Lungfish Chronicles

Barracuda…



One of my favorite movies as a kid was Doctor Doolittle. The idea of being able to communicate with these creatures we share our lives with in a meaningful and satisfying way is still quite mesmerizing to me. This interest has driven me to have diverse collections of fishes, birds, reptiles and to field study as well as propagate them. I have practiced breeding snakes, lizards, birds, fish of many different kinds.

Through these experiences I have learned that there are many ways that animals communicate and that the nuances of communication are actually the most obvious transmissions to those who are able to see them.

In the process of learning to breed different varieties of cichlids I realized that fish have emotions and communicate both through verbal communication and body language. Cichlids have very clear communication patterns related to well-being, territory, defense and offense. They can get large, and when you are around them for a long time you both learn to recognize each other. I can state with some confidence that most fish I have been around are at least as interactive and intelligent as dogs or cats. I could offer many examples but the main thing is that they do communicate and you and I can see it quite naturally.

When I look at a fish or lizard I can see if it is comfortable with my presence. They actually beam at you and emanate an excitement that is apparent in eye-to-eye contact and broadside body postures.

In August of 2004 I was on a dive boat with Susan on the Great Barrier Reef out of Port Douglas. Through some efforts I had developed a relationship with the skipper of the boat and his family and was enjoying some "perks". He had taken me out several times to the outside of the Reef into the Coral sea in deep, deep water and let me dive/drift back to the boat - sometimes miles away - solo.

I had shared the experience of being alone, in a thousand feet of water some thirty miles off the tip of Cape Tribulation with Susan as an ascetic practice that she might want to try. With some reluctance she agreed and we found ourselves listening to the retreating sound of Mick's zodiac as we stared into the deep blue.

Susan has never been a great adventurer and I must share the responsibility for her presence that day. I probably will never do that kind of dive with anyone again, though she was an acceptable partner. Those moments are best reserved for ones creator and oneself....

The tide carried us into a channel near Opal reef and we drifted across the open flats between the coral outcrops that the Aussies call " Bommie ".

A coral bommie is an amazing thing. They can be as big as buildings, rising 6-10 stories or more off the sea bed and they provide cover for myriads of living things. They reach to within a foot or so of the sea surface and when the tide is low, one can glide over them while the coral and fish pass within inches of your mask, then you reach the edge and suddenly there is 100ft of clear, abrupt drop off to the sea channel. These make wonderful dives....

So Susan and I swam upslope to about 22meters average depth and drifted in with the tide at about four miles per hour. It was like flying. We would pull out of the current into the shallow on top of the bommie for a breathup so the current wouldn't pull us away from the opportunities that we might miss if we drifted on the surface.

As we explored, the sun was high, the water clear and warm, the colors and diversity were incredible. We did a lot of mellow, 30-80ft dives as we drifted through the reef complex. I was thoroughly enjoying myself in between Susan's calls to stay closer to the bommies ... She was clearly nervous but hanging in there.

All of the sudden I heard her exclaim in a very nervous voice, "Ted! What kind of fish is that! ". I thought I felt her climb out of the water and balance on one toe on the top of my head as she waited for my response. Knowing that she could identify a shark I was curious about what would have her so nervous.

I relaxed and scanned the water. As I turned to my left I felt Susan shift to my right behind me and suddenly I was looking at the 1.5inch teeth of an adult Great Barracuda about a foot away from my mask. This character was as big as they come at about six feet long. "Wow, that's unusual!" I said to Susan. "Its a Barracuda... ".

He was blue and silver, underslung jaw protruding......


"Is he dangerous?" Sue asked.... I looked at his body language and postures... broadside, head-up, finning and fanning... "Nope," I said, " Thats a happyfish . Don't be afraid... ".

As soon as he knew I was watching him and wasn't freaking out, he turned broadside to me and proceeded to swim in circles around us at very close range, inside my arms reach.

I have developed a habit of seeking eye contact with animals as part of my attempt at understanding them. One shouldn't stare at them and it is important to make one's posture less threatening when watching critters. Clearly this fish was responding well to that. His body language clearly demonstrates a passive posture. Broadside presentation, Head is up and above the tail, dorsal fin is down... This is a Barracuda on his best behavior.

I snapped off some pics while Susan watched from over my shoulder.

After a few moments of circling and continuing to beam at us he swam away and we continued our drift towards the boat.

Later, when we arrived at the boat we were surprised to find the barracuda posted up under the stern. I immediately grabbed the camera and slipped under the aft end. He was in a very pronounced broadside, head-up posture that declared that he wasn't dangerous and on his best behavior. I carefully closed in, took two pics . Then I tried to reach out and touch him. He hovered a mere fraction of an inch beyond my finger tips while holding his posture. A very nice vibe, indeed.



Apparently the animal is socialized, perhaps had been fed leftovers from a dive boat and was behaving in a way that reflected an understanding of the relationship between the presence of humans and a handout. Yet, beneath it all was a recognition and relaxation between two very different perspectives, two entirely different organisms. I find that sensation magical. It is an expression of respect and dignity and it is right there for you if you are tuned to sense it. What more could communication be about?



Again, his body language clearly demonstrates a passive posture. Broadside presentation, Head is up and above the tail, dorsal fin is down... This is a Barracuda on his best behavior.


I thoroughly enjoyed meeting this character and can honestly say that he is one of the reasons I keep freediving .

An Invitation.

Do you want to learn how to safely and comfortably swim to 20, 30, 40, 50 feet deep and beyond without SCUBA tanks? Would you like to be able to comfortably swim underwater for minutes at a time? Do you want to be a safer spear fisherman? Let me teach you how to enjoy the sea and sea life in a natural way while engaging in a beautiful and satisfying meditative practice.

Learn to invoke our genetic connection to the sea, the mammalian diving reflex – an altered state of physical and psychological being that is especially designed to help us swim at depth.

Learn to control your heart rate, your mind and your fear.

Learn about the proper safety practices, technique, equipment and resources.

Learn to safely and comfortably integrate with the underwater environment and the creatures that live there.


About Free Diving

Free diving, or skin diving, is a skill involving the ability to dive and swim at uncommon depths and for long periods of time, without SCUBA equipment. Free diving requires concentration and attention to detail, it is a total practice.

Probably the most intimidating aspect for beginners is to learn how to comfortably hold one's breath. Most are pleasantly surprised when they realize that with a little coaching that they can hold their breath comfortably for far longer than they imagined. It is not uncommon for free divers to be able to hold their breath for five minutes and longer. It is also surprisingly easy to learn how to do that.

Pressure Equalization

It is very simple to adapt to pressure and, once you learn how to do it properly, it requires almost no thought. I have encountered people who, perhaps, took a single tank dive opportunity while on vacation and hurt their ears and now believe that they are not suited for diving. My experience has been that they simply did not receive adequate instruction in equalizing and, with a little personalized attention, they can learn to equalize and swim deeply.

The Mammalian Diving Reflex

A very interesting aspect of free diving is that the human body has an understanding about deep swimming and actually adapts to it through the Mammalian Diving Reflex (MDR). This is an altered state of physical and psychological being. After practicing a proper breathing technique one can slow one’s heart rate and, through efficient swimming and proper equipment, control the amount of oxygen one uses. The lowered heart rate becomes even lower during the dive itself. For every change in physics there is a corresponding change in physiology. Once a person learns how to engage these changes and adapt to the pressure, there can be a great deal of comfort in the dive itself. This shift in physiology causes attendant changes in one’s mental state.

Equipment

Free divers use specialized equipment. A wetsuit, a weight belt, booties, gloves, a low volume mask and a knife of some kind are the basics. Additionally we use specialized long fins that come with several choices of stiffness. These fins are a very important part of a free divers' equipment as they help to reduce effort and increase efficiency - both critical to safe and deep swims.

Free Diving and Sea Life

Sea life react very differently to free divers than they do to SCUBA tank divers. Fish are very curious animals. I have had many marvelous encounters with all kinds of sea beings and I am certain that the fact that I am not wearing a SCUBA tank and regulator has facilitated those encounters. The opportunities for photographs reflecting sea beings who are comfortable and more relaxed are much better when one is not bringing bubbles and noise into the experience. I have had very close and positive encounters with marlin, sharks, dolphins and other creatures and I am certain that those encounters occured because I was diving and swimming quietly and in an organic fashion.

Teaching

I do teach freediving and various aspects of sea experience and if you would like to take some instruction I can be reached at the contact points listed at the bottom of this page.

Often people come to me to simply learn the basics of deep swimming to enhance their skills and improve their interactions with various sea beings and have no desire to be 30meter divers. Other students want to be deeper divers and I have really enjoyed seeing them succeed.

I have worked with people of all ages and skill levels and have seen almost all of them achieve their goals. For me, teaching people to swim deeply has been a wonderful and positive experience as they overcome their fears, learn how to listen to their bodies and learn how to integrate with the ocean environment and the many beings that live in it. This is very rewarding work and I really enjoy it.

I normally work with students on a one-to-one basis and give them my undivided attention. Usually it begins with an interview to learn from them just what it is they want to know how to do and then I tailor a process specifically to meet those desires. Some people require intensive attention and I am open and capable of working with them.

Safety Training for Spear Fisherman

Occasionally I have students who are spear fishermen and want to be safer deep swimmers. I do not spearfish, myself because I enjoy the encounters with the various animals I meet and have no need nor desire to kill and eat them. However, I have learned that many spear fishermen receive no formal training in free diving and that is why we often hear about them dying in the sea so I do welcome spear fisherman as students. kama'aina pricing is available for locals...

"Altered States", Sea Shamanism and Free Diving as a Spiritual Practice

For me, free diving has been a journey of discovery leading to truths and understandings about myself and the world that I did not anticipate that I would learn. It has been a humbling and enlightening experience. I have learned to treat it as a spiritual practice, a mind/body discipline and have seen the benefits of it manifesting in many aspects of my life. I now practice it as a form of Sea Shamanism and use it to heal myself and others and to experience the Divine within.

Free Diving is an ideal meditative practice combining stillness, focus and breath work that is consistent with practices like archery, Yoga, Tai Chi, etc. The water environment is unique and the meditations that I have developed are potent. If you are inclined to engage in free diving as a meditative practice please advise me of your interest because there is much that I can share with you in this regard.

Here, in Kona, Hawaii, we have many opportunities to swim with dolphins, manta rays and all manner of sea creatures in warm blue waters. I have personally had many remarkable encounters with all manner of creatures while swimming in the sea. Often, I have been alone and the experiences border on the sublime. My instruction includes an element addressing how to enjoy and positively interact with all manner of sea beings, from the smallest to the largest.

Often I find myself drifting along, effortlessly, perhaps in the company of dolphins… the water is warm and deep blue, Ever Blue I call it, and anything could come swimming out of it…. It is truly a beautiful space.

So I invite you to come to Kona and take some training with me, it will change your life and give you a much greater appreciation for the ocean and the beings that live in it. If you have fears of swimming in the sea, I will help you turn them around. If you want to be a better deep swimmer, I can help. I am also familiar with accommodations and have many interesting friends and there are many beautiful places to visit and things to see here on the big island of Hawaii.

Contact Me

I can be reached at this email address: lungfish001 at gmail.com (I am writing it this way to avoid spam). You may reach me by telephone at 808-854-Nine Six Six Six. You may also contact me to make arrangements for instruction through the “Comments” function on this page. Please include your contact information so that I may reply. Also, I have a website at www.everbluefreediving.com with more methods of contacting me...

Mahalo!

Ted Roe

EverBlue Freediving L.L.C.

http://www.everbluefreediving.com