Topics: 

1. The risk of diving versus other activities
2. Drowning
3. Secondary drowning
4. Group Think
5. Depth adaptation
6. Hands free solutions
7. Boat Traffic
8. Hyperventilation
9. Packing
10. Why not to breath air from a Scuba diver
11. No Freediving after Scuba
12. Decompression risk
13. Physical Contact
14. How to deal with over talkative people
15. In fresh water we float less
16. Skipping logical steps
17. Equipment Dependency

     

    1. The Risk of Diving Versus Other Activities 

    There is no such thing as a zero-risk dive. Yet, the percentage of accidents in freediving is very small compared to scuba diving (reportedly 1.8 casualties per million recreational scuba dives). When comparing the risk of diving to other activities, it would be fair to say it's more dangerous than flying but less dangerous than riding a motorcycle. 

    Here are some statistics for other risky activities: 

    Motorized transport fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles: 

    Motorcycles:  26.16 Cars:     1.33 Flight:     0.04 

    Other activities that are known to: shorten life expectancy by years:  

    Smoking  -13 years. Alcohol overuse  -24 years. Obesity  -14 years. Drinking sodas daily  -2.5 years. Living with air pollution       -2 years. 

    
    

    Most of us engage in activities that could potentially be fatal, yet we choose to do them anyway. As an educator, it's important to explain these dangers. However, the decision of what risks we're willing to take is personal. In this chapter, we will further explain how divers get into trouble and what they can do to avoid it. 

     

    2. Note of Caution About Drowning 

    Drowning is the second most common cause of accidental death. FCOA recommends keeping non-swimmers in shallow water, which is defined as water shallow enough for individuals to stand in. The water should reach no higher than chest level; however, knee-deep water is safer and sufficient for starting initial lessons. 

    Even in chest-deep water, people can still drown, especially if they have buoyant legs that make standing up difficult. 

    Before participants move to deeper areas, they should demonstrate their ability to swim 200 meters in shallow water without standing up. Additionally, they must complete the FCOA survival float challenge: "In shallow water, they must be able to remove and replace their mask and snorkel, and clear the mask and snorkel, without touching the bottom in a repeatable fashion. 

     

    3. Note Of Caution About Secondary Drowning 

    If someone has inhaled water into their lungs but appears fine afterward, it is crucial to keep a close watch on them. Water in the lungs can trigger a chemical reaction that draws more bodily fluids into the lungs. Some individuals have died hours after being rescued from a drowning incident due to this condition. 

    To ensure safety, the individual should either stay in the hospital under observation or be closely monitored at home. If monitoring at home, sleep nearby and set an alarm to check on them every 30 minutes. Listen carefully to their breathing. If you hear any sputtering or liquid sound, seek immediate medical attention. 

     

    4. Note of Caution on Group Think 

    Groupthink is a psychological phenomenon occurring when a group prioritizes harmony over sound decision-making, leading to irrational outcomes. Group cohesiveness may push members to agree without critical evaluation. An important 2015 Divers Alert Network (DAN) study revealed that 83% of drowned freedivers were with companions. Having a buddy does not eliminate all risks. 

     

    5. Note of Caution About Depth Adaptation 

    FCOA recommends limiting personal best depth increase to no more than one arm span per dive to allow for the body and mind to gradually adapt to the increase in pressure. 

     

    6. Note of Caution: Keep Your Hands Free (hands free solutions) 

    Cameras should not be tied to the wrist. We recommend tying cameras to the chest, so that your hands are free when performing rescue drills. Bungee chords are often the favored for securing cameras. For your students it would be good to have a bundle of straw rope available that they can use to tie their own hands-free solutions.  

    
    

    7. Note of Caution About Boat Traffic 

    Boats kill divers and swimmers every year. Especially jet skis since they are often operated at high speed by unaware tourists. But also, surfers and sail boats can kill swimmers, you won’t hear them coming. Being visible is your best defence but it’s not a guarantee. Learn to identify collision courses far in .advance (in FCOA lesson 8) and practice swim sprints and exhale dives to increase your ability to get out of the way of a fast-approaching boat that just didn’t see you.  

     

    8. Note of Caution About Hyperventilation  

    Hyperventilation: In the freediving world this is when you do more than 2 breath ups. 

    When we hold our breath? The O2 level in our body goes down and CO2 level goes up. When CO2 is high enough it triggers your brain to breath, then the CO2 reduces again and O2 comes back up. 

    When you hyperventilate the O2 does not really go up much higher cause your blood is already saturated by default. But your CO2 drops lower and lower. Now if you hold your breath you can hold it longer. You might never feel the trigger to breath. You could deplete your O2 without warning. This is called the SHALLOW WATER BLACKOUT. Athletes have drowned in their bathtubs and swimming pools due to this so don’t take it lightly. If you want to experiment with hyperventilation, then your bed is the safest place to do so. When you bring it to the water make sure you have a competent safety budy to look after you.  

     

    9. Note of Caution About Packing 

    Packing is an advanced technique used to force extra air in the lungs. The benefits of it are debatable. Many freediving instructors advice against the practice because when done exesively it could cause a lung overexspention injury. For those that like to try out packing for the first time it’s advised to not pack more then 5 times.  If this feels comfortable during the whole dive, then one extra pack can be added per subsequent dive. (One pack is equal to one mouth volume that gets pressed down in the lungs) 

     

    10. Note of Caution About Scuba Diving 

    Scuba divers should not offer compressed air to freedivers. A freediver taking a breath of compressed air at 10 meters would risk his lungs to over expand to double the size and rupture on the way up. The moment a freediver breathes compressed air he is no longer a freediver, he should now follow scuba diving protocols including safety stops and slow ascent rates while breathing at a normal rate. 

     

    11. Note of Caution About Freediving After Scuba 

    To reduce decompression sickness risk, refrain from freediving, flying, or mountaineering post-scuba diving. Adhere to the recommended surface intervals by scuba diving organizations. For example, PADI recommends a 12 hour surface interval after a single scuba dive and an 18 hour surface interval after 2 scuba dives. 

     

    12. Note of Caution About the Risk of Decompression Sickness 

    For recreational freedivers the risk of decompression sickness (DCI) is neglectable. How ever for competitive freedivers there is a small risk, this risk can get reduced by applying appropriate surface intervals between deep dives. Yet the chance is always there. DCI can cause numerous symptoms depending on where the nitrogen bubbles get stuck in the body. What the symptoms have in common is that the patient has likely never felt them before. To treat DCI the patient should breath 100% Oxygen while his vitals are being monitored. The first aider could call DAN (Divers Alert Network) for treatment tips and to find out if a decompression chamber is currently available in the region. In Water Recompression (IWR) is something that could be part of a DCI treatment plan especially for remote locations. 

     

    13. Note of Caution About Physical Contact 

    When it comes to touching each other we all have different boundaries. Yet when you teach freediving or swimming there will be moments that physical contact could be practical and even necessary. Make sure your student is ok with it. If not sure just ask. For example: “Do you want me to support your back while you practice the survival float”?   

    14. Note of Caution About overtalkative people. 

    Engaging with talkative individuals can sometimes be a bit distracting, and in certain situations, it might even affect safety. They can interrupt the flow of the lesson. That's why, as a coach, it’s important to address this with clarity and authority. Key phrases to the group can be: 

    Let’s stay on topic and discus other topics at another time.  

    We only have 20 minutes left so please keep your questions to the minimum and follow my lead.  

    But if it is one particular person that still keeps talking and interrupting then you likely have to address them personally without others hearing your conversation.  Key Phrases can be: 

    Can you reduce your  questions by 75%? 

    May I challenge you to practice some vipassana and not talk this morning unless asked questions?  

     

    15. Note of Caution About the Difference in Buoyancy Between Fresh and Salt Water 

    It’s easier to float is the sea then in a pool. It’s possible that a person floats in sea water but sinks in fresh water.  

     

    16. Note of Caution About Skipping Logical Steps in Learning 

    Often students are excited to get out there and see the underwater world. Yet they still lack swimming skills. Take your time for it. If you can’t comfortably swim 200 meter yet then you belong in shallow water.  

     17. Note of Caution About Equipment Dependencies: 

     Check your self on the following dependencies: 

    Mask dependency: Feeling anxious without, not wanting to dive without Snorkel dependency: Finding it hard to swim longer distances without snorkel Fin dependency: Without them you feel handicapped, you seem not able to move Nose clip dependency: you fear or are not used to water going up your nose  Diveline dependency: without the line you find it hard to go down Dive watch dependency:  For knowing your depth, you're not yet used to counting arm spans or sensing and interpreting pressure on your years and the size of your lungs.  Dive buoy dependency: You’re not yet familiar to recover from your dive withouth holding on to something floating Dive buddy dependency: Your uncomfortable swimming and diving by yourself, often relying on others Calm water dependency: When there is a current or when there are waves you become uncomfortable Wetsuit dependency: Even in warm water you feel uncomfortable without your wetsuit. 

    Many former non-swimmers have learned to freedive without acquiring basic swimming abilities. However, they become helpless if they lose their fins or struggle to breathe without their snorkel. More advanced divers often heavily depend on the diveline, the buoy or their watch.

    How to overcome dependencies?  

    Become aware of your dependencies, which once are you ok with and with once you want to change? 

    Come up with ways to safely practice without the item you depend on even if it is just for 10 minutes per session.  Gradually increase the level of difficulty Repeat no equipment divers for recency

    
    

    The first thing to do is to call it out and be aware of your dependencies and ask your self if you want to do something about it. Your best defence is to regularly practice dives without equipment. With the right skills, you won’t depend on any specific gear. Practice frog kicking in all directions and try diving without a mask until it feels