Who am I ?


Ondine

As a child, I was lucky enough to enjoy the pleasures of the water. I spent summers in Vendée (Western France), in St Raphaël (French Riviera) and in Corsica. I played with the powerful waves of the Atlantic Ocean and spent long hours watching the fish of the Mediterranean Sea.


My studies led me to a degree in engineering and to a variety of professions in that domain. At the same time, I escaped and I healed myself with music, first the piano, then the guitar, then singing. I composed and wrote my own songs from 2004 to 2019. I performed on stage alone, then accompanied by several musicians.

Daughter

of the Seas

Music video of a song I wrote in 2010 about freediving sensations when I wasn't yet practicing the sport.

I discovered Freediving in 2015 at a time when I had to face a painful and sudden loss. Freediving naturally helped me to let go. I first experienced it in the pool, then quickly moved on to deep freediving. I took part in competitions and trained in 4 different federations: FFESSM, CMAS, SSI and AIDA. I became an IE2 in 2019 at FFESSM (French federation) and an AIDA freediving instructor in 2020, making the best of the interruptions of the pandemic.


The world of freediving is very small, so I met and trained with great french athletes such as Morgan Bourc'his, Vincent Mathieu, Stéphane Tourreau, Laurent Breidenbach, Christian Vogler and recently the italian Fédérico Mana, the master of equalization. I became an equalization instructor in june 2023.

Since 2020, I have led a nomadic life. I run my freediving center in the Azores in the summer, and offer freediving stays in Madeira and Cape Verde in the winter. When I'm not in the water, I teach online equalization courses and act as a sales representative for my diving partner Haliotis. Always striving to do the best that I can do, I train and continue to take part in competitions such as the French Freediving Championships, where I finished vice-champion in DYN monofin, in my category, in 2023.


In the water of the Azores, Madeira and Cape Verde, the memories of my childhood mingle together : The waves of the Atlantic Ocean and with the crystal-clear, fish-filled waters of the Mediterranean Sea. Long may we protect our sunken treasures.

Top and video clip photos: Sylvain Bes