There's that cold you feel when the temperatures are low. Then there's that proverbial cold you feel when you experience something surreal and unfamiliar.
Still don't catch our drift? A GoPro video of diver Mathieu Villegas — immersed in the icy depths of a frozen lake — is making viewers on the web feel the eerie coldness of this little known world.
The video, selected for the GoPro Awards, shows Villegas freediving in Morrison's Quarry in Quebec, Canada.
From Subzero To GoPro Hero
You can see Villegas equipped with a GoPro Hero and diving thrice in subzero temperatures. Each segment of the video lasts for a minute or less, showing his journey from the frozen trapdoor and into the icy wonders of the frozen lake.
Villegas takes you with him as he explores a plane wreck, a glimpse of history that majority of us only see in pictures and movies.
The footage also reminds viewers of what Jack in the movie Titanic possibly felt when he gave up his place for Rose. Well, maybe Jack could have saved himself if he only knew how to freedive in icy waters as well as Villegas does.
Freediving in a cold environment is, of course, no small feat.
"Freediving is difficult and dangerous to learn from books or the internet," says Martin Stepanek, a 13-time world recordholder and founder of Freediving Instructors International.
So, before you plan to go on a (literally) breathtaking dive into a frozen lake to capture amazing videos, make sure you have the proper understanding of the sport and its hazards.
Mathieu Villegas: The Freediver Who Took Our Breaths Away
As of writing, the video uploaded on GoPro's YouTube channel has garnered more than 611,000 views. Villegas originally uploaded it on his own YouTube channel on March 6 last year to document his freediving session using a GoPro Hero 3.
Some viewers feel a sudden chill with the image of aquamarine colors fading in the vast emptiness of the space. Others are amazed by the ability of Villegas to stay that long underwater and in extreme cold. Funny enough, others feel they have to hold their breath the entire time they watch the footage.
There are many other GoPro Award recipients who have shared their content with the world.
Now watch Mathieu Villegas's freediving adventure in a frozen lake as featured on GoPro's YouTube channel:
