As summer’s heat persists, many of us may look at those who seem to be one with the ocean with a sort of wistful gaze. However, something that’s always intrigued me beyond the thrill of the activity is free diving, writes cape {town} Etc’s Ashleigh Nefdt.
People often talk about the meditative aspect of the experience, and so I set out to investigate what freediving is all about.
I was lucky enough to get in contact with a mermaid, who also goes by the title of co-founder and Director of SA Freedive, Daniela Daines who delightfully gave me some freedive wisdom.
A little explanation as to what freediving is all about
“Freediving or apnea diving as it’s also known simply means diving underwater whilst holding your breath,” starts Daniella.
“Freedivers learn to harness their breath by gaining the physical and mental skills to dive as deep, far and long as they are safely able to. It is often compared to scuba diving because, we are underwater but it has more in common with yoga and meditation from a physical, mental and even spiritual point of view.”
Putting the experience into a kind of galactic perspective, Daniella explains that:
“It is the closest that most of us will get to experience what it might feel like to float in space.”
“Freediving, more importantly, is the simplest, purest and most natural way to explore and interact with marine fauna and flora,” she adds.
The different kinds of freediving
Of the different kinds of freediving, Daniella expresses that Cape Town Freediving (as part of the Pure Apnea one of the main, international freedive education systems) “we separate between sport (competitive) and recreational (adventure) freediving.”
However, she notes that no matter what kind of freediving you take part in, the fundamental science and foundation of freediving remains the same.
“The major difference is in how these skills are applied and what aspects require more specific attention to make freediving as safe and fun as it deserves to be. For our freedivers this means gaining both the skills and experience to be confident and capable freedivers in the environment they find themselves in,” she explains.
Sport Freediving: The focus is on the 4 main freedive disciplines: static apnea, dynamic apnea, constant weight, free immersion. These are competitive disciplines performed in a pool and on a dive line.
Adventure Freediving: The focus is on static and dynamic apnea in an open ocean setting, away from dive lines when awareness of the environment, buddy diving, safety and dive time becomes more important.
Of her personal freedive journey
“As far back as I can remember, water has always been my favourite place to be. At 7 years old I was absolutely convinced that I (a mermaid) had been adopted by my parents. All I needed to do was find my way back to the ocean and I’d be a mermaid once again. The ocean and freediving has always been a part of me but it wasn’t until I met my South African Freedive champion husband (and Cape Town Freediving partner), that I became aware of the term freediving,” Daniella recalls.
“You do know mermaids don’t exist” her now-husband had said quite seriously on their first meeting in Tanzania, as Daniella tells the story, “but I can teach you how to freedive properly (clearly unimpressed with my underwater mermaid skills) and then you’ll be as close to a mermaid as it gets” he promised.
“We were married 10 days later and I uprooted my life from London to Cape Town 2 month after. The rest as they say is history – in our case Cape Town Freediving. Dreams do come true!” she says with a sparkling tone.
What do you love about it?
To be so passionate about something, there is always love involved. Daniella kindly explained her love:
“Everything!” she notes.
“Freediving is an incredible sport / recreational activity, a way of life – because it teaches us and changes us with every breath. As a scientist focussing on nutrition and lifestyle medicine it is hugely rewarding to witness firsthand the many benefits that freediving offers. Unlike any other activity, freediving gently forces us to be present.”
I was reminded of a similar sentiment that Zandile Ndlovu, AKA the ‘Black Mermaid’ had expressed.
Also read: The Black Mermaid – for anyone who fears the unknown
“There is nowhere to hide when you are holding your breath,” Daniella continues.
“Through freediving, we gain physical and mental awareness, it is a very personal process of learning and unlearning, letting go of limiting beliefs and trusting an unknown inner strength. Freediving is immensely transformative and empowering if we let go and let be. Freediving is our connection back to the ocean and because we cannot take our phones and laptops into the underwater with us, it is probably the only place we are entirely human, in our most natural state.”
“Our freedive goal is very simple: reconnect people to nature within and around them, one breath at a time. Many of our students speak of finding a new purpose, connection to and compassion for the natural world and experience a positive change in lifestyle.”
Cape Town Freediving courses
Cape Town Freediving has an incredible range of courses from beginner freediver right through to freedive instructor and even master instructor trainer. This means being able to gain the skills and experience diving from 5 to 65m deep all on one breath.
“Sport courses are usually a little more challenging and particularly suited to anyone with a competitive nature. The Level 1 to Level 3 courses are for anyone keen to explore how far, deep and long their breath will take them, working through limiting factors and personal barriers in the process. It is hugely rewarding and incredibly transformative,” Daniella explains with excitement.
“Adventure courses are a little bit more relaxed and instead of focusing on perfecting the techniques to achieve record depth and distance, the focus is on increasing your dive time to allow for longer marine interactions, honing your awareness, safety and buddy diving skills in open ocean (or our incredible kelp forest). This course is well suited to anyone interested in marine life, nature connection, underwater photography, adventure, coastal food foraging, exploring the ocean with friends and family and of course those mermaids and mermen who are more at home in the sea than on land.”
“What this course does best is create a growing community of like-hearted adventurous people, inspired to explore the incredible diversity of marine fauna and flora we are blessed with here in Cape Town,” she adds.
Some benefits of freediving
“The demands of modern-day living create unhealthy levels of stress for most people. Freediving offers a meaningful way to get outside, destress, connect with nature and like-minded people.
It opens the door to adventure – exploring and learning more about yourself and the underwater world in the process,” Daniella concludes.
- Improved breathing patterns and oxygen efficiency
- Reduced stress and anxiety
- Increased relaxation and feeling of calm
- Increased body awareness, fitness and flexibility
- Improved mood, focus and self-belief
- Improved stress resilience and energy
- Improved outlook on life, feeling connected to like-minded people and purpose
Intrigued to have your own experience? Check out Cape Town Free Diving here.
Also read:
Look! Cape Town photographer captures the “biggest great white shark I have ever seen”
Picture: capetownfreediving
