GoPro3 Video - Ancient Mariner in 100 ft.+ Blue Water

[RickI]

Here is a scooter free diving video clip of the Ancient Mariner on a particularly good visibility day.

[video=vimeo;57017875]https://vimeo.com/57017875[/video]


I put together this composite image from some frame grabs shot amidships. At 165 ft., this is the largest object I have captured in a single image of underwater.

We did the dive with Dixie Divers out of Deerfield Beach

We encountered a shark on the second dive which came in close for some photos

There are lots more images from the dive including history of the
former Nemisis, Livingston's Landing now Ancient Mariner
at the link below.

Video - Free Diving The Ancient Mariner In Outstanding Bluewater Visibility! - FKA Kiteboarding Forums


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[oceanhunters]

Great Video!

 

[reebok]

very impressive, love all the pictures on the main site also. it seems obvious, but there aren't any lights on your gopro's are there? what model did you have and what did you shoot in? thanks.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

Very cool! Do you have a buddy spotting you? How much lead do you wear?

 

[RickI]

Thanks! The video was shot with a GoPro Hero 3 with the exception of the clip where I dropped a GoPro HD2 on the deck to shoot me coming down from the surface to recover it. Both models were set at 1080 p and 30 fps. I usually shoot the GoPros with available light. The wide field of view of the camera presents special problems for artificial lighting. I have used a Sartek movie light from some cave video work in the past using an HD2 set for reduced field of view. It is very hard to be a buddy to a scooter free diver as they typically vanish at the limits of visibility and you may have no idea where they will end up. As you can see from the clip covering distances of over a couple of hundred feet can be routine. I use a variety of techniques to work to improve safety including keeping pretty serious limits on bottom time well inside my breathhold limits. A long dive for me is about 1 1/2 minutes. As I am virtually at rest almost in static apnea there is little exertion during most dives. There still is a lot of training that goes into it, starting with some good free diving courses. I can readily scooter free dive with a full 5/4 wetsuit with 2 m hooded vest with no weight with my sit on top scooter. Thing is when I stop, I float up so I like to wear 3 or 4 pounds to reduce flotation at depth but still remain positive.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

Looks like fun. I would want a buddy watching me, but i can't dive as well as you.