Frequently asked questions

The AFA is the national not-for-profit organisation dedicated to the sport of freediving. The AFA regulates competitions, maintains National rankings, and selects the National team. Any competition in Australia must be AFA approved. The AFA sits under the umbrella of the Australian Underwater Federation (AUF) which is the governing body for all underwater sports in Australia. The AFA are also the Australian representative for AIDA. The AFA supports all AFA affiliated clubs in Australia, including the Sydney Seals.

The AFA provides third party liability insurance for members undertaking freediving activities via Sydney Seals. By signing up to be a member of the Sydney Seals, you are also signing up to membership of the AFA, which is required to compete. This means when attending approved Seals or AFA events, that you are covered under that insurance.

This means that the Club is an established organisation, registered with NSW Fair Trading, as a not-for-profit. It means we have a Constitution that sets out rules how the organisation should be run. The Constitution sets out rights and obligations for the Committee and members.

You get access to Sydney Seals events, including:

• Masterclasses and workshops
• Pool training
• Depth sessions
• Competitions
• Fun dives

Please note that some events and activities come at an additional cost. The club does our best to keep costs as low as possible for members. Read more and join as a member.

Freediving is the practice of underwater breathholding, also sometimes referred to as ‘apnea diving’ or ‘skin diving’.

The Club sees our role as distinct to freediving businesses and schools. The certifications, run by businesses and schools, ensures there is a baseline understanding of freediving and safety protocols. Freedive certifications are run by qualified instructors. The role of the club is to help freedivers progress throughout their journey. At Sydney Seals, many of our members are instructors or assistant instructors.

Currently, pool training runs on weekdays in Marrickville (Inner West) and Randwick (Eastern Suburbs). We are exploring further places for pool training.

We recommend having all of your own equipment – this includes a wetsuit, freediving fins, a weight belt, weights, mask, snorkel. If you have any questions, please ask!

We are spoilt for choice. The Eastern Beaches—Bondi, Maroubra, Clovelly, Coogee, Little Bay, La Perouse— and the Northern Beaches like Shelly Beach are all on our doorstep. When you join the club, you get access to our WhatsApp group chat where you can connect with other members and organise dives.

At an Annual General Meeting, or AGM, the Club will present its financials. The Club is committed to being an open, accountable and transparent organisation. The AGM is an opportunity for Club members to come along and ask questions, and make suggestions for what you want to see the Club do.

We will call for Committee nominations approximately each year in March, because Committee Members need to be elected in each April. Committee terms are for one year. We encourage members to nominate. You do not have to be on the committee to suggest or lead a project.