Freediving Moments

A tribute to Patrick Musimu

2011-12-10T20:58:00.001+01:00

“For me time had stopped, I was living on pure sensations and could feel the increasing pressure on every inches of my body. At 40 meters Adam Sadek gave me the signal. I relaxed and could hear my heartbeat slowing down. My lungs were squeezed by the pressure, and still, I had no need to breathe”

"Ifound peace down there and feel blessed for what I have been able to experiencedeep inside of me. I hope that one day someone will have the pleasure toexperience what I have lived down there."

"Whatsense is there in warranting these dives at the ends of the world in title?What is left to judge while, lost at these depths Man discoverssomething greater than himself?"

"Wewere told the earth was flat, it is not, we were told the earth was the centreof the Universe it is not, we were told the limits for the immersed human bodywas 50 m we’re now at 209.6 meters. So whatever the field: culture, science,sport… I encourage you to be the next to redefine the limits of human belief."

Patrick Musimu

Relaxing Moments

2011-09-05T18:00:00.031+01:00

If you wish to have an adventure by the sea in a remote and unique location, with warm clear blue water, you may consider applying for the Monk Seal Conservation Program in Desertas Islands (Madeira - Portugal).

It will be 15 days of amazing experiences where you co-work with local nature wardens to protect this natural reserve and hopefully you will have the opportunity to watch and dive with the wonderfull "Lobo Marinho", one of the most endangered marine mammals in the world.

(update 2011-11-09: two newborns)

more at PNM

Freediving in Porto Santo

2011-04-05T06:30:00.005+01:00

more at vimeo

A Moment Underwater

2011-02-28T19:26:00.005+01:00

We are all in the same world,
but not at the same frequency.

Be in tune with your Self.

There can be noise,
there can be music,
but for a moment

Beyond Body & Mind

2011-02-10T11:39:00.006+01:00

more at karunesh

Intuition

2011-01-22T22:18:00.012+01:00

more at osho

About Freediving

2011-01-11T23:23:00.008+01:00

Freediving is about diving into the unknown,
it's a way to connect with (in)existence.

Your body is relaxed
Your mind is silent
Your soul blessed

From the Deep

2010-12-30T23:00:00.001+01:00

Listen to your heart and follow intuition,
innovate and be a source of inspiration.

We are all special.

Live your life deeply
and injoy every moment you can.

Freediving Essential Principles

2010-11-18T17:24:00.006+01:00

New National Freediving Record (CNF-41m)

2010-09-17T12:16:00.004+01:00

In my last national championship in Portugal, I set a new national freediving record in Constant No Fins (CNF) with a dive of 41m depth.

With this new record, I am the first portuguese to dive below 40m in every competitive freediving disciplines.

Odisseia-Sub

2010-08-19T15:06:00.002+01:00

This summer I will trie to get some new portuguese freediving records, check it out at:

http://odisseia-sub.blogspot.com/

Results:

CNF: 37m
CWT:48m*
FIM: 52m**

* - Personal Record with fins (with monofin 50m)

** - National Record

ALISSE - Automatic Liftbag Safety System

2010-07-06T11:10:00.001+01:00

I woke up tonight at 4am in wonderland with "ALISSE" in my mind.

Well, ALISSE is what I call an Automatic Liftbag Safety System that could be used while training freediving.

ALISSE is made of a couple of liftbags and bottles of compressed air with a configurable timer countdown.

We could set ALISSE timer to automatically inflate the liftbags after a predefined amount of time. (like Freediver Recovery Vest developed by Terry Maas).

After setting the timer on surface, we drop ALISSE along the rope until it reaches the bottom plate/weight.

Then we do our dive with the usual bodyline attached to the rope and after the predefined time elapsed ALISSE will come up and could bring us to surface in a case of need.

At surface, we just need to empty the liftbags and reset the timer for a new dive.

You can follow the discussion at DeeperBlue.

Freediving Course in Porto Santo

2010-06-11T11:43:00.001+01:00

This is a video made during the freediving course I gave in Porto Santo - Madeira Island.

More info at: http://www.dbs-freediving.com

The Cove

2010-03-19T18:38:00.003+01:00

Email to Japan embassy in Portugal:

Exmo. Embaixador do Japão em Portugal, Sr. Akira MIWA,
Venho por este solicitar a V/ Exa. que se digne a tomar consciência do atentado ambiental que se está a cometer todos os anos em algumas vilas pesqueiras do Japão com o massacre de milhares de cetáceos, especialmente golfinhos, nomeadamente numa enseada encoberta num parque nacional de Taiji.
Tal comportamento não pode ser tolerado pelos governantes de um país dito desenvolvido, que esconde este facto aos seus próprios conterrâneos.
Apelo à V/ compreensão em fazer ver aos seus pares e família que esta atitude é barbara em relação a um dos animais mais inteligentes deste Planeta.
Está provado que os golfinhos tem uma inteligência semelhante à nossa, são capazes de se reconhecer a si próprios, ter noção das consequências dos seus comportamentos, a sua vida social é muito activa e desenvolveram uma linguagem complexa que permite comunicar em diversas frequências em simultâneo e por último possuem um sexto sentido, o sonar, que lhes permite indentificar por exemplo se uma mulher esta grávida.
O que se passa em Taiji tem de acabar para bem da imagem do Japão, que certamente não quer ser reconhecido como um povo miserável e sem piedade que mata por prazer estes mamíferos aquáticos selvagens, que deveriam viver em liberdade e que não deveriam ser feitos refens de qualquer industria pesqueira ou de entretenimento.
Com os melhores cumprimentos,
João Costa

More info at: http://www.savejapandolphins.org/

World Oceans Day - Celebrate by not eating fish

2009-06-08T10:36:00.005+01:00

Ocean Alliance: Past, Present and Future

Well, this is a provocative title, but I couldn't pass this day without saying something about how we can contribute to Preserve Our Oceans just by eating less fish, or better, by quit eating them for good, for two big reasons:

So meditate about it, what do you want your future to be?

Lying in bed with some neuro-disease and watching tv reports on giant jellyfish taking over the world?
or
Enjoying a dive on cristal blue ocean water?

Well, probably the future will be in between the two scenarios above, but we can take a step further if we want to live and dive on a better world.

Healthy Home: Mercury in Fish

A Guide for Seafood Eaters

* - U.S. Geological Survey and Harvard University
** - CSIRO Marine & Atmospheric Research

Freediving Moments all over the world

2009-01-22T15:00:00.001+01:00

This snapshot was taken from ClustrMaps and shows the visitors of this blog all over the world.

Most of the visitors come from Europe, but the country with most views is the United States.

Video from the 1st Apnea Indoor in Madeira Island

2008-12-11T18:00:00.006+01:00

(Filmed by: Cláudio Vieira)

I produced this video three years ago, while organizing the 1st Apnea Indoor in Madeira Island, with my girlfriend Susana Freitas and fellow Cláudio Vieira.

It starts with a relaxing moment of exhale breathing to the bottom of the pool, then shows the apnea disciplines of dynamic no fins, dynamic with fins (monofin) and finishes with a small static apnea with an "I am ok" sign.

Things to remember from the competition:

Don't try new breathing techniques before your performance, you might blackout.
Take all your time in preparing yourself, you only have one shoot, don't waste it.
Go for what you have trainned for, breath afterwards.
Have a nice time out during the competition, go for a walk in the country.
At the end, just relax and have a good night sleep with your sweetie.

Freediving on a Underwater Video Festival

2008-10-18T18:00:00.008+01:00

(Filmed by: Cláudio Vieira)

I produced this video last year, while tranning for the freediving event Conquista Azul 2007. It was totaly filmed in apnea by Cláudio Vieira.

This year, my mermaid, convinced me to present the movie in "VideoDigiSub - Portimão 2008", an underwater video festival dedicated to wrecks in Portugal.

Well, I didn't win any awards, but it was a great experience and I learn a lot more about filmaking while underwater.

Freediving Video: BLUE-Freediver 2008

2008-09-07T16:00:00.002+01:00

(Video: Duarte Alves)

This video was made from one of the freediving courses that i held in Madeira Island this summer. Special thanks to Duarte Alves for filming and editing.

The freediving spot is within Garajau Natural Marine Reserve, one of the best freediving spots in Madeira Island, with clear blue water visibility.

Comments from BLUE-Freedivers:

"I have much more knowledge of relaxation, prevention and safety, thoracic breathing and stretching. These are very important to improve my performances in diving."
"I just wanted to say I was very pleased with the progress, and that my expectations were exceeded. It's very nice to be in a place as Garajau Reserve and learn from someone with so much experience in freediving. "
"For me the best moment was when touched on the plate."
"The course has many important moments, like learning how to breathe, to relax, to stretch out the body, to properly duck dive, but for me the best moment was achieving the bottom in a relaxed and secure way."

New Freediving Courses in Garajau Reserve

2008-08-08T08:08:00.002+01:00

View from Lazareto Diving Center

In the next summer weekends, from August till September, I will give some new freediving courses within Garajau Natural Marine Reserve, one of the best freediving spots in Madeira Island, in partnership with Madeira Natural Park.

These courses are aimed at those who want to start or get a deeper knowledge and experiences of diving, from beginners to athletes, but also practitioners of snorkeling, spearfishing and scuba-divers.

I stress out that these courses are to encourage a conscious practice of freediving, boosting the taste for this activity, an underwater adventure that is both challenging, as relaxing for both body and mind.

Participants may choose to hold a course of one day or two under the following proposed objectives:

Day 1 (SEA-Freediver):

Learn the freediving origins and competition disciplines.
Learn the risks of freediving and the security rules to prevent them.
Practice the double security system.
Be able to dive up to 10m deep.

Day 2 (BLUE-Frediver):

Practice how to breathe properly.
Practice how to relax before and during the dive.
Practice the basic techniques of freediving.
Be able to dive up to 20m deep.

The training is intensive 8h per day, consisting of theoretical sessions, which include manual and video projection, and practice sessions at sea, including a boat ride in the reserve.

Freediving in Garajau Natural Reserve (30m visibility 8)

The number of participants in each course is small (max. 4), so that training can be as customized as possible.

The price of each day is 60€ already including insurance.

To check availability contact me by email: joao.costa (at) dbs-freediving.com

4th AIDA Individual World Championship of Freediving - Sharm el Sheikh 2007

2007-11-06T21:00:00.000+01:00

Freediving results:

Constant Weight no fins (CNF):

03/November in Sharm: 40m**
30/October in Sharm: 36m
25/October in Sharm: 30m
18/October in Dahab: 32m

Constant Weight (CWT):

01/November in Sharm: 50m*
28/October in Sharm: 46m
24/October in Sharm: 45m
20/October in Dahab: 40m
17/October in Dahab: 40m
15/October in Dahab: 36m
14/October in Dahab: 32m

** National Record
* Regional Record

Freediving Record - Constant Weight no fins (-40m)

2007-11-03T11:00:00.004+01:00

PhotoAfterDive:

DiveProfile:

Source: YouTube

Profile resume:

Depth: 40m (max. 40m on watch*)
Dive time: ? (at least 120s)
Descent rate: 40m/?60s = ?0,(6)m/s
Ascent rate: 40m/?60s = ?0,(6)m/s

*Swatch Fun Scuba - Farfallino Giallo (SUGB101)

Freediving Personal Best - Constant Weight (-50m)

2007-11-01T11:00:00.005+01:00

PhotoAfterDive:

DiveProfile:

Source: YouTube

Profile resume:

Depth: 50m (max. 40m on watch*)
Dive time: 1m37s
Descent rate: 50m/36s = 1,3(8)m/s
Ascent rate: 50m/61s = 0,82m/s

*Swatch Fun Scuba - Cardume (SUGK111)

Freediving in The Canyon - Dahab

2007-10-16T12:00:00.000+01:00

Photo: ralphyimages.com
(click in the picture for a freediving video in the canyon)

Just went to the dahab blue hole yesterday, so today i decided to go to the canyon with a couple of freedivers.

After a relaxing breakfast near the promenade we roamed to the canyon in a van that just passed in front of hotel, the DeepBlue Hotel of course (well, now it's called Octopus Resort Hotel - hug!!!)

So after 15 minutes ride, right at the end of the asfalt we got to the spot. The sea was quite rough with strong wind blowing, what is normal during the morning.

To get to the canyon, one should surround the recife by the right side, then when you look down and see a lot of bubbles coming out of some rocks, that's for shure the canyon. Just keep in mind if you freedive inside to see if it's clear from scubi before you get in.

We put a rope from the surface, just at the entrance of the canyon to serve as a guide or to use it in free immersion, so saving the legs during the exploration inside the canyon.

After they show me where was the entrance, I was next and did the first canyon ride quite slow, looking arround for the diverse corals and school fish and exiting at the first hole at 22m.

The best dive i made was going in the middle exit (-22m), follow a hundred school fish to the second exit (-25m) and spot a big grouper just hidding away behing the rocks of the third exit (+30m).

The third exit it's about 35m deep and is a bit tight, so they advised me not to get there because it was more difficult exit. Next time ;)

We still did more a couple of dives trough the canyon, it's just a great spot for adventure freediving in Dahab.

Last dive, i entered directly the third entrance i went to the bottom sand (-28m), look up and just see this amazing blue roof above me. Well, we just want to stay there forever, but it's time to come to surface.

Special links:

http://www.divesitedirectory.co.uk/dive_site_red_sea_dahab_reef_the_canyon.html

Conquista Azul 2007 (Media Reporting)

2007-09-17T10:01:00.000+01:00

TV:

Telejornal da Madeira (2007-09-04)
Notícias RTP Madeira (2007-09-05)

Press:

Diário de Notícias (2007-09-04)
A BOLA (2007-09-07)
Tribuna da Madeira - Revista "Sexta" (2007-09-14)

Websites:

DeepBlueSea-Freediving (2007-08-28)
Clube Naval do Funchal (2007-09-06)

Freediving Record - Free Immersion (-42m)

2007-09-15T10:54:00.000+01:00

Video:

Source: YouTube

DiveProfile:

Source: Conquista-Azul 2007

Freediving Record - Constant Weight (-40m)

2007-09-09T11:00:00.000+01:00

Video:

Source: YouTube

DiveProfile:

Source: Conquista-Azul 2007

Project - Conquista Azul 2007

2007-08-27T11:00:00.000+01:00

Freediving Resume:

24/August: 42m in Free Imersion*** & 40m in Constant Weight**
22/August: 34m in Free Imersion & Constant Weight
21/August: 23 in Constant Weight
15/August: 40m in Free Imersion*
14/August: video - Freediving on a Wreck - "Bom Rei"
13/August: 36m in Free Imersion* & Constant Weight
10/August: 36m in Constant Weight
08/August: 30m in Free Imersion* & Constant Weight
06/August: 24m in Free Imersion

*** National Record
** Regional Record
* Personal Record

This month I'll be occupied with a freediving record attempt project called "Conquista Azul" (Blue Quest), where i will try to beat the portuguese freediving record in the freediving discipline of Free Imersion (FIM).

To get the record i need to dive at least to 41m depth.

The previous record is held by Paulo Nóbrega from Azores with a depth of 40m obtained in June 2004, in Faial Island, Azores.

The record attempts are schedule between 15 and 24 of August in Madeira Island.

During this event, I will also make some marks in Constant Weight, in order to qualify for the Freediving World Championship, held in Sharm el Sheikh, in Egypt, between 23 of November and 3 of December 2007.

News will be updated on the website of the event:

http://conquista-azul.blogspot.com/ (only available in portuguese).

Diving Expedition to Garajau - Spot a Big Mero!

2007-07-07T15:00:00.000+01:00

( Foto: Cláudio Vieira)

This weekend I was invited for a diving expedition along with some scuba-divers, under the supervision of Cláudio Vieira, a PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor and also an experience freediver.

The day was very cloudy and the wind was blowing stronger from east, so we decided to make the two schedule dive sessions inside Garajau beach.

We gather at Funchal Marina arround 1 o'clock and board inside "Pitanga" yatch, which would take us to our diving spots.

Mr. Cunha, the captain, keept the trip in a good mood with a lot of laughs and plenty of stories to tell.

First Dive Session:

I let the scuba divers go down first, after two minutes or so, i made my first dive to 18m.

When i arrived down there, they were already surround by hundreds of fishes. One black moray (Muraena augusti) and one green dogfish (Pseudolepidaplois scrofa) completed the scenario.

From above, I could easily follow them by the bubbles they made and continued to make some freedives to see what they were doing.

In this series of dives, i saw some charuteiros (Seriola lalandi) near the surface, more deeper i saw a small eagle-ray (Myliobatis aquila) just passing by the scuba-divers at the bottom and a group of sargos-veado (Diplodus cervinus).

But the best was one of the last dives. Near the boat, Mr. Cunha told that some divers were somewere ahead of me and i thought they could only be there for something special. So it was, as i descend through the bubbles, i could´t belive, a big Mero (Epinephelus marginatus) was just bellow me, i just let myself go towards him, but as soon as he spot me he wisely got away.

Second Dive Session:

Well, in the second dive session i was a bit tired and i only dove arround 16m, so there isn´t much to tell.

About Madeira Island

2007-07-01T10:00:00.002+01:00

Source: Mapquest

Madeira Island is situated in the Atlantic Ocean, arround latitude 32º45' and longitude 16º55'. Has a surface area of 736Km2 (459 square miles), 56Km (35miles) long by 21Km (13miles) wide.

Madeira is the main island of Madeira Archipelago, along with Porto Santo and the uninhabited islands of Desertas and Selvagens, which together, since 1976, are one of the autonomous regions of Portugal.

This islands were discovered by the portuguese captains João Gonçalves Zarco and Tristão Vaz Teixeira in the 15th century, more precisely in the years of 1418 and 1419.

Madeira Island is well known for having good weather all year round, with it's privileged geographical position and mountainous relief make it a surprisingly mild climate, with very mild average temperatures (22ºC in the summer and 16ºC in the winter) and a moderate level of humidity, resulting in exceptional subtropical features.

The seawater temperature is also very mild due to the influence of the warm Gulf current, resulting in averages of 22ºC in the summer and 18º in the winter.

More info:

Freediving Record - Constant Weight no fins (-30m)

2007-06-25T15:40:00.000+01:00

I published this video in YouTube to celebrate a freediving national record I established two years ago on the 25th of June 2005 in Faial Island - Azores, during an event called "Rumo ao Abismo".

Below is a memory of that special day:

"We woke up early in the morning, around 7 o’clock, I ate some cereals for breakfast and around eight we were already at Horta harbour preparing the last details for this day of records.

Around 10h30, we moved out by boat passing Monte da Guia and heading towards one of the trainings places in front Feteira harbour. After settled the safety-system, I started to prepare my self to make the first freediving national record in the discipline of constant weight no fins (CNF) with a mark of 30m depth.

I did a preparation dive in free immersion to see if the new equalization technique was functioning correctly. Ok, I was ready and the judges gave me the 4 min. countdown…

I just let my self relax, floating in the sea while observing the clouds in the sky, breathing calmly and after some moments I heard the judge: “… 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, zero!”, I prepare my last breathings and here I go… "it’s time to go down now"

The first strokes were the most demanding, I had to win the force of impulsion, keep align with the official cable and equalize my eardrums, but after the 20m mark, I closed my eyes, relaxed and let myself sunk, focusing my attention solely in equalization…

Around 25m I looked for the first time to the bottom and I saw the plate, “It’s already there”, I thought, I made my last equalization and let my self go until I grabbed the cable at one metter and a half of the announce depth, let a smile come out to my face and didn’t resist to take the 30m tag, it’s not mandatory, but it feels well to bring something from the bottom besides a memory.

In the way up, I tried to spent the less energy possible and in the final meters I just let my self ascend to the surface…

At the exit I grabbed the official cable, recovered my breath with deep inspirations and proceeded with the surface protocol assuring that everything was OK, after some seconds the judge validates the dive and I celebrate with everyone who made this record possible."

Faial, 25th of June 2005

João Costa

Freediving in Reis Magos - beautiful white rocky platforms and black sand, but no fish

2007-06-17T17:00:00.000+01:00

There was some wind and waves coming in Garajau beach, so i decided to freedive at Reis Magos beach, just 5km east, which is better protected from the south west wind and waves.

After some land stactic apneas of over 3 min. i went freediving arround 5 o'clock. The sea was almost flat and the sun smilling between the clouds.

I started my dives from the east side of the beach, then turning arround the articifial rock pool, going to the west side of the beach and then coming back to land through the center.

The water was clear and i could easily sea the bottom black sand at 14m.

There are spectacular cliff rocks straight to the bottom, just waiting for us to freedive down there and at the bottom there are extended white rocky plataforms that gives this place a special underwater landscape. However, i couldn't found almost any underwater fauna, just some "bodiões" - parrotfishes (Sparisoma cretense) near the shore and some "castanhetas amarelas" - damsel fishes (Chromis limbata) in deeper dives, it was like a desert!

Even without fish, this place is great for a relaxing freediving day, just dive down, lay back and enjoy the blue silence.

Our First Dive in Nemo33 - just calling for us to freedive down there

2007-06-09T16:00:00.000+01:00

This was our first dive in Nemo33 pool, the deepest pool in the world with a depth of 33m.

We went on Saturday at lunch time and reserve a scuba-diving session for 4 o'clock.

In the first 10 minutes we could freedive freely in the 5m and 10m part of the pool, but the 33m pit was only available for scuba-divers.

So we didn't waste any time and went right away to the pits for freediving. First, to the 5m platafform to look down to the 33m pit. Well, the vision was magnificent and clear, it was just calling for us to freedive down there, but we didn't want to mess arround and be kicked out of the pool for that, so we went to the 10m part for some more freedives.

In the 10m pit at the bottom, there is an access to the 33m pit through a passage of 10m wide and also two air-caves, but it is also forbidden to freedive in there. I was really tempted to do it, to dive in the 10m pit, cross the 10m passage and come out in the 33m pit, but i decided to postponed that to another day (i hope 8).

If we could, we would freedive there for the whole hour, but it was time for the scuba-diving session and to put the bottle in the back.

During de scuba-diving session, we went down to the 5m and 10m pits, we also entered the two air-caves and take a looked down to the 33m pit from the 10m passage, but it's just not the same felling and freedom if we had done it while freediving.

Overall, it was a really nice experience, just remaining the desire to freedive down to the 33m pit.

Hopefully in the future that will be possible.

About Nemo33 - The deepest pool in the world

2007-06-09T12:00:00.000+01:00

Nemo33 is the current deepest pool in the world since it was open on the 1st of june 2004 and is situated in Belgium, Brussels.

The pool is divided is two pits, one of 10m and another of 33m depth. Between the pits there's a platafform at 5m and a underwater passage at 10m connecting the two pits. In this underwater passage there's is also two decorated air-caves.

The water is very clear and warm (arround 32ºC) with a good visibility to the bottom and without chlorine smell.

It's possible to take scuba-diving courses in this pool, but freediving is limit to the 10m pit.

Special links:

http://www..nemo33.com/
http://www.futurapnea.com/ (video at nemo33 in the news link)
http://www.shark-bait.com/media-video-nemo33.html (another video from nemo33)
http://forums.deeperblue.net/search.php (and search for nemo33 for further news)

First Day of Summer in Garajau, but what a boga!

2007-06-03T11:30:00.000+01:00

There's nothing interesting about this day, only "bogas" (Boops boops)!!! The scienfitic name for this fishes couldn't be more appropriate.

Freediving resume:

50m dynamics to the yellow buoy from the stairs
-12m to warm-up at the yellow buoy
-15m to sea some Zebra seabream (Diplodus cervinus)
-18m to the top of bottom rock
-21m to the bottom (didn't touch it)
50m dynamics back to land stairs

Freediving with a thousand fishes in Lido Islet

2007-05-30T19:00:00.000+01:00

The photo above was taken at lunch time, it was a perfect set with Nau Santa Maria* just passing by Lido islet.

But i only went freediving after work arround 7 p.m. The weather was great and there were more people in the Gorgulho beach than the last time i' been there.

I enter the sea through the "calhau"** of course and head up to Lido islet.

In the way i saw various fishes, from brown-frogfishes (Sphoeroides marmoratus), to parrotfishes (Sparisoma cretense), Atlantic-lizardfishes (Synodus saurus), greenfishes (Thalassoma pavo), Madeira-rockfishes (Scorpaena maderensis), starfishes
(Marthasterias glacialis) and of course "castanhetas-pretas" (Abudefduf luridus).

I can't forget i had the pleasant company of two small "guelly jacks" (Pseudocaranx dentex) until i get the sand zone, where i did my first dive arround 9m to the bottom.

After that the bottom was a desert, so i decided to swim backwards to the islet. As i got closer i turned arround and looked down, i could already see the rock formation coming from the sand.

I was a bit disappointed when i arrived at Lido islet, cause there wasn't so many fishes as i would expected. So i decided to make a counterclock wise tour arround the islet.

Before the first dive i already spotted, from surface, a trumpetfish (Fistularia petimba) hidding away below a platform rock. So i went down and made a visit to him, but this guys are very shy and as soon as he saw me, he get away. I didn't follow him.

I did some more dives until i made half the way and saw a lot of "white sea breams" (Diplodus sargus) rushing behind the bottom rocks going i don't know where.

Now i was going to enter the darkzone, since the sun was covered by Lido Islet rock, and I didn't expected, but this were amazing dives with a shoal of more than a thousand sardines (Sardina pilchardus).

Back to the starting point in the islet, i saw what i was expecting to see from the beginning, the shoal of hundreds of "dobradas" (Oblada melanura) like the last time i've been there.

Coming back to land i still had the opportunity to play with a "choco" (Sepia officinalis).

* Nau Santa Maria - a funcional replica of the ship that Colombo used to discover the american continent in 1492.
** calhau - small round stones in a beach

Freediving with scuba-divers & flying with rays

2007-05-27T11:00:00.000+01:00

After a rainy saturday, came a sunday full of light.

I arrived early in the morning, arround 10:30. The sun was cutting in and the ocean was a bliss to see.

Surprisingly, garajau beach was still quiet, only with a few people, probably because half the beach was still in shadow.

As i was preparing to enter the water, a boat full of scuba-divers arrived near the yellow buoy. I found this an excellent opportunity to try to dive with them and see if i could get closer to the Mero (Epinephelus marginatus).

Without second thoughts i went straight to the yellow buoy, warming-up calmly in backstroke. Unfortunately, as i arrived there i looked down, there wasn't any signs of bubbles, so i couldn't know where the scuba-divers were. But no problem, sooner or later they will appear in the bottom since the boat was moored to the buoy.

So i decided to make some progressive dives to the bottom. First dive at 9m, second dive at 15m and a third dive at 18m on the top of bottom rock.

I was now ready to go to the bottom sand. The water was relatively clear and from above i could see perfectly the top of the bottom rock, so i relaxed for a while before diving.

After some breathing preparation i dive down, trying to be align with the iron chain for orientation. As i was getting closer to the bottom rock i slided a bit away towards the sand and let myself go to the depths. Arriving at the bottom i felt relaxed, so i sat down on the sand and closed my eyes for just a moment... As i opened my eyes, scuba-divers were passing by some 15m away and i started to ascend. (max. depth: 23m; total dive time: 1m35s)

Well, after this dive i was done, but i couldn't loose the opportunity to follow the scuba-divers from above and hoped they could spot something. That was what just happen.

As they were turning back at the bottom, some guy pointed is finger to west, trying to show the others that something was there. I couldn't saw it from above, so i prepared myself for a big dive. I descend some metters and look down, but still i couldn't see anything, even thus the guy was still pointing somewhere out there. So i went down a little bit more and looked to the bottom and spot 2 rays flying in the bottom, one of them was bigger than the other so i decided to follow her. I was already in "rocket diving mode" when i passed the scuba-divers and kept my "flight" along with the rays. This experience is one that makes the difference between freediving and scuba-diving, you can really follow them underwater, but of course not for long, i went up.

After this i rested at the yellow buoy and waited for the scuba-divers to come to surface.

As i was starting to heading back to land through a series of small dives, i spot a group of fishes that catch my attention, they were about fifteen sargos-veado (Diplodus cervinus), it seems like i was inside a big aquarium for a moment or two.

Freediving under rain in Garajau - finally the Mero

2007-05-20T18:00:00.000+01:00

Today i went to garajau already late in the afternoon. The sun was covered by gray clouds, but i was decided to freedive, since the ocean was calm.

As i was preparing for my freediving session, some thin light rain came along, so i decided to left my stuff undercover and enter through the "calhau"*.

I entered the water and relaxed for a while moving slowly foward to the yellow buoy.

Then i swam a bit of croll and found out at the end that i was surrounded by charuteiros (Seriola lalandi). So my first freedive was with them, underwater arround these thirty fellows.

As i got to surface i realise the current today was stronger than usually to the east and i was nearly 20m left behind the yellow buoy. So i prepare myself for a second dive to approach to the buoy underwater. In the company of my friends i dove to 14m and felt the current pushing me east, but i kept going south west and for my surprise a ray just crossed in front of me at 10m distance, i didn't follow her, cause i wanted to go ahead. Unexpectedly, as i was starting to ascend, i saw a Mero (Epinephelus marginatus) at the bottom at my left side. I was feeling well, so i decided to go down again and followed him for some moments, but as soon as i got to close he simply put the turbo on and bye bye Mero... yet it was awesome 8) with charuteiros, ray and Mero in one single dive.

At the surface i was already in line with the yellow buoy, but still 20m left, so i croll towards there and rest for some 5 to 6 minutes. Looking down, it was completely bluedark with the iron chain, which holds the buoy, disappearing in the depths. It started to rain again, it was already 6 o´clock and there wasn't no one in the beach. But i wasn't feeling alone...

I prepared myself for a long deep dive, already expecting a drift to the east side of the beach caused by the current. I hoped to see the Mero one more time, but i didn't found him, in what i called my first underwater flying experience in Garajau Natural Reserve: i dive in diagonal to the nearly bottom rocks at 17m and just let myself go with the current passing through some rocks and fishes.

I was done for this day.

* calhau - small round stones in a beach

Freediving in Lido islet - amazed with so many fish

2007-05-16T19:00:00.000+01:00

It was already 7 p.m. when i arrived at Lido, after a day of work and with the sun shining in, i didn't hesitated to put my head underwater.

I decided to enter the sea through Gorgulho beach, because Lido Beach was already closed and better, its free.

The tide was low and the sea was quite quiet.

I swim directly to Lido Beach for my first long freedive. I wanted to see how far i could go from there to Lido islet, it seem like 130m. After some breathing preparation i dive in from a rock, but without a guide line to show me the way to the islet i was on my own through a black bottom sand. As i discover when i came up, 42 dolphin fins after, the current had me push east and i didn't reached even half the way.

Well to get to Lido islet and to recover from the previous dive i swim backwards for a couple of minutes.

When i get there and look down, i could see some activitie underwater so i decided to make some freedives here before i get back.

The first dive i encounter a bunch of "charuteiros" (Seriola lalandi). I really like these guys, they are very curious and approched me without fear, making a half circle arround me.

The second and third dive i was really amazed with the hundreds of "dobradas" (Oblada melanura) below me, i dive for about 9m and the seascape was set, the sunset sparkling mixed underwater and the fishes swiming arround, i was reseted 8).

After that i decided to go back and make another try, this time the way arround to see how far i could go from there (Lido islet) to the Lido beach. This time things went better, after 32 dolphin fins and 50 seconds i break surface and found out i was in the middle of the total distance. I supposed if i make 64 dolphin fins in one minute fourty i could cover all the distance, but before that i need some more traning.

About Lido Islet and Funchal Marine Eco-Park

2007-05-16T09:00:00.000+01:00

Lido islet is a rock formation coming out from a depth of 15m in the center of a marine eco-park called "Eco-Parque Marinho do Funchal", which pretends to be a sea protected area at south of Funchal city.

Lido islet is arround 130m to 200m from shore and accessible through swimming from Lido beach or Gorgulho beach, respectively.

Arround the islet and underwater you can find a lot of fish, like 1 or 2 trumpetfish (Fistularia petimba), a group of "charuteiros" (Seriola lalandi), hundreds of "dobradas" (Oblada melanura) or thousands of sardines (Sardina pilchardus). With luck you can find a eagle-ray (Myliobatis aquila) passing by.

The bottom arround Lido islet is made of black sand and usually visible from surface.

Special links:

http://www.frentemarfunchal.com/

Freediving with a small ray in Garajau - so close

2007-05-15T13:10:00.000+01:00

This sunday i arrived a little bit late at Garajau beach it was almost 12 o'clock.

The sun was shining and the ocean was quiet.

Before diving i meet some members of Madeira Natural Park called "vigilantes", with whom i spoke about. They will have an office there to promote and help to preserve the marine wild life found in the Garajau Marine Reserve. I share with them that i am thinking developing a program for people discover freediving.

This time the tide was high and i could easily enter the sea through the stairs and put my wetsuit in the water.

It was a good idea to bring my personal yellow buoy to sign where i am diving, cause some times there could be silent cayakes over there without notice.

Today i felt more tired then the previous weekend, probably because i start running during the week and i wasn't so relaxed.

The dives started well, i made some dives along the shore and spot a small ray moving at the bottom and follow her a bit. Then, when she turn back it was the perfect time to descend, at about 14meters, i freedive very close to her, for some moments i could see perfectly her eyes glancing to me 8).

After that I went to the yellow buoy. The first dive was the deepest to 22m, equalization was ok, but i felt a little bit tired, i stood up on the bottom sand and was amazed with all the fish coming by, but no Mero (Epinephelus marginatus)!

In another dive i though i saw a Mero, but it really was only the small ray looking arround.

I did some more dives, but i really was not getting out any joy of it and even started to cough as i was heading back to land.

Already in land, I cough some more and felt a scratch in my throat. I think this situation was due a bit of stress i was felling during the dives. But my throat will recover well.

What i also notice was that there no current at all, but probably only slightly towards west.

Freediving in Garajau Natural Reserve - just silence

2007-05-06T17:30:00.000+01:00

This time i went alone to Garajau beach, since my seabubble honey will be away for a while (but deep in my heart).

I arrive early in the morning, about 10 o'clock, the right time to catch the first air-tram.

With a clear blue sky and a flat ocean, i was inspired for a relaxing dive.

But first and because the tide was very low, i decided to go for a walk arround Garajau Cliff. This path near sea level, has beautiful scenery, but is also very slippery in some parts.

After the walk i put my wetsuit and went freediving, this time i chosed to enter the sea through some stairs in the left side of the beach, avoiding the "calhau"*.

Since the tide was still low I jumped into the water, after the first splash came a definitive silence, absolut and the rest of the dives were fantastic 8).

I was very relaxed and it seems as if i was not wasting any energy, just finning calmly to the bottom and back.

Through a series of dives I went straight to the yellow buoy, a well known visual entry point for scubadivers and hoped to see the big Mero (Epinephelus marginatus), but not this time, just a lot of fish, but no Mero. Even though, i was performing some good apneas.

In one of the dives i went to a bottom rock arround 18 meters, it seems it was forever, the sun shining in, the fishes were going by, no need to breath, just staying there... then floating back to surface, it has only pasted one and a half minute underwater.

Going back to the starting point was easy, because there was a little current to the east. At the end of the dive, i watch some interesting drops of water in the ocean floor, but a closer look reveal to me that it was simply some brilliant really thiny fishes.

* calhau - small round stones in a beach

Our First Dive in Garajau Beach - spot 2 rays and a mermaid

2007-05-01T12:00:00.000+01:00

This was our first dive in Garajau beach since it was reopen to public on April 22, 2007.

We went there in the morning, it was a bit cloudy, but the water was calm with only a small current to the east.

At 12 o'clock we went freediving, just with our fins and mask, it was a little bit cold at the begining, but then we got use to it for the next 30 minutes.

For our dislike the water was very turbid near the shore, as if some kind of fog was floating beneath the water.

So we went away from the cost where the water was clearer and make some freediving to arround 12 metters near the bottom big rocks.

We saw some small groupers (Serranus atrícauda), one "dogfish" (Pseudolepidaplois scrofa) and other fishes, but the best was to see a brown eagle-ray (Myliobatis aquila) resting in the sand, calmly breathing, with her airways opening and closing.

I saw another small ray moving at the botton, but she was moving to fast to even think to get near her.

About Garajau Beach and Garajau Marine Reserve

2007-05-01T09:00:00.000+01:00

The Garajau beach was remodelated and open to public on the 22 of April 2007.

This beach is situated in the center of a marine reserve called "Reserva Natural Parcial do Garajau" that was created in 1986 at Madeira Island. This was the first exclusive marine reserve in Portugal.

It is well known by scuba-divers as the perfect place in Madeira Island to play with "Meros" - Dusky Groupers (Epinephelus marginatus) and sometimes to be in the presence of gracefull "Jamantas" - Manta-Rays (Manta birostris) or with some luck have an encounter with a rare mammal the "Lobo Marinho" - Mediterranean Monk Seal (Monachus monachus).

The water is clear and the visibility is arround 20m all year round, in good days it can reach 35m. The bottom of the sea is rocky until a depth of about 22m, after that is black sand and worn outshells.

It is forbidden to spearfishing and scubadivers have to pay a tax to dive here, so it is a excellent spot for freediving 8).

Special links:

Freediver Profile

2007-04-05T06:30:00.035+01:00

Name: João Costa
Birth date: 5/4/1976
Height: 1,86 m
Weight: 75 Kg
Pulse Rate: 48 bpm
Blood Type: A RH+

Lung Function Tests:

VC IN: 7,09 L (vital capacity)
RV: 3,12 L (residual volume)
ITGV: 5,89 L (intrathoracic gas volume)
TLC: 10,41 L (total lung capacity)

Freediving Performances (Best/Official):

STA: 6m12s / 4m11s (2005/12/10 - Funchal)
DNF: 109m / 80m* (2005/03/13 - Cantanhede)
DYN: 110m / 106m (2005/12/10 - Funchal)
CNF: -41m / -41m* (2010/09/12 - Sesimbra)
CWT: -50m / -50m (2007/11/01 - Sharm el Sheikh)
FIM: -52m / -52m* (2010/08/08 - Sesimbra)

* National Record

Event Log:

2011:

2011/10/03-11/27 (Lisboa): Apneia360: Scientific Study about Apnea
2011/09/02-17 (Desertas): Monk Seal Conservation Program
2011/06/12-26 (Berlengas): Freediving Stage

2010:

2010/12/05 (S. João da Madeira): Indoor AIDA PT
2010/09/19-10/04 (Madeira): Freediving Stage
2010/09/12 (Sesimbra): Outdoor AIDA PT
2010/08/01-15 (Sesimbra): Odisseia-Sub 2010
2010/06/27 (Vila Nova de Gaia): Indoor AIDA PT
2010/06/07-20 (Porto Santo): Freediving Stage
2010/02/05 (Lisboa): Expo-Sub 2010 Conference

2008:

2008/10/18 (Portimão): VideoDigiSub 2008

2007:

2007/11/01-03 (Sharm el Sheikh): 4th AIDA World Championship
2007/10/19-21 (Dahab): Triple Depth 2007
2007/08/24 (Funchal): Conquista Azul 2007

2005:

2005/12/10-11 (Funchal): 1º Indoor de Apneia da Madeira
2005/12/08 (Funchal): AIDA Judge “E”
2005/06/15-30 (Horta): Rumo ao Abismo 2005
2005/06/18-21 (Horta): AIDA Freediver ***
2005/03/13 (Cantanhede): III Indoor AIDA PT

2004:

2004/12/05 (Amadora): II Indoor AIDA PT
2004/04/22-25 (Funchal): AIDA Freediver **