Freediving and Scuba Diving Same Day

    Is it okay to scuba then freedive the same day 6

    1. yes (2) 33%
    2. no, freedive first... then scuba is the only way to be safe (2) 33%
    3. dont know (2) 33%

    Okay here's a big question. Is it alright to freedive and scuba dive the same day spearfishing? I've heard that freediving first before scuba is safe, but is there a real risk to health or SWB when doing it after scuba.


    Sometimes we go out to the deep rigs first to get amberjack and grouper, and then work our way in shallow. So freediving the deep rigs isnt an option, so we use scuba to go deep.

    What is a comfortable freediving depth for you? Let's just say you feel good at 30', just for discussion. How long does it take to ascend from 30 feet? Maybe 20 seconds? That's an ascent rate of 90 feet per minute. Would you ascend at 90 feet per minute on scuba?

    Quote from Tin Man

    What is a comfortable freediving depth for you? Let's just say you feel good at 30', just for discussion. How long does it take to ascend from 30 feet? Maybe 20 seconds? That's an ascent rate of 90 feet per minute. Would you ascend at 90 feet per minute on scuba?


    heck no. scuba i follow below my bubbles.

    My younger years I use to scuba and free dive right after for hours at whites point in southern ca.as long as your using top side air I don't see any harm.you know your limits.hasn't bothered me ta lla.:)

    My understanding is that freediving after scuba diving is a NO NO because after scuba diving you have micro bubbles all over your system (thus the no fly for 24 hour rule). When you freedive down to depth those bubbles get squeezed down in size. When you then kick to the surface at rates much faster than you would on scuba those bubbles expand very fast, which can cause problems.

    I have heard what Gris said as well as that you have a built up 02 deficit from the scuba...this will result in significantly reduced bottom time and could increase the liklihood of a SWB

    i like to spear fish

    Ive done Scuba then freedive up to 50 feet then go Scuba again. Yes, it is a risk but if you learn to use your tables and not beleive a computer you will be ok. Remember the Scuba tables for nitrogen are made for a regular average person with almost no physical condition. Super EXtremly safe numbers. For example look at a Scuba table of a Navy diver and you will start seeing what i mean and that table still very SAFE in numbers. I will give a 2 hour break then do my freediving. If it was only one scuba dive. Done it for years and years and have never had any symptoms of embolism. Damn I remember Asesino picking me up after i dove twice and taken the students back to shore, and go for the rest of the day spearfishing up to 60 foot range. So if it was impossible i should of died already. Just give at least 2 hours to let the system clean and then go for it I say. It worked for me.

    Quote from griswold

    My understanding is that freediving after scuba diving is a NO NO because after scuba diving you have micro bubbles all over your system (thus the no fly for 24 hour rule). When you freedive down to depth those bubbles get squeezed down in size. When you then kick to the surface at rates much faster than you would on scuba those bubbles expand very fast, which can cause problems.


    I'm totally with you on that. That's pretty much exactly how I've been told in the past. The nitrogen bubbles in the bloodstream expand when coming up faster than you would on scuba and thus squeeze out the oxygen going to the vein and you pass out.


    I just wanted to be totally sure on how others handled their business. There are guys in my club that freedive after scuba to like 20-30ft for mangroves. I have been know to do that too. I'm just trying to see if that not a good practice to be doing after scuba. I am all about SAFETY and I want to do my part in protecting myself out at the rigs and also the wrecks when i go to florida.

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