Archive for the ‘Freedive’ Category
World’s First “Under Ice” Freediving Competition
Braving temperatures of -2 degrees, 20 competitors dove into a 10x10ft hole in the ice in a bid to reach the lowest depth. With visibility of only 65ft, divers attempted to reach the bottom of this 173ft freshwater lake holding their breath for between three and five minutes. The free-divers were participating in the Oslo Ice Challenge at Lake Lutvann on March 7 and 8.
Reaching a maximum depth of 170 ft, French free diver Guillaume Nery, the youngest free-diver ever to hold a world record, took the title. Why he decided to not swim the extra three feet to the very bottom I’ll never know.
For a couple of the freedivers, the water got just a little too hot, and they chose to take off their wetsuit and go diving in only a pair of Speedos. The Oslo Ice Challenge proved that freediving does not have to be a sport restricted to warm, tropical waters, but can be carried out under real Nordic conditions.
Record Lobster
In late February, towards the backstretch of a long Santa Ana, Coronado residents Al Hansen and Bobby Wurzelbacher took to one of Sunset Clilffs’ many reefs with lobster on the brain. According to them, due to the lack of surf and Santa Ana winds the clarity of the California coastline was better than it had been all year.
These two Watermen took to the water, staying relatively shallow at 15 feet, and started their search. Within ten minutes of searching the smallest nooks and crannies of the reef and fighting the visual obstruction created by the eel grass, Bobby had found what looked to be a lobster leg the size of a grown man’s wrist. Bobby quickly called over vertan free diver Al and both quickly agreed that this was a bug they had to get. Al lowered himself to the lobster’s depth and tried to pull the animal out from his antlers. Nothing budged. Bobby went to the other side of the reef and was able to push the lobster from the back. With ease the lobster succumbed to Al’s tight hold and walked out. From the shadows of the cave came the gerth of a 10 lb. lobster! The catch was put in the boat and diving resumed. After all, it was still early in the day.
Bobby returned to the boat to drop off his flashlight, when he looked into the boat to admire the previous catch. He saw an even bigger lobster walking clumsily beside it. Bobby remembers Al roaring with laughter upon seeing his astonishment. The sound echoed off the steep cliffs. This bigger lobster was found in a more spactious environment and was easier to handle. There was no team work involved with this giant and Al was able to bring it to the boat himself. The massive lobster scaled in at 12 pounds and was estimated to be 50 years old!
The 12 lb. lobster was a San Diego Freedivers Club all time record. Al also hold all time records in his catches in Corbina, Gulf Grouper, and Halibut. He even holds the International Underwater Spearfishing Association world record for Coral Grouper. Al contacted Sea World for the preservation of the record lobster.
