Summer is right around the corner, which means many people will be heading to the ocean. Those who are feeling a little more adventurous might even try out freediving, but this sport was ranked by a magazine to be one of the most dangerous sports in the world.
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To pull off underwater sequences in the recent blockbuster Avatar: The Way of Water, Hollywood actors had to learn how to freedive. Taiwanese actress Kuo Shu-yao (郭書瑤) was also seen learning how to freedive for a recent film. But what exactly is free diving?
Freediving is a form of underwater diving that involves holding your breath instead of using any breathing apparatus, such as a scuba gear. Some consider this activity to be the perfect way to explore the ocean and leave minimal impact, but freediving carries a certain risk.
Free diving was once ranked by Outside magazine as one of the most dangerous extreme sports in the world. One local diver says that in many countries freediving classes include safety amenities such as hospital ships which accompany divers. These are critical in the event of an emergency, but Taiwan lacks these kinds of services.
A Taiwan Freediving Development Association spokesperson says freediving safely relies on the buddy system. A diver’s buddy always keeps an eye on their partner from the surface and the pair never dive at the same time. This is because if both divers can no longer hold their breath, one cannot rescue the other.
Freediving can allow people to explore the ocean in an exciting way, but safety should always come first. People can look to major agencies that teach freediving, such as AIDA, PADI, and SSI, to learn the proper techniques and ensure this summer starts off on the right fin.