Interesting article about freedivers diving in SF Bay.

[Eric Sedletzky]

I saw this and thought it was pretty cool.
I had no idea this was going on. Sounds pretty hazardous. I guess this is the new extreme sport?

‘This is our drug, we have to chase it’: A new extreme sport is taking root in San Francisco Bay

San Francisco Bay might be among the most difficult places in the world to free dive —...

www.sfchronicle.com

 

[lexvil]

Silly what lengths some people will go to so they don’t have to buy a regulator great sport for the blind given the usual viz.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Silly what lengths some people will go to so they don’t have to buy a regulator great sport for the blind given the usual viz.

I can’t even imagine what is down there at 150’ in pitch black, maybe some huge plumose anemones and a big sturgeon sliding by you, sharks?. I’d soil my wetsuit, no thanks!

 

[MB NZ]

Freedivers (and spear fisherman) are next level. I dabble, but wouldn't describe myself as either.

 

[Still Kicking]

I am a dabbler too. These are some tough MF'ers!

 

[runsongas]

honestly just hit north monastery. water conditions are likely better and really the only difference is driving about 90min down to carmel. i see freedivers there somewhat frequently although they rarely go deeper than the shallow area that tops out around 50 to 55ft.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

I have a friend who was next level good at freediving. He’s 65 now and still prefers to freedive over scuba, but his scuba diving is very old style which he never upgraded because he doesn’t care. He still uses just a single reg on a single tank on a back pack with no BC just like he did in the mid 70’s. He was more a competitive freedive spearfisherman. Some of his stories about going to competitions around the world are pretty impressive. Diving down a wall about 90’ then going into an overhang ledge cave because that’s where all the fish were. Diving down to 90’or 100’ here off the north coast of Cali spearing big lingcod and reds. The best I can brag about is a 40’ dive for about 1-1/2 minutes looking for abalone.
When these guys talk about “a good diver” it means a lot more than someone bragging about what they do on scuba. It really is next level. Some of these guys are doing some incredible physical feats with their breathhold times and depths, and some are battling some pretty big fish while doing it!

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

honestly just hit north monastery. water conditions are likely better and really the only difference is driving about 90min down to carmel. i see freedivers there somewhat frequently although they rarely go deeper than the shallow area that tops out around 50 to 55ft.

I think part of the point of diving SF bay by the bridge is for the bragging rights to say you’ve been there and did that.

 

[Bigbella]

Thanks for the article and the memories.

We did a bit of scuba and some limited free-diving just outside of Horseshoe Bay, mentioned in that article, back in the early 2000s and caught some sizable halibut and ling cod that Summer.

What I first thought was Metridium in about fifteen meters of seriously murky water, turned out to be the torso of a white department store mannequin and some breeze blocks -- thankfully, only that, since it was during that same Scott Peterson period, who had recently dispatched his pregnant wife somewhere in SF Bay, in a "piecemeal" fashion -- and who has been a lifer at the "Q" for the past twenty years or so.

The Coasties read us the riot act, even though we had a buoy and sports fishing permits -- and one even demanded to see our IDs while we were still in the 10˚ C water in 7 mm suits, to which I mouthed off a bit (called the kid a "f**king idiot," if I recall).

They were none too appreciative of our presence -- so soon after 9/11, we were later told -- and escorted us back toward Fort Baker, though we received no citations or any sort -- but they took Polaroids . . .

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Thanks for the article and the memories.

We did a bit of scuba and some limited free-diving just outside of Horseshoe Bay, mentioned in that article, back in the early 2000s and caught some sizable halibut and ling cod that Summer.

What I first thought was Metridium in about fifteen meters of seriously murky water, turned out to be the torso of a white department store mannequin and some breeze blocks -- thankfully, only that, since it was during that same Scott Peterson period, who had recently dispatched his wife and unborn child somewhere in SF Bay, in a somewhat piecemeal fashion -- and who has been a lifer at the "Q" for the past twenty years or so.

The coasties read us the riot act, even though we had a buoy and sports fishing permits -- and one even demanded to see our IDs while we were still in the 10˚ C water in 7 mm suits, to which I mouthed off a bit (called the kid a "f**king idiot," if I recall).

They were none too appreciative of our presence, "so soon after 9/11," we were later told, and escorted us back toward Fort Baker, though we received no citations or any sort -- but they took Polaroids . . .

Speaking of the Coasties, I’m looking at the tides for the next good inflow coming into Bodega Bay so I can dive the outside jetty for lings and rock crabs. I know the Coasties get their panties up in wad over people diving on the inside along the jetty so when I’m there I get in quick and submerge as soon as I can and stay down the whole time going out and back. But I figure I’m up in the rocks and out if the way so no danger. There is no law against it, they just don’t like it. If someone in a boat is that close to the jetty rocks then they got bigger problems than little ol me diving on the inside.
One time I was ab diving on the outside of the jetty where it forms a cove between the jetty and the land mass on the south side of Bodega Head. The Coasties were out doing maneuvers in their cutter and saw my float tube. They stayed there the entire time watching me with binoculars. It was a pretty sporty day for conditions, but It felt weird being watched the whole time. I felt like they were just waiting for me to get in trouble so they could practice doing an in water rescue.