KNYSNA NEWS - Former world record holder and South African champion freediver, Trevor Hutton, was joined by Knysna local, Simon Thomas for a practice freedive at the Knysna Heads on May 3.

Hutton stopped off in Knysna on his way to Durban where he will make three new South African freediving record attempts.

Thomas explained that the Heads was one of the few places where a diver could reach a depth of 20m, swimming from the edge, "We are planning to test his counter ballast system, which will be used in the official attempts." Hutton explained that he would be making the new record attempts in very strong standing current, with strong wind movement on boats on the surface. "It is essential the whole diving rig must not be attached to the boat."

Unfortunately, due to the current, tide and time constraints Hutton and Thomas were unable to rig up the counter ballast. "The dive was good. It's always awesome to dive with Trevor as he is the best in South Africa," said Thomas. "The last time we dived together in Knysna was November 2010 when he offered his advanced freediving course here."

Although the NSRI had been alerted to the planned freedive, the institute didn't launch any of its vessels as Hutton and Thomas were the only two divers in the water and dived at shallow depths, from six to approximately 16m. "It was only Trevor and myself in the water and we just enjoyed diving into the channel and doing a good few drifts over the Paquita," Thomas said.

Huttons record attempts form part of his and his partner, Lesley Rochat's, latest campaign, Deep Freedive for Sharks, a campaign which aims to draw attention to the plight of sharks in South African waters. Rochat, the executive director of AfriOceans Conservation Alliance, explained that Deep Freedive for Sharks represents a number of critical issues:
 
"The killing of sharks by the shark nets, the continued targeting of white sharks along our coast, the illegal fishing and finning of sharks in our waters, and the general lack of compliance and protection of our shark populations by an inept government. It also aims for the protection of a number of charismatic shark species such as the tiger shark, bull shark and cow shark." Hutton's freediving record attempts will take place "in the often bloody water of the shark slaughter carried out by both legal and illegal fishers, an area known as the pelagic zone, situated 20 miles off the South African coast," explained Rochat.

"I believe in education and awareness; without it you cannot win the support of people and they will forever remain ignorant, slaves to their beliefs, in particular when it comes to sharks," concluded Rochat.

For further information on the campaign, Deep Freedive for Sharks, visit www.freediveforsharks.com.


Trevor Hutton, a South African freediving champion and former world record holder, will attempt to break a series of national freediving records as part of the Deep Freedive for Sharks campaign, which aims to draw attention to the plight of sharks.


Former world record holder and South African champion freediver Trevor Hutton (left) at the Knysna Heads. Alongside him is local diver, Simon Thomas. Insert: The Knysna Heads is one of the few places where a diver can reach a depth of 20m by swimming from the shore. Pictured here is world record holder and SA champion freediver, Trevor Hutton, preparing to dive the Heads.

ARTICLE: FRAN KIRSTEN, KNYSNA-PLETT HERALD JOURNALIST