If correct, the comments do say a lot even if in bad English. Somebody claimed to be a swimmer and then went free diving without notifying anybody and without having a buddy. Sad outcome. But not surprising especially if they were untrained.
Lake Phoenix Death
- Thread starter Chip Collins
- Start date
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I just had the classroom portion of my first Freediving class on Sunday morning. Ironically, the same day the deceased was found.
One of the things covered in class is that snorkeling really IS freediving. So, I don't really buy the disclaimer that "he said he was swimming but didn't notify us that he was going to be freediving."
Personally, I've been snorkeling since I was a young kid. I don't think I have ever gone snorkeling and NOT held my breath and dived down below the surface at some point during my swim. Even if it was only 2 feet down.
So, what's a dive park to do? Require everyone that comes to swim have a Freediving cert? Tell swimmers they are not allowed to hold their breath when they are in the water? Tell swimmers they are not allowed to duck below the surface at all (unless they have a freediving cert)?
I think "he didn't tell us he was going to be freediving" is a total red herring.
One of the things covered in class is that snorkeling really IS freediving. So, I don't really buy the disclaimer that "he said he was swimming but didn't notify us that he was going to be freediving."
Personally, I've been snorkeling since I was a young kid. I don't think I have ever gone snorkeling and NOT held my breath and dived down below the surface at some point during my swim. Even if it was only 2 feet down.
So, what's a dive park to do? Require everyone that comes to swim have a Freediving cert? Tell swimmers they are not allowed to hold their breath when they are in the water? Tell swimmers they are not allowed to duck below the surface at all (unless they have a freediving cert)?
I think "he didn't tell us he was going to be freediving" is a total red herring.
"No underwater breath hold" is kind of nebulous for swimmers, every time I have been to Phoenix there has been a decent amount of swimmers there as well. If the deceased checked in as a swimmer and decided to push his limits I don't know what more the quarry could have done to prevent it.
martincohn
Contributor
Sure there is, but people always forget about the consequences part...
Assuming that they implemented a way to differentiate how they signed in (wrist-bands?) then Swimmer = no Mask/Fins/Snorkel/Wetsuit will keep most from freediving I suspect. Show up at the beach rocking freediver (or scuba) gear without the right wristband and you get sent home.
Lake Phoenix does use a wristband system (at least for divers - not sure what they do for swimmers or those who check in as freedivers). However I cannot say I have ever seen any staff down by the water actually monitoring what is happening on the dock where the swimmers congregate and the dive entries are.
Did anyone see him free diving or are they just making assumptions because he drowned?
I am not sure to tell you the truth. I was at a local (to me, not to Lake Phoenix) dive shop talking to the owner while dropping off some tanks, and they had a group down there that day that called to tell him about it while I was standing there. On that phone call they told him it was a freediver, and I have heard from others since that it was a freediver, but so far nothing concrete that says that they were for sure freediving.
myshadeofred
Contributor
Pretty sad. I dive there just to get dives in because it's the closest to me.
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