This is a statement in which you are informed of the established safe diving practices for freediving. These practices have been compiled for your review and acknowledgement and are intended to increase your comfort and safety in diving. Your signature on this statement is required as proof that you are aware of these safe diving practices. Read and discuss the statement prior to signing it. If you are a minor, this form must also be signed by a parent or guardian.

1. Always freedive with a trained buddy and follow established freediving buddy practices.

2. Not participate in open water freediving after scuba diving on the same day.

3. Equalize my ears and mask immediately as I descend, frequently and gently, before I feel discomfort.

4. Never continue descending without equalizing. If I can’t equalize, return to the surface.

5. Never attempt a forceful and/or extended equalization. A forceful, extended equalization can cause serious, permanent injuries to ears and hearing.

6. Descend with my lungs full.

7. Freedive in good health. Never freedive with a cold or congestion.

8. Even if I’m a scuba diver, not take a breath from scuba at depth while freediving. An exception may be an emergency, in which case the scuba diver should share air with me as we both make a scuba ascent.

9. Use relaxation to extend breath-hold time. Not use hyperventilation.

10. Increase breath-hold durations gradually. Gain experience slowly.

11. After descending to depth, head up well within my limits.

The deeper the dive, the sooner I should head up.

12. Send a diver who blacked out underwater or who may have inhaled water at the surface to the hospital, even if apparently fully recovered.

13. For open water freediving, weight myself so that I float comfortably at the surface after exhaling.

14. Remove the snorkel from my mouth when I descend on a freedive.

15. Not exhale during the dive, except immediately before breaking the surface upon ascent so I can inhale sooner.

16. Upon returning to the surface, exhale passively and gently. Inhale actively and more quickly. Do this at least three times.

17. Recover for at least three times the duration of my breath-hold before starting another dive.

18. When ascending from a dive to depth, have my buddy escort me for the final part of my ascent.

19. Not start a descent until my buddy has completed recovery from a previous dive.

20. Follow the one-up, one-down buddy system.

21. Assess conditions before a freediving session and plan my session. It is ultimately me who decides whether to go freediving. I am responsible for my own safety, so only I can make the final decision to dive.

22. Avoid freediving in large and rough surf.

23. Avoid contact with all organisms, but especially unfamiliar ones. Know the potentially hazardous ones for the area where I’m freediving.

24. Get a local orientation to a new freediving location and/or join a group to help learn about conditions, organisms, hazards and local procedures.

25. Protect myself from the sun and stay hydrated. I have read the above statements and have had any questions answered to my satisfaction. I understand the importance and purposes of these established practices. I recognize they are for my own safety and well-being, and that failure to adhere to them can place me in jeopardy when freediving.