Aloha!
After an eventful summer I have finally arrived in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii to attend the Pacific Cup of Freediving. Its been an exciting journey and the unexpected twists and turns along the way have kept me on my toes.
The most recent of these took place three weeks ago in Ottawa, just two days after my successful National record attempt. I was a competing in the first ever CAFA http://www.freedivecanada.com Eastern Regional Contest when, at a relatively modest depth of 80 ft., I experienced a severe lung squeeze resulting in the rupturing of capillaries in my lungs and consequent pulmonary edema.
Although at depth the feeling is mainly discomfort, the vacuum effect generated within the lungs by expansion on ascent almost filled them with blood and plasma making it nearly impossible to breathe upon surfacing. This lasted well over an hour making the threat of secondary drowning very real. Needless to say I was extremely relieved when enough re-absorption had occurred to enable somewhat easier breathing. After a sleepless night I struggled through the final day of competition and made my way home for extensive tests and evaluation.
Unfortunately no clear cause has been established (the squeeze came far above my theoretical depth threshold) and the resulting discomfort continued to this day has become cause for great concern. My doctors which include the world's foremost researcher in this area, Dr. Claes Lundgren, citing accumulated tissue damage and an unknown sensitivity to thoracic compression have insisted I cease depth diving immediately.
So here I am in Hawaii, official training sessions start Oct 28th and the contest runs from the 31rst to Nov.4th. Since competing is obviously out of the question I have decided to assist in coaching Team Canada and cover the event for Deeper Blue http://www.deeperblue.net, the premier online Freediving magazine, community and resource.
In some regards this situation is quite unfortunate however if today is any indication of my future ocean activities I will be nothing but grateful.
After finding myself a surfboard to use for the week I had lunch with legendary Freediver, Underwater Photographer and Author Carlos Eyles, (The Blue Edge, Secret Seas, Dolphin Borne) and his wife Margaret, a gifted Rolfer (structural bodywork) and accomplished freediver herself. Deeply inspired by Carlos' history with the ocean I had planned an early arrival in Hawaii in the hopes of spending some time together.
Towards the end of our discussion we were joined by an extremely attractive member of the US Women's team. (I am seriously thinking of volunteering myself as the Women's team masseuse). The conversation turned to the day's events and Carlos and Margaret invited me to join them in looking for Manta Rays along the deep blue waters edge just north of town.
We made a couple of quick stops to pick up gear and dropped by their place where Margaret did some work on my upper chest and lung region. Although only a short session, there was a marked difference in my ability to take in and hold a full breath.
The area we were to explore was actually known for dolphin sightings but food thrown out by nighttime charter boats had attracted plankton as well. As a result the incredibly graceful and intuitive Manta's were now coming there regularly too. From the shores of an ancient burial ground the three of us donned masks, fins and snorkels and began our lengthy swim.
Pockets of colorful fish danced beneath us as we made our way along the rocky coral shallows that separated the Islands lava cliffs from the great abyss. Carlos led setting a modest pace so not to aggravate my condition, which thanks to Margaret I had almost forgotten. We were about half way towards our intended distance when I noticed something below to my right and stopped. Within fifty feet of me was a beautiful Manta Ray slowly grazing. Calling to Carlos and Margaret I turned around and gently eased over to the slow moving Manta until I was swimming directly over it.
I imagined thoughts of goodwill radiating downward and, in what I can only deem to be in response, the Ray began to rise until it was at arms length. We stayed in this formation for several minutes me never once leaving the surface until a deck-hand onboard a nearby charter boat shattered the moment by calling to us to keep clear of their mooring maneuvers.
Excited and enriched by the experience I gladly continued on and witnessed two more encounters between Margaret, the Manta's and Carlos as he positioned himself to take photographs.
Sitting here now, breathing the humid Hawaiian night air and recalling this wonderful day I am grateful for the many people, opportunities and circumstances that have shaped my life, enabling me to be in this place at this time.
Mahalo to all of you.
Perry Gladstone
Posted by pike at October 23, 2002 06:42 AM