Freediving course / instructor recs?

[Bernhelm]

I'm an avid diver and snorkeler interested in taking a freediving course or working with an instructor to learn beginner freediving and breath techniques, mainly to improve how long I can "duck dive" when snorkeling, get that zen feeling of skimming above the coral without scuba gear for longer, and to eventually try freediving photography.

My dream would be personal instruction with as much in-ocean and over the reef time as possible, since I don't want to be in a pool when I'm in Bonaire

I know there are a few freediving schools (Bonaire Freediving, Deep Sea Bonaire) on the island and some of the dive shops / resorts also offer courses.
1. Freediving classes / instruction worth it on Bonaire?
2. Any recommendations for which class or instructor to go with?
3. Anything I should be thinking of / know about when it comes to beginner freediving?

Thanks!

 

[Bazzathemammoth]

If it was me I would do the course before going on holiday. I did mine in a pool and dirty lake, it worked. When you are on holiday you want to be thinking about the pretty surroundings, not refining technique and waiting on the surface for your turn.

My tips would be to get proper long fins (composite if you are feeling fancy, but plastic ones do the job 95%) + freedive computer and to do the course before doing any actual free diving.

Freediving brings some amazing opportunities to interact with nature, I went freediving with dolphins over summer and it was one of the best in water things I’ve ever done. Good luck!

 

[Martijn]

Carlos Coste (Google him ) and Hugo are the real deal. I was amazed with what I could archive within no-time. They are at the Blue Classroom in Harbour Village Marina.

They used to be Deepsea Freediving, but they left there.

Bonaire is the place to do your course. Conditions are optimal. Some world record attempts are being done right now.

 

[Bernhelm]

If it was me I would do the course before going on holiday. I did mine in a pool and dirty lake, it worked. When you are on holiday you want to be thinking about the pretty surroundings, not refining technique and waiting on the surface for your turn.

My tips would be to get proper long fins (composite if you are feeling fancy, but plastic ones do the job 95%) + freedive computer and to do the course before doing any actual free diving.

Freediving brings some amazing opportunities to interact with nature, I went freediving with dolphins over summer and it was one of the best in water things I’ve ever done. Good luck!

Those are good tips! Unfortunately, I don't have time to do it ahead of time (leaving for Bonaire in under two weeks and no courses at my LDS until May)
But that did get me checking out my LDS and I could take a class there later this summer, but I'd be doing my open water down in Monterey. As someone who recently switched to drysuit for scuba, the thought of getting back in a wetsuit for freediving in northern California is a bit "brrrrrrr"

So, my options seem like:
1. Don't worry about freediving this trip, enjoy snorkeling and scuba diving.
2. Sign up for an official certification class, but know that means some closed water work and time spent not enjoying the surroundings but practicing techniques. I am on the island for a few weeks, so if I did it early, I'd have some days to enjoy freediving towards the end.
3. Would it be worth it to hire a private instructor for some basic training and to get the feel of freediving fins? As a kind of "try freediving"?

 

[Lorenzoid]

1. Don't worry about freediving this trip, enjoy snorkeling and scuba diving.

This is my thinking. Is this your first trip to Bonaire? I wouldn't squander my opportunity to spend quality time with the fishes on scuba by instead taking a course in which I would almost literally spend all my time in the same spot going down and back up. I have been to Bonaire many times to scuba dive, and I can still hardly tear myself away from scuba diving to do another activity when I'm there, lest I squander my precious time for gawking underwater. If you have scuba dived there many times, by all means ignore this!

 

[Bernhelm]

Not my first time to Bonaire, but definitely want as much quality time with the fishes as possible.

 

[Bernhelm]

I'm thinking I do a Discover Freediving or 1 day personalized course instead of doing a full cert course - that way I have something different to try and can see how I like it to better plan for next time or start freediving in CA when I get home.

 

[Martijn]

Those are good tips! Unfortunately, I don't have time to do it ahead of time (leaving for Bonaire in under two weeks and no courses at my LDS until May)
But that did get me checking out my LDS and I could take a class there later this summer, but I'd be doing my open water down in Monterey. As someone who recently switched to drysuit for scuba, the thought of getting back in a wetsuit for freediving in northern California is a bit "brrrrrrr"

So, my options seem like:
1. Don't worry about freediving this trip, enjoy snorkeling and scuba diving.
2. Sign up for an official certification class, but know that means some closed water work and time spent not enjoying the surroundings but practicing techniques. I am on the island for a few weeks, so if I did it early, I'd have some days to enjoy freediving towards the end.
3. Would it be worth it to hire a private instructor for some basic training and to get the feel of freediving fins? As a kind of "try freediving"?

"Closed water work" is just as much ocean as open water

 

[Bernhelm]

"Closed water work" is just as much ocean as open water

In Bonaire, would that mean in one of the marked off spots between the shore and the reef? (Imagining the marked off training area in front of Dive Friends Yellow Sub, for example)