Shocking footage captures a woman freediving through a very narrow network of caves, with the tunnel just wide enough for her body to fit through.
In the 42 second long clip, tiffany marie owen30, of St. Petersburg, Florida, can be seen taking a breath before calmly plunging into the depths of Ginnie Springs.
With a GoPro in one hand, use your other hand to slowly guide it through the underwater obstacle course until it slides down the tunnel and surfaces on the other side. Total time underwater is 30 seconds.
Other videos posted to her social media accounts show her doing similar stunts, with thousands of viewers expressing a mixture of horror and amazement.
In the 42-second long clip, Tiffany Marie Owen, 30, of St. Petersburg, Florida, can be seen taking a breather before calmly plunging into the depths.
With a GoPro in one hand, use your other hand to slowly guide it through the underwater obstacle course until it slides down the tunnel and appears out the other side to the surface.
One commenter wrote ‘this is giving me a lot of anxiety but it’s amazing that you can do that’, while another exclaimed ‘this is amazing! I would be super scared!
Freediving is a form of underwater diving that relies on holding your breath until you return to the surface, rather than having a breathing apparatus.
There are extreme and sometimes deadly consequences to free diving, if not carried out correctly, due to the limits of breathing and the pressure associated with such shallow depths in the water.
For all of her stunts, Tiffany has security divers accompanying her.
If she’s trying to navigate an underwater tunnel, there are usually two above the hole and one that goes down with her below.
While the thought of being in a confined space underwater might send some people into a panic, Tiffany says she finds “comfort” in that kind of environment.
She explains: ‘It’s more about relaxing your mind, slowing your heart rate and being in a meditative state before diving.
“Our mammalian diving reflex plays an important role in our multisystem physiological response to being in the water, just like manatees, otters and dolphins.
“Human beings were meant to dive… Freediving is an amazing sport that has helped me develop mental strength, relaxation is everything in this sport.”
The Floridian started freediving a year ago and later became certified.
She says professional training is imperative as the sport can be fatal if not performed correctly.
She hopes her videos help educate the public about freediving as a sport, but also highlight the dangers involved.
The Floridian started freediving a year ago and later became certified
She says professional training is imperative as the sport can be fatal if not performed correctly.
Mom-of-one says, “This sport can be deadly, so I feel like people need to know how to do it as safely as possible.”
The diver says that it is essential to find a dive buddy that he can “trust with his life”, that “if he loses consciousness, his dive buddy is able to rescue him”.
For those thinking about taking up freediving, Tiffany stresses the importance of getting qualified.
The mother-of-one says: “This sport can be deadly, so I feel like people need to know how to do it as safely as possible.”
“I encourage anyone who is interested in freediving to get certified.”
While freediving has given Tiffany a world of benefits, it has also made her realize the extent of water pollution.
Touching on environmental issues, he said: ‘The population in Florida has skyrocketed.
‘Florida faces serious challenges due to the continued development and destruction of our land.
“The animal population is declining, Florida’s coral reefs are dying, the red tide is getting worse with each passing year.
‘The health of Florida’s springs is also deteriorating due to the use of fertilizers, and due to human impact, submerged aquatic vegetation is dying off and being replaced by algae.
‘I find trash everywhere I go, even in caves.’
For those thinking about taking up freediving, Tiffany stresses the importance of getting qualified.
He also says that it is essential to find a dive buddy that you can ‘trust with your life’, that ‘if you lose consciousness, your dive buddy is able to rescue you’.
While it’s dangerous, Tiffany says, “so is driving a car, but both can be done safely.”
