Brave or Stupid?

[freedivernd]

When I first read about this dive I thought, "how crazy can a scuba diver be?". This seems way more insane to me than doing a deep freedive. I'm trying to put it into perspective. I'm sure that they have their reasons and hopefully it's not just to go deeper than the other guy. But that really is probably it huh? I was thinking.. there is no sport in this.. depending on equipment and going down over 1000 feet, but then I realize that there are many sports where you depend on equipment.. car racing, boat racing, the list is endless. Even in freediving you depend of fins or fin. But why do it? Why go so fast in a boat? People get killed in the high speed boat races often enough. Why go so deep? I just wonder why, when I read about this record attempt, that I didn't for an inkling of a second think to myself that these people are just as crazy as some freediver finning down to 100 meters and back again. Freedivers are much more sane. Why do I think that there is a difference? All I could think was that they are totally crazy and nuts for even attempting such a venture. Way more insane than holding your breath and taking off for the abyss. So soon I'm asking myself, "why do I do what I do?". There is getting to be more and more risk as I go deeper and deeper so I really have to ask myself these questions. Why is my goal to fin down to 36.5 meters (120') this summer? What is drawing me down. Why am I already thinking if I achieve 120' then my goal for the next summer should be 140', maybe 150'. If I'm making 300' under the water in a pool fairly easily (depending on the day) why not go for 150' deep this summer, that's only 300' total? It can't be to go deeper than the other guy... there are hundreds of people who have gone much deeper than that. O.k., maybe not hundreds deeper than 150' but hundreds and hundreds deeper than 100'. What is this problem? What is the addiction? Maybe it's the same one these two individuals have I guess. Today in the pool, under the water, I feel like I'm in my element. I'm where I belong. There's nothing there.. there doesn't need to be. It's just me and the water, the slow rhythm of my heart beat.... and the little bit of pressure I can experience in a 10' deep pool. It's quiet, it's peaceful. Can it possibly get any better than this? I don't know.....Maybe at 120'....... Maybe over 1000' too.

Fred