ABOUT ME

I had the chance to live in Bodrum - Turgutreis. Half of my friends at primary school were children of local fishermen's. Turgutreis was a town where fishermen and sponge divers were very active at that time. When my sea and fishing adventures started with my friends, it was much easier for me to swim with the mask, fins and snorkel I borrowed. I learned to dive before swimming. I was intrigued by the different underwater world, and an interest in going a little deeper began. With what I learned from my friends, I was able to dive 5-6 meters with my own breath, but something was wrong. Ear Equalization.!.

​

In those years, the Italians were visiting and spearfishing by making deep dives. It was interesting. How could these people go that deep (20+ meters)? Of course, I didn't learn the secret of this business. Turgutreis adventures were short lived.

When I watched the 1988 Big Blue movie 3-5 times with excitement, I had the idea that there was a training for freediving, but where, with whom?  During my university years in Ankara, when pool and freediving opportunities emerged, I went back to freediving in Anıttepe Swimming Pool with the experimental methods of that time, which were not very scientific. Some of the scuba diving instructors in Ankara were doing freediving and participating in spearfishing competitions. A little more knowledge from them and the experience I gained with the pool trainings we did together worked. When I went back to Turgutreis for a holiday, there was enough money to stay in the tent for only 10-15 days, But it became possible to extend the holiday by diving with old fisherman friends, spearfishing and catching octopus. (by the way, I haven't done spearfishing for a long time).

While freediving continues whenever possible,  I was interested in Scuba for a while and I took its training. I have dived in many parts of the world when I lived abroad due to my expat journey. In the meantime, I continued freediving with my old knowledge. After a while, when I started to hear about freediving world records and championships frequently, I thought that they had solved the science and secret of this business. I received my Level 1 training at Medfish in Bodrum. I was very comfortable in the water, I used to dive to depths like 15-20 meters before, but I learned that I was diving wrong. When I corrected the my  mistakes and improved my technique, I started to think, I can do more? Confidence that comes with knowledge, experience, comfort, right materials and safety. :-)

A year after, I continued the trainings and then Level 2. I visited the LifeAquatic school in Kaş due to my desire to dive in different places in Turkey and then I have completed Level 3 training.  

​

Afterwards, I had a definite idea about what I wanted to do or not do in freediving, with safety diving practices, diving technique development trainings and advanced courses at the Deep Dive Camp organized by LifeAquatic Kaş for the world championships.  

​

"Continue and specialize by turning my hobby into a professional freediver".

As a result, SSI Level 2 Instructor.  

​

To be continued... :-)