is important to perform a controlled ascent and to release some air from your BCD. Ascending the chimney takes you from 24 m deep to 10 m deep. Not releasing air from your BCD can result in you ascending too quickly. 

After safely ascending the chimney you can see blue light glowing in through the swim-through's shallow exit. Making your way towards this blue glow is truly a breath-taking experience. Be sure not to rush to the other side and miss the largest bubble cave located approximately ~ 20 m shy of the exit. It is in this air space that you can remove your regulator and have a quick chat with your dive buddy before progressing further. 

Quite often the cave is packed with Grey Nurse Sharks entering and circling back out. I was fortunate enough to come eye to eye with one of these remarkable animals. Our eyes met for a while as we respected each other's presence. 

Once exiting the cave I suggest spending some time at the bottom observing the marine life and searching for shark teeth. Grey nurse sharks spend so much time around Fish Rock that you can find their old teeth lying among the coral fragments. They are difficult to find but are dime a dozen.

Dive #3 - Fish Rock Cave - Shallow-to-Deep

Dive Details:

Maximum Depth: 28.2 (m) / 93 (ft)

Water Temperature: 19 degrees Celsius
Downtime: 49 minutes

After diving the swim-through from deep-to-shallow we decided to see what the swim-through looked like diving from the other side. The swell had picked up slightly which required us to perform a negative descent to ~ 6 m where we gathered. 

We entered from the shallow side and progressed through the swim-through in much the same fashion as we did from the other side. Diving from this side allowed us to better understand the intricacies and layout of the cave - including the many crevasses in which marine animals were hiding.  

We were required to descend the chimney head first. It is important to give each other enough time to progress through each section of the cave and to experience the marine life around each corner - because there really is a lot to see.

Once we emerged from the swim-through on the deep side we explored the fish bommies. The swell was a little stronger as we exited but we allowed the current to carry us along the ocean floor. This was a relaxing way to finish the dive.

Dive #4 - Fish Rock Cave - Deep-to-Shallow

Dive Details:

Maximum Depth: 23.2 (m) / 76 (ft)

Water Temperature: 19 degrees Celsius
Downtime: 51 minutes

Jon of Fish Rock Dive Center asked us whether we wanted to dive a different site. However, we found the swim-through to be so enjoyable that we decided to dive it once more. Diving it from the shallow to the deep end gave us a further appreciation for the layout and hidden nooks and crannies. 

We progressed through the cave a lot slower wanting to prolong the euphoria one feels as you swim through the other side. When we emerged on the other side and moved around the left we were taken by surprise with how many grey nurse sharks there were. 

Over 20 individuals had chosen to position themselves in a calm ocean passage. This allowed the sharks to remain stationary as the current flowed towards them. At one time I could actually see six individuals lined up next to one another. They allowed us to approach to within half a meter, allowing us to take photos and videos until our dive time reached its limit. With all the exciting shark action we recommend making use of Nitrox so that you can enjoy longer bottom times. 

Here are some videos captured during our trip:

1) Grey Nurse Shark Approaches Frank Vorster 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gy8r69E0KIY

2) Grey Nurse Shark & Two Scuba Divers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2WR_Dz6shs

Overall Rating:

Jon is the embodiment of his dive operation - professional, fun, outgoing and a proud supporter of minimal interaction with marine life. Some scuba professionals encourage and part-take in physical interactions with marine life. This is not encouraged by Jon or his dive instructors. This sentiment is shared by professional divers who want to avoid damaging or manipulating the natural behavior of marine life.

'I believe in providing low impact scuba diving. Too many divers at a dive
site at once can negatively impact on the marine life.' - Jon Cragg

South West Rocks boasts a high number of dive sites. Fish Rock is the most popular of these dive sites. If you would like to dive Fish Rock I recommend that all divers who have not been diving within the last year do a refresher course and that all divers hold a minimum of 25 logged dives. The swim through is very enjoyable for those who are aware of what they are doing. Know your equipment, perform the right checks and do not rush through the cave. If you're more experienced or want to take many photos I recommend positioning yourself toward the back so that you have plenty of time to take the photos.

Dive Flag App proudly support Fish Rock Dive Center. I hope to be back diving with Jon and his team at the very next opportunity. If you're interested in visiting South West Rocks and experiencing their amazing dive sites contact them today! Otherwise for more information visit their website.

Dive Flag App Rating 9.5 / 10

Frank Vorster

Dive Flag App
Owner
info@diveflagapp.com