Molchanovs Wave 1 Freediving Course
Molchanovs Wave 1 Freediving Course
Salty Pilgrims Freediving
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BEGINNER FREEDIVING COURSE
Location: Nelson Bay, NSW
Wave 1 is perfect for anyone starting their freediving journey, whether you're a beginner or have experience in spearfishing, scuba diving, surfing, or other water activities. This course covers the fundamentals of freediving, including mental techniques, breath-hold relaxation, body trust, ear equalisation, and will leave you diving to depths of 12-20 meters on a single breath.
Our courses are held in the beautiful waters of Nelson Bay, just a 2.5 hour drive North from Sydney or 1 hour from Newcastle.
We focus on a pressure-free, supportive, and fun learning environment where we like to tailored our feedback to your individual goals. Our freedive instructors are among the highest trained instructors in Australia and all of Oceania, and we LOVE to help people solve their equalisation issues.
After completing the course, you will receive a Molchanovs Wave 1 Freediver Certification which is an internationally renowned certification and also gives you access to incredible free training programs.
You will also be added into our very active Messenger group chat which has 200+ divers all along the East Coast (who have all done a course with us) to meet new dive buddies and fun community events we do!
What's the difference between the Island Boat Course and Shore Dive Course?
Shore Dive Courses - Dive sessions ran at a beautiful, protected cove in Nelson Bay with calm, flat waters. Approximately a 4 minute swim from shore. The dives are held on different days to allow practice between them, and the site offers a depth of 21 meters.
Boat Dive Courses - Involves a full day on the boat on the second day of the course, with two open water dives at the local Islands (Broughton, Cabbage Tree, or Fingal Islands) based on where has the best conditions. It also includes a freediving adventure to explore our favourite spots and to put everything you've learnt to practice! Some of our favourite spots include: shipwrecks, Australian Fur Seal Colony or the local Grey Nurse Sharks.
COURSE OUTLINE
Theory
Prior to the course, you will be given access to the Molchanovs E-Learning Manual. Following the course, you will have access to the Molchonovs Online Training Resources.
You will learn the following during the course:
- Physics and physiological basics of freediving
- Breath holding workshop & techniques
- Relaxation techniques
- Equalisation basics & workshop
- Safety & potential traumas (blackouts, rescues, ear trauma)
- Multiple choice knowledge test
Pool Session
- Static breath holds (STA)
- Dynamic finning technique (body position, technique improvement)
- Dynamic swims (DYN)
- Buddy & rescue procedures
Two Open Water Dive Sessions
You will learn the following techniques:
- Buoyancy check, duck dives, line diving, equalisation & body positioning
- How to properly buddy another diver
- How to rescue a diver from a blackout
- Dive up to 20 metres deep (20 metres is the max depth, not the requirement to pass Wave 1)
If you’re unable to complete any course requirements, don’t worry. You can return within one year for a discounted rate to any of our line training sessions.
Equipment Required ($40 gear hire fee) includes 5mm freediving wetsuit.
- Mask & Snorkel
- Fins (these can be any fins, but we recommend longer freediving fins)
- Open Cell Freediving Wetsuit with hood (5mm recommended)
- Weight belt & weights
Freediving Course FAQ's
Are there any pre-requisites to join the Wave 1 freediving course?
- The minimum age is 16
- Must be able to swim 100m unassisted
- Must complete the Medical and Liability forms
What is the difference between a Boat Dive course and a Shore Dive course?
Boat Dive Course- the second day of the course includes 2 freedive sessions run from our commercial dive boat. The location for the dive sessions is weather dependent, but these are usually run at Cabbage Tree Island and Broughton Island.
Shore Dive Course- there is a dive session on both the first and second day of the course. The dive session is run from the shore of a protected cove in Nelson Bay. The swim out to the dive spot is either a relaxed 2 minute swim or 4 minute swim.
Are there requirements for the course?
Yes, there are. However we enjoy freediving because of its positive benefits to both mental and physical health, and we do not put any pressure on completing requirements. We are confident that our teams safe, fun and passionate approach to teaching freediving leads our students to passing requirements without putting any emphasis on them.
For those interested, the requirements to pass are listed below
Pool Requirements
STA (breath hold laying face down with no movement) 1min 30sec
DYN (kicking underwater with fins on) 30m
Depth Requirements
Free Immersion (pulling yourself down and up the line) minimum 12m and max 20m
Constant weight (kicking down the line with the use of fins) minimum 12m and max 20m
Rescue simulation (practicing a blackout rescue by bringing up a 'blacked out' diver) minimum 6m
What happens if the weather is poor?
If we deem the weather conditions (swell and wind) to be unsafe or unsuitable for freediving, we will either change the location and times for the course, or reschedule the course.
If we have to reschedule the course, you will be given a list of alternative dates to choose from.
Our top priority is safety, followed by ensuring you have the best possible experience freediving.
What happens if you need to reschedule a booked course?
If you need to reschedule your course at least 14 days or more from your booked course date, you can change free of charge.
If you need to reschedule your course within 14 days from your booked course date, you will be charged a $175 booking fee.
This is because by 14 days out from the course, we have already paid for instructor costs, boat captain costs, room hire, pool hire and fees, and your learning materials.