My aquatic background

Kid:
While born in Canada, I lived in Atlanta and Texas from the ages of 2-7yo.  Of note is that in San Antonio, each neighbourhood has a public pool, due to the extreme summer heat.

While I think I took an introductory swim lesson on how to tread water in Atlanta, I stopped them early on and found it was much better / easier / more efficient and natural and faster for me to simply swim underwater, breast stroke style.  Instructors kept trying to correct me on how this was wrong.

Before DVD's, iPads and video games my parents would keep me busy by throwing handful of coins into the pool and tell me to fetch.  I would try to get them all on one breath... and this was a challenge at 8' deep with no weight belt to keep me down.  I don't even recall using a mask!

A scuba diver showed up once at a pool when I was in Florida on vacation when I was about 12 and invited me to try it, although I was reluctant.  After about :10 mins, it was obvious that I was not interested and didn't like all of the equipment and buoyancy issues.  I've had no desire to scuba dive since.  I've since realized that over 50% of freedivers start in scuba and many continue doing so in parallel.

Teen:
Back in Canada, I did nothing aquatic for 10 yrs, when my parents put in a pool.  I just screwed around with the diving board, cannon balls / jack knives etc.  All swimming was done underwater, as it was the natural way for me.  It was really just something to relax in on hot summer afternoons and have a BBQ around.

I do remember my first mask - it was a giant 3-window squared-off mask with huge volume and made of natural rubber.  It never fit well and as it aged and the sun ate it, it got more and more leaks until it was useless.

I remember taking a piece of retaining wall stone onto my lap and sitting at the bottom of the pool, but bailing at approx the 1 min mark.  I only recall doing it a few times and then getting yelled at as the pool had a vinyl liner and the stone would rip it.  I was also doing it alone... so that was a potential disaster waiting to happen.

All grown up:
I did nothing aquatic again for 10 yrs, when I discovered Freediving and Freedive Toronto, 2 years ago!
I've been hooked on all things apnea ever since.