Interview with Karsten Mohr and Elyoenai Aparicio Suárez
Karsten Mohr is an apnea instructor, coach and lives on the smallest and most westerly of the Canary Islands: El Hierro. In an interview with Elyoenai Aparicio Suárez, he shares his personal view of freediving – one based on freedom, closeness to nature and inner peace. For him, apnea is not just a sport, but a deep connection to the sea and to himself.
The interview was conducted in Spanish and published on Elyoenai’s YouTube channel on 11.04.2023.
(Here is an AI-generated summary of the Spanish interview in German)
El Hierro – a special island for special dives
El Hierro is a unique place: few beaches, difficult to reach, wild and pristine. This is exactly what makes it so attractive for Karsten. The island offers a high diversity of species, bizarre rock formations, caves and plays of light under water. The conditions are not always easy – tides, wind and swell have to be closely monitored. But that is exactly what makes it so special for him.
Freediving – beyond rope and buoy
Karsten learned to freedive at a young age in his very own way – playfully, curiously, without technique, in a murky pond. He only got to know the formalized form with buoy and rope later. But his heart beats for free diving in a natural environment. He wants to pass on this freedom – without a buoy, without pressure to perform – to his students.
Two experiences that stay with you
Karsten was particularly touched by two experiences:
- A nocturnal dive with bioluminescence that made him feel like he was floating through a universe of living stars.
- An encounter with a Solrayo shark – calm, powerful, deeply impressive.
Both experiences show: Those who open themselves to the sea are given a gift.
Apnea is more than technique – it is connection and stillness
Karsten sees apnea as an exercise in presence. As a meditation teacher, he combines silent practice with diving training. He is not only concerned with technique or depth, but also with self-awareness, concentration and listening to what the sea reflects. For him, freediving is a mirror: anyone who is nervous or distracted feels it immediately.
Fewer meters, more awareness
Karsten criticizes a one-sided fixation on depth. Many people come to the island with a narrow target – around 45 meters in two weeks – and are frustrated when they “only” manage 43. He sees this attitude as self-sabotage and disregard for the sea:
“The sea is not a tool for records, but a place for encounters.”
Conclusion
Karsten’s approach is clear: if you only look for depth, you miss out on the true experience. Apnoea can be so much more – meditation, experiencing nature, self-awareness. And El Hierro offers the perfect setting for this.