{"id":3816045,"date":"2022-05-25T11:30:30","date_gmt":"2022-05-25T09:30:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/escales.ponant.com\/?p=3816045"},"modified":"2026-03-03T11:15:23","modified_gmt":"2026-03-03T10:15:23","slug":"introducing-julien-francine-kreiss-freediver","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/escales.ponant.com\/us\/introducing-julien-francine-kreiss-freediver\/","title":{"rendered":"Francine Kreiss"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[et_pb_section fb_built=\u201d1\u2033 _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d custom_padding=\u201d0px||0px||false|false\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d theme_builder_area=\u201dpost_content\u201d][et_pb_row _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d max_width=\u201d900px\u201d custom_padding=\u201d0px||0px||true|false\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d theme_builder_area=\u201dpost_content\u201d][et_pb_column type=\u201d4_4\u2033 _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d theme_builder_area=\u201dpost_content\u201d][et_pb_text _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d header_2_font=\u201d|300|||||||\u201d header_2_text_color=\u201d#334556\u2033 header_2_font_size=\u201d38px\u201d header_2_line_height=\u201d1.4em\u201d custom_padding=\u201d0px||0px||true|\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d theme_builder_area=\u201dpost_content\u201d]<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>\u201cFreediving is a doorway to life and awakening\u201d<\/strong><\/h2>\n<blockquote><p>Her chosen discipline is one in which calmness and contemplation guide every movement, every thought. Combining a sense of permanent wonder with kindly magnetism, freediver, reporter and underwater photographer Francine Kreiss willingly shares her passion for the depths she\u2019s so familiar with, both on land and on PONANT cruises.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d max_width=\u201d900px\u201d custom_padding=\u201d0px||0px||true|false\u201d locked=\u201doff\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d theme_builder_area=\u201dpost_content\u201d][et_pb_column type=\u201d4_4\u2033 _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d theme_builder_area=\u201dpost_content\u201d][et_pb_text _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d header_2_font=\u201d|300|||||||\u201d header_2_text_color=\u201d#334556\u2033 header_2_font_size=\u201d38px\u201d custom_padding=\u201d21px||37px||false|false\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d theme_builder_area=\u201dpost_content\u201d]<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>How did you first begin freediving?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>I\u2019ve been half in the water and half on land since the beginning of my life. As a young child, I was fascinated by the sun\u2019s rays in the sea, and that\u2019s never left me! I come from southwest France, where I used to go <strong>surfing<\/strong>. At first, <strong>freediving was a tool<\/strong> I could use to save myself if a large wave came. I almost drowned three times, and I realised that by being relaxed and at ease underwater, I could gain extra minutes to survive. Then, when I moved to the south-east: no more waves! So I started freediving more regularly.<br>\n[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=\u201dhttps:\/\/escales.ponant.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Anne-Maury2.jpg\u201d alt=\u201dN-100_RS_2_Antarctique_o011121_CDTCharcot\u252c\u00aeStudioPonant-Olivier Blaud\u201d title_text=\u201dAnne Maury2\u2033 _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d theme_builder_area=\u201dpost_content\u201d][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d max_width=\u201d900px\u201d custom_padding=\u201d7px||7px||true|false\u201d locked=\u201doff\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d theme_builder_area=\u201dpost_content\u201d][et_pb_column type=\u201d4_4\u2033 _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d theme_builder_area=\u201dpost_content\u201d][et_pb_text _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d header_2_font=\u201d|300|||||||\u201d header_2_text_color=\u201d#334556\u2033 header_2_font_size=\u201d38px\u201d custom_padding=\u201d0px||16px||false|false\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d theme_builder_area=\u201dpost_content\u201d]<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>How did you become world freediving champion?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>I used to freedive with a club where Mifsud, the world champion, was, and I learned a lot there. Because I was putting in some good performances, they suggested the idea of entering competitions to me. <strong>I didn\u2019t have the competitive spirit<\/strong> \u2013 I can\u2019t stand that kind of thing \u2013 but they explained that with freediving it\u2019s different; it\u2019s like one big family. There weren\u2019t many women involved, and I ended up winning titles, mainly in static apnea (holding the breath as long as possible underwater without moving) but also a few in depth apnea (diving to depth along a cable and coming back up). I went to the world team championships in Egypt with the French team, but more through a desire to travel than a desire to win.<br>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d max_width=\u201d900px\u201d custom_padding=\u201d7px||7px||true|false\u201d locked=\u201doff\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d theme_builder_area=\u201dpost_content\u201d][et_pb_column type=\u201d4_4\u2033 _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d theme_builder_area=\u201dpost_content\u201d][et_pb_text _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d header_2_font=\u201d|300|||||||\u201d header_2_text_color=\u201d#334556\u2033 header_2_font_size=\u201d38px\u201d custom_padding=\u201d0px||35px||false|false\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d theme_builder_area=\u201dpost_content\u201d]<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>Is freediving a way of cutting yourself off from the world or reconnecting with it?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>For me, it\u2019s <strong>a doorway to life and awakening<\/strong>; it\u2019s an experience in which you cut yourself off from the world but not from life. When you\u2019re a child, you put on a mask and snorkel to go looking for colour, fish and life. In freediving, there\u2019s a notion of urgency in slowness: you reach a point where you experience an exceptional moment, but unlike the bottle, you can\u2019t remain there. Every second you spend asking your body to keep going, it\u2019s as if you\u2019re saying to it: \u201cLet me have a little more of the dream.\u201d And you come back saying to yourself: \u201cI hope I\u2019ll get to relive that moment when I go back down\u201d \u2013 like when you wake up and ask yourself whether, if you go back to sleep, you\u2019ll get to continue the rest of the interrupted dream.<\/p>\n<p>It may be a clich\u00e9, but I think you have to keep your inner child alive under the water. What guides me under the water is the permanent sense of amazement.<br>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=\u201d2_5,3_5\u2033 admin_label=\u201dMEA \u2013 decalage\u201d _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d max_width=\u201d1000px\u201d custom_padding=\u201d50px||50px||true|false\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d theme_builder_area=\u201dpost_content\u201d][et_pb_column type=\u201d2_5\u2033 _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d background_enable_color=\u201doff\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d theme_builder_area=\u201dpost_content\u201d][et_pb_text _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d header_2_font=\u201d|300|on||||||\u201d header_2_text_align=\u201dleft\u201d header_2_text_color=\u201d#ffffff\u201d header_2_line_height=\u201d1.4em\u201d background_color=\u201d#307f90\u2033 custom_margin=\u201d|-30%|||false|false\u201d custom_margin_tablet=\u201d|0%|||false|false\u201d custom_margin_phone=\u201d\u201d custom_margin_last_edited=\u201don|tablet\u201d custom_padding=\u201d30px|75%|30px|20px|true|false\u201d custom_padding_tablet=\u201d|20px|||true|false\u201d custom_padding_phone=\u201d\u201d custom_padding_last_edited=\u201don|tablet\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d theme_builder_area=\u201dpost_content\u201d]<\/p>\n<h2><strong><em>\u00a0\u201cWorld bubbles champion\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=\u201d3_5\u2033 _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d background_enable_color=\u201doff\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d theme_builder_area=\u201dpost_content\u201d][et_pb_text _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d background_color=\u201d#f7f7f7\u2033 custom_margin=\u201d50px|||-25%|false|false\u201d custom_margin_tablet=\u201d0px|||0%|false|false\u201d custom_margin_phone=\u201d\u201d custom_margin_last_edited=\u201don|desktop\u201d custom_padding=\u201d40px|40px|40px|40px|true|true\u201d custom_padding_tablet=\u201d|20px||20px|true|true\u201d custom_padding_phone=\u201d\u201d custom_padding_last_edited=\u201don|tablet\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d theme_builder_area=\u201dpost_content\u201d]In 2011, a uniquely original event at a pool in Belgium \u2013 the deepest in the world at the time \u2013 brought scuba divers and freedivers together for an attempt to establish the <strong>record for the largest number of bubbles.<\/strong> Francine stayed in the water having fun trying to make the best bubbles for three hours and managed to beat the record: a great opportunity to demystify freediving!<br>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d max_width=\u201d900px\u201d custom_padding=\u201d7px||7px||true|false\u201d locked=\u201doff\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d theme_builder_area=\u201dpost_content\u201d][et_pb_column type=\u201d4_4\u2033 _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d theme_builder_area=\u201dpost_content\u201d][et_pb_text _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d header_2_font=\u201d|300|||||||\u201d header_2_text_color=\u201d#334556\u2033 header_2_font_size=\u201d38px\u201d custom_padding=\u201d0px||47px||false|false\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d theme_builder_area=\u201dpost_content\u201d]<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>What does freediving give you in your everyday life?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Whether it\u2019s windy, rainy or cold, I know that when I get in the water I won\u2019t be in the same state of mind when I re-emerge, that there will have been a calming down. Even if it doesn\u2019t happen automatically. I\u2019ll wait an hour for the sea to take me, to empty me.<\/p>\n<p>Freediving is a moment of both introspection and relaxation; it\u2019s almost like <strong>a kind of underwater yoga.<\/strong> I\u2019m not very mystical either; I go underwater because I like peace and quiet, and for the often-forgotten sensation of sensuality in relation to the water. When I was on land, as a teenager, they had me playing football, not dancing! Once under water, I learned to be a woman, to balance and position myself, to have a certain elegance\u2026 to dance. Progressing and developing underwater in this way made me more at ease on land. People who see me underwater get the impression that they\u2019re watching a different person.<\/p>\n<p>For me, freediving has become both a highly therapeutic tool and a tool of exploration. We\u2019ve been to the moon, yet we still don\u2019t know what\u2019s at the bottom of the oceans, as they say. It\u2019s incredible when you think to yourself that you\u2019re in the stratosphere of the deep abysses.<br>\n[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=\u201dhttps:\/\/escales.ponant.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/julienBorde.jpg\u201d alt=\u201dIMG_20211207_142908~2 (2)\u201d title_text=\u201djulienBorde\u201d _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d theme_builder_area=\u201dpost_content\u201d][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d max_width=\u201d900px\u201d custom_padding=\u201d7px||7px||true|false\u201d locked=\u201doff\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d theme_builder_area=\u201dpost_content\u201d][et_pb_column type=\u201d4_4\u2033 _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d theme_builder_area=\u201dpost_content\u201d][et_pb_text _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d header_2_font=\u201d|300|||||||\u201d header_2_text_color=\u201d#334556\u2033 header_2_font_size=\u201d38px\u201d custom_padding=\u201d0px||9px||false|false\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d theme_builder_area=\u201dpost_content\u201d]<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>How would you describe this abyssal world?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>When you go below the surface, you \u201cswitch off\u201d the noise. Silence has become an extremely rare luxury. Even under the water, it\u2019s become difficult to find! Underwater, it\u2019s like a cathedral; there\u2019s lots of light and silence; it\u2019s essentially very religious.<\/p>\n<p><strong>It isn\u2019t a \u201cworld of silence\u201d<\/strong> under the water; you have a lyrical, poetic type of sound. The sounds of the fish knocking and tapping the coral, of the lapping of the water, of the rhythm of your own heart, and even of that of the breathing in the snorkel, all help to relax the mind. Silence and relaxation are two of the obvious benefits of freediving. I know that when I go under the water, I\u2019ll re-emerge from it calmed and relaxed.<br>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d max_width=\u201d900px\u201d custom_padding=\u201d7px||7px||true|false\u201d locked=\u201doff\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d theme_builder_area=\u201dpost_content\u201d][et_pb_column type=\u201d4_4\u2033 _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d theme_builder_area=\u201dpost_content\u201d][et_pb_text _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d header_2_font=\u201d|300|||||||\u201d header_2_text_color=\u201d#334556\u2033 header_2_font_size=\u201d38px\u201d custom_padding=\u201d0px||43px||false|false\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d theme_builder_area=\u201dpost_content\u201d]<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>What\u2019s the most amazing thing you\u2019ve encountered underwater? <\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>The most moving was an encounter with a <strong>humpback whale and her calf<\/strong> that came up close to me and matched my movements. What was very touching is that the whale was enormous, yet she had the sense of space needed to avoid bumping into you: she would raise her caudal fin to let you pass. She was gentle and gracious. That touched me profoundly. And then there was the look she gave as she passed: you could see the origins of the world in her eye. It was deeply affecting.<\/p>\n<p>I also encountered a <strong>tiger shark in South Africa<\/strong>. That was a real adrenaline-filled encounter. I was making some adjustments at a depth of 26 metres when I raised my head and sensed a strange and magnetic ambiance; and I saw it coming. It didn\u2019t stop. For the first time in my life, I felt muscular fear. I didn\u2019t panic, as panic is death. I was fascinated by the fish, which was noble and dignified! At the last moment, it turned away. I expected that\u2019s how it would go. It just came to see who I was then left.<br>\n[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=\u201dhttps:\/\/escales.ponant.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/cfkreiss_whales.jpg\u201d alt=\u201dIMG_20211207_142908~2 (2)\u201d title_text=\u201d(c)fkreiss_whales\u201d _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d theme_builder_area=\u201dpost_content\u201d][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=\u201d2_5,3_5\u2033 admin_label=\u201dMEA \u2013 decalage\u201d _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d max_width=\u201d1000px\u201d custom_padding=\u201d50px||50px||true|false\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d theme_builder_area=\u201dpost_content\u201d][et_pb_column type=\u201d2_5\u2033 _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d background_enable_color=\u201doff\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d theme_builder_area=\u201dpost_content\u201d][et_pb_text _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d header_2_font=\u201d|300|on||||||\u201d header_2_text_align=\u201dleft\u201d header_2_text_color=\u201d#ffffff\u201d header_2_line_height=\u201d1.4em\u201d background_color=\u201d#307f90\u2033 custom_margin=\u201d|-30%|||false|false\u201d custom_margin_tablet=\u201d|0%|||false|false\u201d custom_margin_phone=\u201d\u201d custom_margin_last_edited=\u201don|tablet\u201d custom_padding=\u201d30px|75%|30px|20px|true|false\u201d custom_padding_tablet=\u201d|20px|||true|false\u201d custom_padding_phone=\u201d\u201d custom_padding_last_edited=\u201don|tablet\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d theme_builder_area=\u201dpost_content\u201d]<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Underwater photographer<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=\u201d3_5\u2033 _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d background_enable_color=\u201doff\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d theme_builder_area=\u201dpost_content\u201d][et_pb_text _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d background_color=\u201d#f7f7f7\u2033 custom_margin=\u201d50px|||-25%|false|false\u201d custom_margin_tablet=\u201d0px|||0%|false|false\u201d custom_margin_phone=\u201d\u201d custom_margin_last_edited=\u201don|desktop\u201d custom_padding=\u201d40px|40px|40px|40px|true|true\u201d custom_padding_tablet=\u201d|20px||20px|true|true\u201d custom_padding_phone=\u201d\u201d custom_padding_last_edited=\u201don|tablet\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d theme_builder_area=\u201dpost_content\u201d]Francine Kreiss also does underwater photography. Her core tenet: to show the truth of marine worlds by avoiding the use of artificial lighting. <em>\u201cAt 10 metres you no longer get colours, but I really like this monochrome aspect: things happen; it\u2019s more graphical.\u201d <\/em>Freediving gives her <strong>a genuine freedom<\/strong> to get up as close as possible to the marine fauna, capture the moment and find unusual angles.<br>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d max_width=\u201d900px\u201d custom_padding=\u201d7px||7px||true|false\u201d locked=\u201doff\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d theme_builder_area=\u201dpost_content\u201d][et_pb_column type=\u201d4_4\u2033 _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d theme_builder_area=\u201dpost_content\u201d][et_pb_text _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d header_2_font=\u201d|300|||||||\u201d header_2_text_color=\u201d#334556\u2033 header_2_font_size=\u201d38px\u201d custom_padding=\u201d0px||9px||false|false\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d theme_builder_area=\u201dpost_content\u201d]<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>Have these passions inspired you to commit to any particular cause relating to marine environments?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Being a freediver is a state of mind that transforms you. I can spend several hours underwater and re-emerge in <strong>a state close to animality<\/strong>. And then there\u2019s the fact that you\u2019re truly in the living world: in the water, in contact with the air, with rocks\u2026<\/p>\n<p>I have big ambitions for saving the planet, like everyone, but I also know that it begins with saving the fish in front of you. I\u2019m president of an organisation based in Hy\u00e8res called Explore &amp; Preserve.\u00a0 One of the things we do, in particular, is collect plastic from seawalls. It\u2019s horrible, because you spend a whole weekend doing it, then when you return to the site two weeks later you find the same thing; but we carry on: it\u2019s a symbolic gesture.<\/p>\n<p>I also took part in an event in Corsica with the organisation Water Family, which had invited top sportspeople to participate. The message was mainly about understanding that in Corsica \u2013 which has lots of rivers \u2013 waste comes from the land, from the rivers. Once the waste is in the sea, I\u2019d almost say it\u2019s too late. It\u2019s the tip of the iceberg.<br>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=\u201d1\u2033 _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d custom_padding=\u201d0px||22px||false|false\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d theme_builder_area=\u201dpost_content\u201d][et_pb_row _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d max_width=\u201d900px\u201d custom_padding=\u201d0px||0px||true|false\u201d locked=\u201doff\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d theme_builder_area=\u201dpost_content\u201d][et_pb_column type=\u201d4_4\u2033 _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d theme_builder_area=\u201dpost_content\u201d][et_pb_text _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d header_2_font=\u201d|300|||||||\u201d header_2_text_color=\u201d#334556\u2033 header_2_font_size=\u201d38px\u201d custom_padding=\u201d35px||37px||false|false\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d theme_builder_area=\u201dpost_content\u201d]<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>What advice would you give to someone looking to get into freediving?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Freediving is about learning how to stop breathing, and for this you need to <strong>learn how to breathe<\/strong>. You can start by learning to breathe with the stomach. Breathe in, hold, breathe out. while looking out over beautiful scenery, or in the surroundings of your garden, or with a flower in front of you: concentrate on the moment. This enables you to release the pressure, because the best freediving you experience is when you\u2019re at your most relaxed. Then next, learn to relax in the water. You can\u2019t freedive if you\u2019re stressed, if there\u2019s noise. Though everyone finds their own way of achieving it, the essential thing is to be able to <strong>relax and let go<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>You can get started in the water when you go snorkelling, which is completely accessible for most people: put yourself in a vertical position and go down a metre or two to discover another dimension. This sensation of tipping up beneath the surface is on its own highly symbolic and important.<br>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=\u201d2_5,3_5\u2033 admin_label=\u201dMEA \u2013 decalage\u201d _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d max_width=\u201d1000px\u201d custom_padding=\u201d50px||50px||true|false\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d theme_builder_area=\u201dpost_content\u201d][et_pb_column type=\u201d2_5\u2033 _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d background_enable_color=\u201doff\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d theme_builder_area=\u201dpost_content\u201d][et_pb_text _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d header_2_font=\u201d|300|on||||||\u201d header_2_text_align=\u201dleft\u201d header_2_text_color=\u201d#ffffff\u201d header_2_line_height=\u201d1.4em\u201d background_color=\u201d#307f90\u2033 custom_margin=\u201d|-30%|||false|false\u201d custom_margin_tablet=\u201d|0%|||false|false\u201d custom_margin_phone=\u201d\u201d custom_margin_last_edited=\u201don|tablet\u201d custom_padding=\u201d30px|75%|30px|20px|true|false\u201d custom_padding_tablet=\u201d|20px|||true|false\u201d custom_padding_phone=\u201d\u201d custom_padding_last_edited=\u201don|tablet\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d theme_builder_area=\u201dpost_content\u201d]<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Where to dive in the Seychelles?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=\u201d3_5\u2033 _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d background_enable_color=\u201doff\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d theme_builder_area=\u201dpost_content\u201d][et_pb_text _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d background_color=\u201d#f7f7f7\u2033 custom_margin=\u201d50px|||-25%|false|false\u201d custom_margin_tablet=\u201d0px|||0%|false|false\u201d custom_margin_phone=\u201d\u201d custom_margin_last_edited=\u201don|desktop\u201d custom_padding=\u201d40px|40px|40px|40px|true|true\u201d custom_padding_tablet=\u201d|20px||20px|true|true\u201d custom_padding_phone=\u201d\u201d custom_padding_last_edited=\u201don|tablet\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d theme_builder_area=\u201dpost_content\u201d]Located far off the beaten track, <strong>the Seychelles<\/strong> have magnificent seabeds teeming with colour and life to offer underwater explorers. In fact, Francine Kreiss herself counts <strong>Assumption Island<\/strong> and its barracudas, the turquoise waters off the sands of <strong>St. Fran\u00e7ois Atoll<\/strong> and encounters with turtles around the vertiginous <strong>Astove Wall<\/strong> amongst her favourite experiences.<br>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d theme_builder_area=\u201dpost_content\u201d][et_pb_column type=\u201d4_4\u2033 _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d theme_builder_area=\u201dpost_content\u201d][et_pb_text _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d theme_builder_area=\u201dpost_content\u201d]<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Photos credits : \u00a9 Studio PONANT \/ O. Blaud<\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=\u201d1\u2033 admin_label=\u201dPUSH\u201d _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d custom_padding=\u201d||0px||false|false\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d theme_builder_area=\u201dpost_content\u201d][et_pb_row column_structure=\u201d1_2,1_2\u2033 _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d background_color=\u201d#334556\u2033 global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d theme_builder_area=\u201dpost_content\u201d][et_pb_column type=\u201d1_2\u2033 _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d custom_padding=\u201d|50px||50px|false|true\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d theme_builder_area=\u201dpost_content\u201d][et_pb_image src=\u201dhttps:\/\/escales.ponant.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/push_plongee_Seychelles-1.jpg\u201d alt=\u201dTourisme : Nouvelle-Cal\u00e9donie, vue rapproch\u00e9e sur le lagon turquoise avec l\u2019\u00eele du pin en arri\u00e8re plan\u201d title_text=\u201dpush_plong\u00e9e_Seychelles-1\u2033 _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d max_width=\u201d445px\u201d module_alignment=\u201dcenter\u201d max_height=\u201d445px\u201d custom_margin=\u201d-90px||||false|false\u201d custom_padding=\u201d||20px||false|false\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d theme_builder_area=\u201dpost_content\u201d][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=\u201d1_2\u2033 _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d custom_padding=\u201d|50px|||false|false\u201d custom_padding_tablet=\u201d|50px||50px|false|false\u201d custom_padding_phone=\u201d|20px||20px|false|true\u201d custom_padding_last_edited=\u201don|phone\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d theme_builder_area=\u201dpost_content\u201d][et_pb_text _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d text_font=\u201d|700|||||||\u201d text_text_color=\u201d#ffffff\u201d text_font_size=\u201d38px\u201d text_line_height=\u201d1.4em\u201d width=\u201d70%\u201d width_tablet=\u201d100%\u201d width_phone=\u201d\u201d width_last_edited=\u201don|desktop\u201d custom_margin=\u201d10px||20px||false|false\u201d custom_padding=\u201d|0px||20px|false|false\u201d text_font_size_tablet=\u201d\u201d text_font_size_phone=\u201d25px\u201d text_font_size_last_edited=\u201don|tablet\u201d border_width_left=\u201d5px\u201d border_color_left=\u201d#26afc2\u2033 global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d theme_builder_area=\u201dpost_content\u201d]Explore the seabed with PONANT<br>\n[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=\u201d4.16\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d text_text_color=\u201d#ffffff\u201d width=\u201d70%\u201d width_tablet=\u201d100%\u201d width_phone=\u201d\u201d width_last_edited=\u201don|desktop\u201d global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d theme_builder_area=\u201dpost_content\u201d]Embark for a cruise to the most beautiful shores and coasts of the tropics<br>\n[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_button button_url=\u201dhttps:\/\/us.ponant.com\/cruises\/themes\/expeditions\u201d url_new_window=\u201don\u201d button_text=\u201dDiscover the itineraries\u201d button_alignment=\u201dleft\u201d _builder_version=\u201d4.27.5\u2033 _module_preset=\u201ddefault\u201d custom_margin=\u201d20px||20px||false|false\u201d hover_enabled=\u201d0\u2033 global_colors_info=\u201d{}\u201d theme_builder_area=\u201dpost_content\u201d sticky_enabled=\u201d0\u2033][\/et_pb_button][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u201cFreediving is a doorway to life and awakening\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3816065,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_sitemap_exclude":false,"_sitemap_priority":"","_sitemap_frequency":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1188],"tags":[],"thematique":[1493,1492],"class_list":["post-3816045","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-encounter-us","thematique-diving-us","thematique-photography-us"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Francine Kreiss | PONANT US Magazine<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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