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Instructors
John Prins
Master Instructor
hi, I'm John! I'm an AIDA certified Freediving Master Instructor based in San Francisco.
People don't realize it because we don't have a tropical climate, but there are beautiful conditions for freediving in the Bay Area. Deep calm lakes for those who are into freediving for healing and meditation, and the wild Pacific Ocean for those who want to swim with sea lions, forage for uni and catch ling cod.
You dont need to be a strong swimmer, or be sporty or athletic. Freediving is not about struggle, it is about relaxing and slowing down. See you underwater!
People don't realize it because we don't have a tropical climate, but there are beautiful conditions for freediving in the Bay Area. Deep calm lakes for those who are into freediving for healing and meditation, and the wild Pacific Ocean for those who want to swim with sea lions, forage for uni and catch ling cod.
You dont need to be a strong swimmer, or be sporty or athletic. Freediving is not about struggle, it is about relaxing and slowing down. See you underwater!
Renee Blundon
Instructor Trainer
hi, I'm Renee! I'm an AIDA certified Freediving Instructor, competitive freediver and 2X CMAS national record holder in the Free Immersion discipline of freediving.
Originally from Connecticut, I have lived abroad for the better part of the last decade in Egypt, Europe and in Africa, training and competing in freediving for the last 8 years and teaching freediving courses for 7+ years. In 2018 and 2022 I represented the USA on the national Freediving Team.
I am now in the US Air Force, stationed in Monterey, and excited to be teaching freediving in California!
I write a blog and produce a podcast about training freediving at the highest level, check them out here:
https://www.reneeblundon.com/podcast/
https://www.reneeblundon.com/blog/
Originally from Connecticut, I have lived abroad for the better part of the last decade in Egypt, Europe and in Africa, training and competing in freediving for the last 8 years and teaching freediving courses for 7+ years. In 2018 and 2022 I represented the USA on the national Freediving Team.
I am now in the US Air Force, stationed in Monterey, and excited to be teaching freediving in California!
I write a blog and produce a podcast about training freediving at the highest level, check them out here:
https://www.reneeblundon.com/podcast/
https://www.reneeblundon.com/blog/
Audrey Yang
Instructor
hi, I'm Audrey! I'm a PFI, NAUI and SSI certified Freediving Instructor based in San Francisco.
Back in the days of legal abalone diving, some friends and I were completely thwarted by bad ocean conditions during a "dive for abalone" Groupon. I took it personally, so I signed up for a freediving class.
In the decade since then, I've enjoyed a great deal of foraged seafood and "aggressively snorkelled" all over the world. While I scuba almost as much as I freedive, freediving lets me explore remote places that don't have scuba infrastructure, or where it's hard to bring scuba gear.
I became an instructor so that I could find more safe freediving buddies. You can be one too!
Back in the days of legal abalone diving, some friends and I were completely thwarted by bad ocean conditions during a "dive for abalone" Groupon. I took it personally, so I signed up for a freediving class.
In the decade since then, I've enjoyed a great deal of foraged seafood and "aggressively snorkelled" all over the world. While I scuba almost as much as I freedive, freediving lets me explore remote places that don't have scuba infrastructure, or where it's hard to bring scuba gear.
I became an instructor so that I could find more safe freediving buddies. You can be one too!
Brandon Burke
Instructor
Hi I'm Brandon! I am a NAUI and PADI certified Freediving Instructor and spearfishing guide based in Monterey Bay, California.
I started freediving and spearfishing in my youth off the coast of Florida. I made Monterey Bay my home after falling in love with the enchanting kelp forests and challenging conditions that define this unique region. This fuels my belief that learning and practicing to dive here makes you a competent freediver with the ability to dive anywhere in the world.
I teach Freediving and Spearfishing courses. When I'm not teaching, you'll still find me in the water a few days a week. I love being immersed in the raw, beautiful nature of the ocean and am a passionate spearfisherman dedicated to an ocean-to-table lifestyle. I run Odyssey Freediving and am president of the Monterey Bay Tritons, which hosts local tournaments and events. I love working with Fins and Foam because of the community it creates and the accessibility it gives new divers to learn about freediving.
Hope to see you in the water soon!
I started freediving and spearfishing in my youth off the coast of Florida. I made Monterey Bay my home after falling in love with the enchanting kelp forests and challenging conditions that define this unique region. This fuels my belief that learning and practicing to dive here makes you a competent freediver with the ability to dive anywhere in the world.
I teach Freediving and Spearfishing courses. When I'm not teaching, you'll still find me in the water a few days a week. I love being immersed in the raw, beautiful nature of the ocean and am a passionate spearfisherman dedicated to an ocean-to-table lifestyle. I run Odyssey Freediving and am president of the Monterey Bay Tritons, which hosts local tournaments and events. I love working with Fins and Foam because of the community it creates and the accessibility it gives new divers to learn about freediving.
Hope to see you in the water soon!
Bizo Silva
Instructor
hi, I'm Bizo! I'm an FII certified Freediving Instructor based in Davis.
By day I am an ER doctor, and on the weekend you can find me somewhere deep below the surface of Lake Berryessa. For me freediving is therapy and teacher. Each dive is a little death and rebirth, and I emerge with a new appreciation for the sights and colors of the world above water. In my teaching I emphasize the meditative side of freediving: using the breathing to slow the heart and clear the mind, entering a state of deep relaxation ready for a deep dive.
Check out the upcoming episode where I am the special guest on the Freedive Cafe!
By day I am an ER doctor, and on the weekend you can find me somewhere deep below the surface of Lake Berryessa. For me freediving is therapy and teacher. Each dive is a little death and rebirth, and I emerge with a new appreciation for the sights and colors of the world above water. In my teaching I emphasize the meditative side of freediving: using the breathing to slow the heart and clear the mind, entering a state of deep relaxation ready for a deep dive.
Check out the upcoming episode where I am the special guest on the Freedive Cafe!
Alexey Vlaskin
Instructor
hi, I'm Alexey! I'm an Apnea International certified Freediving Instructor based in Sunnyvale.
I started freediving a decade ago in the warm waters of Sydney, Australia. In 2017 I became an instructor and in 2018 I won bronze in the Australian pool National Championships.
In 2019 I moved to the Bay Area to take a job as a machine learning engineer at Google, and in my spare time, when not teaching or competing in freediving, I developed the Divebud, an audio-first freediving computer designed to replace traditional dive watches, which is now in production. Try one and tell me what you think!
https://divebud.com.au/
I started freediving a decade ago in the warm waters of Sydney, Australia. In 2017 I became an instructor and in 2018 I won bronze in the Australian pool National Championships.
In 2019 I moved to the Bay Area to take a job as a machine learning engineer at Google, and in my spare time, when not teaching or competing in freediving, I developed the Divebud, an audio-first freediving computer designed to replace traditional dive watches, which is now in production. Try one and tell me what you think!
https://divebud.com.au/