In order to train at Lake Pupuke, all AFC members must complete a Lake Induction.
You must be a paid member of The Auckland Freeediving Club who has completed a pool induction. Not a member? Join Us.
What to expect during the induction
One or more of our senior members will lead the induction. They are not paid for it and give up valuable training time. The best way to show our appreciation for that is to be prepared and be on time.
The first part is an intro about the lake, hazards and other important information. Then we put our wetsuits on and swim out about 200m to a buoy with the induction rig (a big round float).
Once in the water, you will get a chance to practice your duck-dive, equalization, use of lanyard, staying close to the line, a 16m deep CWT dive (with fins) and an 11m rescue. The rescue is usually done at the very end of the session because you have to tow the person you rescued back to the shore and retrieve the "unconscious diver" from the water.
It helps to have basic knowledge of frenzel equalization. Try practicing it our of the water before the induction. Feel free to ask other members for help with that during pool training.
Equipment
- mask and snorkel
- fins (preferably full foot pockets)
- weight belt
- wetsuit (5mm for March - November, 2-3mm during summer)
- neoprene socks and gloves for colder months
- towel
All AFC lake divers must have a special lanyard for attaching themselves to the safety line and a small torch that clips onto the mask.
- lanyard: provided by AFC in exchange for a $50 bond or bring your own (must meet AIDA requirements)
- torch: provided by AFC for free upon successful completion of the lake induction
You can return the lanyard before the end of the depth season if it's still in a good condition in exchange for the bond.
Beware, there are no toilets or changing rooms near the lake. We change in the car park. Having a freediving poncho helps.
Equalization
Equalization, or EQ for short, is the skill that you need to have before trying depth diving.
You should be able to easily "pop" your ears using Frenzel technique on land. It won't possible to dive past 2m without at least some kind of EQ. Valsalva technique (what most scuba divers use) can get you down to 8-10m. It is not enough to pass AFC 15m dive test. You do need to be using Frenzel from the very beginning.
If you can equalize, but are not sure what method you use, try these two tests:
- it's probably Frenzel if you can equalize after breathing out as much air as you can
- it's probably Frenzel if you use your neck muscles as in this video https://www.youtube.com/shorts/LIAgxKEJApo.
If you do not know anything about EQ, get the basics from these videos:
- a quick intro into Frenzel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXTxPsexAwE
- a very detailed explanation of Frenzel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mo07gZR741M
- a long and ranty Q&A on EQ: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71QhrWyMPSM
Feel free to ask other club members about the EQ if you need help or want to check what method you are using.
Get started
- Book a space on a posted lake induction event or email inductions@aucklandfreediving.co.nz to request one
- Review lake training information and safety documents
- Receive a confirmation email that your booking was accepted
- Start practicing your EQ
It is possible you will need to complete the induction over more than 1 week. You will need to book each date separately. Once you have completed a Lake Induction you will need to fill in the Lake Induction Completion form (see list of lake training forms and documents) in order to continue lake training with the club.
We are looking forward to diving with you in the lake!