Get to know a Freediver with Krista

Get to know a Freediver with Krista

Get to Know a Freediver!

Welcome to a new blog series with Shark Fin Swim. I’m Hope, the founder and ocean illustrator behind Shark Fin Swim. Our small business helps raise awareness for ocean conservation through our hand drawn colorful prints perfect for ocean lovers. Using eco friendly materials and production practices we are bringing ocean advocates a more sustainable option for swimwear. As a biologist and purpose driven small business owner this blog series is going to give you an inside look of what it’s like to be a Marine Scientists Biologists, Diver, Professional mermaid and so much more! Let’s meet our freediver Krista for this week!

Follow Krista on Instagram @kristasurfhawaii

Can you introduce yourself and tell us a little about how you started diving?


I started swimming as a toddler, and never stopped! I was a competitive swimmer from age 7 through high school and participated in ocean swimming events as well. When I moved to Maui in 2006 I started surfing regularly, but when it was flat I would go snorkeling (but surfing always took precedence)! I'm still not really sure why, but in 2017 or so, I kind of fell off the wagon with surfing and fell more in love with freediving. In 2018, I took a freediving class with friends, and it really expanded my knowledge and abilities. My biggest issue was equalizing - it took me years to figure it out, but once I got it, I was thrilled to be able to explore more of my favorite Hawaii dive spots. 


What are some of your favorite places you’ve gone diving?



I was lucky enough to go to Palau for work last year. The reef was insanely gorgeous - I couldn't get enough of the anemonefish. I also loved diving in Moorea (Tahiti) and American Samoa. Hawaii doesn't have the most flashy corals or the fanciest fish, but we do have some incredibly rare endemic species, so it also remains one of my favorites. 


Tahiti

Photo by Narno Beats on Unsplash


You participate in dive cleanups frequently, what’s the most common thing you find on cleanup dives?


I started cleaning up on my own at the end of every dive around the time of Covid lockdowns. I realized how much fishing gear was being left on the reef at one of my favorite dive spots, and picking it up became routine. Now it's a habit. We mostly find lead, hooks, and long fishing lines entangled in the reef, though I have found a whole anchor, a Bible, and surprisingly a lot of underwear. 


Do you have a go-to routine to get ready for a dive?


I either eat a protein bar (GoMacro is my favorite) or a protein shake (LivBody or Orgain) before diving, and try to hydrate. I also pack my car up the night before, because if I try to pack at 6am when I am leaving the house I WILL forget something.


Frequent saltwater exposure can take a toll on your hair, do you have any favorite products to keep your hair healthy post dive?



I rinse in the beach shower after diving and then put a ton of conditioner in my hair and brush it out immediately. I shampoo and condition at home, and use an Olaplex hair treatment if my hair feels dry. I always spray my hair with "It's a 10" leave in conditioner post shower. 

For those who don’t dive, what are some safety tips or precautions you take as a free diver people might be surprised by?


DO NOT dive with your snorkel in your mouth! If you black out underwater, you want your mouth to stay closed to prevent water from being inhaled/getting into your lungs. It's also easier to equalize! I also know a lot of divers who don't know how to / that they should equalize their masks to prevent a mask squeeze!

One of the most exciting parts about diving for many is encountering wildlife. What should new divers know about wildlife encounters when diving and the dos and don’ts?


Don't touch or remove live animals from the water - many tour companies do this for their guests, and it's infuriating that they are teaching them that this behavior is okay. I also really hate the trend of influencers forcing octopus out of their hiding places to use them as photo props - this wears them out and strips them of their defenses, leaving them much more vulnerable to predation. People should also be respectful of marine megafauna like turtles, dolphins, and monk seals. Give them their space!  



Photo by Alessandro Canepa on Unsplash

What’s your take on the infamous beef between the scuba community and free divers?


Hahahah! This is such a good question. I know some good divers, but there are also SO MANY that seem more into it for the "sport" than for the appreciation of the underwater world. In my experience, SCUBA divers have a lot less situational awareness because they're mostly bottom feeders... I mean, dwellers. We will be floating on the surface waiting for something to come out of hiding, like an octopus or a seal, and they just barge on through in big groups blowing their bubbles, kicking the reef, and scaring everything away. At one of our very popular dive spots, the HUGE groups of divers and dive classes take up SO MUCH parking, and they block the whole beach entrance/exit as they swim in or out (and will run right over you). Don't even get me started on the noisy DPVs screaming underwater and chasing wildlife around. 


Photo by Estudio Lizardi Saucedo on Unsplash
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