Having prior knowledge of potentially life saving first aid education is one aspect of being a freediving instructor that I often take for granted. To maintain an annual AIDA instructor status it is necessary to also maintain certification in First Aid & CPR. Additionally for me, beyond that, I enjoy teaching and sharing this vital information with others, and so became a First Aid & CPR instructor, firstly with the PADI owned Emergency First Response (EFR), and once AIDA developed it's own freediving specific Emergency Medical Responder course, teaching AIDA FEMR.

So here are my top 5 reasons why as a freediver you should take First Aid & CPR course as early as possible in your freediving journey.

1) Help Others:
It should go without saying that by becoming first aid and cpr certified you have a much greater possibility to help out buddies or other freedivers in the unlucky event of an accident. Being someone with this knowledge could make a big difference for a positive outcome from a bad situation.

2) Help Yourself:
With the right knowledge we can recognise potentially harmful situations for or of ourselves, before they arise or before they create a bigger issue. You could be in a position to recognise a medical complaint or onset of a condition in yourself, and act upon it before it escalates in to a bigger, more serious problem.

3) Awareness:
This is an important quality for freedivers, but too often we get caught up in ourselves and our own minds while diving. To be a competent buddy and to qualify as a higher level freediver an emphasis is placed on buddying, helping and rescuing. So why not start on this path early and already be thinking about others and their wellbeing as a first level freediver? 

4) Family & Friends:
Away from the world of breath holding, being someone with life saving knowledge could one day save a member of your family or a close friend. Don't be that person that has to stand by because of a lack of knowledge or training. Be proactive in helping the people you care about and learn life saving skills.

5) Extra Mile:
Having a qualification such as first aid and cpr makes you stand out among your peers, whether in your current workplace or if changing career. Such a commitment displays a desire for knowledge and a desire to help others, which of course are highly admirable traits.

EXTRA:
​Next level learning. The AIDA FEMR course goes above and beyond a normal first aid course. It is the first ever freediving centred first aid and cpr course on the market, and includes skills beyond traditional courses, such as; intubation of airways, advanced spinal injuries, AED & O2 as standard, DCS and other diving specific illnesses.

Click HERE for more detailed information about the AIDA FEMR Course taught by OBF
​

In this blog post I wanted to discuss some of the marine life of Malta & Gozo. The Mediterranean Sea can have a reputation for lacking marine life, and while not completely wrong, as a positive, it can  encourage building an even greater appreciation of the smaller life and other details that can otherwise get overlooked in a crowded, tropical sea. Malta & Gozo are especially known for superb sea water visibility, with 30m of clear water common, as well as some really fascinating smaller marine life that can be very fun to observe while freediving.

Freediving is an under appreciated way to view underwater marine life. On scuba, of course you can stay longer, but you are also noisy and invasive with all the bubbles, equipment and disturbance that causes. Freediving allows you to get close without disturbing the marine life and gives a totally different interactive experience.

I am writing a little bit about my own observations with 5 of my favourite marine life, all of which can be found by freedivers and snorkellers around the Maltese Islands. Click the highlighted links for more detailed descriptions and video footage.

1) Ornate Wrasse (INFO):
One of my favourite fish, and one which surprise most people as their bright colourings make them appear almost as a tropical species. They are teritorial and will circle and get agitated if you (or nearly anything else alive in the water!) gets too close to them or their nest. Often overlooked because of their small size, they make up for it with vibrant colour and fun interaction. 

2) Fried Egg Jellyfish (INFO):
One of the most beautiful jellyfish, as well as 'friendly' (they do not sting), they appear in later summer and early autumn sometimes in large congregations, floating past like an alien space ship (see photo below). And this spaceship often has a passenger... They have a symbiotic relationship with juvenile Amberjack who use the jellyfish for shelter and protection and who keep them clean in return. 
Fried Egg Jellyfish VIDEO

3) Common Octopus (INFO):
One thing fairly numerous in Maltese waters are the common octopus. These can be super curious and I have observed them using pieces of glass as a shield to cover the entrance to their den and even with coins as they like to collect shiny things. See the video of a curious octopus grabbing my camera, below. 
Common Octopus VIDEO

4) Grouper (INFO):
This fish can live up to 50 years and reach up to1.5m in length! Though as with octopus, that maturity is rare now around Malta. They are also very inquisitive and often watch you as you dive and if they back away, they still turn around to observe from the shelter and safety of a cave or other shelter. 
​Grouper VIDEO

5) Scorpionfish (INFO):
There are 3 species around Malta with the bigger version sometimes displaying a vivid red colour (which looks more brown underwater). They have a venomous spine so you must respect them, and they are often sitting still waiting for prey (normally small fish), to pass by. They don't get it all their own way though. I once observed a scorpionfish being hunted and eaten by a cuttlefish!

Click HERE for more detailed information about the species listed above, and many of the other marine life of the Maltaese Islands:

One thing that I get asked about by students and customers often, or find that there is a lot of confusion around, is sea conditions and how the weather effects us as free divers. When I talk about "waiting to see how the weather is on X day" a new diver or non-diver will often think about if the sun is out or if it might rain, which is of much less importance to us than the wind strength. Lets be clear: freediving in strong wind is not fun! For scuba divers, they can get in and go down and not feel the effects too much, while trying to relax on the surface can be quite a challenge in even moderate wind or chop.

So lets look at 4 of the main sea conditions that can be experienced:

Wind (Chop): The effect of the wind passing horizontally over the surface of the water causes localised waves which can range from small and insignificant to large and powerful (see Beaufort Wind Scale). Wind does not necessarily cause sea current and can often be in completely the opposite direction!
Wikipedia WIND information HERE

Tide: The rising and falling of the sea, usually twice in one lunar day due to the attraction between the moon and sun. Therefore tides are a predictable factor and in many parts of the world regularly updated and accurate 'Tide Tables' are available, mainly to help with shipping and other sea traffic.
Fact: The Mediterranean Sea does not get strong tides due to the narrow inlet at the Straits of Gibraltar that connects it to The Atlantic Ocean.
Wikipedia TIDE information HERE

Current: The movement of the water, often in a horizontal direction, often caused by water temperature differences. There can be ocean currents on a predictable global scale as well as more local currents
Wikipedia CURRENT information HERE
NOAA information HERE

Swell: This comes from distant weather conditions rather than local. Often in the sea it is experienced as the residual effect after a period of strong wind, where it is no longer locally windy but there is still a distinct up and down movement of the water, most noticeable on the shore line. Swell can travel thousands of kilometres through the sea.
Wikipedia SWELL information HERE


To efficiently read the weather, an app such as Windfinder (and more so the 'Pro' version which gives more detailed information). is a must for anyone that is in or on the sea on a regular basis. Also, the use of the 'Beaufort Wind Scale' is an invaluable way to gauge prevailing wind conditions purely by sight. Wikipedia information HERE

I hope you found this blog post interesting, let me know your thoughts in the comments.

We all know the main equipment we need for a successful freediving session or to go exploring in the sea.  It's a pretty standard kit list: mask, snorkel, wetsuit, weights & belt, fins.
Maybe if you are an extreme 'minimalist freediver' you might go in the water with only a swimming costume and mask / goggles (see an extremely  impressive take on this in the video below!)

But in this blog post I wanted to share with you all 5 pieces of equipment I keep in my dive bag or in the car that could potentially save your freediving session:

1. (Johnson's Baby) Shampoo -A cheap and little known way to keep your mask from fogging up. Apply inside the lens before getting in the water, and rinse out before putting on, to guarantee a clear view all session! This has saved the day for me or my students more than once after masks that should have been good after multiple treatments with the flame of a lighter, still fogged up.
2. Fin Retainers - Cheap and small these can mean that if you forget your neoprene  socks you can still use your fins and dive. If someone else with smaller feet needs to borrow your fins they can still be used. I use them all the time as it gives a more secure fin fit and transfers more of the power each kick to the blade (See: https://massdiving.com/products/full_foot_fin_retainers)
3. Emergency Whistle - Small and discrete I have these attached to all the buoys I use for teaching. Perfect to attract attention or give a warning in an emergency situation (See: https://www.ndiver-rescue.com/peeless-whistle)
4. Mask strap - Can save the dive session if you mask strap breaks, and it will take up almost no room in you mask box! A must have.
5. Lanyard - Even if not diving deep or diving off the line  I keep this in my dive bag. If used as a backup lanyard on a line training session it gives an option to secure bi-fins or monofin as they can be threaded through and kept secure when not in use (diving no fins for example). It also provides a spare carabiner that is always useful to have.

Have I missed anything? Let me know in the comments section if you have any more to add.

Poem about the sea by D. H. Lawrence

When the Paralenz dive camera was released it was a game changer for underwater videography as it had some extremely innovative and unique features and did not require an external housing. Those of you that follow the One Breath Freediving social media channels will know I'm a big advocate of this camera (both for teaching purposes and fun use), and I take it with me in the water as much as possible.

Now it has been on the market a few years and has evolved with newer versions being released, it is possible to buy the older versions cheaper or even secondhand, making this type of camera even more accessible to freedivers.

Here are my 5 top tips for using a Paralenz:

1. Depth overlay feature: The overlay adds the current depth and water temperature to your videos (see still shots above) and updates constantly during the dive. This creates a visual record of where you are in the dive and makes your videos much more interesting to people watching them.
2. Mask mount attachment: The mask mount attachment is a great item included with the camera package, and especially useful for instructors (or buddies) doing line depth training. Though not as ideal for higher quality video shots as the selfie stick, the mask mount allows continuous hands free use of the camera and is great for filming a student or a buddy so you can review the technique of the dive later on after the session (see top left still shot).
3. Auto start / stop feature: As the Paralenz camera has a depth sensor, as we already discussed in #1, we can also set this feature to stop and start the camera filming. For example, if you set the camera to start and stop filming at 0.5m using the mask mount then it creates a truly hands free camera that you can simply turn on and forget about during your dive session.
4. Paralenz App: Downloading the Paralenz app to your phone means you can review the footage straight after the dive while you are sipping your coffee :) Footage can be transferred easily and quickly via blu-tooth connection.
5. Battery life: One of the stand out features of Paralenz is the battery life which can be 2-3 hours long on average! So make sure you don't cut corners by buying a cheap or small capacity memory card. With this type of battery life you can film as much as you like in the session without fear of 'missing' those passing dolphins that will no doubt appear at the end of the dive day when those other, inferior, cameras will be long finished.

By David Watson, AIDA Instructor Trainer and Owner & Founder at One Breath Freediving

Hello freedivers :)
Following on from the guide to freediving wetsuits that I posted previously, I thought I would do a post regarding freediving masks and provide a few tips and tricks to help you choose wisely and get more comfortable and relaxed with a proper freediving mask. 

Here are 5 pieces of advice regarding freediving masks:

1. Can I just use my scuba diving / snorkelling mask?: Not really. Scuba diving masks are generally bigger (internal volume), which means you have to waste more precious air on your dive equalising it. It might be good on your first freediving course but once you go past 15-20m you will notice the difference a low volume freediving mask makes during the free dive.
2. How do I check if it fits me well?: Make sure you try a few on in a shop. I wouldn't recommend buying a mask you are not familiar with, online. You need to try a few on for comparison purposes. Hold it to your face, without the strap, and breathe in through your nose so the mask sucks to your face. It should hold there even after you stop inhaling. If it doesn't hold or feels uncomfortable then it's not the mask for you.
3. Why are nearly all masks black?: Good question! But actually now you can get all sorts of colours such as white, pink or red. But yes, it used to be a choice between black silicone or clear silicone (the soft bit that's in contact with your face). Clear looks better in photographs but can refract the light more and does not age as well as it can discolour.
4. Glass or plastic lenses?: Plastic lens masks are cheaper and more flexible under pressure (so can go deeper with less equalisation). They are 30-40% cheaper too, but on the down side they scratch more easily and give a different view underwater compared to glass lenses (no magnification and some distortion to the periphery vision). Normally the come on a wider fitting mask frame that curves around the face, so if you have a wider face they could be a good fit for you.
5. How do I stop the lenses fogging up?: This is a common problem even with a high quality mask. A new mask has a coating on the lens from its production. You can buy a mask defogger spay or these following remedies work just as well if not better: Tooothpaste, rub inside the lenses and leave overnight. Baby shampoo, apply inside before diving or the night before. For both of these, wash out before putting the mask on for the dive. Use a lighter to burn away the layer inside the lenses. This is the best method but if you are not sure how to do it, ask your instructor to show you. For my current mask I needed to do the lighter trick 4 times in total but since then I get zero fogging up.

Bonus Tip: Most people I teach on the first courses pull their mask strap so tight that it leaves a mark around the face that can be seen for the rest of the day! Not only that, wearing the mask tight distorts the silicone skirt and can actually INCREASE the chance of the mask leaking and water entering. Remember, at depth we are under pressure, the mask is pushed onto the face by this pressure so it does not need our help creating extra pressure before we even start a dive.

Once again we take our teaching and training to sunny Dahab Egypt for winter season 2021-22! The One Breath Freediving centre in Malta is also open still in Malta via prearranged bookings and appointments for courses, training, coaching and of course equipment sales in the shop.

Enquire & Book:
(+356) 7980 1668 (phone & WhatsApp)
info@onebreathfreediving.com

The Blue Hole in Dahab has a stunning reef with vibrant colours. There is nothing better than after a tough training session on the buoy & line than enjoying the natural beauty of the reef with the freedom and simplicity without the wetsuit and feeling the water on your skin.

A couple of the best photos taken by myself at the recent Dahab Apnea 2021 competition at the Blue Hole. Congratulations to all the athletes and especially the overall winners:
Stefan Randig (1st Male)
Alice Modolo (1st Female)
​And thanks to all the judges, safety divers and other volunteers :)