Every weekend, as most of the city flock to the beaches armed with surfing kites, surfboards or umbrellas and sunscreen, one group of unique daredevils head to an underwater kingdom which they refer to as their ‘second home’. Although wrought with danger, freediving is attracting bigger and bigger crowds of dedicated divers to Abu Dhabi.
Freediving is a sport whereby participants enter the water armed with nothing but their state of mind and astounding breathing abilities. It’s all about ditching the scuba gear and diving down to various depths, depending on experience, on a single breath. Some will descend with snorkels or a mask while others will don necessary fins for covering large distances. The roots of freediving date back to early civilisation. Certain evidence suggests that humans were doing this activity as far back as the 5th century BC, and people dived then – as they do now – looking for the various riches of the sea, including pearls and sponges.
There are essentially two schools of thought when it comes to freediving: those that focus on the competitive side of it and the others that relish the absolute freedom of diving without equipment. Although they may have differing approaches, many freedivers agree that, through this sport, a special bond develops with the water that is both addictive and thrilling. Imad Batran has been freediving for over 15 years and tells Time Out, ‘There is nothing more exhilarating than the silence of the sea, the unending sand banks and curious eyes of the marine life.’
While Imad does it purely for the sheer freedom of movement experienced in the water others, such as Ahmad Khalil, are training for the competitive aspect. ‘I have always loved the sea and freediving seems like such a great extreme sport.
I’m currently training and I hope to be able to compete by next year.’
Freedivers have been regularly defying the physiological limitations of the human body. One biological function that must be mastered is known as the mammalian diving reflex. This reflex causes four changes in the body that are essential in allowing humans to dive down without suffering fatal harm. The reflex is responsible for dropping the heart rate; constricting blood vessels and diverting blood away from limbs to more important vital organs; causing the spleen to release a burst of red blood cells; allowing blood plasma to fill up the lungs so as not to damage the lung linings.
Although freediving is open to anyone, there is one rule that is universally accepted: never go alone. It is crucial to dive with a buddy due to the very real risk of blacking out when resurfacing, known as shallow-water blackout. This phenomenon has claimed many lives. While the diver is descending, the increasing pressure squeezes the lungs. However, as the diver returns to the surface, the lungs re-expand. If at this point the oxygen levels are too low, the brain can potentially just black out, usually within 15 feet of the surface. If this happens, your ‘dive buddy’ should take you to the surface and tilt your head back, allowing you to take in a breath and recover.
Imad heads out to sea every Friday morning with his neighbour, Ahmad, who shares the same fervent love for the water. ‘We usually spend two to three hours in the water, never swimming out of sight.’ Ahmad also dives with the class he is currently training with.
Despite the risks, those who have experienced the freedom of the sport are adamant about continuing. Ahmad smiles and says, ‘I can’t imagine a reason why I would ever give up such an incredible experience’. Meanwhile, Imad just shakes his head when asked if he would ever give up the sport, ‘Not for anything in the world’.
For more information or to learn about courses, visit www.freedivinguae.com.
