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Freedive Nomad - 𝐓𝐚𝐢𝐰𝐚𝐧 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐬

@freedivenomad

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🙏 Ray 🇹🇼🇺🇸🇭🇰
🇺🇸 Team USA • CMAS Worlds Championships 2026 Masters
🧜 Freedive (W3i)/Yoga/Breathwork
📍 Xiaoliuqiu, Taiwan
🌊 Courses from Sept ‘26

POSTS STORIES REELS

Sunlight through a hole in the cave. Tony saw what most people swim past.

I met him (@tonesofblue) at a Deep Week in 2022. He showed me his work and that was enough to be an instant fan.

This guy sees underwater the way most people never will - and he’s just as fired up about pulling back the curtain on how he does it. No gatekeeping. I’ve sat in his workshops and watched someone who loves the craft as much as he loves passing it on.

He visited Taiwan earlier this year and joined our first Green Island trip. He’s coming back Oct 16-19 for round two. (DM if you’re interested in joining, more details out soon).

Getting in front of his lens has been a dream.

These photos are the proof.

Four days in the water with someone who shoots like this.

Want in? DM me.

Wearing the Molchanovs Sport Wetsuit 1.5mm. Molchanovs is a proud supporter of Team USA at the CMAS World Freediving Championships - which I’ll be competing in. Use code TEAMUSA2026 for a discount that also helps support the team. by @freedivenomad

20 years in finance. Chronic stress. Burnout. Fibromyalgia. Anxiety and panic attacks.

I discovered freediving in 2019 and took my first course right here on Xiaoliuqiu.

Then I got laid off - for the second time in two years by the same bank. But this time I wasn’t scared. I knew exactly what I wanted to do.

I cashed my severance check and flew to Indonesia to become a freediving instructor.
Why? Because after that first freediving course, everything changed.

I no longer needed medication to manage my anxiety. My fibromyalgia symptoms became less severe. And over time - I became completely symptom-free.

I became fascinated by what had happened to me. Freediving isn’t just a sport. It’s a portal for transformation - and I believe a big part of that is nervous system regulation.

Learning to be still. Learning to breathe. Learning to trust your body again.

That obsession led me to certify as a Yoga Teacher, a Conscious Connected Breathwork Facilitator, and a Reiki Healer.

And somewhere along the way, the sport I fell in love with to heal myself became something I compete in. I’m deeply honored to represent Team USA at the World Championships 2026 in the Masters Division. It’s something I never could have imagined when I was sitting at a desk burned out in finance.

So when students come to me for a freediving course, it’s not just a freediving course.
You’ll be exposed to multiple modalities of nervous system regulation - breathwork, yoga, ice bath, somatic techniques - woven naturally into the experience.

My goals as your instructor:
1️⃣ Keep you safe
2️⃣ Help you fall in love with freediving
3️⃣ Give you tools you can use in everyday life to manage stress
4️⃣ Have fun

I deeply respect that you’re spending your money and trusting me with your time. I take that seriously. And nothing - nothing - beats seeing the look on someone’s face when they do something they never thought was possible.
That’s why I do this. by @freedivenomad

As I watched the “The Bear,” a captivating TV series about a humble sandwich shop’s quest for Michelin-star recognition, I found myself engrossed in its brilliant narrative and character development. The profound message in Season 2, Episode 7, resonated deeply with me, mirroring my journey toward understanding the value of serving others.
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In this pivotal episode, Richie, a character known for his sharp wit and stubbornness, is tasked with an internship at the world’s leading restaurant amidst the renovation of the former sandwich shop. Despite his initial reluctance to embrace menial tasks and his confrontational stance with his supervisor, Garret, a transformative conversation unfolds outside the kitchen. Garret shares his journey toward finding joy in acts of service, emphasizing the restaurant’s commitment to creating unforgettable experiences for its patrons, profoundly impacting Richie.
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This narrative struck a chord, reflecting on my own transition from a self-centered career in finance to discovering the joy in teaching. Initially skeptical about the value I could bring in teaching, my perspective shifted as I embraced freediving instruction, not out of a passion for teaching but driven by my love for the sport and a practical approach to sustaining my hobby financially.
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Recently, when asked whether I preferred teaching beginners or intermediate students, I realized that the joy in teaching lies in witnessing the transformative moments of beginners, their newfound abilities, and their deeper connection with the ocean. This realization parallels Garret’s ethos of going above and beyond to create memorable experiences.
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As a freedive instructor, I strive to ensure that every moment spent learning with me is unforgettable, from personalized freedive courses to showcasing the island’s hidden gems. It’s a commitment to honor the trust and time invested by my students, aiming to never disappoint.
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This journey has taught me that the essence of teaching extends beyond the transfer of knowledge; it’s about enriching lives. This has brought me a life full of joy, happiness, and contentment, something I never had in finance. by @freedivenomad

Some freediving funnies.

Here’s the longer, nicer truth behind each one:

• Snorkel: If you black out with a snorkel in your mouth, water can go straight into your airway. That turns a standard blackout into a drowning incident. Take it out before you dive.
• Pee: Being in the water makes your body want to pee. It’s not just you, it’s everyone.
• Scuba: We do care, a little. Being comfortable in the water helps a lot. But almost everything else is different: the breathing, the equalization, the mindset. Come in ready to unlearn some things.
• Not free: Fins, wetsuit, courses, flights to dive spots. It adds up. It can also be one of the cheapest sports out there if you keep it simple.
• Wetsuit: Freediving wetsuits can be tricky to put on and very hard to take off if you don’t know what you’re doing. Ask your instructor to show you some tricks.
• Island: Ask me how I know.

Scuba friends, we love you. Please don’t fight me on this. by @freedivenomad

Anyone else?

#Freediving #childhoodtrauma #trauma by @freedivenomad

I never planned to become a freediving instructor. A hiring freeze, a layoff and a pandemic did the planning for me.

In 2018 I was waiting on a banking job in Singapore and Googled things to do that didn’t involve drinking. A freediving school came up on page one. That job never came through, but the idea stuck.

Six years teaching on Xiaoliuqiu later, I’m grateful for every door that closed.

What’s something you fell into by accident? 👇

#freediving #freediver #xiaoliuqiu #taiwan #freedivenomad by @freedivenomad

🌊 Freediving Depth Camp in Xiaoliuqiu, Taiwan — only 2 spots remaining.

📍 Xiaoliuqiu, Taiwan
📅 November 26–29

Four days of freediving depth training designed to help you become a calmer, more confident and more capable depth diver.

This isn’t just about diving deeper. We’ll combine 4 freediving line-training sessions with breathwork, dry static training, stretching, mental performance coaching and personalized visualization.

We’ll also incorporate Conscious Connected Breathwork for stress regulation, relaxation and the mental side of depth diving. Check out @nomadbreathlabs for more on Conscious Connected Breathwork.

There are no minimum depth requirements (just certified) and no pressure to chase numbers. Whether you’re working on equalization, relaxation, technique, confidence or simply becoming more comfortable at depth, the training is paced to you.

You’ll also receive a 45-minute online session with our mental performance coach, plus a personalized guided visualization, recorded specifically for you to use before training and future dives.

For Molchanovs divers, this is not a certification course, but we can sign off completed Wave 2 / Wave 3 requirements during the camp.

🌊 ONLY 2 SPOTS REMAINING

DM “DEPTH CAMP” for details and booking.

#FreedivingTaiwan #Freediving #Xiaoliuqiu #FreedivingTraining #DepthTraining by @freedivenomad

46 meters. Then my left ear said no.

Halfway through the Freediving World Championships.

Today was Constant Weight - the monofin discipline - my favorite because of the power, the efficiency, the elegance.

I woke up feeling better from the cold that’s been following me since the comp started. But the sinus blockage was worse than two days ago. Neti pot, saline rinses, and a saline + xylitol spray that has become my new best friend.

The dive itself felt good. Relaxed. Enough air in my mouth to equalize. Around 40 meters my right ear cleared. The left one didn’t. Then a sharp pain, and I turned early at 46.

No damage. Several hours later, no soreness. Ear is fine, touch wood.

If that left ear had cooperated, 52 was there.

On the way up I turned around to face the DiveEye and gave everyone a little wave. Then I turned up the speed, far faster than I normally swim, just for fun. Watching the safeties try to keep up was the best part of my day.

I came up short of my target and I’m not disappointed. I’m learning a lot. Having a good time. I’ve met great freedivers and great humans. And I got some great photos.

Also starting to get a little homesick.

Thanks to the safeties and the photography crew today.

And muchas gracias to TEAM USA sponsors - @molchanovsfreediving
@evolveapnea
@surffur by @freedivenomad

Hard work done. Now the easy part (kinda) - just four dives over the next 9 days. First Freediving World Championships. Tried a lot of things. Failed a lot. Over trained sometimes. Frustrations along the way but always joy, fun and happiness in every dive.

But no matter what happens at this comp, I’ve learned a ton and can’t wait to bring it back to my students.

Check out my stories on how to watch it live. by @freedivenomad

Manta Freediving Retreat — Maldives

📅 6–11 Feb 2027

📍 Makunudhoo (a real local island, not a resort)

This is not your typical Maldives trip. No resort, no tourist bubble, no infinity pool. Just one of the most untouched reefs in the country and a shot at swimming with reef mantas most days.

Why this one’s different:

🌊 Led by Tiana — a manta researcher with 8+ yrs in the Maldives. She knows where the mantas are and why. Manta talks through the week.

🔬 Do real citizen science if you want — actually contribute to manta research, not just swim past them.

🏝️ A local island of ~2,000 people. You experience real Maldivian life, hosted by local captains and crew who’ve fished these reefs their whole lives.

🌙 Feb = peak manta season + calm, clear water. Timed for the best odds.

❤️ Money stays local — we use local vendors as much as possible, and part of the proceeds goes to a local charity.

✅ No cert needed. If you can swim and you’re comfortable in open water, you’re in. Bring a non-diving friend or partner too.

Quick heads up on the vibe: it’s a local Muslim island — no alcohol, modest dress on land (swimwear’s fine on the boat). If your dream trip is cocktails on a sun lounger, this isn’t it. If you want the real, quiet, untouched version of the Maldives, it very much is.

💰 From US$1,950 early bird (US$2,250 regular) — early bird ends Sept 15.

Once you land in Malé, everything’s covered — domestic flights, boat transfers, accommodation, all meals, and every activity. You just get yourself to Malé.

Spots are limited and go first come, first served. DM me if any questions.

Ray

📸 credit from our friends at @soultyfreedivers by @freedivenomad

Sure glad I found freediving otherwise I’d be stuck in an office all day with no joy in my life whatsoever.

What about you?

Purple wetsuit is by @molchanovsfreediving 1.5mm Sport wetsuit.

Use coupon code TEAMUSA2026 when purchasing Molchanov’s gear on their website to support team USA at the CMAS Freediving World Championships. by @freedivenomad

We’re running it back. Freedive trip to Green Island! @tones.of.blue will be joining us again as well taking his epic photos. He’s obsessed with Green Island it’ll be his third time this year. I’ll let the photos do the talking.

Oct 16-19 Green Island Taiwan. If you’d like to join comment Green Island or DM me. by @freedivenomad