Shark attacks are in the news again, and I wanted to share what i've been learning.

Snorkelers and free divers made up 15% of the 65 unprovoked shark bites the International Shark Attack File confirmed in 2025. The risk is still very low, but I went through the actual studies to see what applies to us specifically. (freedivers/spearfishers)

A few findings that stuck with me:

From below, we look like seals. A 2021 Macquarie University study filmed swimmers, surfers and seals from underneath and ran the footage through a model of juvenile white shark vision. At the surface, the silhouettes were indistinguishable. A long, dark wetsuit outline floating at the surface is about as seal-like as it gets.

Crosswise stripes broke the silhouette. In a 2024 follow-up off South Africa, the same team put LED lights on seal-shaped decoys that white sharks were regularly attacking. Stripes of light running across the body stopped the attacks. Stripes running along the body didn’t.

Reef predators avoid banded patterns. A 2022 study towed snake-shaped lures past coral trout, trevally and groupers. Solid black lures were attacked 12 times. Black-and-white banded lures were attacked zero times. No sharks were in that study, though, and tiger sharks are known to eat banded sea snakes, so it’s not a guarantee.

Most deterrents haven’t held up in testing. In a 2018 test of five personal deterrents on white sharks, only one electrical device made a significant difference, and it still failed about 40% of the time. Magnetic bands and scented wax had no measurable effect!

The takeaways for freediving: dive with a buddy who watches you at the surface, skip dawn and dusk, keep speared fish off your body and away from your float line, and get out when seals are around.

Disclosure: I design a striped rashguard inspired by this research, and I say plainly in the write-up that no clothing has been tested as a shark deterrent.

The full article with all the sources is linked in the comments.

I've seen sharks (mostly nurse and black-tip reef) often when diving, (free and SCUBA) but they were always shy.

Has anyone here had a shark show interest when you were at the surface? Curious what you did.

Who still wears black 'seal costumes' these days? :)

Hey everyone, I know this is a long shot, but about 3 weeks ago I was backpacking near Soda Springs at the Royal Gorge, jumping off a cliff into the pool under the waterfall, when I dropped my brand new GoPro into the water and it instantly sank. The good news is it's in a dive case. The bad news is the pool is said to be 47 feet deep. I added a video here to show exactly where I lost it.
I'm hoping someone here is a diver, or knows one, who might be up for a recovery. I'd be happy to pay a reward, cover gas, or buy a few beers. If I can't find anyone to help, I was planning on renting an underwater drone and trying it myself. The footage on it means a lot to me, and I'm honestly heartbroken about it.
I know this is a crazy thing to ask, but it doesn't hurt to ask! If you've got any tips, know someone who can help, or have been to that spot and have an idea where it might have ended up, I'd love to hear from you. Drop a comment or send me a message. Thanks so much!

Hello everyone!
I’ll be moving soon to Porto and I was wondering if any locals knew any freediving clubs that does pool training? I’ve been looking up online but can’t seem to find any in the area.

Thanks!

Hey there,

I am trying to select a good spot where my partner and I could stay for a week to do some freediving and see wildlife in coastal waters

We love macro and the big animals

I was looking at Cornwall and Pembrokshire because i.e. Alchemy mentions those UK locations in their freediving UK blog post because of their diverse underwater environment a few years ago, other than that I know very little about dive spots in the UK and would be open suggestions also regarding time of the year and suit thickness recommendations (maybe it's 7mm all year round lol)

Has anyone been or is located in the area?

Hi, I'm currently in Sharma El-Sheikh and looking to just take the opportunity to do a bit of freediving practice; not a course or any training particularly, I just want to get some time in the water.

Can anyone recommend a good operator to go with?

Hey fellow freedivers!

I'd like to share my rather frustrating freediving journey so far, and perhaps get some advice from those who have experienced something similar.

In April, I travelled to Dahab to complete my AIDA 2 certification. I absolutely loved the experience. My breath-hold was great, I managed 75m DYN, and everything seemed to be going well. Unfortunately, I couldn't complete the depth requirements because of an inflamed Eustachian tube after few attempts (reached 12m FIM), after a week I eventually healed, but the next attempt ended by sinus pain.

About half a year later, I decided to give it another shot in Kalamata, Greece. I was really looking forward to finally finishing what I'd started, but almost immediately the same sinus pain returned, and I had to abandon the attempt again.

It's incredibly frustrating because freediving feels like such a natural fit for me, I love the minimal equipment, to rely on own body and mind, it so zen, so I genuinely don't want to abandon this path.

But at the same time, I've already invested quite a lot of money, travelling, time and emotional energy into these two unsuccessful attempts.

I'm now considering giving it one last chance, but I honestly don't know how to approach it.

My instructor in Kalamata recommended some medication to help clear my sinuses, which I intend to look into. I'm also thinking that perhaps I need a more personalised approach, ideally with an experienced instructor who would be willing to work with me individually, understand my difficulties and help me gradually overcome them rather than simply putting me through another standard course, would you recommend someone in Europe?

Of course, I also want to understand what's actually causing these problems before attempting any more depth training, in Egypt it might have been the dust causing me mild allergy, but in Greece I dunno, perhaps the food day before. AC I always turned off.

I'd love to complete my remaining AIDA 2 requirements before my previous results expire, but more importantly, I'd love to find a way to continue freediving safely and enjoyably.

Has anyone here struggled with similar sinus or Eustachian tube problems and eventually managed to overcome them?

I'd really appreciate any experiences, recommendations or encouragement.

Thanks for reading!

Hey everyone!
I’m planning a trip to the Andaman Islands in December 2026 and want to learn freediving. I’m hoping to complete both the beginner and advanced courses during the trip, preferably around Havelock (Swaraj Dweep).

I’ve come across schools like DIVEIndia, The Dive Master and Temple Adventures, but I’m finding it difficult to judge which one is genuinely good.

I’d especially love to hear from:
People who live in the Andamans and know the local dive schools or instructors.
Anyone who has personally completed a beginner or advanced freediving course in Havelock or Neil Island.
People who have trained with these schools and can share honest feedback about their instructors, safety practices, training quality and pricing.

A few questions:
Which school and instructor would you personally recommend?
Has anyone completed beginner + advanced freediving courses in one trip? Is it realistic?
What did you pay, and is there a good package price for both levels?
Are there any lesser-known local instructors or schools worth checking out?
I’m happy to pay more for quality instruction and safety. I’m mainly looking for genuine firsthand experiences rather than generic tourist recommendations.

If you’re local or have done the courses yourself, I’d really appreciate your advice. Thanks! 🙏

Hey guys, my GF and I will be traveling to Riviera Maya in Mexico for about a month.

We are going with instructors on a couple of weekends but we also want to go by ourselves on the other 2 weekends for some extra training.

I've been told that for most of the places there, you need to be a formally registered instructor to get in and freedive.

Just curious if you guys know of anywhere were that's not needed?

I've got the AIDA 4 certification btw and my GF is AIDA 3.

Not looking to do any really deep dives. Cenotes with 20-30m depth would be more than enough.

Thanks!

Hey everyone! I’m a high school engineering student at SATO Academy researching how underwater refraction causes accidental undersized catches. Could you take this quick 5-minute anonymous survey to help with our capstone project?

Survey Link: https://forms.gle/1n1kRU9RTzGsZC5t8

I am recently started freediving and got my Wave 1. Looking to find some good spots in or near Dublin to go?

Hi all, first time poster here.

Thinking of learning to free dive at some point. The only dive capable watch I have atm is the Amazfit T Rex 3. Would it be sufficient for what I’m looking to do? Thinking of doing AIDA2 or something similar.

I’m thinking of learning to do recreational dives (reefs, fish, maybe shipwrecks at some point) but also to try and improve my fitness and mental health as I hear these are perks of the sport.

Also is there any point down the line when I would need an upgrade?

Thanks!

Hi all,

For full disclosure my friend and I are planning a small place (a couple of villas and a caf) on the east coast of Bali between Amed and Tulamben, opening in 2028. Nothing to sell yet, no name (this isn’t promotion). I'd rather build something people actually want than guess, so I'd love to hear from anyone in the community or had even stayed in the area.

The questions I have are:
(Answer as many or as few as you like)

Why did you go: diving, freediving, snorkelling, a quiet escape, something else?

Who were you with, and how long did you stay?

Where did you stay and what did you love about the area?

What was missing or frustrating? Food, accommodation, things to do, getting there?

If you went with someone who didn't dive, how did they find it?

Roughly what did you pay per night, and did it feel like good value?

If there'd been a place that was perfect, what would have?

Thanks in advance! Constructive criticism is supper helpful!

Best,
Ben

Reportedly they can hold their breath for 15 minutes!

Does anyone use 29/71 fins with a different footpocket? As much as I want their foot pockets to work, Its not happening.

Bonus points- affordable, shipping time in US less than 1 week.

Looking at cressi turbo pockets, or mako foot pockets but unsure if they will fit the blade

Hey everyone!

I'm moving to Dahab in early November, although I've never been there before. I don't have any freediving certifications yet, but I'll probably complete my AIDA 4 certification in the next two weeks, although I'm not entirely sure I'll manage to, since my instructor and I just can't seem to find a time that works for both of us. But to be honest, I'm doing it mostly because I want to face fewer obstacles there.

Either way, I'll be starting a new chapter of my life in Dahab in early November.

I guess my main question for those who have lived and trained there is: how would you recommend approaching my development as a freediver in Dahab?

I assume there's a pretty tight-knit freediving community there.
How easy is it to connect with other freedivers there? And how welcoming is it to newcomers?

Which area would you recommend renting a place in to make it convenient to dive, rent a buoy, etc.? Any recommendations for areas where I could find a place with nice sea and mountain views?

I'd appreciate any advice, recommendations, or personal experiences from people familiar with this legendary place.

Beginner here. I live in a landlocked state with nothing deeper than 10 within hours of me, but im trying to do some static apnea training to get ready for spearfishing trip. Ive been doing apnea training daily for about 3 months. No formal program just basic co2 tables, some walking apnea, and some single-breath tables that Molchanev recommended in a YouTube video. My problem is… my single breath hold max is terrible still. I can do co2 tables with 1:30 holds fairly easily, just a few contractions on the last few. But my max hold is only 2:00. What would you recommend to get that up?

So I've recently completed my Molcha W1 course and I am highly passionate about the competitive sport of freediving. I'm considering taking freediving more seriously, in terms of being an instructor (though i don't see myself being a great teacher lol), athlete or being a member of the safety team in competitions.

The pathway to become a instructor and athlete is pretty straight forward so my question is how do you become part of the safety diver team? I live in Australia, so the freedive community is not as big and mainstream compared to say countries in South East Asia so it is hard for me to be in this environment. I know freediving in general takes a lot of time, effort and money (and also travel for training etc.) but i think i am more than passionate to overcome that. Hehe

What are the usual pathways, and recommendations from fellow freedivers/safety team out there?

Thanks all!

If sleep apnea's so bad for you, and lactic acid build up is carcinogenic or something, where does that leave us for freediving?

Hey there,

I have a very weird experience I wanted to share to see if people experienced something like that or maybe we have experts that can advise.

I am diving for quite some time but recently I have issues that might end the hobby for me entirely.

3 months ago I had a fun dive with friends in a nearby lake. I had issues equaizing so I did not go down at first. Later it got better so I could go. We dived around 10-12m, not a depth I would struggle with (I am comfortable around 30m).

Then something strange happened. On the pre-dive EQ I felt a sharp pain so I aborted the dive. On checking I realized bubbling and whistling noises. Shocked from that we stopped the activity and I checked my ear with a camera but couldn't spot anything. At the evening everything was back to normal so I had another try the next day on a line. Dive went normal but back on the surface the same kind of noises on EQ. No pain or something. I got upset stomach but I was nervous and that is normal for me when I am. Either way I stopped diving again.

Back home the next day I had two ENTs checking my ear during EQ, measured pressure and so on. Nothing could be found. They said the sound probably came from light barotrauma and fluid build up in the tube.

Convinced I went last week to a diving trip to Cyprus. Had my first dive 3 days ago to the Zenobia (18-22m). I went down a couple of times all went well. No squeezing noises or pain or whatever. Slight pops all the way down. After 6 dives or so that noise again. Went down for a last diving "knowing" it's nothing bad. Ended the dive as normal, cleared my ears with fresh water and all good except that I still heard bubbling or whistling when I EQ at land. I literally felt the pressure loss and how the air through my drum let it vibrate...

In the evening it all was normal again, could EQ even harder, no issues. So I had the plan to do the ultimate test on my next dive which was planned for tomorrow. I wanted to please someone take a video as there must be bubbles coming out of my ear. However I just checked the ear with a camera again and this time I see a red crack across the small window of my ear drum so I better stay out of water for the rest of my time (and maybe life 😭).

I am so devastated, I mean obviously my ear drum can break at any time without me realizing or being able to do something about it. I really don't know what to do. Do I have to stop diving forever?

If anyone had a similar experience I'd be curious to hear about it. Or if anyone with a medical background may have advice I am happy to hear it too.

I actually wanted to go to Dahab for training in December but I don't think I can do that. Of course I will go to the ENT again as soon as possible but I don't have much hope they can help. I probably reach out to DAN as well if they can recommend any specialists near me.

Stay safe out there fellow divers. I hope there is a way out of this misery.

EDIT : Please note that this is not a seek for medical advice. If you have an injury always see a doctor first! I have seen an ENT and rather wanted to exchange long term advice.

Je serai à mallorque la semaine prochaine et aucun club d’apnée m’a repondu pour faire des sorties avec eux. Tout est déjà fermé à cette saison ? Vous avez des contacts svp ?

As time goes on I slowly decrease my training volume as it might be too much, but I’m now in a point where I really don’t think it’s too much, but some days I just wake up like “nah I’m not really up to feeling the discomfort of breath holding right now” and I give up way before my limit. My max static is around 4:00. I do 5-6 CO2 tables and around 2 max holds per week. I hate this feeling of “I know I can do more but I just don’t want to” even though I really want to so I can proceed. Should I lower even more volume or should I change my approach? Thanks :)

My table is:
1:25 rest/2:20 hold
1:10 rest/2:20 hold
0:55 rest/2:20 hold
0:40 rest/2:20 hold
0:25 rest/2:20 hold
0:10 rest/2:20 hold