FREE-DAPTIVE DIVERS | a 501(c)(3) Organization

On June 19th Free-Daptive divers, along with the Prior Lake Association and A Divers World conducted a lake clean up event in Prior Lake. Just look at the results!!!

Congratulations to Lara Youngquist, Lloyd Winfield, Dana Huseth, and Beth Hulteng for completing the Twin Cities’ most recent HSA Dive Buddy Course.  Held at Square Lake over the span of two weekends in August, the course helped these brave divers earn the right to safely accompany others underwater who have special needs.

On Friday May 1 st , FREE-DAPTIVE Divers  kicked-off their 2020 grant program by awarding training grants to Aaron Cross and Lara Youngquist. Each was well deserved and FDD is honored that they applied for the grants and proud to be able to help them make the next steps in their diving.  Aaron has decided to …

Free-Daptive Divers Awards Its First Grants Read More »

Boarding boats almost always requires a person with adaptive physical needs to be carried on board.  Wheelchairs are sometimes used on board, but not necessarily. It is an individual matter. Some people need their chair for balance.              The diver and chair can be carried aboard separately. The flat-deck Caribbean-style boats can sometimes be boarded using a …

Boat Access, Boarding, and Onboard Activities for Persons with Adaptive Needs Read More »

By Christine McMahon, Handicapped SCUBA Association reprinted with permission from www.abilities.com Perched precariously on the edge of a tiny, well-worn dive boat off Little Corn Island, Nicaragua, on the western rim of the Caribbean is an unusual place for a person with a disability to find herself. This is a new challenge, I think. Looking into …

The Adventure of a Lifetime Read More »

Planning a dive trip? Here’s a handy list of suggestions from our team who have “been there”.  Feel free to download it and keep it for reference. If there’s something you’ve learned along the way, let us know so we can add your suggestions too. FDD Travel and Dive Tips for the Adaptive Needs Diver-2 …

Travel and Dive Tips for the Adaptive Needs Diver Read More »

FDD directors Rick and Tom recently scouted Huntington Lake in the Ironton(MN)  area for a future fun dive location.  Lots of fish within the first thermocline, with visibility ranging to 15 feet.  Great dive loation for both able and adaptive divers. Look for fun dive trips to this lake. Here’s the video from Tom’s GoPro: https://vimeo.com/284513784 …

Cuyuna Country Park offers excellent diving and more! Read More »

In may 2018, we went to Cozumel with several adaptive divers. KARE 11 ran the story we sent back!

https://vimeo.com/265788937

Check out this heart-warming story on our friends James and Rachel! http://www.fox9.com/news/the-goods/218240280-story