I'm considering learning freediving because I think it would improve my in-water comfort on SCUBA and because I can't always drag a bunch of equipment with me around the world. There are risks to every sport, and SCUBA is certainly not as safe as sitting at home wrapped up in pillows, but on SCUBA if you are careful about gas management, use the buddy system, carry appropriate signaling devices, and so forth the risk is quite low.
Is it possible to bring freediving to the same level of risk? That is to say, if you only ever freedive with a buddy using the one-up-one-down system, don't hyperventilate, and so forth, is it possible to bring freediving to the same level of risk as recreational-level SCUBA dives? Or is SWB always a risk no matter how careful you are? And are there other risks other than SWB? DCS doesn't seem to much affect non-competitive freedivers, but what else can cause trouble?
Thanks!
Is it possible to bring freediving to the same level of risk? That is to say, if you only ever freedive with a buddy using the one-up-one-down system, don't hyperventilate, and so forth, is it possible to bring freediving to the same level of risk as recreational-level SCUBA dives? Or is SWB always a risk no matter how careful you are? And are there other risks other than SWB? DCS doesn't seem to much affect non-competitive freedivers, but what else can cause trouble?
Thanks!