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Freediving in Bali
Scuba Travel's ambassador Annelie Pompe traveled in Oct/Nov 2016 to freedive in Bali. There she was to hold a course on freediving. Here comes a travelogue from Bali with photos from one of the participants; Benjamin Patala.
"When we landed in Bali we were struck by the lovely warmth and the pleasant atmosphere. The bumpy drive through the mountains kept us awake until we arrived at the resort, where we were greeted by the hospitable staff.
Anticipation was high on the first day of the course which started with Yoga by the pool at 08.00:XNUMX. A small group of people who had never met before would now teach us to freedive in Bali. We looked at each other curiously and smiled as the yoga got underway. We enjoyed the heat and the sea roaring a stone's throw from us.
After finishing the session we went to enjoy our breakfast. I can truly say that that breakfast was the best in a long time for us who are used to breakfast before activity.
Eat, live, breathe like a freediver
The following days we learned to eat, live and breathe like freedivers. We started the day with yoga focusing on freediving and breathing, followed by breakfast. When we had finished resting, it was time for breathing technique, fin technique and many other techniques that a freediver must master.
The days were also interspersed with theory and a lot of water training of course. We had to learn and also practice technically how to dive at a buoy.
We hung out together, ate together and were with each other almost XNUMX/XNUMX and a cohesion arose that became very strong and driving. Wasn't that strange when you as free divers have to trust each other and stick together in the water. This bond became so strong that we continued to travel and do crazy things together even when we got home.
This trip changed me in many ways. Among other things, I learned a lot about myself and being in the present for real, which is an art.
I want to say a big THANK YOU to our eminent and wonderful instructor Annelie Pompe who put up with us crazy people during these wonderful days of freediving in Bali."
-Benjamin Patala
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This is what Annelie herself says about her time and about freediving in Bali...
"Bali is one of my absolute favorite countries and it was a pure joy to share the experience of the country above and below the surface with so many students. The days started with yoga and breathing exercises in one of the most beautiful places ever. We breathed to the sound of the sea and enjoyed the wind from the volcano.
The students managed to hold their breath for anywhere from 2 to almost 5 minutes. We continued after healthy breakfasts with some rest before more technical training for freediving. After lunch we went on various excursions to the diving sites around Tulamben. A favorite was of course the Liberty wreck, which with its many openings and fish was a playhouse for free divers.
But the best was still the last day of all the courses. Then everything the students learned came in handy when we went by boat to the dive site Nusa Penida to free dive with the mantas!
Scuba Travel organizes freediving trips with Annelie Pompe from time to time. Bali, the Maldives and Raja Ampat (western New Guinea) in Indonesia are some of the destinations we have tried so far. Are you interested in booking a trip with freediving? contact Scuba Travel directly here.
Images by © Annelie Pompe
