How to Free Dive for Underwater Photography
Maximising your time down under
obviously to find and take the best shots you want to be under the water for much of the time
we will talk about weight belts to help you stay down - obviously, weights speed up your descent - (not too fast - don't forget to equalise your ears)
1 - getting down - bend at the waist so your head and torso are pointing down
your head has gone from pointing to 9 o'clock
to 6 o'clock
(or 3 o'clock depending on which way you think
you are facing)
2 - immediately after, straighten up so your legs are pointing straight up
your feet have gone from pointing to 3 o'clock
to 12 o'clock
we will talk about weight belts to help you stay down - obviously, weights speed up your descent - (not too fast - don't forget to equalise your ears)
1 - getting down - bend at the waist so your head and torso are pointing down
your head has gone from pointing to 9 o'clock
to 6 o'clock(or 3 o'clock depending on which way you think
you are facing)2 - immediately after, straighten up so your legs are pointing straight up
your feet have gone from pointing to 3 o'clock
to 12 o'clock
gravity ensures you go straight down - start kicking when your fins are under
if you have seen your fish and know you want a long dive then take one deep inhale - exhale - inhale at the top and go down
(the deep inhale - exhale - inhale - reduces the level of CO₂ [carbon dioxide] in the blood), so, if this works why not more deep inhales/ exhales cycles - called hyperventilating? Well...
the amount of CO₂ in your blood - rising CO₂ levels cause us to feel the need for another breathe - so low CO₂ levels lessens the feel for the need for another breathe - careful - breathing is good! don't overdo this - too little CO₂ and you don't feel the need for a breathe
if you have seen your fish and know you want a long dive then take one deep inhale - exhale - inhale at the top and go down
(the deep inhale - exhale - inhale - reduces the level of CO₂ [carbon dioxide] in the blood), so, if this works why not more deep inhales/ exhales cycles - called hyperventilating? Well...
the amount of CO₂ in your blood - rising CO₂ levels cause us to feel the need for another breathe - so low CO₂ levels lessens the feel for the need for another breathe - careful - breathing is good! don't overdo this - too little CO₂ and you don't feel the need for a breathe
Sweetlips
in extremis, overdoing hyperventilation cycles, thus not feeling the need to breathe, can result in your fainting
(shallow water blackout) - be warned - Wiki explains it all - wikipedia.org/wiki/Shallow_water_blackout - (link)
fortunately it seems to be very rare and avoidable - 1 cyle only! - easy
warning signs - light-headedness, numbness, tingling,dizziness, chest pain - any of those - cruise around at the top a bit but personally - I would play it safe and get out for a rest
the safest way is to simply not push yourself to the extreme
(shallow water blackout) - be warned - Wiki explains it all - wikipedia.org/wiki/Shallow_water_blackout - (link)
fortunately it seems to be very rare and avoidable - 1 cyle only! - easy
warning signs - light-headedness, numbness, tingling,dizziness, chest pain - any of those - cruise around at the top a bit but personally - I would play it safe and get out for a rest
the safest way is to simply not push yourself to the extreme
Training?
below is irrelevant for most of us - ignore it unless you really want to train yourself to increase the time you can stay
down
apparently you can train safely on land so your muscles get used to working under 'anaerobic' conditions ie while holding your breathe
link - wiki - apnoea walk - few deep breathes - hold breathe for a short time ie 1 minute (short??) - then - still holding same breathe
walk as far as you can (athletes can manage 400 metres - what!!!)
gently exhaling a little bit of air at a time while under seems to help extend the dive - clearly thrashing around wildly will use up air
but you wont be doing that as it will scare the fish - you want slow and gentle
sometimes you will be staying down as long as possible trying to get that shot and as a result you will break surface like an errant polaris missile
and so, then, stay up a bit and get your breath back properly
apparently you can train safely on land so your muscles get used to working under 'anaerobic' conditions ie while holding your breathe
link - wiki - apnoea walk - few deep breathes - hold breathe for a short time ie 1 minute (short??) - then - still holding same breathe
walk as far as you can (athletes can manage 400 metres - what!!!)
gently exhaling a little bit of air at a time while under seems to help extend the dive - clearly thrashing around wildly will use up air
but you wont be doing that as it will scare the fish - you want slow and gentle
sometimes you will be staying down as long as possible trying to get that shot and as a result you will break surface like an errant polaris missile
and so, then, stay up a bit and get your breath back properly
ideally, on a normal dive, try to surface more like a dolphin
just gently break surface with snorkel and part of your head
quietly exhale, take another breath and glide back under - nice
just gently break surface with snorkel and part of your head
quietly exhale, take another breath and glide back under - nice
above all - relax - enjoy what you are seeing - concentrate on this beautiful world and what you are photographing
relax, relax, relax... (oops - not that much, on the count of 3 you will wake up feeling refreshed)
relax, relax, relax... (oops - not that much, on the count of 3 you will wake up feeling refreshed)
We're down there for a nice time gliding around
