Hello everyone!
I'm feeling a little bit nostalgic today. I don't know why, but I love the peace I have had with myself lately. I don't know if it's the end of those turbulent emotions or if this is just the trough of the cycle. One thing is for sure, I have this kind of peace when I'm freediving. As the nostalgia kicks in, I decided to review all my freediving posts and I'm amazed by how many spots I've freedived in the two years since I had my first freediving experience in Moalboal.
I'm amazed by how Hive is able to perfectly have it stored for me to review later on. I started on April 9, 2021, with Introduction to Freediving at Nico's Place, Moalboal and I had my best moments while exploring the underwater world since then. I haven't done any freediving since December 11, 2022, in Siquijor. I will definitely go back to freediving one of these days.
I still have quite a few videos to upload like the one in Kayangan and Barracuda Lakes and the one in Siquijor, but I've uploaded 19 freediving videos and 2 underwater photoshoots. If you're curious, I've included all the links at the end of this post.
While I already posted a lot of freediving videos, I haven't really talked about how I started with this hobby. Glebert already made a
post about his introduction to freediving, so I'm still a winner when it comes to procrastination. We started our introduction to freediving together. It's a 2-day course that will immerse, literally and figuratively, you in this expensive hobby.
I already said this in one of my posts before, but I will say this again: "I'll always be thankful to Hive for making such a huge change in my life". Thanks to Hive, I was able to do these things. The moment I finished the course in Moalboal, I immediately decided to buy long fins, goggles, and then later on, Go Pro. I even planned to buy a buoy, but eventually ditched it because of how bulky it was. I still haven't bought a wet suit because we were planning, with @indayclara, to have it before our Molchanovs Wave 1 and 2 Certification. Since life get ahead of us, we decided to postpone it indefinitely. But I'm not giving up on that life goal.
Back to the first freediving experience, it was one of those moments where I didn't regret changing my trajectory in life. I felt that I belong to the sea as much as I claim to be a mountain person. I had always been jealous of those guides in our snorkeling before who can dive and explore the corals below. While I already have my Open Water Scuba Diver certification, freediving is a different beast. You're literally relying on your single breath every single time you dive. You don't have any underwater breathing apparatus with you. While GB's experience, as he noted in his post that he had an inherent fear of open water, was not too pleasant, mine's the opposite. Nico, our instructor, always told me that I can dive deeper and stay longer underwater, but it was just me holding myself back. I didn't want to blackout. It's still the same now. I don't want to blackout, so I'll resurface even if I still have some reserved air.
On the third day, we joined a group for a drift dive and it was one of the best moments of my life. The moment I was able to interact with a turtle and one of the guides was able to take a photo of it (see the thumbnail photo), that was when I decided to pursue this madness. It was too tiring because we had to just follow the current for 3 hours. But it was an epic experience.
Overall, my first freediving experience set the tone and direction in that aspect of my life. Freediving even became my escape if I feel like the world has become too noisy or I'm overwhelmed by my own thoughts. Shout out to Pat (@patsitivity), GB (@glecerioberto), Jelo, and Ivana for joining with me (or letting me join) in that awesome experience.
Shout out to @indayclara for being my constant freediving companion! When are we going to freedive again, girl?
I guess that's all for this post! See you at the next one! And as noted above, here's the list of my freediving posts so far:
[1] Panagsama Freedive [Part 1]
[2] Underwater Photoshoot?
[3] Sneak Peek from Our Catmon Freedive
[4] Moalboal Birthday Freedive
[5] Moalboal Line Dive [New Personal Best]
[6] Alegria Dive Resort [Getting Goofy with the Statues]
[7] Last Day at Alegria Dive Resort [Ending My Birthday Celebration Dive]
[8] The Category Is... Underwater Realness
[9] Freediving at Tuble Marine Sanctuary in Moalboal
[10] Freediving with the Sardines in Panagsama, Moalboal
[11] Freediving with the Whale Sharks in Oslob
[12] Fun Dive in Oslob, Cebu
[13] Freediving at Kuya Jom's Crib in Catmon [Not Too Well]
[14] Playing with Bubbles in Pescador Island
[15] Another Sardine Run at Panagsama, Moalboal
[16] Freediving in Pescador Island [Heart-Shaped Coral]
[17] The Semi Caves of Turtle Bay, Moalboal, Cebu
[18] Freediving with the Sardines in Moalboal [Post Odette]
[19] Exploring the Japanese Shipwreck of Malapascua Island
[20] Freediving at Malapascua's Coral Garden
[21] Battling with the Waves at Lapus-Lapus Island, Malapascua
Kim Ybañez
Welcome to Kim's small corner in Hive. He is a chemical engineer by profession, but a blogger by passion. He is a wanderlust and an adventure seeker. Join his quests as he visits remote destinations, climbs mountains, tries new and exotic dishes, and explores his country (The Philippines). He's also a trying-hard photographer so stay tuned as he shares his photos and his thought process while creating them.
If you like his content, don't forget to upvote and leave a comment to show some love. You can also reblog if you want to. Also, don't forget to follow him to be updated with his latest posts.
You have a nice life.
Look at me fantasizing of experiencing freediving while I can survive 30secs under water.
PS: I don’t even know how to swim. Haha. But I’ll definitely learn how to swim if not for anything but to save my life.
As kids we used to sneak out of the house and go to a river in our town to “swim”. Well we thought we were swimming. Lol. It wasn’t until quite recently that I got the opportunity to dive in a swimming pool and got humbled. 😂
I was basically walking in the water. I couldn’t get myself to move without my legs touching the floor otherwise I would just drown.
It is in my bucket list to learn how to swim. 😅
Thank you! I can barely survive underwater for 30 secs before. I think I'm still under 1 min now, but that's plenty of time to explore the corals and fishes underwater.
But of course, you have to learn how to swim first before you can venture into freediving. I nearly drowned 3 times before I learned how to swim. If you are really motivated, I'm sure you can learn how to swim. Rooting for you!
That's a lot of experience, Kim! I'm so jealous tbh that you can see the beauty at the top (from the mountains) and at the bottom (ocean bed). I love the sea too but it's hard for me to dive because air and the fears I still haven't triumphed.
I hope you could go back to freediving again real soon! You're lucky to have friends who have the same passion as you.
I'm really the curious type. I want to try everything at least once even if it's dangerous. I want to see the world. Sadly, I haven't travelled outside the Philippines yet. Maybe this year.
I hope that I could go back to freediving soon! I badly want to experience that peace underwater again.
Thanks for stopping by, @wittyzell! Apologies for the delayed reply.
I didn't notice the delayed reply 😁
I really thought you have already traveled outside the country. You should! It's your time to shine. Charot~
Aaahh, it's definitely peaceful underwater. I can imagine~
Soon! Nagproblema pako asa mangita ug COE kay di muhatag ang Hive. HAHAHA
Dzah! I feel so jealous jud that you're not scared to go deep. Every time I see the bottom, I quickly get rattled samot na ngit2x sa ilawom. HAHA
Promise marattle sad ko sauna kay grabe akong imagination, ser Arc. Pero it takes time and familiarity ra jud. Mostly ang kahadlok kay imagination ra jud na. If maovercome na nimo through constant exposure kay nice kaayo na feeling.
tara lage ninyo ser arc haha
For someone who grew up on an island I was so inggit for not having experiences like this.
I love the outdoor activities you are into, either hiking or diving, but both required a physical strength.
Maybe I could survive in hiking but diving I doubt. That is why I am somehow jealous, lol..
I could imagine how beautiful it was...
Freediving requires strength but it's much more relaxing than hiking. I'm sure you can survive with proper training. Go na!
We all feel the need to look back at our past at some point in our lives. Especially the good times, the action-packed times. It's good that Hive keeps everything perfectly safe for us. On my 1st year, I will read my first post and see what I have written.
The photos are great man, an action packed adventure or a bunch of adventures!
True! I'm glad to have this place as storage of my good memories. I always read what I had written in the past years and I'm always amazed by how far I've become.
Thank you for stopping by! As always, my late replies.
Man you are working so hard that's why you reply late and no problem, I know you, you know me 😅
Thank you!
Wow. All those dives and more.. Makasuya uy. Goal jud nako within this year maka intro ba. 🤞🤞
Go na madi! Kuyog ta one of these days. Asa naman atong strikto na teacher na si @iamcjestrada? Makabayad raka sa training using Hive. HAHA
HAHAHAHA Naghuwat rajud ko ninyu mag-dive ta hahaha
Asa naman ni @mariasalve? Pero pabukid sa ta. HAHAHA
Girl, I laughed when I read this line. 😂😂 We shall definitely go once I'm back in shape. And you better be too.
HAHAHA! You're in shape na oi! Balik ta freedive soon!
Wow, freediving is really amazing, It's something that I would really like to try but I think it will be such a challenge for me, although I know how to swim, unfortunately I don't know how to dive lol I can't reach the ocean bed and always float right back to the top.
You'll learn everything with proper training. You should enrol to introduction to freediving to learn the basics and you're good to go.
Glad that you feel better buddy! I´m not a freediver, just a regular snorkeler, but I can relate to those feelings under the sea surface. I may not be able to spend as much time down there as you guys but I do know how fascinating and yet incredibly soothing the underwater world is... I really miss those days when we lived in the Caribbean and I was swimming and snorkeling in the sea every day... Living by the sea is a huge privilege.
@tipu curate
Thanks to you all here in Hive! I felt much better after that post.
We have a lot of places to freedive here and I felt I neglected those places. True! Spending time underwater is incredibly soothing.
Upvoted 👌 (Mana: 0/40) Liquid rewards.
Awesome…it’s good to remember those times. Happy to hear your mind is calming down…
Great they joined you/ you joined them 👋🏻😊
Have a lovely week!
Yeah! I'm glad that I'm calming down now.
Have a an awesome week, my friend!
Thanks a lot @ybanezkim26 👋🏻😊 have a great week ☀️
Looks like a really great experience. I don't know how to swim so only remain at the shores whenever I go to the beach. Wish I could experience this.
Time to learn how to swim and then how to freedive! HAHA
I also love to go underwater like this and see beautiful things, but I'm a little afraid of water, so I haven't been able to do it like this yet, but I'll try in the near future. Be sure to go and see how it feels. When one goes with friends, the fun becomes even more.
You should try freediving! It's a different experience.
This is soooo makasuya! Hehehe seeing the ocean scares me already but I would love to see and explore what it really looks like down there. ☺️
Enrol na ug freediving class! HAHAHA
Freediving is so much beautiful and with the help of freediving, you can explore the unseen aspect of nature. you are able to see new creatures and a completely new world, which has so much to offer. Would love to see your future post about Free diving.
I haven't experienced diving and swimming ever but while read your article I imagined it and that's lovely. Hope to so more from you dear :)Hey! @ybanezkim freediving is among those activities that give peace to the soul. Only courageous people and those who love adventures and want to explore the life beneath water can do it.
Freedive nya ta balik soon, Kim! Busy lang gyud these days but sooon! 😁
Bitaw! Soon! Mingaw nako freedive.
Swimming with turtles 😍 amazing.
Uploading videos should be easier around here. Rsrs
Sanaol oi daghan ika list sa TBT, hehe
Mudaghan ra nya na imo malist madiii!
hahahha
Your first free diving experience is in a beautiful place. Sa amoa kay sa Kontiki nya wala kayo view sa ilawm hahahaha ayay mag-post sad kog ingon ani behhh
Post na dayon para daghan entries sa Freediving community.
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