Enjoying freediving in Amed

Posted by Umi Haroh on 7th June, 2013

Surrounded with peaceful bays from Culik village to Aas village in Bali’s Karangasem regency, Amed is one of the best places for underwater activities. In these bays, tourists can easily spot abundant ocean life – beautiful corals and colorful tropical fish – by snorkeling, scuba diving or freediving.

Freediving is another way to enjoy the underwater life without having to carry heavy scuba equipment. It relies on the diver’s ability to hold his or her breath without using any help from breathing gear. 

“Jemeluk bay is a perfect place to learn freediving. This bay is well protected so there is no current at all,” says Matthew Smyth, an instructor at Apneista (www.apneista.com), a freediving operator located in Amed.

According to Smyth, freediving offers a whole different type excitement from scuba diving.

“There’s a lot of procedures before going into the water in scuba diving. You have to go to a diving shop, rent a tank and hire a dive guide and by the time you go for a dive, there might be 50 other divers and their bubbles might frighten the fish. With freediving, you just jump off the boat, hold your breath and dive down,” Smyth explains.

He says that freediving is more beautiful, because divers can get more intimate with ocean life and become closer to the underwater world. He also adds that it is also cheaper because the diver does not have to rent expensive equipment like with scuba diving.

The key to successful freediving is to hold one long breath before diving. Therefore a freediver should practice a variety of breathing techniques. The first step in learning proper techniques is to relax the body and the mind so that as the diver moves in the water, they use a minimal amount of energy.

“The most important thing is to remain calm, conquer the fear and go to the end of the line,” says Smyth.

Since freediving is an art of holding one’s breath underwater, Smyth uses Pranayama yoga in the course he teaches to help divers improve their breathing technique.

“Our first two to two-and-a-half hours of theory focus on physique and breathing, how to equalize your ears properly and acknowledging important things you must do when you're underwater. Then, after the break, we do some yoga techniques that are good for freediving, and we go for freediving for the next two to two-and-a-half hours. Within two days like that, we focus on your comfort of being underwater,” Smyth explains.

He says that freediving is very safe if done with the correct technique because the human body adapts to underwater condition automatically, just like other mammals that live in the water such as whales, dolphins and seals.

Freediving offers a number of benefits to the human body. As a diver goes deeper, the lungs compress, the heartbeat becomes slower and the blood moves from the arms and legs as it is prioritized for the heart and lungs. As a result of the underwater pressure, the body squeezes out extra hemoglobin, the protein in red corpuscles that carries oxygen to important organs all over the body.

Not only that, but freediving also offer psychological benefits that can help in everyday situations.

“In life, the most difficult situation is not able to breathe. There's no situation worse than that, because when you stop breathing, you die. But, if you learn freediving, you will learn how to use your mind,” says Smyth.

Daniel Scaerer, a freediver, shares his own experience.

“You actually do something you never thought you could possibly do. It never pops in your mind that in two days you can go to [a depth of] 50 meters. In freediving it's possible. Once you reach this goal, you wouldn't believe yourself – it changes your perspective.”

"Freediving gives you an everyday approach. I am running a business and sometimes I am stressed out and not centered. Freediving is something that comes with a yogic approach. The respiration techniques let me center myself and make me feel relaxed and calm,” he says.

Last changed: 7th June, 2013 at 7:55 PM