20-21 March



Contact Morgan Kurrajong if you're interested.

Wikipedia has an entry on Walter Steyn

Ive sent an email, no reply yet........ have you got any more info Naus?

_________________
Due to rising costs and dumb questions;
Answers will now be $1.00
Answers with thought $2.00
Correct answers $4.00
Dumb looks are still free

I was talking to Morgan down at Queenscliff, as of last weekend there were 2 places left. The price is $400 or the two days. Day one is 3 hours of theory, then some depth diving. Day two is diving in the bay, and if everyone goes ok they'll be diving some wrecks. They might have some cheap accomodation on the go for sat night as well if you're coming from a far.

_________________
Taking the fight to the fish!

Just got a response from Morgan, who says there are currently 3 confirmed people, with a minimum of 4 people attending for the course to go ahead. So there are still 5 spots open.

_________________
Breathing is cheating

Might have been a ploy to get me to book in!

_________________
Taking the fight to the fish!

Is anyone here booked in? I'm pretty keen to, but only half persuaded yet.

_________________
Due to rising costs and dumb questions;
Answers will now be $1.00
Answers with thought $2.00
Correct answers $4.00
Dumb looks are still free

400$ for 2 days plus the boat for 4 hours... I guess it depends how good the theory is weather that adds up...??

I'm halfway interested too.

Seems a little pricey though; $400 is a fair bit to just improve your breath-hold and get out for a dive off a boat (we can look up breath-hold theory in books/online and practice it at our leisure for pretty-much nothing, and most people here can get out for a dive on a boat without too much trouble/this kind of expense).

Any idea if we can get a group discount if the group ends up at more than 4 people (sounds like the max is 8 people)?

Any minimum requirements to participating? I'd probably class myself as beginner-to-intermediate as far as breath-hold goes.

Might send this Morgan bloke an email with questions to that effect; will post the results here when I get them.

Cheers!

Hi Guys,
heard back from Morgan:

- Currently 3 people are signed up. The course needs 4 people signed up before it will go ahead. Maximum number of people they will take in the course is 8 people.

- Cost for the course is $400, however if we can max the course out (i.e. have 8 people signed up) everyone involved gets the group discount rate which is $50 off (i.e. course cost is reduced to $350 per person). Any less than 8 people signed up though, and the cost is still $400 each.

- Accomodation, food, transfers not included.

- In terms of ability required, according to Morgan, you really need to be able to get to 10m depth without too much hassle to be an intermediate diver. Wal recons with the course students can then reach 20m. If you spend a lot of time in the water leading up tothe course and can get yourself to 10m then you would be welcome.

- Morgan sent me a Word .doc of the course outline and have attached it here -> . Just ran my eye over the topics covered; check it out, this course looks like it's gonna be full-on!

- Pool and theory in Geelong on Saturday. Theory and Ocean / boat on Sunday. Exact timetable will vary depending on conditions, number of participants etc.

Cheers!

Thanks Roamin PPB!
yeah, I don't know anything more than that. I've booked in, want to test my pb under competent supervision and curious about this empty lung technique.

If you think you can learn how to free-dive from a book you are greatly misguided. You have an opportunity here to learn to dive properly from a professional freediver who has set some serious records.

I suggest that $400 is pretty fair for the kind of information and subsequent training/guidence you will recieve.

ie. Here is just one example: I have been swimming since 3 and used to be on various swimming teams and used to train with fins 3-4 times a week for a number of years. When I did my courses the trainer pointed out that although my kick was powerful I was holding my ankles too rigidly which in turn was inefficient as not only did I waste energy on keeping them stiff but that this also impeded the flow of my legs.

There are a thousand tiny ways that you can improve and only a pro will be able to point these things out for you when they watch you dive. It is not as simple as just going up and down. Freediving requires real technique that you can only learn with an instructor and that requires training.

GO FOR IT!

_________________
"o o o ooo o oo o o o 0000o0o 0 oo000 OOo O0O o 0o0 o0o0O"

Yup Jazzbox, after casting my eye over the topics covered in the theory I'd have to agree that the $400 is probably worth it - this look's like it'll be serious stuff and not something you'd want to read up on and then try by yourself (bit risky).

Although I'd love to do this course I'm not sure I'll sign up for it yet for a few reasons, some of which are:

- the budget's a bit tight right now
- Morgan reckons you need to be able to dive to 10m comfortably to fit in as a participant. I've never dived to 10m; so far I've only ever dived to about 6-7m max. On the other hand, I've never actually tried for 10m.
- As yet I've never needed to dive to 20m so the expense required to learn to do so may not be justified. On the other hand, a much improved breath-hold would come nicely in handy when tackling those finicky KGW's!
- etc...

Decisions,... decisions......

Well, its not upto me to tell you what you are able to do or not, but 10m is really not that deep and if you are diving 7 then 10 should not be a bother after.
After 10m, 20m should also not be a bother unless you are having trouble clearing air. I can't remember how long a 20m free dive lasts but I think its still under one minute (44s?). I am also not sure what wearing lead will do but cant imagine it will affect you much.

On my course I did 20 meters with broken Cressi short fins on the second day as did a number of other people, although some of them did it via free immersion, without fins and using the rope. Once you master a breathe up - this is also crucial that you learn this froma person and not from a book for reasons which are very obvious once you actually learn it.

I think 10-15 is a good depth for victoria. You have to remember that learning freediving technique will not mean you will be spearfishing at 20m. I would suggest that if you want to spearfish at 20m then you have to be able to dive 30m on a regular basis.

Walter is a real champion and a record holder, I personally would make a small sacrifice to learn off him - except I am looking at the final levels of the course rather then intermediate.

_________________
"o o o ooo o oo o o o 0000o0o 0 oo000 OOo O0O o 0o0 o0o0O"

I'm book in! We have 4 now so the course is definitely going ahead, pretty good chance we'll get 8 for the group discount.

_________________
Taking the fight to the fish!

$400 isn't a small sacrifice.

_________________
Breathing is cheating