![]() They started training together, became romantically involved and set their sights on an ambitious new goal: In July 2017, Zecchini was attempting to freedive to an arch 180 feet underwater at the Blue Hole, then swim through it - an extremely dangerous feat only one woman, the legendary Natalia Molchanova, had previously accomplished - when disaster struck. An intense connection was immediately apparent. Their paths crossed at a competition in 2017 where Zecchini, with guidance from Keenan, set a world diving record of -104 meters. After traveling the world, Keenan, originally from Dublin, found his calling as a highly trusted safety diver accompanying athletes on their ascent and intervening if they blacked out or otherwise needed assistance. Zecchini fell in love with the sport as a precocious child who was barred from competing until she turned 18 - much to her dismay - and was a formidable international contender by her early 20s. In the sport, athletes descend hundreds of feet below the surface of the ocean using a single breath, no oxygen tanks and little equipment other than a rope. Using a trove of archival video, photos and audio recordings, “The Deepest Breath” follows Keenan and Zecchini on separate journeys to the top of the freediving world. What started as a trip down the YouTube rabbit hole became a six-year filmmaking journey resulting in “ The Deepest Breath,” a gripping documentary, now streaming on Netflix, that tells a tale of underwater tragedy and arrives as the implosion of the Titan submersible remains fresh in the public memory. “I’d try to hold my breath and then I’d gasp.” In 2017, Laura McGann read a story in the Irish Times about a fatal accident involving Alessia Zecchini, a preternaturally gifted freediver from Italy, and Stephen Keenan, a well regarded safety diver, at the Blue Hole near Dahab, Egypt - a notoriously dangerous submarine sinkhole nicknamed the “divers’ cemetery.”Įven though the Irish filmmaker didn’t know a thing about freediving - “At one point I googled ‘What is freediving,’” she said - she was immediately intrigued by the “incredible images of people behaving more like seals or dolphins, just holding their breath underwater, swimming endlessly.” She couldn’t resist trying it herself, but quickly discovered her lung capacity was less impressive. Again, if you are considering it, let me urge you to try it! You'll be glad you did.This story contains spoilers from the documentary “The Deepest Breath.” ![]() And the ear pressure builds quickly, since you are coming from 13k feet to zero in a matter of minutes. I don't know if you'll be permitted to wear earplugs on a tandem jump, but I saw experienced jumpers with them. ![]() I'd say the worst part of the whole thing is it's LOUD when free falling due to the rush of the air. I found it to be less scary than I anticipated, and very pleasant. If you even think you may be wanting to skydive, just DO IT. The plane was perfect and designed for the task. The facility is well suited, the main building has plenty of room, with an attached large room where the chutes are packed right there in plain sight (should you be curious to watch the process). Everything was explained clearly, expedited but not rushed. All five of us never felt ignored, out of place or intimidated, as much as possible considering the nature of the sport. I doubt it depends heavily which instructor you jump with, they all seemed dedicated to the cause. There is an evident spirit of teamwork at M.F. This is a review for Midwest Freefall overall. ![]() My first tandem jump with an instructor was awesome. ![]()
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