A year ago, I was overly excited about my long travel to Surigao and Siargao and have always thought where my travel itch will next bring me. I thought, probably overseas? Close enough. Instead of going overseas, I have been under seas almost every weekend. No pun intended ;)
I travelled a lot before, and I couldn't imagine travelling more than I normally do. I used to think that I have travelled enough around the country and thought that I should venture out to further places, but now I realize I have been swimming in shallow waters and have to start all over again. A lot has changed since I started freediving and here are some changes you might experience.
Five major changes you might experience if you travel as a freediver.
1. Mandatory additional baggage
Fins, mask, snorkel, dive suit and several pounds of dive weights are just few of the mandatory additional baggage you will be carrying around. That's 3-5 kilos more than you usually bring on a fine summer getaway. The fins you will be carrying are not the cute short flippers you commonly see but instead are approximately 3-4 feet long. Imagine carrying a pair of those with your heavily packed bag. You also need to seriously reconsider the type of clothes you need to bring. Easy dry and lightweight clothes are the go to options because wet clothes will automatically triple the weight of your baggage.
2. White sandy beaches do not excite you anymore
Sure, there's nothing better than a picture perfect shot in the white beaches and clear waters of wherever. But as a freediving traveller, that means there's nothing but sand and pretty shaped shells and stones, occasional sea anemones and more, yes you guessed what, sand. When a friend asks you to go on a beach trip, your first question would be "Can I dive? Is there a dive spot?" and they probably wouldn't know so you befriend the boat guy and plead that you stop in a drop-off while your other friends march their way to the shore or snorkel with life vests on looking for Nemo.
3. Swim with the wild
Swimming with sea turtles, sharks and whalesharks, dolphins and many more sea creatures that are not caged and fed for amusement. At the end of the day, you feel proud and accomplished knowing not all are blessed to see them up close. It is not an everyday sight to see. Not a quick visit to the zoo either. The ocean is large enough for you to settle on just finding Nemo or Dory. Coral gardens are not just green colored rocks you see from afar when snorkeling. They are more colorful than a box of 8 crayolas. They say that the Earth is made up of 70% water. If you do not dive, have fun exploring just 30% of the world.
4. You can't be alone
Solo travel is one experience you have to try at least once in your life, but not when diving. You would have to seriously consider going with a fellow freediving traveller so you have a safety buddy or end up snorkeling if you're not lucky enough to find one who happens to be around the neighborhood. If you do travel with a non-freediving mate, you are conflicted with schedules and priorities. Before, snorkeling normally takes 30 minutes to an hour and you are up and ready to go to the next destination. But with diving, hours will pass like TV commercial breaks. The next time you surface, your buddy is all dried up and 7 day dreams away. So bring your favorite human, or anyone you can trust to look after you when you're fathoms deep.
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Sardine Run in Moalboal Cebu Philippines
Photo by badjaw_ |
5. It is not touristy, just fishy
A well traveled person is well aware of the tourist traffic and how it can potentially ruin your well-thought-out itinerary. If you are 10 meters deep though, you don't need to wait in line to take pictures of a sleeping sea turtle. You are photo-bombed by a school of sardines and surrounded by landmarks not many of your Facebook friends have checked-in to. You have surreal and literally breathtaking photos which are worth boasting. After all, you have travelled with your heavy baggage, made sure you are with your best humans for safety and gone through all that extra effort just so you can be lost in the deep blue even just for a moment.
(for more breathtaking underwater photos please visit Jao Kyooz IG profile)
And with this amount of awe, you become more aware and responsible that there is so much more to see and so much beauty that are worth taking care of. It is a growing issue, plastic pollution and global warming, but most people are turning a blind eye to this matter. Just because the effects are not right there and then visible, but as you explore these parts of the world, you will see how greatly it is affected and how bigger it would devastate if we do not do something.
If you have been nodding the whole time reading this post, then you must have agreed to these changes as a travelling freediver. If not, you are still probably exploring your experiences as a one. You may or may not experience these changes, people differ, but I am sure that you have your own experiences as well. Here are what other freediving travellers say:
"I love going to the the beach and different places. Travelling solo has always been a challenge for me... Talking to locals, manipulating my time to fit the schedules of my own itinerary and finding a way to pay less and enjoy more .. There's actually more to consider, and I thought it was the best experience but caring for the environment was the least of my action until I learned freediving. Now that I learn how to freedive, I become a part of the ocean. I begin to care more. Knowing the life underwater and how vulnerable they are, made me realize how humans, in one snap, can devastate precious lives underwater. I begin to involve myself to any movement against plastic and pollution and when I travel, I see to it I have all my stainless spoon, fork, straws, etc... I care more of the environment now. One more thing has changed though, I don't travel alone now... I travel with groups, dive buddies, certified freedivers. Safety is my main priority and freediving alone will only lead to something bad I couldn't imagine. Surprisingly, traveling with a group is more fun and with freediving, I gained a lot of friends, some turned out to be families..." - Sandy
"You can't stop talking about it - you just can't. You try not to, so you just shut up during non-freediving gatherings, but when somebody brings it up, asks you about that recent dive picture you posted online, there is no stopping you. Im sorry not really sorry - it was a religious experience, one only a poet could do justice to.. I usually ask my friends if the place we are planning to go to has a freediving spot because I would seriously reconsider if there is none. And no amount of sunblock is ever enough to block what needs to be blocked. Every time I consider taking a break from travelling to freedive, the travel itch starts and pulls me back to the ocean." -Van
"Summoned by the sea thus i decided to freedive, it is more than just an art, its an experience of a lifetime, no over sea experience could. I dont like walking, id rather do finning hahaha" - Aila
"Before freediving, I used to sign up to expensive tours & travel packages because why not, its how I pamper myself from the stresses of adulting. Packages are usually generic. From historic landmarks, exotic food trips and visits to white sandy beaches & pristine lakes/falls. My travel diary & photos are usually wrapped up to that. Then there's freediving, it gives me a 360 deg twist in my travel saga. Here I experienced, budget friendly travel, I call it "DIY iti" because there's no guarantee with the transpo, the accom & food, I mean no more travel agency!! The best thing about this experience, is that I learn how to be self reliant & of course the mishaps & the surprises during travels puts more excitement on the experience. From just a suitcase, handbag, dresses & DSLR, I shifted to a gym bag, swimwear & action cam. My closet has two compartments already, the one I used to wear when traveling & the swimwear, bikinis & rash guards I'm wearing in freediving. And most of all, I'm not chasing historic landmarks anymore but magnificent coral reefs, walls & caves. Its not just about exotic food in my plate but swimming with exotic/rare marine species, alive & needs our protection. I'd say freediving is one great experience that I will keep on doing as long as I can." - Daphne
So, where to next?
this is so spot on!
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