I've had free divers ask to take a breath from my reg, mostly to extend their stay underwater, but I've refused all but one request. That individual was a dive master and knew how to avoid any potential danger.
What if a free diver breathes from scuba regulator?
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RockiesFan
Banned
It just reeks of a bad idea.
Dsix36
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I was a deep safety diver for a free diving competition a few years back. I was told to make sure to stay far enough back from the line that they could not get to any of my gas supplies. I was not to approach them for assistance until they actually blacked out. I was also told that I had a higher risk with my rebreather than they did if blacked out.
This was a professional competition run by a world famous record holding free diver. I have to agree that a free diver breathing underwater is at least a very bad idea, and most likely a deadly idea.
This was a professional competition run by a world famous record holding free diver. I have to agree that a free diver breathing underwater is at least a very bad idea, and most likely a deadly idea.
By any chance, was it Pippin ? He used to be The Man in freediving. Back before his wife died doing this stuff, he was in Cozumel, doing a big dive, and they were making a movie about it. I was bicycling laps to the north end and back, and a car load of local DM's/ instructors I knew stopped me and said they were going to a hotel up that way, to be extras in the film, said they needed some more folks, and asked if i wanted to come along. I figured, "what the hell", and followed them up.
We were involved in a staged scene were we were supposedly a bunch of photographers on the back a boat, photographing one of Pippin's record attempts (the boat was actually tied stern-in to the pier, but it was made to look like were were out in the ocean.).
I later found out my girfriend ( a NAUI instructor from Argentina, and videographer for a local dive op) was part of the in-water crew for the big dive he was on the island for.
I was asked to come back for more "extra" work, but we weren't getting paid, and the novelty had kinda passed, so I begged off. I ran into them, and his wife, while out on a working dive trip, a day or so later. His wife was wearing a nice looking white Mares suit, and freediving down to our dive group on the sunken minesweeper, IIRC.
I never did see that film, haven't been able to dig it up on the interwebz, but a Canadian friend of ours called down once, saying he'd woken up in the middle of the night, turned on the TV to some Discovery/Natl Geographic-type channel, and saw the movie, even recognizing me taking fake pictures off the upper deck of the boat !
By the way, I knew some of the local tri-mix divers that were hired as safety divers for this stunt, and Pippin and his entourage left town, and stiffed them !! He was kinda persona non grata on Cozumel after that.
Apologies for the off-topic ramble down memory lane !
EireDiver606
Contributor
Has anyone died while doing this? Does this happen often a freediving locations? Are there many freedivers that actually know the risks of breathing compressed gas at depth? I thought a good few freedivers (the ones I know anyway) are into scuba and freediving.
D_Fresh
Contributor
Then they're no longer Freediving.....
Sorry, I know Bob basically covered that already, but it was definitely my first thought....
But really, not recommended except in a particularly life threatening situation. IF necessary, breath normally with the diver on ascent or constant exhale while ascending.
Chavodel8en
Contributor
good thing to consider.
My initial reaction to anyone wanting air underwater would be to give it to them -- as I am habituating to think its an emergency situation.
But I should consider that it may be a freediver who just wants to extend their time under. Do freedivers generally hold their breath when ascending?
If they seemed casual about wanting air, I guess I should refuse. Not that Ive ever had a free diver ask me for air.
My initial reaction to anyone wanting air underwater would be to give it to them -- as I am habituating to think its an emergency situation.
But I should consider that it may be a freediver who just wants to extend their time under. Do freedivers generally hold their breath when ascending?
If they seemed casual about wanting air, I guess I should refuse. Not that Ive ever had a free diver ask me for air.
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Diver below 83
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D_Fresh
Contributor
Actually, in competition, that's exactly what they do.... I know, crazy eh?
It happened to Guillaume Néry attempting a 129m freedive in competition, but the line was mistakenly set to 139m. He blacked out on the way up, about 12m below the surface I think.
Edit: Sorry, at 15m. Here are some articles...
Mistake nearly kills free diver
Error Causes Line To Be Set 10m Too Deep For Guillaume Nery At World Championships Pre-Competition – DeeperBlue.com
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