Free Diving versus Snorkeling

Published by lakbay on October 22nd, 2011 - in Extreme Sports
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in a diving suit!

What is free diving? According to Wiki, it is an aquatic activity where a practitioner holds his/her breath while diving underwater. Compared to snorkeling, the practitioner doesn’t just swim on the surface of the water, but rather goes deep down as far as he/she could go.

typical snorkeling with vests on

It is one of the sports I am an enthusiast of. I scoured over the internet for various tips and look for a local free dive training here in Cebu but I couldn’t find one. I meant free as in you won’t pay for it. Hehehe. So far from what I’ve learned and researched, you need to relax both your body and mind. You need to practice slow breathing and tolerance of carbon dioxide, as well as how to balance the pressure that will build up once you go down deep. Specifically, you need to be calm and relaxed through slow breathing and emptying your mind of anything. Much like Zen. The aim is to lower your heart rate and thus lower the fast burning of oxygen and accumulation of carbon dioxide. I wish I could get the specifics and procedures through a free dive training.

free diving and going after the SCUBA divers

With these techniques, my holding of breath improved, from a twenty second dive in Balicasag to almost a minute dive in Pescador island. It is the pressure I can’t handle though, no matter how many minutes I practice equalizing techniques prior to the dive. Coupled with snorkeling, free diving gives you the maximum underwater pleasure ever. Not only do you get to watch fishes as they swim past by, but might give you the chance to swim along with them.

What to expect under water? Check out these awesome pictures below:

click on image to biggify
All pictures were taken using an Olympus 3000 underwater cam. Only at Lakbay Philippines!


More pictures in FB:


“what is free diving? find out at
http://lakbaydiva.com/extreme-sports/free-diving-versus-snorkeling/”

From free diving, snorkeling, and scuba diving, posted by Lakbay Pilipino on 10/26/2011 (Showing 4 of 39 items)

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19 Responses

  1. Drew says:

    I can never learn how to use those snorkeling gears to save my life. So whenever I do snorkel, I always end-up having to hold my breath until I can. I guess I’ve been doing free diving and I didn’t even know it! Nice post!

  2. chinchan says:

    Lakbay, I love the beach but im really scared of deep water. I dont know how to swim, never learn how to swim , snorkel or dive. It looks entertaining. i have that kind of fear of some sort I dont know its weird but i just feel like im gonna be drowned . Fear fear fear …

  3. lakbay says:

    @drew: thanks!
    @chinchan: the first time i went snorkeling with my friends i froze up when they ventured to deeper waters – waters where you can’t stand up and have your head above water. but then ultimately i faced this challenge of the deep and found it adrenaline pumping. :)

  4. doi says:

    haaay. i hope i could learn how to dive na. my last attempt at learning was a big FAIL! lol
    doi´s last [type] ..Of Bomb Scares and the Late Police Officers

  5. i only tried diving once in coron… i didn’t like it. i was too scared and too concentrated on breathing that i didn’t remember what i saw underwater. haha!
    Gladys | ByahengBarok.com´s last [type] ..Goodbye, Sisiman Lighthouse

  6. happysole says:

    wooow! i got to try free diving in Balicasag too! it was one of the best experience i have had so far. ang saraaap ng feeling after. nasira pa slippers ko pabalik sa surface dahil siguro sa tubig. hehehe

  7. lakbay says:

    @doi: cge kuyog nya ta doi mag beginners ta sa moalboal.
    @gladys: lol! when we do it again and again, everything will be just like ordinary – you don’t get to worry yourself if you’ve done it or not. hehe
    @happysole: ang sarap nga sa balicasag. too bad i didn’t see the dolphins like u did.

  8. Lauren says:

    Me too!! I’m not an amphibian like you and i cannot use snorkeling equipment to save my life either…

    I enjoy the mountains moreso than the beach anyway. Since i don’t have that bikini-friendly body :P
    Lauren´s last [type] ..To Manila, With Love.

  9. Christina says:

    Ganahan sad kaayo ko makat-on ug free dive! kutob ra pud ko snorkel. Mu panic naman gud ko for air inig abot na nako sa ubos. Haha! Naay free diving competition sa moalboal summer next year. Praktisi na taman Dwin! XD

  10. Ed says:

    tagpila ang flippers dwin? nahan ko suway. mahal ra kaayo ang scuba! hehe. mas cool sad tanawun ang free diving.
    Ed´s last [type] ..Podcast Interview with Chichi of WeAreSoleSisters.com

  11. lakbay says:

    @lauren: i’m no amphibian too. i’m a lovebird. hahaha. you don’t need a bikini-friendly body to go to the beach. :) and having a slimmer body as sexy is a social construct. you’re still good-looking in my eyes.
    @christina: mao na kailangan og relaxation techniques. :) i don’t think i’ll do competitions. i’m only into recreation hehehe.
    @ed: 1k akong palit, proline ang brand. mahal jud bitaw ang scuba.

  12. Corrine says:

    Ganda ng pictures! Amazing! :) Kung hindi lang ako takot sa mga isda.. :O
    Corrine´s last [type] ..Top Ten: A Guide to My Guilty Pleasures

  13. I know the basics, but i’m still have to relax my mind from everything. Basics for me is in the first grade. Actual, hmmm, not yet experience. But still not too late for me to learn more about free diving.:-).
    Bonzenti [Con Tour Blog]´s last [type] ..Misamis Oriental | Laguindingan International Airport, its latest Development

  14. Ceblogger says:

    my ears hurt everytime i go deeper than 6 ft. i guess diving is not for me. magsubmarine na lang ko. :)
    Ceblogger´s last [type] ..World’s Best Universities Ranking

  15. lakbay says:

    @corrine: bakit ka takot sa isda? hahaha ang ganda kaya nila.
    @bonzenti: suway nya na pod ko’g katkat diha sa bukidnon. :)
    @ceblogger: hahahaha. equalize :) mahal ang submarine.

  16. [...] Free Diving versus Snorkeling by Lakbay Pilipino Share this:TwitterFacebookLike this:LikeBe the first to like this post. This entry was posted in adventure, travel and tagged beach, cebu by Drew. Bookmark the permalink. [...]

  17. Wow, those are amazing underwater photos. I have never tried diving or snorkeling but I really would love to experience it. Thanks for sharing.
    Davao Information Site´s last [type] ..Schools in Davao: University of the Immaculate Conception

  18. [...] Free Diving versus Snorkeling by Lakbay Pilipino This entry was posted in adventure, travel and tagged beach, cebu by Drew. Bookmark the permalink. [...]

  19. Auraphil says:

    Hi Lakbay,
    nice photos. For you and your Readers, I
    try viewing the Video Clip of Theo, a young
    German Volunteer who enjoyed his assignment
    in Guiuan,Eastern Samar.
    Google: Denn meine Freiheit droht der Welt
    Click: September 2009 Blog
    Also his Friend Video Clip Peter (Salcedo)Sept. 20, 2009 Blog. His Nov. 4
    Blog about Lawaan Waterfalls are also interes
    ting.
    You will enjoy Snorkeling at Binabasalan Island because from 1 Meter deep starting
    from the Shoreline, you will see colorful
    Fishes and different Corals. Even non Swimmers will enjoy. Happy Trip!!!
    Salcedo,E. Samar

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