Georgina Miller

THE BRITISH FREE-DIVING CHAMPION ON HER FAVOURITE DIVE DESTINATIONS AND FINDING PEACE BENEATH THE WAVES

- ANGELA LOCATELLI

Why did you start free-diving? I've loved swimming ever since I was a kid. Before taking my first free-diving course in 2007, I was a scuba instructor in Thailand. One day, we were exploring a shipwreck and I saw this lady swim down from the surface using only a monofin, which is a swimfin you attach to both feet. I thought, I'd love to be able to do that!' At first, it was just a hobby. It was only when I began to realise the importance of sharing my knowledge with others that I knew I wanted to pursue it professionally.

You've since broken the national record for static apnea six times and set a personal best of seven minutes. It's funny being good at a sport that involves lying completely still, but it can quickly become very physically demanding. When you're holding your breath, the most important thing is to stay calm. You need to understand yourself, know your physiology and have a good safety team around you. Deep diving has far less certainty because the pressure you experience is huge. My best depth is 215 feet, which isn't very deep when you think about the women who reach 390 that's seven and a half atmospheres' worth of pressure!