FREEDIVING COURSES IN CAPE TOWN

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DIVE INTO A NEW WORLD

Cape Town, the jewel at the tip of South Africa, is the perfect place to explore the incredible world below the waves. We offer an incredible mix of freediving and snorkeling opportunities from seal and kelp forest adventures to training in freshwater lakes and world-class swimming pools. Our recreational adventure courses are for those who want to explore our amazing oceans and our sport courses are for those who want to enter the world of competitive freediving.

Adventure is only one breath away.

Adventure Freediving Courses

Do you want to explore the wild and wonderful ocean and dream of interacting with marine life? We totally get you! Together with Pure Apnea, we have designed the world-first Adventure Freediver courses which focus specifically on the skills and safety aspects of open ocean freediving. You will gain a solid freediving foundation with added focus on extended dive time, buddy diving and safety. There is a whole tribe of likeminded people waiting to connect and create ocean adventures.
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Sport Freediving Courses

Sport freediving is taught whilst diving on a dive line or in a pool for the purpose of achieving greater depths, distance or breath holds. These courses are geared towards perfecting the skills and techniques required to successfully reach depth and distance goals, to break national and even world records. Our instructors are experienced sport freedivers who have excelled in competitions locally and abroad, hold a combined 13 national freediving records and have trained many of the SA freedive record holders.
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Freediving Instructor Courses

There is no greater pleasure than doing what you love and if freediving is your passion, teaching could be your calling. Becoming a Pure Apnea Freedive Instructor will make you one of the most rigorously trained freediving instructors in the world. Pure Apnea sets the highest instructor standards to ensure that the instructor badge is truly earned. It provides you with the skills, experience and confidence to teach freediving at the highest level. We offer both the Adventure and Sport Freediving instructor programs.
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Surf Apnea Workshop

There is a big difference between willingly holding ones breath undisturbed and unexpectedly being held under by big waves, whilst being tossed around like a rag doll. Surfers find themselves in seemingly life or death breath-hold situations, but in reality are simply experiencing high CO2 levels and discomfort in their minds & bodies. By equipping surfers with knowledge and training techniques we remove the panic reflex which allows for easier breath holds out in the waves.
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Snorkeling Experiences

You are about to explore the Great African Seaforest with one of our passionate guides. These experiences are open to freedivers and snorkelers alike and perfect for anyone keen to learn about our ocean. The location chosen each day is weather dependant to ensure your utmost enjoyment and safety. We may find ourselves among schools of fish, seals, penguins, small sharks or octopus, exploring reefs or simply having our breath taken away by the magnificent kelp forest.
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Freedive Retreats & Adventure Travel

With 2000km of coastline there are plenty of ocean and dive sites to explore and that is in South Africa alone! Our Adventure Travel takes you to the best diving locations in Southern Africa. The location for each trip is based on our own extensive freedive travels, choosing those places that offer the most in ocean scenery, ample animal encounters and adventures. Our freedive trips are open to all certified freedivers and those completing a course as part of the trip.
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In The Press

Read about Cape Town Freediving on these sites:

Silver Kris
Yoga for Sports
Cape Town ETC
Insider SA
Amanzi
Purely Local
Getaway Magazine
IOL.co.za

In Numbers

We all love numbers… especially sport freedivers. Here are some of ours.

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Years of Teaching Experience

We have been teaching the highest quality freediving courses since 2012.

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Happy Smiles

We have introduced thousands of people to the amazing sport of freediving and transformed their lives in the process.

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National Freediving Records

Our instructors are experienced sports freedivers who have excelled in competitions locally and abroad.

Benefits of Freediving

Entering the world of freediving is a life-changing step! Your mind and body reset and allow you to redefine your beliefs in what you are capable of and what is truly important in life.

The initial body-mind benefits of freediving may include:

  • Improved breathing patterns and oxygen efficiency
  • Reduced stress and anxiety
  • Increased relaxation and feeling of calm
  • Increased body awareness, fitness and flexibility
  • Improved mood, focus and self-belief
  • Improved stress-resilience and energy

The demands of modern day living create unhealthy levels of stress for most people. Freediving offers a meaningful way to get outside, destress, connect with nature and like-minded people. It opens the door to adventure – exploring and learning more about yourself and the underwater world in the process. Many of our students speak of finding a new purpose, connection to and compassion for the natural world and experience a positive change in lifestyle.

What Our Students​​ Say About Us

I can recommend doing your Freediver certification at Cape Town Freediving because their standards are impeccable, you get personal attention and you immediately join a community of caring, passionate people who cheer each other on and are working together to take care of our ocean.
Herman JordaanPhotographer
Together with two friends I took the Surf Apnea Course - and again, my mind got blown away. After taking the course, we definitely feel so much more prepared to be able to face some serious hold-down moments and big sets of waves in a calm way. Not only life saving but also mind-opening - highly recommended - as a surfer, future-to-be freediver or just water-loving soul.
Alina GFree Spirit
Learning to freedive with John and Daniela was a first class experience! Being an absolute novice with zero experience (apart from the occasional snorkelling session), John was a phenomenal teacher in helping myself and two friends understand the science behind freediving as well show us the true beauty of it all. He taught us how to mentally challenge ourselves and we have taken lessons out of this course that go beyond freediving. It takes a world class teacher to sum up a group within minutes of meeting them and understand the perfect way to present the information to them and understand each persons requirements.
Kyle LeighEntrepreneur
I did the Adventure Freediving course with Cape Town Freediving earlier this year. Although I am quite comfortable in the water, I still felt super nervous about the technical elements of freediving when signing up. Stephan (dive instructor) made me feel so relaxed and really took the pressure off. I learned so much in two days and have met the most amazing community of people who share a love for the ocean. I would HIGHLY recommend Cape Town Freediving to anyone wanting to explore this wonderful hobby! I am totally addicted.
Kristen BassettFounder Revolve Pilates
I had a really good free-dive experience with John and 2 other students. 1 on 1 attention was great and all questions were answered based on thorough sport knowledge and personal instructor experience. Theory training was done in a peaceful yoga studio which allowed me to reach my personal best in breath holding, safely and calmly. The highlight was encountering a gam of gully sharks - beautiful creatures swimming between the kelp's off Millers point. I recommend this course!
Derek KrasserAdventurer
Very passionate and knowledgeable team. a must for tourists and locals alike. I did an apnea course with the main aim of increasing my confidence. There wasn't a worry or a theoretical question I could come up with that they couldn't handle with ease. Really great fun.
Dave Meinert Film Maker
What a great experience, will definitely recommend this to anybody that either want to learn something new or progress as a freediver. Extremely knowledgeable, crew makes you feel comfortable and relaxed. They really make you feel part of there freediving family.
Renet da Silver Founder Nirvana Experiences
Learning to freedive with John, Daniela & Stephan was magic! Thorough, professional, and crazily passionate about building a beautiful freediving community in the best city in the world 🙂
Jeandre GerdingPhotographer
The team at Cape Town Freediving are absolutely fantastic. They’re so good at taking complete beginners and getting them comfortable with freediving.
Richard BurtonKitesurfer
The course was exactly what I had always wanted it to be, and what a freediving course should be. It doesn’t skimp out on, or water down the safety side of things.
Danny CopelandOcean Conservationist
I had an unforgettable experience with Cape Town Freediving ! The course was professional and well-organised. I learned a lot, both practically and theoretically and the instructors, Stephan and Ruan were able to answer all of my questions. Thank you Daniela and team for inviting me into the CTF community!
Jess StowUCT Underwater Club President
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Articles

Our Freediving & Snorkeling Articles feature news, tips, opinions and our latest marine interactions.

Mermaids Purse

Mermaids Purse

September 30, 2023

Shark egg cases, also known as “mermaid’s purses,” play an integral role in the reproductive ecology of many species. These unique structures consist of a tough, leathery material made up of collagen, designed to safeguard the developing embryo inside. Their unique appearance somewhat resembles a small, leathery purse or pouch, hence fondly referred to by

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Salp

Salp

September 14, 2023

Salps are fascinating gelatinous zooplankton that play a significant role in ocean ecosystems. These tunicates belong to the phylum Chordata and are known for their unique life cycle, filter feeding behaviour, and ecological importance as carbon sequestrators. Despite their similar gelatinous appearance, salps are in fact not related to jellyfish, having diverged 800 million years

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Hottentot Fish

Hottentot Fish

September 8, 2023

Hottentot seabream (Pachymetopon blochii) are a notable endemic inhabitant of marine waters around southern Africa, commonly found in nearshore environments with rocky reefs and kelp forests from Namibia to Cape Agulhas. In addition to frequenting shallow coastal waters, Hottentot seabream are also found on offshore pinnacles up to 55m deep. As a resident species, they

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Red Bait

Red Bait

August 18, 2023

Most well-known once washed ashore and decidedly smelly, red bait (Pyura stolonifera) is a fascinating sea squirt, or solitary ascidian, that grows attached to rocks, reefs and artificial structures. Commonly found in dense aggregates in cool and temperate coastal waters throughout Namibia and along South Africa’s west and southern coastlines, red bait is distinguished by

Read More »
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