What kinda water are you freediving into?

[freediver]

Yes, I downloaded a copy of it from Eric's website many moons ago. I think I was mostly trying to learn how to pack (a technique I can't say that I've gotten the hang of yet). I've been under the impression that equalization is difficult just because my eustachian and sinus tissues get swollen and gummy after a while in the water. But I'll have to take another look at the Frenzel tutorial to see if that would help -- thanks for the suggestion.

Try a sinus rinse to help keep the sinuses clear. I have been doing this for several months (thanks to removal of a brain tumor as they went through my nose!). You can get it at just about any pharmacy and it consists of a container and several sodium packets. It is a warm water rinse that you shoot up one nostril and exhale it through the other. Believe it or not, it isn't really uncomfortable. Call me strange but i look forward to my rinse.

 

[Frank O]

Try a sinus rinse to help keep the sinuses clear. I have been doing this for several months (thanks to removal of a brain tumor as they went through my nose!). You can get it at just about any pharmacy and it consists of a container and several sodium packets.

Actually I've been doing that regularly for a couple of years. I've tried the proprietary blends, but find that good old table salt works fine for me. As the container I have a neti pot. Seems to help a lot.

 

[freediver]

Actually I've been doing that regularly for a couple of years. I've tried the proprietary blends, but find that good old table salt works fine for me. As the container I have a neti pot. Seems to help a lot.

good to see someone else gets enjoyment from squirting water up there nose!

 

[Narced141]

Freshwater vis 3' to 30’ Quarries, Lakes depths are mostly shallow. I would love to do some saltwater freedives.

 

[bolts]

good to see someone else gets enjoyment from squirting water up there nose!

Answering the original query, I've only done 2 open water freediving sessions before, both in pretty cold quarries. I intend to change that next year though. I took Kirk's beginner clinic last week, and I think I'm hooked...

As for the sinus "rinse", I just use a turkey baster instead of a neti pot. Works the same, and really does clear the sinuses up. I still have trouble equilizing, but I think I can attribute it to a few factors, such as cold water, inexperience, and technique. The solution I use is about 1 cup of warm water, 1/2 tsp of sea salt and 1/2 tsp of baking soda.

BTW, great to see scubaboard get a freediving forum.

 

[holdingmybreath]

Answering the original query, I've only done 2 open water freediving sessions before, both in pretty cold quarries. I intend to change that next year though. I took Kirk's beginner clinic last week, and I think I'm hooked...

As for the sinus "rinse", I just use a turkey baster instead of a neti pot. Works the same, and really does clear the sinuses up. I still have trouble equilizing, but I think I can attribute it to a few factors, such as cold water, inexperience, and technique. The solution I use is about 1 cup of warm water, 1/2 tsp of sea salt and 1/2 tsp of baking soda.

BTW, great to see scubaboard get a freediving forum.

Hey Bolts, keep workin' on the equalizing.. without too much dryland practice you should have no trouble quickly stretching the eustacheon tubes.
I got to dive with Kirk up in Vancouver several years ago, funny thing was I didn't know he was "famous" at the time, I was just looking for a freediving buddy for the day and Mandy Rae hooked us up.. as I was mentioning to Mandy about my near 3 minute breath holds at the time.. (talk about surprise when I get back and visit deeperblue.net and find out who I had actually spent the day with.. haha) I've been wanting to take Kirk's clinic but just haven't been able to yet. Envy you. Where did you take the clinic and how did you and the rest of the students do if I can ask? Who was Kirk's assistants?

 

[bolts]

I've been wanting to take Kirk's clinic but just haven't been able to yet. Envy you. Where did you take the clinic and how did you and the rest of the students do if I can ask? Who was Kirk's assistants?

Thanks for the encouragement! I have all winter to work on that, and my leg strength, so I intend to make the most of it!

As for Kirk's clinic, for a total newbie, it's great. I mean, before the clinic I had NEVER dove in open water before. There was me and 2 others taking the "beginner" course, and I believe there may have been 2 other courses offered, intermediate and advanced. Anyways, the beginner course covered many topics, like equipment, basic physiology (which was very interesting), breath up techniques, and a lot of safety. This is the aspect I liked the most, the safety aspect. You learn what do to in various scenarios where a diver has a samba or blackout, during statics and in open water. I mean, let's face it, this is a sport that can kill you, so it's best to have as much knowledge under your belt as you can get.

For assistants, there's a Team Canada member here in Ottawa that helped out, plus one of his frequent dive buddy's, so they were TONS of help. Very friendly and helpful.

As for "results", I only did static training with the Team Canada guy once in the summer and managed 2:25 first time out. After the second day of the clinic, I did a 4:35, followed by a 4:25 and a little samba. In my opinion, if you're gonna samba for the first time, in Kirk's clinic is a good place to do it! We didn't do dynamics, but in the quarry I could only get down to about 5m before my damned ear told me it had enough... I was very disappointed in myself at the quarry, since I really wanted to go deeper.

Anyways, overall, it was good money spent. I'd advise it to anyone, especially raw newbies like me. If you have any more questions, just ask me, either on here, or by PM, no worries.

Cheers!

 

[JustinW]

my serious freedives are for abalone here in northern california, yummy! Occasionally if I am really jonesen' to get in the water I will go over to the lake and do some snorkeling or do dives in the nearby creek in a deep swimming hole, but thats about it.