Nerve-wracking footage captures a woman freeing herself through a very tight cave network, with tunnels wide enough to fit her body through.
In the 42-second-long clip, Tiffany Marie Wayne, 30, of St. Petersburg, Florida, can be seen calmly taking a breath before sinking to the depths below in Guinea Springs.
With a GoPro in one hand, he uses his other hand to slowly guide her through the underwater obstacle course until she slips through the tunnel and surfaces on the other side. Total time under water is 30 seconds.
Other videos posted on his social media accounts show him pulling similar stunts, with thousands of viewers expressing a mixture of fear and amazement.
In the 42-second clip, Tiffany Marie Wayne, 30, of St. Petersburg, Florida, can be seen taking a breath before calmly sinking into the depths.
With a GoPro in one hand, he uses his other hand to slowly guide her through the underwater obstacle course until she slides through the tunnel and surfaces on the other side.
One commenter wrote ‘This is a lot of anxiety for me but it’s great you can do it,’ another exclaimed ‘This is amazing! I’ll be so scared!’
Freediving is a form of underwater diving that relies on breathing until rebreathing without putting on any breathing equipment.
Free diving has extreme and sometimes fatal consequences if not managed properly, due to breathing limitations and the stress associated with shallow water depths.
For all her stunts, Tiffany has safety divers who accompany her.
If he tries to navigate an underwater tunnel, there are usually two at the top of the hole and one dives with him at the bottom.
While the idea of being in a confined space underwater may terrify some people, Tiffany says she finds ‘comfort’ in such an environment.
He explains: ‘It’s more about relaxing the mind, slowing your heart rate and being in a meditative state before diving.
‘Our mammalian dive reflex plays a major role in our multi-system physiological response to being in water, just like manatees, otters and dolphins.
‘Man was meant to dive… Freediving is an amazing sport that has helped me build mental toughness, relaxation is everything in this sport.’
The Floridian took up freediving a year ago and went on to get certified.
He says professional training is essential because the sport can be fatal if not performed correctly.
He hopes his videos will help educate the public about freediving as a sport but also highlight the dangers involved.
The Floridian took up freediving a year ago and went on to get certified
He says professional training is essential because the sport can be fatal if not performed correctly
The mum-of-one said: ‘This sport can be deadly, so I think it’s important to know how to do it as safely as possible.’
The diver 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’.
For those thinking of taking up free diving, Tiffany highlights the importance of getting qualified
The mum-of-one said: ‘This sport can be deadly, which is why I think people need to know how to do it as safely as possible.
‘I encourage anyone interested in free diving to go and get certified.’
While freediving gave Tiffany a world advantage, it also made her realize the extent of water pollution.
Touching on environmental issues, he said: ‘The population in Florida has exploded.
‘Florida faces serious challenges due to the continued development and destruction of our land.
‘Animal populations are declining, Florida’s coral reefs are dying, red tides are getting worse with each passing year.
The health of Florida springs is also declining due to fertilizer use and submerged aquatic vegetation is dying and being replaced by algae due to human impacts.
‘I find rubbish everywhere I go, even in caves.’
For those thinking of taking up free diving, Tiffany highlights the importance of getting qualified.
He also says it’s 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.’
Although it’s dangerous, Tiffany says ‘so is driving, but both can be done safely.’