When you look back over the course of human history, a fascination with the deep has been almost ever present. For centuries we have descended to the depths of the ocean, sometimes searching for pearls or the mythical city of Atlantis – but often times merely for sport.
This pursuit is not one without danger, however. There have been numerous resuscitations, blackouts and even deaths. All this simply to see how far down one can go.
There are only a handful of people who are truly aware of the risks associated with freediving, and Herbert Nitsch – recognised as the deepest man on earth for his No Limits world record dive in 2007 - knows the pitfalls more intimately than most.
On June 6 2012, Herbert dove to 253.2 m (830.8 ft.) during a No Limit sled-dive. Well after reaching the planned depth, he temporarily fell asleep due to nitrogen narcosis.
When he reached the surface Nitsch was alert and asked for a mask in order to return back underwater so he could recompress on pure oxygen - a standard after-dive safety procedure. However, while decompressing underwater, he suffered from decompression sickness which later resulted in multiple brain strokes.
He was eventually discharged from hospital as a 'wheelchair-bound care-dependent patient'. Despite the advice of those more knowledgeable than himself, he decided to take his recovery into his own hands. Two years later he was freediving once again.
There will always be risks, but Nitsch knows he can limit them: "The greatest danger in freediving is to be ill prepared. You can prepare for all known challenges, by weighing options, making contingency plans, being well trained, using proper equipment, having safety measures and security systems in place, making a proper dive profile, and so forth.
"Many people do not realize that we take risks every day by, for example, participating when we drive in every day traffic. Over 1.2 million people die on the road every year. Hardly anybody considers being in traffic a major risk or questions this way of dying. And if a person you know dies in a car accident, you wouldn't think anything of stepping behind the wheel yourself the next day. There is a big difference between taking calculated risks in freediving, and driving a car without thinking too much about the possible upcoming dangers."
Certainly driving has its hazards, but it's viewed by the majority of people as a necessary evil in getting to where one needs to go. Freediving is not. And when somebody perishes in an attempt to dive down as far as they can go, it’s markedly more newsworthy.
One of the most infamous incidents in the history of freediving is that of Natalia Molchanova. Regarded by some as the greatest freediver of all time and the former President of the Russian Free Dive Federation, she attempted a dive near Ibiza, Spain on August 2 2015. She dove to a depth of 40 m (131 ft.) and was caught by the current, never to be seen again. Search and rescue parties found nothing and Molchanova is today presumed dead.
American Nicholas Mevoli is another example of when freediving can go wrong. On November 17 2013 he attempted a competition dive to 72 m (236 ft.) on a single breath. He began to turn back at 68 m (223 ft.), but appeared to change his mind and dived downward again. Mevoli returned to the surface after 3m 38s underwater, but then fell backwards into the ocean and lost consciousness. Attempts to revive him were unsuccessful and his pulse disappeared. After resuscitation efforts had continued for 90 minutes, he was transported to a local medical center where he was pronounced dead. He was the first athlete to die in an international free-diving competition.
It takes a particularly unique mind-set to commit your life and career to this most individual of pursuits.
Jeanette Woldman, Nitsch's partner and manager, was able to shed some light on his disposition: "He’s very curious and eager to learn. He always wants to understand every single detail of what he is doing or making. This includes becoming an expert of his own body. By knowing his body inside-out, he is able to influence body functions to become a better freediver."
Dr Eric Brymer is a specialist in outdoor and adventure sports, with a particular interest in extreme sports. He said that the common denominators among extreme athletes are: “A sense of freedom, the realisation that fear does not need to hold you back and extraordinary experiences.”
What draws individuals to unorthodox sports as opposed to more typical endeavours are unique to each participant, however Brymer believes that: “Traditional sports have very structured environments and rules. Extreme sports are about creativity and adapting to the environment. They are not constrained by rules and so forth.”
Each competitor takes part at their own risk of course, but it's important that the safety procedures in freediving are well-known and employed at all times. Georgina Miller, a board member of the British Freediving Association (BFA) said: "Freediving is an incredibly safe sport when conducted properly by trained divers. Freedivers should always dive within their limits and practice the buddy system with someone who is trained in freedive rescue. It is incredibly important never to dive alone."
Despite the unsavoury incidents that cast a shadow over freediving, Miller is enthusiastic about the future: “Freediving is an exciting young sport which is growing steadily. We are lucky in the UK to have several active clubs and the British Freediving Association has centralised listings, so anyone interested in freediving education or training can find a place to practice.
“Freediving is also gaining more interest in the media generally with freedive records and adventures hitting the headlines. It is really important to the freedive community that a strong safety message goes out with the sport. It is potentially dangerous when practiced by untrained people or in an unsafe manner.”
This appears to be the modus operandi surrounding freediving - it is a unique and exciting pursuit, but one that is riddled with very real dangers. Despite those dangers, Nitsch isn’t done yet: “I have not achieved my ultimate goal yet, I believe humans can freedive to at least 1000ft.” If anyone can reach those depths, it’s Nitsch.
