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Instructors
John Prins
Master Instructor
hi, I'm John! I'm an AIDA and SSI 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!
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!
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/
Renee Blundon
Instructor Trainer
hi, I'm Renee! I'm an AIDA, PADI and Apnea Academy certified Freediving Instructor and Instructor Trainer, 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/
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/
Brian Rosensteel
Instructor
hi, I'm Brian! I'm an AIDA certified Assistant Freediving Instructor based in Marin.
Sailing and freediving are my favorite hobbies, and I love to combine the two. There's nothing like anchoring by a tropical island, diving over the side, and catching some fresh fish for dinner on the boat as the sun sets.
Ask me about the sailing & freediving trips I've organized in La Paz, Tahiti and elsewhere!
Sailing and freediving are my favorite hobbies, and I love to combine the two. There's nothing like anchoring by a tropical island, diving over the side, and catching some fresh fish for dinner on the boat as the sun sets.
Ask me about the sailing & freediving trips I've organized in La Paz, Tahiti and elsewhere!
Bizo Silva
Instructor
hi, I'm Bizo! I'm a Freediving Instructor with the FII system 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!