For the last days of #VB2022 we had a drift of sargassum (a floating seaweed) enter the Blue Hole lagoon, covering a lot of the surface area and creating a surreal gloom that @daanverhoevenfreediver was able to masterfully capture. In this photo I’m diving to 120m for the silver medal in Free Immersion (where we’re allowed to pull on the rope to go down and up). Gold was taken by @matt_malina with an incredible new world record freedive to 127m (sidenote: this is the first time since 2009 that world records in all depth disciplines have been held by different athletes!)
Sargasso overgrowth is becoming a big problem in the Caribbean, and like most things, it’s due to mankind’s impact: in this case the fertilisers used in North and South American agriculture run off into the rivers, which then drain into the seas. This increases surface nitrogen levels, which allows the sargassum to bloom. When the seaweed drifts into coastal areas it can block sunlight and raise water temperatures, killing coral and aquatic life. • #freediving #freedivingvideo #underwatervideo #deansbluehole #suunto #orca #bluehole #bahamas #underwater #fim #freeimmersion #unassisted #freediver #verticalblue