I have been fascinated by freediving since childhood, and now, I am setting myself a bold challenge: reaching a depth of 30 meters in constant weight freediving by June. That’s 10 meters deeper than my current limit—a significant leap for someone who approaches the sport as an enthusiast rather than a professional. To put it into perspective, 10 meters is roughly the height of a three-story building.
My journey with the ocean began when I was just a child. A major turning point in my life was leaving the Paris region to settle on a small Mediterranean island. Overnight, everything changed—the sun was nearly always shining, and the sea was a breathtaking shade of turquoise, clear and inviting.
Not long after arriving, I received my first diving mask. It was an old-school model made from aging plastic, equipped with two nostril holes, designed for equalizing pressure when descending underwater. If you don’t equalize, the pain in your ears can be unbearable. Along with the mask, I was also given a snorkel featuring a basic mechanism—a floating white ping-pong ball meant to block water from entering when diving below the surface. It was rudimentary, but it worked. And with that, I got my first taste of an entirely different world.
About 71% of the Earth’s surface is covered by water, and beneath the waves lies an entirely separate universe. There are two main ways to explore it: with scuba tanks or by relying solely on your lungs and breath-holding abilities. I chose the latter.
Now, many years later, with retirement on the horizon rather than childhood, I have set my sights on reaching the 30-meter mark—equivalent to a 10-story building.
To be clear, I am not a professional freediver. My involvement in the sport has always been informal. I never joined a club, never followed structured training, and learned everything by doing—simply diving with friends. It started as a way to observe marine life, but over time, the challenge of pushing my limits became part of the experience.
Now, the goal is set. Over the coming months, I will be training, refining my technique, and gradually improving my breath-hold capacity. This will require both physical and mental preparation, as freediving is not just about lung capacity—it is about relaxation, control, and adapting to the pressure of the deep.
Will I reach my goal of 30 meters? Only time will tell. But one thing is certain: every dive takes me closer, and the journey itself is just as rewarding as the achievement.
