Ecological Freediving in Antartica

Our friend Gilles Rigaud who works as a skipper on sailboats between the tip of South America & Antartica, just returned from his latest trip, bringing back a wonderful trove of pictures after ecologically sound diving experiences. Below the text that accompanies the full photoshow:

Six strong minded freedivers and an experienced skipper on a 50 foot fast sailboat for 5 weeks is the recipe for a successful and inovative way to explore Antarctica.

Combining sailing and freediving works perfectly, both activities are the most ancient and natural ways to travel on the sea and exploring the underwater world.

A similar mindset characterize the new generation of sailors and the freediving explorers: a minimal impact and a light configuration to be as close as possible to the nature.

Our adventure was firstly human, with a team of people who share the same values and who don’t believe in politically correct things to go with the flow.

It was my best humanist experience on an expedition so far. Those who know me well will understand that it means a lot.

Antarctica in under threat, slowly humans take possession of it despite various treaties and organizations that are supposed to protect it. The cake is now getting shared amongst them…humans are like viruses.

But the nasty things we witnessed couldn’t take away the fascination for a place where high peaks and gigantic glaciers meet an almost tropical lookalike sea full of life and peaceful creatures.

We had the chance to once again redefine animal-human interaction and dynamite some old myths popularized by the media.

We bring back positive imagery and mind blowing experiences that we hope won’t someday just become a testimony for the next generations of what was the White Continent.

Funny thing to add, with that trip I became the first person to freedive both Polar Region of our Blue Planet as in 2005 I could freedive under the ice at the geographical North Pole.

Anyway, we’ll go back to Antarctica for sure!

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