Free Diving vs. Snorkeling

[craig240DA]

Where do you draw the line between gonzo snorkeling and move into free-diving?

BTW- we had awesome snorkeling this weekend North of Tampa at a Shrimp boat wreck with lots of smaller fish, we had a blast. Just West of the Coty river out about 2 miles. It was about 11 foot deep with parts of the shrimp boat still out of the water. Easy to get to, not too deep, lots of bright sand, great conditions. You can see it on charts, out from Port Richey.

 

[95yj]

Re: Free Diving vs. Snorkeling

Not sure what your question really is. Snorkeling is paddling around on top of the surface with mask, fins, snorkel. Freediving is going under without an air source.

Freediving is a great sport. I get about six to eight scuba dives in a week and still enjoy freediving. We have a wreckage of a ship in 22 foot of water about a mile off shore that we take all our students to along with certified divers. If I'm not leading the dive, a lot of times I go along and freedive with the group for the practice. I strap on 4 lbs to offset the air in my lungs and can spend about a minute underwater.

We had a young kid who was down here for the summer last year getting his divemaster. He would freedive a different wreck with us that was in 55 foot of water. He would cruise along with us for almost two minutes at 40 foot, go up, get more air and come back down.

If you like freediving, you should check out getting your scuba cert. Opens up a whole lot of new oportunities.

 

[craig240DA]

Re: Free Diving vs. Snorkeling

Thanks for the reply, I have always refered to what I do as snorkeling, but I am always getting down into the water and cruising along the bottom, staying down for 30 sec to a minute. I have thought of using weights. Just wondering if I was free-diving or is free-diving something more specific. The suggestion to get lessons is sound advice, although I may not use all the equipment if I can free dive, but I could sure use the expert advice on diving and clearing ears, weights...

 

[Bigjohn1]

Re: Free Diving vs. Snorkeling

20 years of SCUBA diving under my belt and about 10 as a dedicated freediver now. Yes, you are freediving by the explanation you give.

Be very careful about mixing either discipline. About the only thing similar about the two activities is the fact they both require fins and a mask. A BIG distinction is holding your breath vice exhaling on the way up.

 

[95yj]

Re: Free Diving vs. Snorkeling

Yes, the good thing about getting certified in scuba is that you'll learn how to scuba and also pick up some free diving tips, but the two sports do have some differences.

Holding your breath on ascent during scuba will cause the air that's expanding in your lungs due to the decreased water pressure of less depth to be forced out into your body. Best case scenario is an air embolism or air trapped under your skin. Worst case is an air blockage in the arteries to your brain. Either one is no good.

Exhaling while at depth or ascending during free diving is fairly common because it lowers the CO2 percentage in your lungs which is what causes the "need to inhale" reflex. In extreme cases, this can also lower your O2 level to the point where you black out.

Just two reasons why proper training is required for scuba and to a lesser extent free diving.

 

[95yj]

Re: Free Diving vs. Snorkeling

Using weights while freediving really helps you "get down" to depth without having to work so hard to offset your normal buoyancy. This in turn saves air which gives you more time on the bottom. While scuba diving, I normally use 6 lbs in salt water with normal gear and a 3mm wet suit. When free diving with no wet suit, I use 4 lbs to offset the buoyancy of taking in a full lungful of air. The key is that I still have to swim down but don't have to fight popping back up to the surface. When using weights during free diving, you want to still be able to comfortably "snorkle" on the surface without being pulled under by the weights. Slowly work up to what you can use and be sure you know how to dump your weights if you find yourself overweighted. (This is one of the 20 skills you learn in one of the scuba certification agency's courses.)

 

[ukuhunta]

Re: Free Diving vs. Snorkeling

Tanks but no Tanks, Id much rather freedive and Kauai has some of the best......my deepest is 74 ft but ive been with some guys from Honolulu that hit 124 right underneath me on our trip to the Norhtwest Hawaiian Islands which is a journey unto itself and no longer will anyone ever get to do that again, and yes I spear fish along the way but very selectively and cautiously of course...lets keep this topic going

 

[theboatster]

Re: Free Diving vs. Snorkeling

Using weights while freediving really helps you "get down" to depth without having to work so hard to offset your normal buoyancy. This in turn saves air which gives you more time on the bottom. While scuba diving, I normally use 6 lbs in salt water with normal gear and a 3mm wet suit. When free diving with no wet suit, I use 4 lbs to offset the buoyancy of taking in a full lungful of air. The key is that I still have to swim down but don't have to fight popping back up to the surface. When using weights during free diving, you want to still be able to comfortably "snorkle" on the surface without being pulled under by the weights. Slowly work up to what you can use and be sure you know how to dump your weights if you find yourself overweighted. (This is one of the 20 skills you learn in one of the scuba certification agency's courses.)

Wearing weights is a great tip that most folks don't think about and it does make snorkeling much more enjoyable.