I`ve lost three mates doing spearfishing. All three of them very strong and expert freedivers with many years in the water, capable of fishing with ease under 40meters. All three lost their lives because they broke the first and most important rule of freediving. ``Don`t dive alone.``. All three would be alive now if they had not break that rule. Admittedly i`ve broken that rule in the past myself and i have been extremely lucky to still be around. A few close calls and a full on blackout. What saved me on that instance is that i felt it coming and managed to take my weight belt off before blacking out, i was close to surface so i was positively buoyant, my snorkel was out of my mouth and i had a weight strapped on my back which forced my body to lay flat on my back when i surfaced, so my first unconscious breath was air. Please, DONT DIVE ALONE! Life is precious and spearfishing/freediving is meant to be something special and fun. No fish, no dive, is more important than your life.

4 years on and we're still kicking! Stay safe everyone.

Thank you very much for this video.... many spearos don't understand the dangers we face as soon as we take that breath and make our decent. Watching this video brought many years to my eyes because I lost my best friend who was a seasoned diver 20 years ago, I was new at spearfishing and didn't practice the buddy system. I found him over half an hour later at the mouth of a cave with a huge trevally at the end of his spear. Only if I was there, we still be diving together today. You never forget your friend's face when he's dead in your arms and you're trying to drag his dead body back to shore. Since then I'm a big advocate of diving safe with a buddy. Be safe out there, respect the ocean, and Malama I Ke Kai.

I recommend the book "Deep" by James Nestor, he graphically describes what it is like to watch not just one, but multiple absolute professional competitive divers succumb to shallow water blackout. Once you blackout you have two options: someone saves you or you become part of the ecosystem.

Thanks for this great video with the most important educational message for freediving. However I would like to add another major safety issue: The unlucky spearo sank from the surface as soon as he blacked out. This means he was overweighted according to another very important safety rule: You should not sink from the surface on a full exhale. Test yourself to this rule every time before you start your session! I am aware that many spearos like to be heavy in the water to make it easier to get to depth silently and with minimal movement. As tempting as this might be, it is a bad trade-off: It will make the ascent harder. And if things go wrong, it will be towards the end of a dive, on ascent. So you want to make your ascent as easy as possible. By training your duck dive, body posture and finning technique you can get smoothly under water *without* being overweighted, while maximising your safety margin. Thanks again for this very important video. All the best to you all! Oli Christen, AIDA Instructor Trainer, Bali

no stress, no noise, no pollution and most importantly ... NO PEOPLE

I lost my long time best friend just a little over a month back due to drowning. This really hit close to home. Life without your best pal really turns dull and grey. So be thankful for all the moments you get, you never know once they will end. I had spoken to my friend on a sunday just casually and by monday I recieved a call that said he had drowned and passed away. That moment was the most heartbreaking so far. Life really gets ripped apart. Still today I don't believe it and I'm allways waiting for the moment I'll see him coming down the road to my house like before. Which will never happen. I was at the moment where I stood beside his chest at the funeral I realized that the nightmare was reality. So take care of all your buddies for as long as you get them.

My mate and I used to fish most afternoons after work, usually @ Watsons Bay, Sydney and together we were cool and rarely came home without dinner. One afternoon we took a bunch of his mates, more people, more confusion. One of them shot at a fish and missed, as it went under me I hit it but my spear went through and lodged in the bottom, next to a sunken container not all that deep really. I hauled but it wouldn't come free. went up got air and tried two more times, once at the spear itself even. Stupidly I didn't tell anyone else what I was up to, swum to the bottom put my feet down and hauled like hell; the spear eventually came free but I had used up almost everything I had. I launched for the top with nothing left and vaguely remember ripping the snorkel from my mouth on the way up, the next I remember was floating on the top desperately gasping for air and all by myself because everyone else had moved on. Getting out was sheer hell. Bloody stupid of me, and way too close for comfort. Big lesson, even with mates you've got to use your mouth and tell others what is going on, don't assume they're watching and so will help. - No point having brains if you don't use them, or being too proud to ask for help!

We all think it will never happen to us................but it can and also a good example of why you shouldn't dive alone. Well done Jack.

I'm new to the sport and I have been taking the chance diving alone. I'm getting to the point were I want deeper water and starting to push thought caves ect. Ummmm never again not alone. Didn't think it was that easy. Thanks guys. You may of just saved I life. Now I'm looking for a dive buddy

Amazing story....I was a near drowning victim at the age of 13. My father did CPR on me and saved my life, but I have never been afraid of the water since then. Now I’m an avid scuba diver and am looking to learn how to free dive at the age of 55. Being underwater is my happy place, and i agree that life is short. As an ER nurse for the last 22 years I see that everyday. We do need to do what keeps us happy and at peace.

I feel so stupid now, i often go and freedive alone... I'm not pushing my limits, but still not a wise thing to do.

One of the best short films I've ever seen! Love its messages surrounding mortality, gratitude, beauty, and friendship. 10/10

i'm having a best friend i know since baby steps too, this image scared me so much 6:38 because my brain replaced it with my mates face, we're diving both too (not proper freediving like you guys tho). I'm so glad that your mate survived and that he has a friend like you. keep doing what you love thx for this video - it made me being grateful and ringing my bro

I watched this video with a buddy, gotta stay safe

wow that was the best video i have watched.. Really hit home. Thankyou for taking the time and sharing this experience!

Absolutely beautiful video! Thank you for making this and sharing your story with us.

Thank you so much boys, great story. Very lucky to have each other, true mates are a dime a dozen! Best of luck with all your future adventures and keep pushing the limit and enjoying life to the absolute fullest.

Beautiful message and story. Thanks for sharing.

Too true! Thank you

Beautiful Documentary, seriously the way you told everything with the footage, music and interviews is stunning. Great work.

I'm glad you are safe and still diving. Thanks for sharing your story.

Crazy.. This video and this feeling hits home.

Great Video guys! Inspirational stuff! When I dive I will be even more careful not to push myself because of this video and when I am down there I will appreciate its beauty and danger even more so than I do now. Thank you for posting such a well made, honest and beautiful video.

Your life is more important than catching a big fish or impressing your friends, so let's stay within our personal limits no matter what.

My freediving course starts in two months and I can’t wait for that. I’m so grateful for this video. Although every article I read and video seen talks about safety a little, but this is so far the best. Hail free-divers and may safety be with us all!

So well done, to see a black out from the person's perspective is almost hard to comprehend, this video really puts it into perspective! Really great story.

This hit deep! I'm only fairly new into Spearfishing and apart of recognising dangerous sharks, blackouts are my most biggest fear. It can happen to anyone and not everyone gets a second chance but you two are lucky to have eachother and to have gone through this experience would have been one of the most scariest and hardest times in your lives!

Great, great stuff. Thank you.

You guys are awesome humans 👍🏼 while I was watching this amazing time capsule of a life and death situation, it brought tears to my eyes and memories of loosing friends and family some are gone and some are still here🙏🏽 Thanks for sharing the great tips and reminders for future generations. Well done to the team putting this together👌🏼 this is art 🎨

Beautifully made!!! Great contrast between the mesmerizing tranquility and the very real dangers of hypoxia. I fell in love with free diving few years ago and am still learning lots.

13yrs ago I had a spazzimo after free diving a deep wreck in Malta. It was a Sunday afternoon (my only day off) and I was alone... Pushed to go through the rudder of the wreck at 34msw. When I broke surface it hit me... I was really lucky that day.... Really, really lucky... Well surfice to say I learnt my leason, and now enjoy every season with my partner in crime😉 Great video!

So many messages in this video. Life, friendship, trust, appreciation, ego,respect, gratitude. Really powerful story. Thanks for sharing.

Beautiful.

I’m crying!!!! Thank you for this very informative and sentimental video

A great way to learn to appreciate the ocean and all it gives us!! 😊

True inspiration. Thanks boys

Thanks Guys, nice video and beautiful message! Thanks again for the warning and remind us how life is beautiful. Don't change anything.

Thanks for the share guys... really made me think everything over as my mate and I are hacks trying to push each other... just shows the importance of never diving alone... something i did 2 days ago but ill be thinking twice now....

This is the real deal, you have to see it to believe it, a true learning lesson for all those freedivers out there. Very insperational, you are truly BLESSED to have had the oppurtunity to share this video of a true life and near death experience. I was running out of air myself while watching this video. You are very lucky to have a friend that reacted quickly and was looking out for you. Very good video.

great video - so true, we never know our time here on this planet! My best friend & mate has an incurable cancer, and we try to live every day as the gift it is, with joy & gratitude. Welcome to loving life more & look forward to more of your videos, or series.

Great video thanks for making and sharing!

awesome to see true friendship - thanks boys

Thanks for sharing your profoundly moving story and lesson in life. Something many of us never learn, how to be really alive, to each other and the world around us.

Great video. The same exact thing happened to one of my best friends. Watching this really got the heart pumping. I remember seeing him floating beneath the surface the same why your friend was in this video. We have also learned so much from that day and are thankful to have a second chance. Keep doing what you love.

Awesome video guys. Thanks heaps

It really puts things in perspective. As Spearos and freedivers we face death on every decent, whether it's from predators or blackouts. I've never met or known anyone personally that has blacked out, but I have heard many scary stories. Enjoy and respect the ocean. Dive safely!

I love the title. It is so simple and natural in the meaning of it, yet so profound given the subject.

that is insane boys, awesome stuff, very inspirational

Brought tears to my eye. Very glady you are ok, and had a great mate there when you needed it most.

Thankyou for making this video mate, very important lessons about life and Freediving that everyone should follow. Cheers

Incredible!

I just watched all the b2b videos! This is so touching. Thank God

Thank you for sharing, a great ending to a very scary story.

I have never done free diving, but this video gives a strong message to any adventure seeker. Hats off.

I cannot stop to watch this video. This is such a good job !

Thank you.

Great experience to share...It really makes us appreciate life and free diving much more. Every time we go spearfishing with our best friends, we have to respect th eocean, respect and plan carefully every dive, at the end...we never know if it´s gonna be the last one but as longest we do right as a team one watching the other, things shoud be allright. Thanks a lot for this video. Keep on freediving, keep on enjoying life but on a safe manner.

Best thing I have seen on the subject yet. Thanks!

Many thanks

So happy he survived and well 🌹

Thank for taking the time to put this online. I can’t believe how many people only saw the fish being shot( excellent with a little lemon and fennel). Qld hunter in and out of the water.

well done guys sharing with us

Glad you are ok. It's good to have a buddy like that. Let me know when you guys need some more stickers.

Stunning video! Loved the quote at the end definitely gave me a reality check. Thank you

Great video, guys! Many thanks fr sharing, used it as an educational...

he got story to tell and im glad that every one safe

Great and inspirational video !

Amazing

Whoa, makes my aniety go up. Reminds me of time I almost drowned scuba diving. Equipment failure. Didn't dive for over a decade. Got all new gear in 2020, was watching Daniel Mann's vids- ended up here. And now even more aware and better educated- thanks for sharing.

Wow. I can imagine how you feel in this moment. Be safe guys.

Oh my god, same thing happened to me exept it was a samba/LMC... I'm FII certified and I used to spearfish at 10m-22m but 2 weeks ago, I was diving with my buddy, spotted a huge mutton down my feet while I was already at 20m I guess. Then I decided to chase the mutton on a 20m distance at a deph of 27m and then shooted right in the belly. I didnt realise that I was at that deph, I was focus on the fish and check my watch once I was up, after the LMC/samba... Everytime you see those big fish down, you feel like you have more oxygen until you shoot... The ascent was horrible and while coming up, I panicked a bit because I couldnt see my dive buddy up. Hopefully he was at my back, saw me kicking hard, understood that my dive have been longer than usual and came to me on the ascent at 8m. When I surfaced, I was dancing...SAMBA! haha. My buddy was AIDA certified so he really did a great job. It was a samba so even alone I would have been able to manage the situation but It could have been a black out. Thats why you should NEVER DIVE ALONE even if you have a lot of experience and try to dive with a certified buddy if you can. A fish doesnt worth your life... .

I was planning to skin dive alone this coming week. Thank you for sharing the video now I learned so much. I will share your clip to my friends so they be educated as well.

This is a very inspiring video and it really has shown me that life is taken for granted and that even in the most amazing places danger still lurks

Respect! Nice vid and hope everyone out there dives safe!

This a great video. That first part, really captures the essence of free diving.

8:35 Great words

I’m not a free diver but this was the best recommendation from KZfaq in awhile. The filming, story, and inspirational message at the end was powerful enough to get me out of a bad space in my life. Many thanks 🙏🏽✌🏽

Great film

Great Vid, happened to my dive buddy in Ft. Lauderdale. like Aaron my buddy recovered. Thank god a dive buddy was there for both of them. Never Dive alone!

Hey guys glad this clip came up to my suggestion from KZfaq! I'm new to the community of freediving and I don't know what to expect! This clip made things it crystal clear for me! Feel great of you guys made it out from this difficult situation! Enjoy life to fullest and don't forget to breath 🤙✌️

thanks for sharing

nicely done. great learning for a newbie like me. look forward to more of your videos.

Great!

Thanks so much for this video, ❤ It teaches a lot of valuable lessons and as a starting spearo, brother is it, all I needed.

great vid guys. a must watch for all Spearos

Hectic stuff! great movie boys

Awesome!

Great video. I'm glad you guys are okay. Be safe!

That was the thing that amazed me most about free diving. How unafraid the sea life is.

Great.......

What a great short film. Really do what you want to because life is wasted if you don't.

Thank you for the video, a remind about life

Damn. Powerful video. So well done

thanks for your video, I'm starting as a freediver, so this is very important to be careful when you do this

This is more than a spearfishing vid though it was amazing message for us spearos, what an amazing wake up call, this is one of the most touching, heartfelt, inspiring vids I have ever watched. To live your life, to have a different attitude on life and an amazing friendship, brotherhood. wow amazing fuken love it. Thank you.

Glad for the final outcome and that the guys enjoy such a deep friendship! Freediving is one of the many beautiful human activities, but imo) one should not see that as THE great thing in one's life here on the planet.. Already something like true friendship, not to mention this very planet, its past, present and future, and the reason behind its existence carry much, much greater meaning

this deserves way more views!

What a wonderful environment, and a group of mates. Carry on and keep on smelling the roses, and appreciate the your victory.