To Scuba, or to Freedive? | Teen Ink

To Scuba, or to Freedive?

January 29, 2015
By Grant Schlichting SILVER, Cannon Falls, Minnesota
Grant Schlichting SILVER, Cannon Falls, Minnesota
7 articles 0 photos 0 comments

Many people go to the Bahamas or other tropical islands for various reasons, but mostly to scuba dive. They get to the docks, and everything is peaceful and calm, although their dive instructor seems a little bit sketchy for he has a cigar in his mouth and only speaks a little English. His last words before you dive are “Remeber the safety instructions I gave you!” Even though he didn’t tell you them in English. Worried, they jump into the ocean and try to enjoy it, even though there’s so much noise from the suit. But there’s an alternative, and It’s called freediving. Instead of having to wear all of the Scuba Gear’s bulky mess, all you need for freediving is goggles. Thats is just one reason why one of my many goals in my life is to go freediving because it’s easier than scuba diving, it’s adventurous, and it’s exciting.


freediving is so much easier and more invigorating than scuba diving since there’s no bulky gear and freedivers don’t have to worry about the equipment. Scuba tanks are massive, and it takes a lot of care to keep them in working condition. There is no chance of a novice scuba diver going into the sea caves or taking fun risk for they have to be worried about their equipment. Another problem with scuba diving is that they have to stop half way through their dive, and that loses some of the excitement about being under the ocean. They need to wait about every sixty feet or so for the air in the lungs to settle, or nitrogen will build up in the blood and kill them. This creates problems, especially when there is an emergency; being able to get up quickly for air is a necessity, and it’s really hard to get up fast when you have to stop every 60 feet. The gear is also loud, and wildlife won’t get too close to strange noises; even though in wildlife films they show scuba divers surrounded by animals. This only happens to animals that are used to these strange “creatures” entering their environment.
Freediving allows people to venture off  and explore the ocean in a new way. The adventure part of freediving is really a crucial part for me. Freedivers can fit in small places, explore easier, for they don’t have to worry about bulky tanks. They are able to use the same air going down and up, so there doesn’t have to be any time in between equalizing pressure. That allows more time down at the bottom, exploring and seeing the animals, compared to divers who have to wait a good two thirds of their time equalizing. Wildlife also isn’t as scared of freedivers, for there isn’t that loud noise of the tanks. Sharks and other predators will also consider you a “friendly”  and will become passive.


Being able to venture off and see the ocean differently  helps make it exciting. The ocean is so mysterious and so unexplored, that the closest thing for me to an out of body experience would be to go below forty feet down (which is where our bodies are denser than water, and are pulled down instead of being pushed up to the surfaceto do it, and have fou) and have the feeling of an upside down world. Instead of being pushed away, the ocean is pulling me towards it, and I’m now in a different state, physically and mentally. Up feels like down, there is no East and West, and the fish swims in all different types of directions. Every time I think of this, it gets my heart pounding. The sea life down there also is amazing, with all of the vibrant colors, fish swimming in every direction, and dolphins clicking in the distance would be truly incredible to experience. The only place more colorful on Earth than this mighty ocean may be the mysterious jungles. I would also like to look up, and see the world how it is underneath the rolling waves where everything is tranquil, serene, and peaceful.


Many people go to the Bahamas to scuba dive, but this time instead they try freediving. At home before the trip, they research and learn how nd that freediving is easier that scuba diving, adventurous, and exciting. Then they jump on a plan, don’t have to worry about a Spanish speaking instructor, get to a beach, take a deep breath, and just dive.



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