Charlie Wheat

[Carcharhinus]

This weekend while I was out goofing off in the Gulf, we lost a great spearo and emerging great freediver.
Charlie Wheat was practicing his breath-holding in a Montgomery pool Sunday night and drowned. For some reason Charlie wasn't using a safety man as he normally did during his practice sessions...
Please join me in prayers for Charlie's family.
C. leucas

[Screen Name]

Peace be with him.

Damn.

[Chad Carney]

So sorry to hear about this, such a tragic loss.

It is my guess that many accomplished freedivers are still not aware that prior to a black out a diver can be affected in many ways similar to nitrogen narcosis on a deep scuba diver. Confusion, faulty judgement, emotional instability and loss of motor control, or even convulsions can inhibit the diver's ability to help himself at a critical time.

I did'nt know about them and I have been freediving for decades. I learned first hand by blacking out in a pool during a freediving class! Fortunately with a buddy and instructors right there to assist me.

Chad

[Les Laxson]

My name is Les Laxson and I knew Charlie Wheat. He was my good friend and Freediving buddy. We ran into each other almost a year ago on DeeperBlue.net when I was looking for someone to freedive with. We would get together an dive vortex and Pelham Quarry in Alabama. We also did a kayak dive in destin and he was waiting for me to get my own kayak so we could make some more dives that we planned out. We planned on training for our first freedive competetion and joining United States Apnea Association.

I never had a chance to meet his wife or any of his family but when a family friend Dennis Jones called me and left a message saying I need to call him that there had been an accident. I was to affraid to call him back at first.

Why Why was he training that way he knew better than that.

I will never be able to dive At vortex or Pelham ever again.
I can't stand to look at my dive gear, I threw it all in the closet. It's going to be a long time before I go diving and enjoy it. I can't sleep or keep my mind straight at work. I will miss him for the rest of my life, it's going to be hard everytime go out to dive. I will always here his words of encouragment everytime I take that last breath glide into the deep liquid world we both love so. I will always fight back tears when ever I think of my buddy!


The loss of my friend has truly hurt me.

leucas how do you know Charlie?

[OceanSwimmer]

Please accept my condolences and prayers to the family and friends of Charlie Wheat.
So sorry for your loss.