With Scuba or not with Scuba?

[Squirttle37]

I am interested in diving in but heard about how bulky and wierd the Cousteau type tanks are. I like the style and nature of freediving, but I heard it is very dangerous and could easily black out and die. I am trying to find something or an activity that would get me underwater safely without any air tanks or wierd equipment. Is there anything that would let me dive in a freediving-like style safely (NOT actually freediving tough. Do such things that satisfy what I want exist or is very close to being real (I am not talking about that Like-A-Fish stuff)?

 

[RJP]

Freediving is very safe. Where are you located in SoFla? There's plenty of good instructors down your way.

That said... there''s nothing particularly "bulky" or "weird" about a plain ol' aluminum 80 scuba tank:

 

[TSandM]

If you are going to go under the water, you either have to hold your breath, which is freediving, or you have to take an air supply, which is scuba. I suppose you could do brief free dives carrying a tiny emergency air supply like a Spare Air, but you'd have to understand all the limitions of using one, were you to do so.

 

[Bob DBF]

Freediving can be as safe or dangerous as you want. Get some training so that you know how to be safe.

I don't push the limits and have been freediving most of my life and never had an incident. On a 25' reef with good vis I would probably leave the tanks at home. Taking anything but snapshots on a camera however, is difficult because of the limited bottom time.

Once you need more time underwater on the dive you can sign up for a SCUBA class, and have the best of both worlds.



Good Luck
Bob

 

[TMHeimer]

If you are going to go under the water, you either have to hold your breath, which is freediving, or you have to take an air supply, which is scuba. I suppose you could do brief free dives carrying a tiny emergency air supply like a Spare Air, but you'd have to understand all the limitions of using one, were you to do so.

What she said. I used to snorkel for decades--free diving if you call it that. Depends on what you want to do. As a shell collector I'm always on scuba--haven't snorkeled in years. I'm happy doing my thing on scuba whether in 100+' or 10' or even less.

 

[Squirttle37]

I found a device that quite makes my ways happy, which is ZUBA by UTD, but that stuff is in California. I have found Snuba, which is technically the same thing as ZUBA right near me in the the Florida Keys. But if I wanted to buy trechnically something like ZUBA or SNUBA, I would go with Surfcae Air Delivery System,Surface Air Delivery System or even better, the Sasuba SEA Hookah - Sasuba Diving System system. It would put the best of both worlds and that would be the one that would really make me happy. Freedom of freediving with the underwater timke and safety of SCUBA.

---------- Post added April 13th, 2015 at 05:00 PM ----------

Freediving can be as safe or dangerous as you want. Get some training so that you know how to be safe.

I don't push the limits and have been freediving most of my life and never had an incident. On a 25' reef with good vis I would probably leave the tanks at home. Taking anything but snapshots on a camera however, is difficult because of the limited bottom time.

Once you need more time underwater on the dive you can sign up for a SCUBA class, and have the best of both worlds.



Good Luck
Bob

About the pushing limits stuff, I heard that the only place where freediving and breath hold diving show their fatal colors is the competitive stuff like those freediving record breaking attempts,https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjNTpJguuzE and even in the innocent looking pool games that kids and teens challange each other who could hold their breath or swim underwater the longest. That I just said and I've done that breath holding games as a kid and a teen to me now is as dangerous as freediving is more dangerous than SCUBA. To follow your advice, I know exactly what to do, PADI Skin Diving and Snorkeling | PADI. But since I live in South Florida, where is a PADI center that teaches these skills. If you could, please name and location of these places. Better yet, addresses of where the PADI instruction centers are in South Florida.

 

[Bob DBF]

To fill air tanks for Snuba, Zuba, or SEA Hookah you will probably have to be SCUBA certified.

I'm on the west coast so I have no contacts in Fla, so try the instructor finder on their site. There are also others, aside from PADI, that teach freediving so look around and talk to a few instructors before deciding who will train you.


Bob

 

[dumpsterDiver]

I found a device that quite makes my ways happy, which is ZUBA by UTD, but that stuff is in California. I have found Snuba, which is technically the same thing as ZUBA right near me in the the Florida Keys. But if I wanted to buy trechnically something like ZUBA or SNUBA, I would go with Surfcae Air Delivery System,Surface Air Delivery System or even better, the Sasuba SEA Hookah - Sasuba Diving System system. It would put the best of both worlds and that would be the one that would really make me happy. Freedom of freediving with the underwater timke and safety of SCUBA.

---------- Post added April 13th, 2015 at 05:00 PM ----------


About the pushing limits stuff, I heard that the only place where freediving and breath hold diving show their fatal colors is the competitive stuff like those freediving record breaking attempts,https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjNTpJguuzE and even in the innocent looking pool games that kids and teens challange each other who could hold their breath or swim underwater the longest. That I just said and I've done that breath holding games as a kid and a teen to me now is as dangerous as freediving is more dangerous than SCUBA. To follow your advice, I know exactly what to do, PADI Skin Diving and Snorkeling | PADI. But since I live in South Florida, where is a PADI center that teaches these skills. If you could, please name and location of these places. Better yet, addresses of where the PADI instruction centers are in South Florida.

build a one atmosphere suit..

 

[Storker]

build a one atmosphere suit..

You mean one like this?

 

[Phantom Menace]

Both SCUBA diving and freediving have their inherent dangers. Before embarking on either you should understand the risks and how to avoid / mitigate them. I spent many years SCUBA diving and more recently freediving. I did quite a lot of research etc. and my understanding of the risks of freediving (and how to manage them) increased a lot once I joined a freediving club and trained with them (and I have recently completed the AIDA 2, 3 and 4* courses which taught me a lot more).

There are more and more freediving clubs and instructors round now. If you are interested in exploring this side further then find a club and chat to them.