Summary
Highlights
Carlo Navarro, a licensed free diving instructor, explains the science behind free diving. However, the record for the deepest free dive in the Philippines is held by Julie Miswari, a Badjao man from Davao who only finished first grade. In 2013, Julie surprised everyone by breaking the free diving record at the Kadayawan Festival, reaching a depth of 260 feet.
Free diving is a method of diving without any apparatus, unlike scuba diving. It relies on breath-holding ability and lung capacity. The key to successful free diving is to remain calm, both mentally and physically, to conserve oxygen. Panic or stress can quickly lead to dangerous situations underwater.
The documentary's host accompanies Julie on a typical day of fishing, using scuba gear to observe his free diving technique. Julie demonstrates an astonishing ability to not only dive to great depths but also walk and spend extended periods underwater, using diaphragm breathing to conserve oxygen and a weighted object to descend efficiently.
The deeper one dives, the closer they are to danger. Julie has suffered broken eardrums since he was nine years old due to extreme diving depths. Free diving can also lead to blackouts and even death if oxygen runs out, as illustrated by recent incidents involving foreign free divers in Palawan. Despite the risks, Julie continues free diving as it's his only known livelihood.
Julie's meager catch for the day yields less than 200 pesos, which he has to share with his companions. This extreme poverty has led many Badjao to abandon their traditional diving practices and, instead, resort to begging in cities. Violence from bandits and pirates in Mindanao has also forced them to leave their traditional homes.
Pastor Delmar, who taught Julie to dive, aims to restore the dignity of the Badjao people and their connection to the sea. He believes that living by the sea is their true way of life, and hopes that one day, the Badjao will no longer need to beg, but instead return to their traditional livelihood. The 2013 free diving competition briefly changed the public's perception of the Badjao, highlighting their unique skills.