FishingDude's PFI experience

I've lost 23 friends who died breath hold spearfishing here in Cali, French Poly,SA. and Baja. Only one .... ( Alex Felix) died in a pool training alone in South Africa. He had taken my place in one of Pipins first class's here in San Diego. I had given him a Stearn talk about pushing too deep while hunting with me here in Cali. I have had the talk with a few very deep dive mates over the years....some take note...others have passed.
My limit is app 100FSW but only when needed while spearfishing or filming.
I would love to lie and tell you I'm a poster child for safety but I'm a sinner. The thing that has saved me is my 12 year old boy....I don't want him to lose his dad . I'm very beat up from a long swim today more later...I feel 59 today .:(

Cheers, Don

There has been no official word on COD for Patrick. Some say he was just swimming . Until the autopsy results are in -we will not know.
Any sort of breath hold diving is inherently dangerous whether it is spearfishing or competitive diving. There are many more spearfishing deaths than in comp. freediving. There have been 4 deaths on sled diving ( which is totally different) and now 2 with training while alone.
PFI and FII do not teach comp diving unless you decide to take the advanced courses. The Level 1 & 2 are for recreational divers and spearfishing safety and performance.They teach kick technique, equalizing,proper body position,physiology, rescue, etc.
BTW- I am not associated with either of these schools so this is not for promotional purposes- just elucidation.

Thanks for the update girl.

Don

I don't know the number of deaths. But I know there's a large number of blackouts and samba associated with the pursuit of increasing breath hold time, which is fundamentally what's promoted by these courses. I don't know if it's just the psychology of people drawn to this, breath up techniques taught or whatever. In my book blackout and samba = you're dead. Just because someone was there to rescue you doesn't mean it can be overlooked.

Quote from Dan

Maybe I'm wrong. I should fork out the cash and take one of these courses, just so I don't go accusing someone of something unjustly if I am wrong. In the end maybe it's just what every individual person brings with him in the first place.

I would venture to say that your last sentence is the most accurate.

Since taking the PFI course I'm not diving deeper at all. But I'm getting down faster due to streamlining better and hiding on the bottom for more of my total bottom time, which hasn't increased by more than 10 seconds or so. (1:10 now vs 1 min before ave)
My son, however, is diving deeper and longer and I watch him much more closely than I used to. I've even met him at 20-30 feet on his way up after longer dives, which is what they teach in the class.
Awareness of buddy and technique is what I really got out of it. Seeing Jake blackout in the static breath hold was an eye opener. It can and will happen.

Lunker, you are missing the point, when he says "eye opener", thats what you should get out of a freedive class, your mentor, a buddy who teaches you, or just reading the internet deaths, this is without a question an xtreme sport, and those that are not aware of it are in danger of dying.

Younger guys are at a very high risk because of their competitiveness, and their streng and stamina that will allow them to go deeper and deeper as they grow into the sport, without proper training IN SAFETY, is like giving someone a car when he does not know the trafic rules, first red light and he could die.

If depth would kill you, there would be a lot of dead freedivers, but is the other way around, the diference in the sports is mainly the buddy system, Freedivers understand the danger and dont dive alone.

Freedive classes are exellent for 2 guys who always dive together, if you take the clinics by yourself, you will become a good safety buddy, but you will feel very alone and in danger when spearing with your dive buddies who dont know anything about safety from there on.

My son, however, is diving deeper and longer and I watch him much more closely than I used to. I've even met him at 20-30 feet on his way up after longer dives, which is what they teach in the class.
Awareness of buddy and technique is what I really got out of it. Seeing Jake blackout in the static breath hold was an eye opener. It can and will happen

Well put Roberto. It's great having my son as a buddy having both done the course together. Very much more in tune and that adds up to more safety.

So great to have your experience and knowledge here.

Cheers, Don

Quote from Dan

I don't know the number of deaths. But I know there's a large number of blackouts and samba associated with the pursuit of increasing breath hold time, which is fundamentally what's promoted by these courses. I don't know if it's just the psychology of people drawn to this, breath up techniques taught or whatever. In my book blackout and samba = you're dead. Just because someone was there to rescue you doesn't mean it can be overlooked.

I've read accounts of blackouts by guys on these boards. Many never had a clue it was coming and said the dive didn't feel stressful.
PFI didn't tell us to push ourselves or our limits. They taught us tools to use that COULD increase our times. Exercises to do at home like tables or diaphragm stretches and packing.
They strongly advocate to NEVER DIVE ALONE. Don't even train in a shallow pool alone. Safety is the message they really stress.
And as far as blackout meaning death, well, it shouldn't be that way. I came away realizing how little effort it really takes to be a much safer buddy. Be there when your buddy surfaces. That will be the difference between having a beer that night and talking about it, or seeing his lifeless body recovered.
Jake and I now stay together and don't descend without letting the other one know. Luckily, the fish we hunt also allow for this type of diving to be effective. We watch each other during our dives and for 20-30 seconds after surfacing. Is it necessary on every dive? Probably not. But, it's very little effort to go that extra yard and be safe. It was very evident when Jake blacked out in the shallow water static that if no one had been there, he would have likely died. But by being there holding him, he recovered in less than 5 seconds and wondered what happened. That's the way a blackout should end up.
And, we've been doing pretty well scoring a lot of fish too.

I agree with those courses but don't agree with relying my life in others. Too many things could distract him from watching me: A big fish swimming by, dropping his knife/speargun, cramp, water swallowing, current, jellyfish, a shark swimming close by, etc, etc, etc...

The only way it will work in spearfishing is only one speargun per couple and super clear water. And still could fail.

Anyway, it is better to do it than don't.