breath-hold diving is an art form that human beings have been using for thousands of years in order to hunt and gather food from the sea and to earn their livelihoods. We humans are subtly connected to this habitat and all marine mammals in a very special way: when we hold our breath and descend under the ocean’s surface our heart beat slows as a way of safely prolong our time under water. with the advent of technology we somehow lost sight of this connection to the sea, we became separate from it, at best detached observers and at worst noisy intruders.

breath-hold diving is silent, calm, relaxed and as if the diver was meant to be underwater – or at the very least become as close as humans can to belonging in a liquid environment. the watermen project’s team relies on its extensive freediving experience to explore the underwater world in the most respectful way possible. the ability to approach endangered and iconic marine species without disturbing them has proven to be of tremendous scientific value. most importantly, stories and media of intimate close-up encounters between our water- men and women and marine life has inspired active support for ocean conservation among younger generations.