Cayman 2005 - Freediving World Record Event
Day 24 - April 6 - Last day of training
Doc Lopez:
Today starts like the others with the smell of Mandy's Cream of Wheat, something that
our stomachs can absorb before we hit the water. Martin goes one step farther,
he eats baby food, and I am rapidly becoming a fan. Today I can't resist
Mandy's though, since she has spiked it with "good fat" walnuts. We check on Martin
and he still is hurting from his back. I explain as best I can that a
chiropractor would help. Being a Medical Doctor helps me convince Martin and
he agrees to see a local doctor. He swallows another Motrin and we say goodbye.
We collect our half-awake safety divers, including Tom Lightfoot, whom I am glad
to see. I do worry about Kirk getting tired. It's no easy job going up and down 40m
and 50m day after day. They kid me about my "aquatic rhino" body, but I keep
wondering if gazelles could carry a rhino to the surface. Hearing that Tom is the man
you want, along with Kirk as safety, makes me feel secure. Especially with the thought
that one day I might need help to the surface. The winds are about 15 knots but
tolerable. We meet the boat at the West Dock and off we go. Within minutes we're
moored.
One look down and all is not well. The lines off the buoy are
streaming. The current is ripping. Mandy says she is tired, which I read as a
sign. State of mind is everything. Mandy hit 50m on constant
ballast no fins a couple of days ago. The current world record is 42m so I don't think
she'll push it today. Not in these conditions. Mandy is suiting up, which
is my signal to start 5 minutes behind her. We both start our warm ups, hanging
on the line, and doing negative pressure dives.
I used to hate negative pressure dives, but
after a call with Martin 3 months ago, he confirmed that he did not like them either;
now I really like them. I do them every day at home, with a safety of course.
Soon Mandy leaves the warm up line and I am alone. I do a negative pressure
and slide down the line. Being negatively buoyant, after exhaling all my air, I am falling
down the line like a lead balloon. All my focus is on equalizing. Bamm -- I hit
the bottom plate and think, "Wow, that's something," make a quick turn at 20m
and head for the surface. Negative pressure dives should last no longer than 10 seconds
and I have overstayed my welcome. On the way up I see that Mandy is on her way
up and I look for a tell tale sign of her grabbing the line. She does, and after I
ask her what happened. Apparently, the current was so strong that she kept hitting her lanyard
as she stroked her arms. The last straw was when the current pulled her body
away so hard from the safety line that the clip hooked on the tape and jerked her.
She turns at 30m and calls it a day. I am up next. I get a tow to the
sled to maintain my low heart rate.
I start my purges and then do 30 quick packs. My mind drifts and I pull it
back. Relax, one more pack, settle down, relax, and pull the cord. Down I go,
trying to not get behind in equalizations. I have one thing on my mind, to let the
water crush my chest. I don't fight it, I submit. I feel the familiar weight on
my chest telling me that I'm at least 150ft deep. I reach for one or two more
balls of air and then equalize to the bottom. Clunk, I hit bottom and then start my ascent.
I hear my bottom diver Spencer yelling, "Yeah Doc, go! I'm hungry". He's
referring to the fact that I buy dinner when I hit a new personal best. I pull on
the line but do not like it. The current is so strong it's pulling me away
from the line on each pulll. I have to kick more sideways than up to compensate.
I'm getting tired. Where's Kirk? Just then I'm glad
to see his familiar mug and his three finger signal telling me I'm at 100ft. I give him
my version of playing a guitar, letting him know I hit bottom. He makes a fist
showing his approval. He gives me a pointed finger telling me to move
to the left so I don't hit the boat. I break the surface with air to spare,
just like always. I give the ok sign, and he makes me take off my mask. I am so
alert I think it's silly but he is the coach, so I do it. The depth was 59m / 193 ft.
I have exceeded my age in meters which makes me happy. I can
hear Martin's come back now, "Hey doc, see that attractive nurse? She can give
you baby food like mine in the morning and put your food in a blender at night".
(Ha, Ha).
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