After the treacherous free-dive, it would be a tragedy if the shark was hungry!
A 39 year old Australian free-diver has just created a new world record by swimming an incredible 395 feet on a single breath! Not only that, but he did it in just over two minutes!
Mike Wells did his record breaking swim through Fish Rock Cave, a pitch black ocean chamber 85 feet below the surface. The entire swim took two minutes and 40 seconds, all achieved on a single breath.
Fish Rock Cave is a treacherously perilous spot to dive. Much of it is plunged into thick blackness and its many twists and turns, coupled with the sweeping ocean surge that blasts down the tunnel, have led to experts claiming that the tunnel was too dangerous for anyone to get through without the aid of tanks.
Mr Wells, who has been a free-diver for 19 years, already had to postpone the dive twice. On the first dive he became trapped in a narrow crevice and had to be freed by his son, Jeremy, who accompanied his dad on his dive. The second attempt ended when Mr Wells started to get severe cramps. It was on his third attempt that he finally managed the dive that he stated had been “deep within my psyche.�
Free-diving is the notoriously dangerous sport of diving underwater without any artificial respiratory aid. In other words, you just hold your breath! Free-divers train for years, putting their bodies under huge physiological pressure to attain free-diving standards. The changes their bodies have to withstand include:
- A drop in heart pulse rate.
- Shrinking blood vessels as blood is directed away from limbs and towards major organs.
- A surge in red blood cells to carry vital oxygen.
- Blood vessels in the lungs being filled up with plasma to prevent the lungs from shrinking, which would cause permanent damage.
Talking to Channel 9, Mr Wells’ respiratory specialist, Professor Matthew Peters described the pressure the dive would take on his body: “During this dive, his lungs will compress dramatically, his diaphragm will move up, his ribs will cave in,� Is that all? Oh no, Professor Peters goes on: “He’ll be under great pressure, great distortion of his belly and chest.�
I think I’ll stick to snorkeling!
So just how did Mr Wells do it? He describes how on an online chat site: “One thing I do is to try and almost fall asleep partly closing my eyes, but just open them enough so I can see where I’m going,” he said. “I take in the surrounds, the fish, the rays the corals, sponges, and try to forget the urge to breathe. This keeps my body relaxed and ultimately I use less oxygen.â€?
If you fancy visiting Fish Rock, though I don’t recommend the dive without a tank, it’s at South West Rocks on the mid North coast of NSW. For more information on this beautiful part of Australia visit www.fishrock.com. And should you want to know more about free-diving then visit their official site at www.learntofreedive.com.au. Perhaps you could list this story as your inspiration!
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