Diving, Free-diving, Breath-hold-diving in Austin Texas? (Spring: insurance, live in, shops)

[Slunkmonky]

I was wondering if anybody knows of any clubs, groups, circles of friends, or organizations of any sort in the Austin area which get together for freediving. I have recently got into this sport and the only place I go is Barton Springs since there are lifeguards and other people diving around me in case something should happen. The springs only go down 18 feet or so and you can see the whole bottom in about 4 minute-long dives. I'm ready for something else but not without a partner.

Now that I can stay under comfortably for over a minute and fifteen seconds I feel like I know I can go longer but not without other people with similar abilities to buddy up and assist one another in case something should go wrong.

If you are not part of any organized group but want to learn free diving, if I could find a partner or any degree of ability, I can work with them to improve and focus on their safety.

The benefits of breath hold diving, if you are wondering about trying it, are an increased feeling of familiarity with your own body, abilities, personality, fitness. It's as much inner exploration as seeing whats under water. It's highly relaxing and the sense of fulfillment lasts all day after just 2 or 3 good dives. It's inexpensive compared to many other sports. The lowerd blood pressure and heart rate is like getting a full body massage except for $3 of park entry fees instead of $1 per minute. Also, you find a lot of quarters down there, so you'll have that going for you. It's just fun to discover and own your inborn mammalian diving reflex,, you've got one, use it!

I know there are some local scuba diving groups and I'm going to do all that to, but that is not what I am interested in right now.

My stats are:
I can stay submerged safely for around 1:15 to 1:20 at 18 feet but choose to cut off at a minute usually for safety sake.
Above water breathhold record (dry) 2:45
I dont' know my 'static apnea' because floating facedown in water on purpose pisses off lifeguards, but I'd imagine I could top 3:00 if I did 2:45 out of water sitting up.
Distance swam underwater (no fins) about 30m at 18 feet
Distance swam underwater ( w/ fins) about 45m at 18 feet
I dive with a hood, shorty wetsuit, nose purge mask, dry snorkel w/ purge, gloves and boots/fins, sport watch w/chrono and just use rocks for buoyancy control.

Thanks in advance for any leads!

[hoffdano]

A former world record holder, Tanya Streeter, lives in Austin. I heard her speak many years ago. But I don't know if she is still active in the sport or how you might contact her. Facebook?

[Trainwreck20]

Most of the scuba clubs/shops do not 'officially' sanction true free diving, since I think it is an insurance issue. You might be able to find some info informally, though.

[CptnRn]

To each their own, but it sounds like a bad idea to me. The cumulative effects of depriving your brain of oxygen will probably come back to haunt you in later years, if it doesn't kill you on one of your dives. You should take up something safer, like sky diving.

[Slunkmonky]

Originally Posted by CptnRn

To each their own, but it sounds like a bad idea to me. The cumulative effects of depriving your brain of oxygen will probably come back to haunt you in later years, if it doesn't kill you on one of your dives. You should take up something safer, like sky diving.

Having a diving partner, one who, when you are doing a 1 minute dive, descends 30 seconds into it in order to assure your safe ascent, mitigates the risk of shallow water blackout in a way that a reserve chute bails out a skydiver... which is why I seek that. But thank you for your opinion.

[Smtexas]

Slunkmonkey: I live in san marcos and love to freedive. I usually like it for a purpose, such as treasure hunting or seeing something really cool, like on a reef, or spear fishing, which i have not done in a while . The last time I checked my stats were on the couch. 5 min breath hold. 9min with a breath full of 100% oxygen. That was 8 years ago. I can swim two lengths of a fool size pool (50 meters total) w/o fins. I hate cold water but the only way i would wear wetsuit gear at barton springs is if it were at night or in the winter. I've heard you see lots more underwater life at night.
I would really like to kayak out to the clear water in the gulf and check out an oil platform, but don't want to do it by myself. If this sounds good, my email is tom_r_p followed by lycos.com