FREEDIVE-A-PALOOZA 2005

[Freedive WI]

Fred,

Let's go with July 23 and 24 for next years Freedive-A-Palooza. That should give everyone plenty of time to plan ahead.

I have also been talking to Grant Graves, president of the USAA, and we might put in a regional competition along with it.

Depth for constant ballast should be no probelm and I believe we can get enough safety divers to cover it. The main thing we need are divers who are on mix for the spots below 100', this can be OC or rebreather, and people on the gas of their choice for the spots above 100'. The other main concern that Grant posed was that these divers can actually assist at these depths and that they are not down their in "survival mode". I guess that means they have been certified to do those dives for a period of time and are very comfortable in doing so. I can't imagine needing support divers deeper than around 170'- depending upon who shows up. Actually, it could be more like around 130', if it's just the locals.

Another area would be a local pool to use, for the competition part, for Sunday. I guess trying to run dynamics in openwater isn't as fair to the no-fin's contestents.

Insurance requirements should be figured out at DEMA and we will still need to get some judges here.

Anyway, as far as the recreational side goes, I think we'll leave the kayaks home this year and make room for more scooters! 8) Lots of fins, wetsuits, and spearguns will be there as well- as well as the underwater shooting range which worked out so well this past year.

Tell me your thoughts....

Jon

[freedivernd]

That weekend sounds good. I talked to my brother to see what his schedule was like and it may work out for him too. If there is anything I can do let me know.. Maybe this time I get a sign made to put up at the camp site and access to let everyone know where we are and what we're up to. That can be my mission if you'd like.

For safety I'm wondering how deep the one down-one up is good for...? As far as constant ballast if it's us locals just pushing the 100' + that might suffice. We never did use the lanyards... I had several along...but felt with the nice vis we had they were hardly necessary.. unlike the black depths I'm used to up here - yuck.
A little "friendly" competition might be fun, but as far as the safety divers setup you'll know better than me what should be in place. Having a scuba diver who can and will assist would be a good thing eh? Maybe we have a good drum or similar system built and working by then. I have these plans....

I'd love an opportunity to feel comfortable enough to attempt a 45 meter (yeah, the rest of you, get out your calculators hahaha) dive. Maybe by next July I'm workin' closer and closer to those kinda numbers.
I don't mind dynamics but I hate statics.... kinda like playing a violin... I'm no good at it.
Insurance?.. just sign the fricken' (a word my daughter uses,, I have no clue) release form... You'll have to do more homework on that issue I guess

LET ME BE THE JUDGE ;D

the rec side of it all was great. nothin' needs be changed there I don't think. Hope we have the same kinda weather!

[Chuck_Northrup]

I would love to participate as a safety diver if you like. I can make sure my Isle Royale dates do not conflict this time

I am not sure what the difference between "survival mode" and sensible dive planning is, but I would be comfortable participating "actively" at depth for 30 min. Anything longer than that and the deco penalty will be too severe. After all, you guys can go as deep as you want and come right back up, it takes those of us using more than 1 breath much longer

If you get a good turnout (like last year) I can probably get you some ink in Advanced Diver Magazine. I think a mid-west freediving competition has all the makings of a great story.

Let me know.

CN3

[Freedive WI]

The USAA is moving to get away form just a single national competition, to compepte for the world's, and moving in the direction of regional comps. They just had one in California with divers hitting depths of 170'. Support divers were on OC and rebreathers with air being the gas of choice for the bottom divers. I like the idea of mix due to our colder waters and more limited vis- plus I'll be one of the guys whose but is on the line.

The major sticking point is that you do need insurance to run a competition like this- whereas just hooking up and diving together doesn't require that. There are suppossed to be some final talks at DEMA to figure this out- costs to be paid by the athletes. Judges are required if the points will be counted for nationals. Points are given for every meter of depth and for specific periods of time- I think it's a point every 5-10 seconds of static. Penalties are assessed by not making you depth, blacking out :'(, not meeting your stated time for static, missing your "top" time.

Freedivers need to meet a specific "top" time to start their dive so that the safety divers don't spend all day on the bottom. One diver warms up while another one goes for a comp dive. THen, the next diver in line gets called into the warm-up ine. This keeps everything moving along pretty rapidly. Divers also are required to submit their depths in advance. There is no going deeper once you subscribe to your depth just because you feel good on the bottom. Deeper divers go first so that the safety divers can work their way up as the competition goes on. Safety divers are given the depths in advance to plan their dives accrodingly. IF someone fails to start then the surface sends down a carabener with a note on it so that the bottom guy/gal knows what's going on.

A diver counter-balance recovery system would be part of the set-up, but I need a longer rope for the comp as my longest line is only 105'. I think that Fred has a longer one that we could use. Safety divers are equipped with lift bags and carabeners to clip ontot the line below the diver if there is a problem- the freedivers are clipped onto the line by lanyard and the rising liftbag will take them up to the surface once inflated. This keeps the support divers at depth, to decompress safely, but sends the freediver up as quickly as possible in event of a problem.

Grant's main point was that a support diver could effectivly handle an emergancy and not be someone fresh out of deco class who has only been to depth once or twice before. THey need to be counted on. We all know people who have cards that they shouldn't and we just need to make sure they are placed in spots where they are comfortable- which doesn'talways match what depth they are "certified" to dive to.

Safety freedivers in a comp would be good down to around 40'- maybe less is the vis is crap. In clear water they can go deeper, but we all know what the thermocline looks like at Wazze. Support divers every 33' along the line would be nice.

Hope that answers some of the questions. Keeping things on a non-competitive level is certainly much eaiser, but if the interest is there, for a competiton, I don't mind going with the flow. I would still need to find a pool for the second half of the competiton- any ideas whats around there???

Jon

[Mark Y]

I've marked my calendar, so count me in as a safety diver (on an Inspiration RB). Have lift bag, will travel for dive. If you'd like, I can email you a copy of my dive log. Let me know.

[ghosch]

Count me in (as a safety diver) ;D

[Mark Y]

Sounds like it'll be a mini-rebreather-a-gogo as well! ;D

[Freedive WI]

Sounds good to me. I already emailed Chuck and will defer to his better judgment, about rebreathers, when it comes to what depths to place all of you at.

Now, we just need to figure out the littole things- like insurance and judges.

Thanks for the great response so far!

Jon

[Mark Y]

Freedive WI: is the FREEDIVE-A-PALOOZA 2005 still schedule to go on??? I have it marked in my calendar... how about an update!

Thanks ~ Mark

[freedivernd]

Jon maybe will step in with more update.. the apalooza is still on for the 23rd-24th.  It's on my list too.