Page 15 - Tropic Magazine Issue 30
P. 15
TROPIC • UP FRONT
Ant Judge
Freediving Instructor
Cairns Freediving School
With an ability to hold his
breath for several minutes A DAY IN THE LIFE
while diving to extraordinary
depths where light barely Tropic delves into the daily routines and habits of a local identity.
penetrates, Antony Judge has
broken seven national records
in the freediving arena. 4:30am where they don’t just look around but
My alarm sounds, telling me it’s time
look within. My students are always
He’s since retired from to get to the gym. I immediately roll shocked to find out how well our
competition but his passion out of bed and hit snooze. bodies have evolved to be underwater,
has not waned one bit. Ant ‘Not today,’ I tell my alarm and finally even able to redirect blood flow from
is now teaching his skills get out of bed at 6am. Hey, it’s Sunday! the extremities to vital organs in times
and sharing the joys of his Day two of teaching a stage of submerged breath-hold.
sport with others. Here’s one A freediving course. 12:30pm
snapshot of what is never a 7:00am We finish the drills with rescue training
typical day. My normal coffee shop, Blackbird and though it’s a serious subject it
Warehouse, is shut. Luckily Rusty’s always seems to get a few laughs
Markets are open. I only function after and smiles.
coffee and being spoilt for brekkie
options is awesome. My favourite 1:30pm
breakfast is a Reuben sandwich With the course components complete
from Frenchies Patisserie. I know I we spend the afternoon just enjoying
shouldn’t, but I can’t help myself. new skills, freediving with local reef
inhabitants. This day we had them
8:00am all! Students were diving with sharks,
I meet the students at the wharf and turtles and Wally, the little hump-
board the deep-sea Divers Den boat headed wrasse.
Reef Quest and depart for the Great
Barrier Reef. Today is sunny but windy. 2:30pm
Halfway out, we see the water change We leave the reef and spend the
to a beautiful warm blue colour. 1.5-hour trip home debriefing (talking
I breathe a sigh of relief. Ironic, as the about sharks and turtles).
rest of the day will be spent teaching
people how not to breathe. 4:30pm
I congratulate the students and give
10:00am out a few high-fives.
We are all geared up and in the water
we go. It’s awesome! Warm, clear and 7:30pm
no current! Near perfect conditions. I finally settle down after washing
I sneak in a solo fist pump as I know dive gear and cook dinner (mushroom
this day is going to be a good one. gnocchi with bacon and burnt butter
sage sauce). I don’t even remember
12:00pm what time I fall asleep.
With the great conditions the students
have flown through first drills. 1. Credit: Julia Wheeler
This is a day where I love my job.
Teaching freediving is like taking
people on a journey underwater
1 MORE: freedivingcoursesaustralia.com
15 • tropicnow.com.au
