AROUND 95% of the world’s oceans remain unexplored. This is hardly surprising when you think about it: humans have evolved to live on land, and aren’t naturally equipped to reach the deepest sea depths without relying on incredibly high-tech apparatus. And yet, despite the challenges involved in underwater exploration, some brave adventurers have dedicated their lives to seeing as much of the ocean as possible. What’s more, they do it without any of the breathing apparatus used by scuba divers.

Freedivers simply hold their breath while they dive, experiencing the vast underwater world without having to lug around oxygen tanks or other heavy equipment. According to professional freediver Christina Saenz de Santamaria, this is the purest and more exhilarating way to explore the ocean and meet its many amazing inhabitants.

Christina shares her experiences with her husband, fellow freediver Eusebio. The couple explore the world together, capturing incredible imagery and video footage of marine wildlife that many of us will never see. We spoke to Christina to learn more about her freediving adventures.

Q&A

Why did you originally decide to become a freediver?

I have always been in love with the ocean, since I was a child growing up on the shorelines of Sydney. While travelling in my early twenties I stumbled across the little island of Ko Tao in Thailand, where I started to teach scuba diving as a way to pay for my travel and enjoy the ocean.

My passions were quickly ignited once I discovered the sport of freediving at my future husband’s school, Apnea Total. I quickly became addicted to the pure sensation of freedom in the ocean and the challenge of breath-hold diving.