'EXHALE' - A must watch for all Freedivers

Slowly sinking to the bottom of the ocean floor, an unconscious Aaron Gallagher was rescued by his diving partner, and best friend Jack Strickland. After suffering what is referred to as a 'shallow water blackout' the horrific images of a man moments from death were caught on camera. What followed was a long road to recovery, as the two men fought against the physical and emotional trauma sustained on that fateful day. Exhale is a hard-hitting film about the extreme sport that is free diving, delve deeper and we find a story of friendship, passion and overcoming all fears.

Stay updated with the progress on the boys Series

[johnv]

I`ve lost three mates doing spearfishing. All three of them very strong and expert freedivers with many years in the water, capable of fishing with ease under 40meters. All three lost their lives because they broke the first and most important rule of freediving. ``Don`t dive alone.``. All three would be alive now if they had not break that rule.
Admittedly i`ve broken that rule in the past myself and i have been extremely lucky to still be around. A few close calls and a full on blackout. What saved me on that instance is that i felt it coming and managed to take my weight belt off before blacking out, i was close to surface so i was positively buoyant, my snorkel was out of my mouth and i had a weight strapped on my back which forced my body to lay flat on my back when i surfaced, so my first unconscious breath was air.

Please, DONT DIVE ALONE! Life is precious and spearfishing/freediving is meant to be something special and fun. No fish, no dive, is more important than your life.

[BacktoBasics]

4 years on and we're still kicking! Stay safe everyone.

[Cozntera]

Thank you very much for this video.... many spearos don't understand the dangers we face as soon as we take that breath and make our decent. Watching this video brought many years to my eyes because I lost my best friend who was a seasoned diver 20 years ago, I was new at spearfishing and didn't practice the buddy system. I found him over half an hour later at the mouth of a cave with a huge trevally at the end of his spear. Only if I was there, we still be diving together today. You never forget your friend's face when he's dead in your arms and you're trying to drag his dead body back to shore. Since then I'm a big advocate of diving safe with a buddy. Be safe out there, respect the ocean, and Malama I Ke Kai.

[takackman]

I recommend the book "Deep" by James Nestor, he graphically describes what it is like to watch not just one, but multiple absolute professional competitive divers succumb to shallow water blackout.
Once you blackout you have two options: someone saves you or you become part of the ecosystem.

[shelleymurphy]

Amazing story....I was a near drowning victim at the age of 13. My father did CPR on me and saved my life, but I have never been afraid of the water since then. Now I’m an avid scuba diver and am looking to learn how to free dive at the age of 55. Being underwater is my happy place, and i agree that life is short. As an ER nurse for the last 22 years I see that everyday. We do need to do what keeps us happy and at peace.

[OliChristenDrew]

Thanks for this great video with the most important educational message for freediving.

However I would like to add another major safety issue: The unlucky spearo sank from the surface as soon as he blacked out. This means he was overweighted according to another very important safety rule: You should not sink from the surface on a full exhale.

Test yourself to this rule every time before you start your session!

I am aware that many spearos like to be heavy in the water to make it easier to get to depth silently and with minimal movement. As tempting as this might be, it is a bad trade-off: It will make the ascent harder. And if things go wrong, it will be towards the end of a dive, on ascent. So you want to make your ascent as easy as possible. By training your duck dive, body posture and finning technique you can get smoothly under water *without* being overweighted, while maximising your safety margin.

Thanks again for this very important video. All the best to you all!
Oli Christen, AIDA Instructor Trainer, Bali

[linuslindkvist-]

I lost my long time best friend just a little over a month back due to drowning. This really hit close to home. Life without your best pal really turns dull and grey.
So be thankful for all the moments you get, you never know once they will end.
I had spoken to my friend on a sunday just casually and by monday I recieved a call that said he had drowned and passed away. That moment was the most heartbreaking so far. Life really gets ripped apart. Still today I don't believe it and I'm allways waiting for the moment I'll see him coming down the road to my house like before. Which will never happen.
I was at the moment where I stood beside his chest at the funeral I realized that the nightmare was reality. So take care of all your buddies for as long as you get them.

[TheOceanman]

We all think it will never happen to it can and also a good example of why you shouldn't dive alone. Well done Jack.

[adubj]

One of the best short films I've ever seen! Love its messages surrounding mortality, gratitude, beauty, and friendship. 10/10

[ayhobbyist]

no stress, no noise, no pollution and most importantly ... NO PEOPLE

[CorksCorner]

My mate and I used to fish most afternoons after work, usually @ Watsons Bay, Sydney and together we were cool and rarely came home without dinner. One afternoon we took a bunch of his mates, more people, more confusion. One of them shot at a fish and missed, as it went under me I hit it but my spear went through and lodged in the bottom, next to a sunken container not all that deep really. I hauled but it wouldn't come free. went up got air and tried two more times, once at the spear itself even. Stupidly I didn't tell anyone else what I was up to, swum to the bottom put my feet down and hauled like hell; the spear eventually came free but I had used up almost everything I had. I launched for the top with nothing left and vaguely remember ripping the snorkel from my mouth on the way up, the next I remember was floating on the top desperately gasping for air and all by myself because everyone else had moved on. Getting out was sheer hell. Bloody stupid of me, and way too close for comfort. Big lesson, even with mates you've got to use your mouth and tell others what is going on, don't assume they're watching and so will help. - No point having brains if you don't use them, or being too proud to ask for help!

[dennisoffline]

i'm having a best friend i know since baby steps too, this image scared me so much 6:38 because my brain replaced it with my mates face, we're diving both too (not proper freediving like you guys tho). I'm so glad that your mate survived and that he has a friend like you. keep doing what you love thx for this video - it made me being grateful and ringing my bro

[raindancerpodcast]

Great video. The same exact thing happened to one of my best friends. Watching this really got the heart pumping. I remember seeing him floating beneath the surface the same why your friend was in this video. We have also learned so much from that day and are thankful to have a second chance. Keep doing what you love.

[HaydenWilsonOutdoors]

This hit deep! I'm only fairly new into Spearfishing and apart of recognising dangerous sharks, blackouts are my most biggest fear. It can happen to anyone and not everyone gets a second chance but you two are lucky to have eachother and to have gone through this experience would have been one of the most scariest and hardest times in your lives!

[dearob]

I feel so stupid now, i often go and freedive alone... I'm not pushing my limits, but still not a wise thing to do.

[Krashpono]

It really puts things in perspective. As Spearos and freedivers we face death on every decent, whether it's from predators or blackouts. I've never met or known anyone personally that has blacked out, but I have heard many scary stories. Enjoy and respect the ocean. Dive safely!

[cashmeremilk]

How beautiful. Privileged but so down to earth, if I could choose for a life(style) I’d choose this. Australia, the family, the slow life ❤

[TrashBassin]

wow that was the best video i have watched.. Really hit home. Thankyou for taking the time and sharing this experience!

[shallhonda]

I'm new to the sport and I have been taking the chance diving alone. I'm getting to the point were I want deeper water and starting to push thought caves ect. Ummmm never again not alone. Didn't think it was that easy. Thanks guys. You may of just saved I life. Now I'm looking for a dive buddy

[ACOSTAZZ]

This is the real deal, you have to see it to believe it, a true learning lesson for all those freedivers out there. Very insperational, you are truly BLESSED to have had the oppurtunity to share this video of a true life and near death experience. I was running out of air myself while watching this video. You are very lucky to have a friend that reacted quickly and was looking out for you. Very good video.