Learn to Freedive
One breath, and the whole ocean opens up. Our SSI freediving pathway takes you from your very first breath-hold to instructor — safely, at your pace, in the clear water of the Bay of Islands.
The pathway
Start here
Don’t choose from a list — find where you fit.
- Never tried it? Start with Try Freediving — no experience needed.
- Bringing a young one (age 10+)? Basic Freediver is the gentle entry to 5m (ask us about dates).
- Ready to certify? SSI Freediver (Level 1) — open water to 20m, from age 12.
- Certified and want depth? Step up to Advanced Freediver.
Every rung, in detail
Try Freediving
Your first eye open underwater. A relaxed, no-experience-needed introduction to breath-hold and moving calmly beneath the surface, with an instructor right beside you. Most people are hooked by the end.
You’ll learn: simple breathing, relaxation and your first breath-hold dives. What it gives you: a taste of the freediving world — and a clear next step.
Where this takes you next: your first certification with SSI Freediver, or the gentle Basic Freediver from age 10.
Book Try Freediving →Basic Freediver · from age 10
The gentlest way in, and perfect for younger divers. Two pool or confined-water sessions (or one pool and one open water) building water confidence, breathing and safe breath-hold to 5 metres.
Age: 10+. Format: ~6–8 hours. What it lets you do: freedive safely with a buddy to 5m — and step up to Freediver when you’re ready. Pool Freediver sits as an optional upgrade in between.
Where this takes you next: SSI Freediver (Level 1).
Enquire about Basic Freediver →SSI Freediver — Level 1
Your first full open-water certification — the fundamentals of breath, relaxation, equalisation and safety, certifying you to dive to 20 metres.
Age: 12+ (12–14 year-olds are capped at 12m — parents, that one’s worth knowing). Format: ~16–20 hours. What it lets you do: freedive open water to 20m with a certified buddy.
Where this takes you next: go deeper with Advanced Freediver.
Book Level 1 →SSI Advanced Freediver — Level 2
Refine your technique, deepen your dives and sharpen your safety skills — certifying you to 30 metres.
Age: 15+. Prerequisite: SSI Freediver, plus at least 6 logged sessions. Format: ~24–30 hours. What it lets you do: freedive to 30m.
Where this takes you next: the deep end — Performance Freediver.
Book Level 2 →SSI Performance Freediver — Level 3
The deep end. Advanced depth, technique and rescue, certifying you to 40 metres — serious freediving, seriously well taught.
Age: 18+. Prerequisite: Advanced Freediver, 30 logged sessions, and a 400m non-stop swim. What it lets you do: freedive to 40m.
Where this takes you next: go pro — the instructor pathway.
Book Level 3 →Guided Freedive Adventure
Already certified? Come dive the Bay of Islands with us — guided, relaxed and endlessly popular with freedivers. The perfect way to keep your skills sharp and log more sessions between courses.
Where this takes you next: log the dives that feed into Advanced and Performance.
Book a Guided Adventure →Specialties, ratings & going pro
Add specialties along the way — Training Techniques (required for instructor), Free Immersion, Monofin and more. Completing specialties and logging dives automatically earns you SSI Specialty, Progressive and Master Freediver recognition ratings.
Then go pro: Basic Freediving Instructor (from 18) is the gateway rating — and a perfect pairing for professional mermaids. From there, Freediving Instructor, Advanced/Performance Instructor, and Instructor Trainer at the summit.
Explore going pro →Ages at a glance: 6+ Explorers & tasters · 10+ Basic Freediver · 12+ Mermaid & Freediver certifications · 15+ Advanced · 18+ Performance & all instructor ratings · 21+ Instructor Trainer.
Not sure where to start?
Try Freediving is the perfect first step — no experience needed, and most people are hooked by the end.
Book Try Freediving →