This is the story of how one of my passion projects became my most ambitious goal, thanks to the encouragement and support of some exceptional people. I was looking for an inner challenge, a project where I could express my creativity. I always want to better myself and I did this record for my satisfaction. There was no higher meaning or philosophical message! Once I started training with my friends, I found a deeper meaning and learned many valuable lessons!
When I saw in the picture the cap of the right drinking hose open,
my OCD was skyrocketing… but that’s life, beautiful and imperfect!
How it started
I always loved to hang stages on my harnesses and see how far I could go. Since I became a cave diver, more than ten years ago, I wanted to push my limits, and extending my penetration became my goal. Seven years ago, I came across some data about diving World records, and I thought maybe I could break one in the future, but it was just a random thought.
A “young” Alberto Salvini, questioning the life choices that led him to be there to film me diving with six tanks for the first time! This was ten years ago and I still use the same fins and helmet!
Two years ago, after many multistage dives, I decided to try breaking the record for the longest solo cave dive swimming. In the beginning, I thought it was a silly idea. It didn’t make much sense to do something like that… and for what? When I talked about it with my friends and colleagues, I was shocked by their excitement! Some helped me during my training dives, others offered their help with the equipment, and they also got me a sponsorship with a video production. They made me realize that doing something like this just for fun is the best possible reason! That’s why we dive!
Thanks to their encouragement, transforming my project into an event felt like a natural progression. I had to do it, there was no other possible option for me. That was my path! I set a date and for the first time, I started training with a clear goal in mind. The idea that I was going to do something like this was exciting!
Lesson learned: Do whatever makes you happy, even if it doesn’t make sense! Choose with your heart!
My training dives
I was experimenting with different sidemount configurations. It was fun in the beginning and I was motivated. When I realized what I had to give up to become the diver I wanted to be, I had to become very good at making compromises. I had to plan what to do underwater and out of the water. I invested a lot of time, energy, and money, and sacrificed time with my family. I was working on myself, but I also had to be a model for my kids. Many Sundays we weren’t together, and they missed me, but they learned that it’s possible to achieve whatever you want by working both hard and smart!
Lesson learned: Motivation gets you started, but discipline and commitment get you to the result! You must become a master at making compromises!
I remember the comments of some divers and professionals, when they saw me diving with all those stages, making mistakes and looking ridiculous with my gears.
They were telling me stuff like:
“Why are you diving on Sunday? Where did you leave your family?”
“Are you trying to make a hole and go from Mexico to China with all these tanks? Why are you doing this?”
“Just use a rebreather and a DPV, swimming is stupid!”
And my favorite one, coming from a lady at a dinner party who was questioning my career decisions:
“Why don’t you find a real job, so your woman can stay home instead of working?”
On the other hand, I was surprised by the positive feedback from some local cave diving instructors, trainers, explorers, and other heavyweights. It gave me the extra push I needed to follow through! I received a lot of recommendations about how I could improve my skills and equipment from people who are at the top of this game
Lesson learned: Listen to the constructive criticism from people who know better than you. The ones who try to dissuade you, or make fun of you, are never doing better than you… let them be just a noise in the background!
The purpose of my training dives was to find how many tanks I could carry, maintaining a decent gas consumption for a prolonged period. Very soon I realized that six tanks was my number. I planned to use three more, but I had to place them along the cave line in advance. The number of tanks wasn’t the only concern. My body wasn’t coping with the prolonged stress, caused by my posture and harness configuration, and the pain to my lower back and neck became unbearable.
I had to build a heavy lift sidemount that was hydrodynamic and ergonomic. At the same time, I hired a personal trainer at the gym, who helped me improve my workout, nutrition, hydration, and sleeping routine. Next, I had to find a good wetsuit and install some sort of pee-valve. Then, I had to get some camelbacks to drink underwater. Finally, I needed a powerful light with enough autonomy, or even better, two lights!
To do my record dive, I was looking for a cave that was long enough to make a navigation plan that was interesting and reasonable. I wanted a shallow cave to avoid decompression and oxygen toxicity. It needed to be upstream, in case I was too tired on the way out. I was looking for the best option for the longest distance, so I went for the longest cave system.
I was getting ready to swim with six tanks strapped on me, plus three more already underwater, at six meters of depth for over ten hours, in the longest cave system in the World… Sac Actun!
Lessons learned: If you want to do something, you have to do it properly! Plan with your brain!
The sidemount for my record is designed for multistage, with the best compromise between hydrodynamics and ergonomics, and a certain level of flexibility for other tasks. For small restrictions, I have another harness with a very low profile, but much less lift. Caves aside, there are other situations where backmount might be more efficient than sidemount. The environment and the mission dictate the equipment and the procedures, not our taste!
Lesson learned: There is no absolute best equipment or procedure, just the best combination for the mission.
My new life
I was diving, eating, drinking, sleeping, working out, studying, and managing my money to break this record. This intense training period led to two major changes, one in my life and one in my career.
At first, my new lifestyle was a result of training for my record attempt, but then I realized that I was living the life I always wanted and the record was just a manifestation of it. This new lifestyle became my long-term goal, and the record was just the first step. I soon started to involve my kids. Now, we eat healthier, exercise together, and study whatever we want to learn, including positive money habits. I don’t know if they will become divers, but they are learning how to get what they need.
Lesson learned: If your lifestyle leads you to be healthier, better educated, and has a positive impact on your family, you are already successful!
At work, I noticed how some diving techniques, workout exercises, and equipment modifications were extremely useful also for my students. Every sidemount diver wants to avoid back pain and get better at swimming and buoyancy control, not only me! As long as I focus on their needs, and not on showing off how “awesome” what I do is, it’s gonna work!
The dive plan
There are two reasons I did this record solo. The first is that none of my friends wanted to swim for that long! The second is that I love solo diving. Solo diving is a great way to find out who you really are, and what you are capable of. I am not trying to convince anyone to do it… This is what I want, and I accept the risk!
As requested by my instructor trainer, who was in charge of validating the record, we added safety divers to my original plan. To be part of this project, he wanted to make sure I could be found quickly in case something went wrong. I agreed and we made a plan, including our friends as safety divers.
The whole process of coordinating the teams took us several days. I was happy that my friends were actively taking part in my project… it has been awesome!
On the left, the map with the waypoint where to meet the teams. On the right, Alberto and I, busy estimating the distance that I will swim for, using extremely precise instruments!
The day of the record
I was excited, but at the same time very calm. I was determined to complete the mission in the most efficient way possible.
Soon the excitement left place to discipline, and it felt like just any other dive, which is good because that’s how I had to act. Emotions don’t have to be repressed, but stored for later, when you can live them to the fullest!
When I started the dive, I knew I was going to have some problems at some point. In a ten-hour dive, something will go wrong, it’s inevitable! Accepting problems as part of the dive is the first step in dealing with them. Realistic training and realistic expectations will transform a problem into a solution, instead of an accident!
The beginning of the dive, when I had to fix my regulator… Not a problem, it’s all part of the game!
One of my regulators started to free-flow right at the beginning, and I had to fix it at the surface. Then I had a delay in a restriction because I tried to pass without removing a tank, but I managed to make up for the time I lost. On the way out I lost my wetnote and had to go back looking for it… my bad again. I had a backup, but I knew it couldn’t be far! I found it, but I accumulated a delay of half an hour! The biggest challenge has been to reach the checkpoints in time, where the other divers were waiting for me. I got that right, except when I dropped my wetnote like an idiot! The dive was fun, a bit boring towards the end, but I am glad I did it!
My beautiful homemade custom wetnote that I almost lost. Still today, I don’t know how it happened!
When I am diving, I have no name, no friends, no family, no future, or past. I am focused on one task at a time and that’s it. I know that I can make mistakes and get stressed. I accept stress and use it to my advantage to focus on the solution, rather than the problem. Stress is not my enemy, it’s just a boost of readiness. I have to get things done and stay in the dive! If I start questioning my life choices underwater, the problem will escalate into an accident!
Lesson learned: Choose with your heart, plan with your brain…. then act with your balls! Problems are part of life, be ready to deal with it!
The result
With the help of eight divers with cameras and DPVs, and surface support personnel, on the 3rd of May 2023, I broke the record for the longest solo cave dive swimming. The dive took place in the Sac Actun cave system, Nohoch Nah Chich section, in Mexico. I swam for 8592mt in a cave, in 10 hours and 20 minutes.
The official distances marked on the map, and the dive profile from both my computers.
The previous record was held by Sheck Exley. He has been my inspiration and his dive was more complex and riskier than mine. I planned my dive choosing the easiest conditions to achieve a simple goal. He set a record of penetration while exploring a deep cave and doing decompression by himself! That was awesome! I am sure he could have done my dive, but I don’t know if I could do what he did.
Did we do the same dive? No!
Did I swim for a longer distance? Yes!
I know many people who could do what I did… I am just the one who did it.
I didn’t do it to be better than someone else, I just wanted to better myself.
My awesome friends and colleagues, helped me to film and validate my record. They made this solo dive possible! I am not sharing the glory of “my achievement” with my friends… it has always been “our achievement”!
The mandatory picture after the dive, with my team and friends! We did it!
Lesson learned: There is not such a thing as a self-made man! Forget your ego, you exist because of other people!
Conclusion
Treat your students like your kids, give them what they deserve, and don’t try to mold them into your shape!
You are a normal person with normal reactions to problems, be prepared to solve them!
You cannot achieve anything by yourself, you need help!
Choose with your heart, plan with your brain, and act with your balls! That’s a life worth living!
Now I have to find my next project, and I wish you to find yours!
Special thanks
MY TEAM & FRIENDS
Alberto Salvini
Technical Cave Instructor Trainer
Record Evaluator & Safety Diver
Alessandro Reato
Technical Cave Instructor
Cartographer & Safety Diver
Erik Rinda
Sidemount Instructor & Cave Diver
Support Diver
Emilio Gutierrez
Technical Cave Instructor
Support Diver
Martin Gaspar Ramirez
Technical Cave Instructor
Support Diver
Massimo Ardizzoni
Technical Cave Instructor
Safety Diver
Mauro Moro
Technical Cave Instructor
Safety Diver
Joram Mennes
Videographer & Cave Diver
Underwater Videographer
Column
$ 99
Per MonthAlberto Salvini
Alessandro Reato
Erik Rinda
Emilio Gutierrez
Martin Gaspar Ramirez
Massimo Ardizzoni
Mauro Moro
Joram Mennes
Column
$ 99
TitleTechnical Cave Instructor Trainer
Technical Cave Instructor
Sidemount Instructor & Cave Diver
Technical Cave Instructor
Technical Cave Instructor
Technical Cave Instructor
Technical Cave Instructor
Videographer & Cave Diver
Column
$ 99
Per MonthRecord Evaluator & Safety Diver
Cartographer & Safety Diver
Support Diver
Support Diver
Support Diver
Safety Diver
Safety Diver
Underwater Videographer
MY FRIENDS AT THE SURFACE
Javier Sanroman
Videographer & Editor
Julia Rinda
Surface Operations Coordinator
Column
$ 99
Per MonthJavier Sanroman
Julia Rinda
Column
$ 99
TitleVideographer & Editor
Surface Operations Coordinator
MY SPONSOR & FRIENDS
Alberto Bonassi & Andrea Bonassi
BONASSI management
Wendy and Jose
BONASSI marketing
Column
$ 99
Per MonthAlberto Bonassi & Andrea Bonassi
Wendy and Jose
Column
$ 99
TitleBONASSI management
BONASSI marketing
PHOTO GALLERY
Photos by Joram Mennes