Courses
Medfish Freediving School is giving SSI and AIDA International freediving courses and special diving workshops to introduce and enhance freediving skills to all level freedivers and spear fishermen. There is always a program in our school which you can attend and push your skills one step further!
SSI FREEDIVING
Becoming a SSI Freediver is the best way to start your underwater adventure! We make sure you are truly comfortable with the skills and equipment you will use. Getting started is easy! Sign up for a Freediving Level 1 program or get your feet wet with the SSI Freediving Basic program.
SSI Training is designed so that you can learn the academics at your own pace when it is convenient for you. We will support you with colored manuals and review questions to make sure you retain your training. For your pool and open water training, your instructor will personally fit you with your freediving equipment. You will get enough practice time to adapt yourself to the underwater environment before you move to the open water. Once you have completed your initial training you will be a certified SSI Freediver. SSI certification is recognized world wide so your diving experiences will be limitless.
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SSI Freediving Basic
Freediving Basic is your chance to get wet and experience what freediving is all about. Signing up for a Freediving Basic course is a great way to decide whether getting a freediving certification is right for you.
Prerequisites:
- Be 18 years of age or older (14 years with parent or guardian consent)
- Be able to swim at least 200m non stop without fins
- Have completed the SSI Medical Form
- Have completed the SSI Liability Release
Gear Requirements:
- Mask, Snorkel
- Bi-Fins
- Wetsuit or appropriate exposure protection
- Weightbelt
- Lanyard (if appropriate)
Main Topics:
- Introduction to Freediving
- Equipment for Freediving
- Breathing for Freediving
- Physiology / Respiration – circulation – mammalian dive reflex
- Depth and Pressure- Equalization
- Safety- Shallow Water Blackout (SWB) & Loss of Motor Control (LMC)
- Underwater environment
- Freediving and Scuba Diving / Risks
- Basic Freediving Disciplines
- Dive planning factors / equipment
Duration and Course Outline:
- One day course
- Two theory sessions
- One confined water session
What’s included:
- SSI Level 1-2 Freediving Manual
- Pool Sessions
- Open Water Sessions with boat
- Certification
Cost:
- €100 + VAT
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SSI Freediving Level 1
The introduction to the purest form of diving. Learn proper breathing techniques, familiarize yourself with diaphragm breathing and take a deep breath like you never have before. In the SSI level 1 Freediving course you acquire the proper skills and knowledge to participate in Freediving to depths of 60 ft. (20 meters) in the most relaxed and safest manner possible. You will develop the skills necessary to train your body to be more efficient with breath-holding, gain better respiration and muscle flexibility and learn new skills to take your Freediving to the next level.
Prerequisites:
- Be 18 years of age or older (14 years with parent or guardian consent)
- Be able to swim at least 200m non stop without fins
- Have completed the SSI Medical Form
- Have completed the SSI Liability Release
Gear Requirements:
- Mask, Snorkel
- Bi-Fins
- Wetsuit or appropriate exposure protection
- Weightbelt
- Lanyard (if appropriate)
Main Topics:
- Introduction to Freediving
- Equipment for Freediving
- Breathing for Freediving
- Physiology / Respiration – circulation – mammalian dive reflex
- Depth and Pressure- Equalization
- Safety- Shallow Water Blackout (SWB) & Loss of Motor Control (LMC)
- Underwater environment
- Freediving and Scuba Diving / Risks
- Basic Freediving Disciplines
- Dive planning factors / equipment
Duration and Course Outline:
- Two and a half day course
- Two theory sessions
- One pool session
- Three open water sessions
What’s included:
- SSI Level 1-2 Freediving Manual
- Pool Sessions
- Open Water Sessions with boat
- Certification
Cost:
- €250 + VAT
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SSI Freediving Level 2
Level 2 Freediving will equip you with further knowledge of the mammalian diving reflex and how to initiate the best response for Freediving. You will learn new advanced equalization techniques and apnea training methods to carry you past 60 ft. (20 meters) and develop the skills necessary to freedive to depths up to 90 ft. (30 meters.)
Prerequisites:
- Be 18 years of age or older (16 years with parent or guardian consent)
- Be able to swim at least 400m non stop without fins
- Have completed the SSI Level 1 Freediver course and 15 logged dives
- Have completed the SSI Medical Form
- Have completed the SSI Liability Release
Gear Requirements:
- Mask, Snorkel
- Bi-Fins
- Wetsuit or appropriate exposure protection
- Weightbelt
- Lanyard (if appropriate)
Main Topics:
- Introduction to Freediving Level 2
- Advanced equipment for Freediving Level 2
- Breathing for Freediving Level 2
- Advanced Physiology / Respiration — Circulation — Dive Reflex
- Depth and Pressure — Frenzel Equalization
- Dalton’s law
- Archimedes principal
- Freediving Warm-ups / performances
- Safety- Shallow Water Blackout (SWB), Black Out (BO) and Loss of Motor Control (LMC)
- Underwater environment
- Competitive Freediving Disciplines
- Dive planning factors / equipment and rigging basics
Duration and Course Outline:
- Three day course
- Two theory sessions
- Two pool sessions
- Four open water sessions
What’s included:
- SSI Level 2 Freediving Manual
- Pool Sessions
- Open Water Sessions with boat
- Certification
Cost:
- €280 + VAT
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SSI Freediving Level 3
The apex of the SSI Freediving Program, Level 3, will take you to depths of 120 ft. (40 meters.) Freediving well below the residual volume of the lungs, this is the specialist deep diving course and will equip you with the proper knowledge to take you into the deep blue and beyond.
Prerequisites:
- Be 18 years of age or older (16 years with parent or guardian consent)
- Have completed the SSI Level 2 Freediver course and 30 logged dives.
- Current First Aid with CPR qualification.
- Have completed the SSI Medical Form
- Have completed the SSI Liability Release
- Be able to swim at least 400m nonstop without fins.
Gear Requirements:
- Mask, Snorkel
- Bi-Fins
- Wetsuit or appropriate exposure protection
- Weightbelt
- Lanyard
- Nose Clip (optional)
- Goggles (optional)
Main Topics:
- The Freediving Level 3 Program
- Professional Freediving Equipment
- Rigging Ropes and Floats for Freediving Performances
- Blood Shift & The Mammalian Dive Reflex (MDR)
- Lung Squeeze & Barotraumas
- Mouth-Fill Equalization
- Functional Residual Capacity (FRC) Diving / Exhale Diving
- Thoracic Cavity Flexibility
- Relaxation and Positive Motivation
- Psychology of Deep Freediving
- Fitness Training for Freediving
- Streamlining
- Food for Freediving
- O2 Oxygen
- RRR — Rescue / Response / Revive
- Henry’s Law and the Effects on Decompression Sickness & Nitrogen Narcosis
- Decompression Sickness
- Nitrogen Narcosis
- Environment
Duration and Course Outline:
- At least five days course
- Three theory sessions
- At least one stretching session
- Two pool sessions
- Six open water sessions
What’s included:
- SSI Level 3 Freediving Manual
- Pool Sessions
- Open Water Sessions with boat
- Certification
Cost:
- €400 + VAT
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SSI Freediving Basic
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SSI Freediving Level 1
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SSI Freediving Level 2
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SSI Freediving Level 3
AIDA INTERNATIONAL
Aida International, apart from being the global authority for Competitive freediving, has over the years become the focal point for development of freediving knowledge and science. Recognising the value of this knowledge for the development of modern freediving, AIDA International has created a structured education system.
Since its creation in 1999, the AIDA Education system has grown and has become the one of the best freediving education system around the World. AIDA International freediving courses cover freediving knowledge ranging from basic breath hold skills to the latest advanced freediving techniques as well as speciality courses.
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AIDA 1 STAR
Discover Freediving!
No matter what your background in diving is, the AIDA 1star Freediver will open your mind to a whole new underwater experience. You will learn the basic theory of Freediving and how to prepare yourself for a breathold dive. This course is designed to be an introduction to freediving for the complete beginner. It aims to help the student to develop basic skills, knowledge and safety procedures necessary to enjoy freediving safely within the limits of their experience.
Prerequisites:
- Be 18 years of age or older (16 years with parent or guardian consent)
- Be able to swim at least 100m non stop
- Have completed the AIDA Medical Form
- Have completed the Liability Release
Gear Requirements:
- Mask, Snorkel
- Bi-Fins
- Wetsuit or appropriate exposure protection
- Weightbelt
Topics:
- Breathing for freediving – Breathing exercises
- Equalisation – the need to equalise and basic equalisation techniques
- Safety for freediving, avoiding and reacting to blackout and loss of motor control
- Freediving and Scuba Diving – combining the two safely
- Key rules to remember for freediving safely
Duration and Course Outline:
- Full day course
- Equipment preparation for the dive
- Breathing techniques
- Duck dives
- Finning technique
- Safety and rescue
What’s included:
- AIDA 1 STAR Freediving Manual
- Pool Session (if decided)
- Open Water Session with boat
- Certification
Cost:
- €100 + VAT
Remember, a little challenge is always good to be more successful. To successfully complete the AIDA 1star freediver course you will have to perform a 1 minute 15 second breathold and swim 25 m underwater with fins.
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AIDA 2 STAR
Open Water Freediver!
This is probably the most challenging and rewarding AIDA course. For those who are already confident in the open water this course is your starting point. The course builds a foundation of good technique and safety so that you can buddy with other AIDA 2 star freedivers.
It is designed to be a freediving beginner course for students who are already confident and happy in the water. The purpose of the course is to familiarise the student with the skills, knowledge, planning, organisation, safety procedures, techniques, problems, hazards and enjoyment of breath hold freediving
Prerequisites:
- Be 18 years of age or older (16 years with parent or guardian consent)
- Be able to swim at least 200m non stop without fins and at least 300m non stop with mask, fins and snorkel
- Have completed the AIDA Medical Form
- Have completed the Liability Release
Gear Requirements:
- Mask, Snorkel
- Bi-Fins
- Wetsuit or appropriate exposure protection
- Weightbelt
- Lanyard (if appropriate)
Main Topics:
- Breathing for freediving and exercises
- Static and Dynamic pool training
- Depth and Pressure- Equalisation
- Safety- BO and LMC (pool and open water)
- Diving techniques (pool and open water)
- Diving and training with your buddy
- Key rules to remember for freediving safely
Duration and Course Outline:
- Two and a half day course
- Two theory sessions
- Two pool sessions
- Three open water sessions
What’s included:
- AIDA 2 STAR Freediving Manual
- Pool Sessions
- Open Water Sessions with boat
- Certification
Cost:
- €250 + VAT
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AIDA 3 STAR
Intermediate Freediver!
Interested in going deeper and improving your technique? This course goes into the theory of Freediving in more depth which will allow you to understand the physiology and techniques behind diving deeper. It will help you improve your freediving performance whilst advancing your safety and rescue skills.
The aim of the course is to develop the skills and knowledge necessary to independently plan and participate in freediving activities with similarly experienced freedive buddies. AIDA 3 star is also designed to develop new skills and techniques for freediving. We will be training these skills in the most common disciplines of freediving; Static Apnea, Dynamic Apnea and Constant Weight.
Prerequisites:
- Be 18 years of age or older (16 years with parent or guardian consent)
- Have completed the AIDA ** Freediver course or equivalent, or have participated in 5 AIDA ranked comps, within the last 6 years with AIDA ranked results of at least 35m CWT, 3.45min static and 75m DYN and have passed the AIDA** Exam.
- Have completed the AIDA Medical Form
- Have completed the Liability Release
Gear Requirements:
- Mask, Snorkel
- Bi-Fins
- Wetsuit or appropriate exposure protection
- Weightbelt
- Lanyard (if appropriate)
- Nose Clip (optional)
- Goggles (optional)
Main Topics:
- Physics and physiology of freediving
- Training concepts and how to design a custom training schedule
- Deeper equalisation
- Advanced diving techniques
- Advanced safety and rescue training
Duration and Course Outline:
- At least three days course
- Three theory sessions
- Two pool sessions
- Four open water sessions
What’s included:
- AIDA 3 STAR Freediving Manual
- Pool Sessions
- Open Water Sessions with boat
- Certification
Cost:
- €280 + VAT
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AIDA 4 STAR
The apex of AIDA International freediving courses! This course takes you to a whole new level of confidence in your Freediving. Not only will you learn the latest techniques for deeper diving but you will also learn more about conditioning your body for Freediving. This course will push you to the limits of your Freediving abilities. The AIDA 4 star is the highest level a recreational freediver can achieve. This course consists of three theory sessions, two pool sessions and at least six open water dives.
To successfully complete the AIDA 4 star freediver course you will have to perform a 3 minute 30 second breathold, swim 70 m underwater with fins and dive to 32 meters in the open water.
Important note: You have to be a very comfortable 30m diver to get the best out of this course.
Prerequisites:
- Be 18 years of age or older (16 years with parent or guardian consent)
- Have completed the AIDA *** Freediver course and current First Aid with CPR qualification.
- Have completed the AIDA Medical Form
- Have completed the Liability Release
Gear Requirements:
- Mask, Snorkel
- Bi-Fins
- Wetsuit or appropriate exposure protection
- Weightbelt
- Lanyard
- Nose Clip (optional)
- Goggles (optional)
Main Topics:
- Physics –Dalton’s Law, Boyle’s law, Henry’s law, Decompression Sickness, Nitrogen Narcosis
- Failure depth- what does it mean, how to increase VC and decrease RV
- Exhale diving- FRC, how and when to use it, dangers of exhale diving
- Mouth fill- how and when to use it and benefits
- Advanced freediving techniques and training
- Advanced safety and rescue training
Duration and Course Outline:
- At least five days course
- Three theory sessions
- At least one stretching session
- Two pool sessions
- Six open water sessions
What’s included:
- AIDA 4 STAR Freediving Manual
- Pool Sessions
- Open Water Sessions with boat
- Certification
Cost:
- €400 + VAT
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Monofin Freediver
The AIDA Monofin Freediver Course is a specialised course for the development of correct monofin technique. The students will be introduced to specific stretching and exercises that will help them improve their monofin kicks while obtaining a better fluidity and streamlined position underwater.
Prerequisites:
- Be 18 years of age or older (16 years with parent or guardian consent)
- Have completed AIDA** or equivalent course
- Have completed the AIDA Medical Form
- Have completed the Liability Release
Gear Requirements:
- Mask, Snorkel
- Monofin
- Wetsuit or appropriate exposure protection
- Weightbelt
- Lanyard (if appropriate)
Duration and Course Outline:
- One day course
- One theory sessions
- Two pool / open water sessions
What’s included:
- Pool Sessions
- Open Water Sessions with boat
- Certification
Cost:
- €75 + VAT
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AIDA 1 STAR
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AIDA 2 STAR
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AIDA 3 STAR
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AIDA 4 STAR
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Monofin Freediver
TRAINING AND SPECIALITIES
Breathing & Freediving Yoga
By definition, Freediving is the event in which you discover the underwater world with a single breath-hold. That single breath-hold is golden for us and in this course we will be focusing on exercises to discover the hidden potential in out bodies. It is a known fact that certain Yoga exercises are beneficial to increase chest flexibility and to improve breath-holding. With our yoga teacher, we’ve already designed a special class for you to improve your breathing and athletic skills.
You can easily combine this course with another freediving course in our program.
Prerequisites:
- Be 18 years of age or older (16 years with parent or guardian consent)
- Have completed the Medical Form
- Have completed the Liability Release
Gear Requirements:
- Comfortable clothes
- Yoga mat (if you have one)
Duration and Course Outline:
- One hour sessions
- Breathing exercises
- Yoga for freediving
Cost:
- €25/session + VAT
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Advanced Safety & EFR
Every year we hear about victims of shallow water black out and a lot more about the individual experiences which divers survived by chance. We have designed you a special one day course full of practice and proper first aid training. You will be practicing the real life scenarios of blackout and loss of motor control victims and learn how to recover a diver, how to take primary action and how to respond to life threatening emergencies. Although our course is based on Free Diving Safety, you will have the “Emergency First Response” certification at the end of the day.
This course will qualify participants to practice all vital first aid skills (including CPR) and will teach them to recover and stabilize a shallow water blackout and LMC (loss of motor control) victim.
Prerequisites:
- Be 18 years of age or older (16 years with parent or guardian consent)
- Have completed the Medical Form
- Have completed the Liability Release
Gear Requirements:
- Mask, Snorkel
- Bi-Fins
- Wetsuit or appropriate exposure protection
- Weightbelt
- Lanyard (if appropriate)
- Nose Clip (optional)
- Goggles (optional)
Main Topics:
- Physiology of Blackout and Loss of Motor Control in freediving
- Breathing exercises to prevent accidents
- Rescue and safety training
- Emergency First Response training
- Real time scenario training
Duration and Course Outline:
- Full day course
- One water session
- Two theory sessions
What’s included:
- Full day out with ISIS Dive Boat (including lunch).
Cost:
- €120 + VAT
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Customized Courses
Medfish Freediving School is also offering customized courses for individuals and groups. You may be interested in learning the details of a specific technique or simply dying to have a proper training camp! We can arrange you a special program full of fun and aimed to get the best results.
Please contact us to arrange the details and content of the package in your mind.
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Breathing & Freediving Yoga
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Advanced Safety & EFR
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Customized Courses
About
MEDFISH
Mediterranean Fishing has started it’s journey in 2005 as an online forum aiming to gather spearfishermen of Mediterranean sea. Soon after its launch, the common values of sustainable fishing and responsible freediving gathered a lot of attention from all around the world. Today, Medfish team is running both a forum and an online magazine to give the latest information about freediving and spearfishing. From the very beginner to world champion freedivers/spearfisherman, Medfish is a big social network.
SSI FREEDIVING
Scuba Schools International’s 40 years of experience in teaching is now available in freediving. “Comfort through repetition” defines the basic motto of SSI Freediving education system. SSI manages to implement its legendary “Diver’s Diamond” into freediving education and this system will guarantee the success by giving you proper knowledge, proper skill, proper equipment and proper experience. Thanks to SSI’s special education system, freediving will be as easy as taking a breathe for you. Your freediving journey will start from Level 1 and continue up to a professional freediving instructor with the secure approach provided by SSI.
AIDA INTERNATIONAL
AIDA International is a non profit organisation that was founded in 1992 to further the development of freediving. Over the years AIDA International have defined disciplines in freediving and recognise and authenticate world records achieved in these disciplines. Today majority of the most serious athletes in freediving world are competing in AIDA championships and AIDA freediving education is setting a benchmark. As an organisation, AIDA is made up of world class freedivers who lives to develop the beautiful sport of breath-hold diving.
Medfish Freediving
Our School
For some it is just madness and for some other people it is an affection which shapes the life around it. Freediving in other words, breath-hold diving is a recreational activity in which the athlete dives with a single breath hold. Although it sounds simple mastering the full technique requires lots of practice and challenges are almost infinite. Every meter that you fin down is a new challenge in a freediver’s career. The freedom of diving without any apparatus and discovering the world of blue in the simplest
form makes this sport, the ultimate meditation for most. Besides being an excellent relaxing activity for spare times, freediving is an international competitive sport. Athletes are today discovering the limits and capabilities of human body by diving over 200m with a single breath. Medfish Freediving School is giving SSI Freediving and AIDA International courses which set the standard in international freediving education. The ladder system in these education systems supports your development as a freediver all the way from beginner to a master freediver or an instructor.
Location
Bodrum, formerly Halicarnassus, from Ancient Greek is a Turkish port town in Muğla Province, in the southwestern Aegean Region of the country. It is located on the southern coast of Bodrum Peninsula, at a point that checks the entry into the Gulf of Gökova, and it faces the Greek island of Kos. Today, it is an international center of tourism and yachting. The Bodrum peninsula is giving favourable conditions for diving with its safe, warm and turquoise waters regardless of weather conditions.
Crystal clear waters of Bodrum usually gives a magnificant visibility of 30m (25C water temp) in summer and around 20m (16C water temp) in winter months. Active social life in Bodrum will definitely keep you entertained in the non-water hours of your diving trip. The quality of service in town and the Aegean cousine will make you fall in love with this magnificant port town. You will not only get spectacular diving but also make your partner very happy who wants to spend some quality time in this turquoise dream town.
Services
Here in Medfish Freediving School, we have access to a 25m semi-olympic swimming pool to practice dynamic and static pool sessions. Apart from freediving instructor a full time life guard will be with us for further safety. Location is central and there is almost no time loss in between sessions.
Gündoğan Bay which our school is based on, gives us access to deep training waters for any level of training. All of the open water sessions will take place with a rigid inflatable boat which gives enough comfort and safety during training intervals.
Since 2012 Medfish Freediving School has joined with Yakamoz. Medfish – Yakamoz is giving sales and maintenance services for premium freediving and diving equipments. You can find us in our shop in downtown Bodrum at the following address:
Umurça Mah. Dervis Görgün Cad. No: 47/B-C 48400 Bodrum, Mugla – Türkiye
Tel 0.252 316 00 00
Team
Mehmet Arıkök
(Medfish Diving Founder, Main Instructor)
Born in 1978 Mehmet has started freediving at the very early age of 6 with his father. Since year 2000, he has been travelling around the world to dive in new waters and to learn more about the art of freediving. In 2005 with three of his friends, he has established the online portal of Mediterranean Fishing (medfish.com) to unite spearfishermen of Mediterranean countries. In the mean time, same group has initiated another local website to focus on sustainable fishing and overall nature protection (amator-balikcilik.com). He is the Med-Europe region manager of Deep Worldwide magazine and a full time columninst in the same magazine. He is an SSI Level 3 Instructor, AIDA International Master Instructor and a sea lover.
Alp Günay (Medfish Instructor)
Apart from being a EU board certified doctor, Alp is an SSI Freediving Instructor in Medfish Freediving. His medical background and incredible knowledge about freediving will surprise even the most theory hungry freedivers! Alp is a valuable full time member of Medfish team.
Dimitris Kollias (Guest Instructor)
Chief editor of Deep Magazines and one of the best spearfisherman around. Dimitris is a CMAS and AIDA instructor which will be participating in courses of Medfish Diving School.
Linda Paganelli (Guest Instructor)
The queen bee of freediving world, Linda is without a question one of the most experienced Instructor Trainers of AIDA and SSI. She will be with us in advanced level classes.
Yener Çeltikçi (Guest Instructor)
CMAS and PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer and Emergency First Response instructor. Yener will be with us in our advanced safety and EFR classes, sharing his great knowledge about safety and first aid training.
Manolis Giankos (Guest Instructor)
Owner of Njord Diving School and Greek Champion in both freediving and spearfishing. Manolis is a true athlete who will be participating our workshops. Manolis is also a CMAS and AIDA instructor.
Victor Abellan (Guest Instructor)
Owner of Abellansub and one of the most avid spearfisherman in the world. Victor will be joining the advanced spearfisherman classes of Medfish Diving School.
Vassilis Gkaroutsos
CMAS, AIDA & SSI freediving instructor and instructor of the Njord Freediving School. Vassilis is a valuable member of our team and will be with us in big workshops.
Events
Medfish Freediving School is having regular courses in Bodrum area. However there is always an option for us to come near you and arrange a class in your own waters. Please don’t hesitate to contact us for details.
In our 2013 schedule, we’ve tried to organise courses which everyone can join without a problem. We are running our classes and activities 7 days of the week and you are always more than welcome to join us. If you have a specific date in your mind, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
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Contact Us
Please do not hesitate to write us about any of your questions regarding courses, scheduling, workshops and upcoming events.