Natalia Avseenko, a True Underwater Pioneer

[ScubaGypsy]

While I was surfing the internet looking at diving in Russia's Orda Cave, I stumbled upon a series of photographs and a video made in Orda Cave in 2013 called "Lady of Orda Cave" by a talented underwater Russian freediver/model named Natalia Avseenko. The accompanying 25:46 minute video of this effort is titled "Mistress of the Cave".

[video=youtube;qRsZOqgWBp0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRsZOqgWBp0[/video]

After watching this fascinating effort, I did more research on Miss Avseenko and found that she began her in-water pursuits as a competitive swimmer representing Russia in her youth and then later, in 2008 was a competitive free diver. In fact, in 2008 she set a free diving world record on a dive to 57-m with constant weights and no fins!

[video=youtube;S_FybU0Jvrw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_FybU0Jvrw[/video]

But her story between the freediving world record effort and her Orda cave modelling is even more unbelieveable when one considers her 2011 adventure where she was photographed and filmed while skinnydipping in Russias White Sea with buluga whales! She was swimming nude in the -2 degree C White Sea for 12 minutes! The name of this 37:43 minute video is "On The Edge."

[video=youtube;gEXwTK38pkw]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEXwTK38pkw[/video]

Though I personally enjoy cold water, cave diving and under ice diving, I wear a drysuit, heavy undergarmets, dry gloves and heavy hood. I do not even begin to understand how Miss Avseenko is able to enter such harsh conditions without thermal protections.

This woman is obviously a true pioneer in underwater endeavors and I look forward to her future efforts!