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John Moorcroft reviews Aqua Lung’s new freediving suit
I was very exited and intrigued when I was asked to review Aqua Lung’s new freediving suit. I had heard one was in production and that Miguel Lozano, the Spanish and World freediving champion, had been involved with the design.
The suit is definitely designed with the competitive freediver in mind. It’s constructed from 1.5 mm high density neoprene to a triathlon/swimming wetsuit design which many freedivers (myself included) prefer for performances, both in the pool and for depth in warm tropical temperature waters.
That said, I think the robustness of the high density neoprene also makes it a good choice for tropical water recreational freediving, where there is more wear and tear (from things like rocks etc) while entering and exiting the water.
Having chosen the correct size (I recommend you err on going slightly smaller rather than larger when choosing), I met with my coach Steve Millard at the pool to give it a spin. I noticed while putting the suit on that the construction was very good; the suit is blind stitched and glued to give entirely waterproof seams and to provide additional streamlining. The neck seal is quite high and very robust to prevent flushing of the suit, something essential for reducing drag and maintaining warmth. For an off the peg suit I thought the fit was very good.
Once on, the suit felt comfortable, and in stretching out before getting in the pool I had a good unimpaired range of movement for swimming.
Having readjusted my buoyancy to be completely neutral in the pool, I did a couple of lengths no fins. The first thing I noticed was in pushing off the wall hard there was absolutely no flushing of the suit. The glide phase of the stroke cycle felt superb in this suit. I found I could easily maintain a hydrodynamic position and there was no flushing of the suit at any point of the stroke cycle.
Next I put on a monofin and did a couple of fast lengths to see if the neck seal would hold up to some real pressure. Again, there was absolutely no flushing and the glides between fin strokes felt amazing in this suit.
I think the density of neoprene used in the construction of this suit helps with streamlining the body and will also help when using the suit for depth, as there will be less buoyancy to overcome on the initial phase of the descent. I am looking forward to giving it a good workout when I compete at Vertical Blue (widely held to be the most prestigious depth competition in the freediving calendar) held at Deans Blue Hole, Long Island, Bahamas in November.
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Jake Davies boards Ghazala Explorer for an unforgettable Red Sea diving experience…
Overnight, the wind picked up, making the planned morning dive a bit bumpy on the Zodiacs to the drop point on Thomas Reef. There, we would dive along the reef before descending through the canyon and then passing under the arch before ascending the wall with a gentle drift. The site provided great encounters with more pelagic species, including shoals of large barracuda, tuna, and bigeye trevally.
Once back on the boat, it was time to get everything tied down again as we would head back south. This time, with the wind behind us, heading to Ras Mohammed to dive Jackfish Alley for another great gentle drift wall dive before then heading up the coast towards the Gulf of Suez to moor up at the wreck of the Thistlegorm. This being the highlight wreck dive of the trip and for many onboard, including myself, it was the first time diving this iconic wreck. I had heard so much about the wreck from friends, and globally, this is a must on any diver’s list. Fortunately for us, there was only one other boat at the site, which was a rarity. A great briefing was delivered by Ahmed, who provided a detailed background about the wreck’s history along with all the required safety information as the currents and visibility at the site can be variable.
Kitting up, there was a lot of excitement on deck before entering the water and heading down the shoreline. Descending to the wreck, there was a light northerly current which reduced the visibility, making it feel more like the conditions that can be found off the Welsh coast. At 10m from the bottom, the outline of the wreck appeared as we reached the area of the wreck which had been bombed, as our mooring line was attached to part of the propeller shaft. Arriving on deck, instantly everywhere you looked there were many of the supplies which the ship was carrying, including Bren Carrier tanks and projectiles that instantly stood out.
We headed around the exterior, taking a look at the large propeller and guns mounted on deck before entering the wreck on the port side to take a look in the holds. It was incredible to see all the trucks, Norton 16H, and BSA motorcycles still perfectly stacked within, providing a real snapshot in time.
Overall, we had four dives on the Thistlegorm, where for all of the dives we were the only group in the water, and at times, there were just three of us on the whole wreck, which made it even more special, especially knowing that most days the wreck has hundreds of divers. Along with the history of the wreck, there was plenty of marine life on the wreck and around, from big green turtles to batfish, along with shoals of mackerel being hunted by trevally. Some unforgettable dives.
The final leg of the trip saw us cross back over the Suez Canal to the Gobal Islands where we planned to stay the night and do three dives at the Dolphin House for the potential of sharing the dive with dolphins. The site, which included a channel that was teeming with reef fish, especially large numbers of goatfish that swam in large shoals along the edge of the reef. These were nice relaxing dives to end the week. Unfortunately, the dolphins didn’t show up, which was okay as like all marine life they are difficult to predict and you can’t guarantee what’s going to be seen. With the last dive complete, we headed back to port for the final night where it was time to clean all the kit and pack before the departure flight the next day.
The whole week from start to finish on Ghazala Explorer was amazing; the boat had all the facilities you need for a comfortable week aboard. The crew were always there to help throughout the day and the chefs providing top quality food which was required after every dive. The itinerary providing some of the best diving with a nice mixture of wreck and reef dives. I would recommend the trip to anyone, whether it’s your first Red Sea liveaboard in the Red Sea or you’re revisiting. Hopefully, it’s not too long before I head back to explore more of the Red Sea onboard Ghazala Explorer.
To find out more about the Northern Red Sea reef and wrecks itineraries aboard Ghazala Explorer, or to book, contact Scuba Travel now:
Email: dive@scubatravel.com
Tel: +44 (0)1483 411590
Photos: Jake Davies / Avalon.Red
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