“You go when you feel like it”: we learned to freedive in La Ciotat
Report In recent years, the practice of freediving has enjoyed a new lease of life. We dived into the waters off La Ciotat, in the Bouches-du-Rhône department, to better understand this craze.
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The noise of the world no longer exists. Our bodies encased in neoprene wetsuits, we float in the Mediterranean Sea. Through our masks fitted over hoods, two images overlap: on the surface, that of seagulls flying above the lush vegetation of Green Island; underwater, that of a blue as far as the eye can see. A dizzying vision traversed by a metal cable hanging from the boat we came in and on which a blue and white flag is now hoisted, alerting us to the presence of divers. "We're going to be able to dive in," assures Nicolas, 37, an instructor at Abyss Garden. Founded in 2011 in La Ciotat, in the Bouches-du-Rhône department, this professional freediving school is one of the oldest in France.
Nicolas and I are four people. We have different backgrounds and different desires. Some are taking part in this freediving baptism to further improve our underwater skills, while others are seeking harmony and peace within the aquatic environment. We, "Le Nouvel Obs," are here to discover a rapidly growing practice that has been attracting more and more enthusiasts in recent years. Why? This is what we hope to understand underwater. Mask, snorkel...
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