Free diving is breath hold diving. You have a mask, wetsuit, fins and your lungs. That’s it. Take a deep breath, dive down, hold it, and whatever you do. Don’t. Let. Go. Sound easy? It’s not.

But it’s worth it. When you scuba dive, you’re a visitor to the underwater world. It’s loud and often scares away the marine life. With breath hold diving, you’re a part of it. You see the ocean on its own terms: silent, unencumbered and free. 

In this episode, we follow in the fin steps of adventure photographer Kellon Spencer as he learns to free dive. Kellon specializes in underwater photography. But he soon realized that to get the best images, to get as close as possible to the marine wildlife without scaring them away, he would have to ditch the scuba gear and learn breath hold diving for himself. There was just one problem. He was terrified. 

Kellon excels at adventure sports, and had worked as scuba guide for many years. But he’d heard the horror stories, and he knew about the dangers: underwater blackouts, loss of motor control, blood dumps. In one five year study, 75% of all free diving accidents were fatal. 

Follow his journey from his first free dive in The Blue Hole, New Mexico to the tropical waters of Grand Cayman and beyond. Dive with him as he overcomes his fear and learns to see the ocean through new eyes. Far from being an extreme activity, Kellon realizes that breath hold diving is actually more like underwater meditation than an adrenaline sport. He learns to master his anxiety, to control the panic, and comes out stronger, bolder and more connected to the ocean than he ever was before. And as for getting closer to that marine wildlife, let’s just say he succeeds in a BIG way – and he tells us about that too. 

HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:

·   Hear what breath hold diving feels like, unencumbered by scuba gear, silent and free

·   Want to learn to free dive? Listen to a first-hand account of beginner, and pro level, breath hold diving courses

·   Follow Kellon down to 100-feet deep, the equivalent of 10 atmospheres of pressur

·   Hear what it feels like when you hit the ‘free fall zone’, which Kellon describes as “sky-diving underwater”

·   Learn the techniques that teach you how to hold your breath for three minutes or more – often achievable in just a few days

·   Discover the superhuman feats of champion free divers, including deepest dive, longest breath hold and more

·   Learn the theory behind breath hold diving, including the mammalian dive reflex and how human beings are genetically programmed to free dive

·   Find out how to apply free diving breathing techniques in your everyday life to lessen the effects of anxiety and stress

·   Join Kellon as he experiences one of the most incredible marine wildlife encounters in the world: free diving with a 40-ft whale in Roatan

WHO’S THE GUEST?

Kellon Spencer is a professional adventure photographer and free diving instructor. He has embarked on over a decade of expeditions with the collaboration of various clients, including the National Forest Foundation, Royal Enfield Motorcycles, Ocean First, another. His passion is using the power of imagery to bring awareness to the importance of conservation and wildlife preservation. See Kellon's work at: www.kellonspencerphotography.com.

Instagram: @Kellon_Spencer

Facebook: @Kellonspencerphotography

BOOK THIS TRIP

Please visit the individual episode pages of the Armchair Explorer website to find out how you can do this journey, and others inspired by it: www.Armchair-Explorer.com

The Armchair Explorer: the world's greatest adventurers tell their best story from the road. Instagram @AaronMWriter / Facebook: @armchairexplorerpodcast

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