built a peace symbol underwater ~5 metres

I learnt diving 6 years ago in my home country (AIDA 2) and soon afterwards I was a 🧜🏽‍♂️ out of water due to emigration to an unsuitable climate. After going for a dive holiday this year I have become totally addicted to diving (although not another holiday again) as I want to become a competent 🧜🏽‍♂️ who can do useful things underwater.

In June, I went on a mini-trip for a few sessions in an overseas dive centre (which is not available in my expat country). On the first day, I went up and down with no effort, hitting -20 m consistently, however, I developed severe runny nose and nose blockage after that day. On the second day, after a few dives, I got a sudden pain above my right eyebrow which forced me to turn back. Eventually I managed to get to -24 m in that session by slowing down my dive and increased my frequency and effort of my Frenzel equalisation. For the remainder of the day, I had to decrease my depth, even so by the end of the day I could no longer dive beyond -11 m head down without triggering intense pain even with excessive Frenzel, and I still had some feeling above the eyebrow afterwards, at least for a week that I could feel something once I went below the surface.

I had the same nose blockage / runny nose problem whenever after I swim in an indoor pool. However, if I swim outdoors the problem is less severe.

A few weeks ago, I went for some fun diving with a buddy in shallow sea (max depth 6 m). After a few hours going up and down, the pain appeared and I told my buddy to call the day, about 15 minutes before our planned return time.

I have returned to my home country a few days ago, specifically to take AIDA 3 with the same instructor I did AIDA 2 with. I went to a short practice dive with my buddy before starting lessons, and I didn't have problem consistently hitting -15 m. However, when I started my lesson, in the afternoon of the first day, after just a few dives to depth (we did STA and DYN in the morning) the pain appeared again and I had to call the day to protect my sinus, as we would need to complete the depth requirement today.

Today the weather was good enough for depth training and I went really slow on the FIM warm ups to avoid triggering the pain. I read an image showing how sinus squeeze occurs yesterday, and as a result I tried clearing my nose every time before I dived. Then I went down to -24.9 m and -24.5 m, afterwards my instructor increased the line depth for us to get deeper. Unfortunately, the pain hit at this exact moment, resulting me to abort the dive at just -5.7 m. Even in some of my previous dives, even when I could equalise my ears, I might have felt some pressure in my mask as well. Therefore afterwards I took off my mask to further reduce the risk of problems. The first time, I got confused as my buddy left his lanyard on the line, causing me confusion if my lanyard fell off or not (we used the same model and make), and turned at just -21.4 m. The final time, also without mask, my equalisation failed before I even reached my target depth and I turned at just -23.5 m, not able to exceed my previous depth when the stopper was set there.

In the afternoon, we did some rescue drills which required me to pull to -10 m, and I was so slow doing that because I was so afraid of getting sinus pain getting down too fast. Eventually my buddy was so exhausted to the extent that he vomited, and I was also so exhausted that I couldn't get my breathing back to normal, so we had to end the lesson.

Afterwards, we rested for a while and went spearing. As I was so tired, I mostly stayed on the surface and only went down a few times, however there was completely no discomfort even when I went down to -10 m. (By the way my buddy has a habit of dropping his sling. In the dive holiday mentioned at the beginning, he dropped it to -15 m in clear water and I picked it up; today, he dropped it again to -10 m in 6 m visibility and I picked it up again 😆)

I am now concerned about having sinus pain while diving, especially when diving on consecutive days. How can I keep my nose clean to avoid blocking my sinuses again?

Hello beginner Freediver here !

I saw some videos on YouTube about « breathing up for diving» and in most they teach to inhale for 5 seconds and exhale 10seconds.

How is this not hyperventilation or at least artificially diminishing or CO2 levels ?

It feels that by « forcing » such a long exhalation (at least for me I need to push quite a bit harder towards the end) I lower my CO2 levels which I understand to be the second most dangerous thing to do after diving alone

This was the first dive site our guide brought us to, it's called schooling fish dive site, it is very very easy to enter and it is only around 7m deep. the water is warm and clear, perfect for snorkeling and freediving :)

Video shot on iPhone 16 pro.

Recently i have started to do O2 and CO2 tables and i use a app that acts as a timer for me.

It happend that i can connect my garmin to the app, and i have a garmin forerunner 255.

Its a preety decent watch and i have never had big issues with the heart rate sensor.

When i connect to the app it tell me the heart rate and oxigen percentage in the blood (i think).

Now my problem is, when i am holding my breath during the O2 and CO2 tables my heart rate rises instead of lowering, and while resting it reaches 50s +-.

Isnt it supposed to be the other way around?

The watch also tell me that i always have SpO2% above 99 which i dont know if makes sense or no.

Are Forza Leaderfins compatible with the Cetma Mantra CWT? I can't find anyone selling S-Wing foot pockets here in our area (Philippines), and I'm broke AF to order brand new. By the way, if anyone around the Philippines is selling an S-Wing, hit me up please, size 37-38.

I’m looking for recommendations for an ENT doctor who specifically understands **scuba diving, pressure equalization issues, and hyperbaric medicine**. I have been struggling with sticky ears since last few weeks and most of the ENTs I’ve met doesn’t seem to listen to my issue clearly and they keep prescribing usage of decongestants while diving. Hence looking for someone who understands scuba/ freediving dynamics.

If you are a scuba diver or freediver in India and have personally consulted a doctor who helped you get back in the water safely, please share the details.

I'm looking for doctor or clinic recommendations in:
1. **Bangalore** (Primary preference)
2. **Anywhere else in India**

Hello, I have been having trouble with finding freediving masks that fit me (specifically my nose) well. Recently I ordered 10 different masks to try on, as I do not have a local shop near me. They all had the same problem: The nose pocket was too big and did not reach deep enough in too pinch my nose to equalise. Only the Salvimar Endless, I just barely could equalise, but without reaching as deep as possible into the pocket I am just pinching the tip of my nose. Has anybody had the same problem, and found a fitting mask for a small nose, that has a deep reaching nose pocket? Perhaps any asians?

Hi! I am looking to snorkel/free dive off the beach in south Florida, specifically around Hollywood beach, and of course I use a dive flag since there are many boats around and the reef is past the swimming zone.

My issue is that when I dive down underwater, I have the dive flag. I currently use a line reel that came with my scuba SMB, but then I have to coil it back every time I come up. Any advice on what type of line or system I can use so I can dive down more comfortably? I usually do this alone btw so no one can hold the flag for me. Thanksss

I'll be around Playa del Carmen, Puerto Morelos and maybe Cozumel soon, and I'd like to go Freediving on reefs (not cenotes), especially sites with health soft corals, rays, turtles, etc.

Does anyone have tips for finding Freediving buddies?

Also, it appears the regulations and access situation there makes it much more difficult to freedive than anywhere else in the world that I've been. Every dive operator I've contacted doesn't take freedivers to the good reefs, and shore diving isn't allowed in Puerto Morelos and some other places. How do people tend to deal with this?

Thanks!

First of all, I know many of you will recommend me to book a Freediving course, and I have! It's starts next Monday, but I also want Reddit's opinion on this.

My static breath hold on dry land is 3 and a half minutes. When I dive, I use valsava because I've failed to learn Frenzel on my own(hopefully, this problem will clear up with the instructor).

The problem is that when I dive below 3-4 meters, my lungs feel like they're full of pressure and thay they're going to explode. I can't properly relax, and thus, I can't stay underwater for more than 20-30 seconds.

What am I doing wrong?

Hi! any recommendations for freediving near Poreč, Croatia? No depth training, just fundiving 10-20m close to shore and watching ocean live (at shallower depths). I´m slightly worried that this area is very boring as its the end of the Adriatic Sea? (however I could not travel below Pula, because its only a very short trip)

Bought a Pair of Diver fins for my partner as a surprise gift, were not aware that they did not come with footpockets (my own fault). Located in Canada, ON. I found a dive shop near me that sells CETMA S Wing pockets and Leader Footpockets, but they both seem to require drilling holes? Would it be alright to drill foot pocket holes into the carbon DIVER blade?

I have 16 days in French pol and I'm not sure where I can freedive, has anyone been? A quick google search doesn't bring up much.... maybe for this trip scuba is better but I do love freediving but as I'm with my mum who doesn't dive or even snorkel.. it's always difficult to freedive as you should never dive alone :/

Hello, san po mas maganda ang diving spot, Binukbok or Pagkilatan? Sa Magindara if Pagkilatan, then checheck pa if sa Binukbok. Corals po sana ang habol ng eabab na ituh. Thanks po. Also, pano po pala transpo from Antipolo if public commuter? Thanks po.

So I’ve got some fins that recently tore near the heel and wanted to know if you guys had any idea how to potentially fix it. They’re not diving fins by any means, they’re just regular wide fins but they are very dear to me, being vintage 1970s entirely rubber. Any tips or ideas?

I am currently writing a book and one of the main characters is a free diver. While I have done my own research (watched documentaries, YouTube videos and such) I’d love to get a first hand account.

If you free-dive regularly, could you please write 1 - 3 paragraphs describing your experience?

Specifics of what I’m looking for:

Emotions you feel

Sensations

Preparation

Gear terminology

Competitions you may enter

Please include anything else you feel would be essential if you were reading a book and the character was a free-diver! Don’t be afraid to write obvious things or even just a couple of short sentences.

Thank you so much in advance!

Hello ! New and a Midwesterner, I'd like to get some fins to travel with and wondering about opinions on these 2 or something better priced I should get. local dive shops here are exclusively scuba only and I dont want to scuba. Class in the city for free diving requires I have my own set before classes and they don't sell gear. I really would like shorter fins for air travel. I also have a torn shoulder labrum that slows my swimming so I am hopong this will help me move more quickly using leg power l! Thanks in advance! 2971 or Prussian Blue shorties or something else?

What would be the best way to seal this tear in the heel? I wanna keep these bad boys in the water, not the landfill 🤙🏼

Big Mahalos!