Freedive Aotearoa · First call-out

Moana Wāhine

The pathway from first breath-hold to instructor — designed by wāhine, for wāhine.

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Moana Wāhine is a structured pathway through SSI freediving certifications for wāhine who want to teach.

Mentorship-led, cohort-based, and designed around the reality of being a woman in the ocean industry.

The pathway

From first breath to instructor — with mentorship, peer support, and wāhine-only cohorts where it counts.

STEP 01

Level 1

→

STEP 02

Level 2

→

STEP 03

Level 3

→

THE GOAL

Instructor

Who this is for

—Wāhine considering teaching freediving

—Existing certified divers ready for the instructor pathway

—Wāhine working in marine education, schools, or kura

What's different

—Wāhine-only cohorts at every level

—Mentorship from New Zealand's first female SSI Freediving Instructor Trainer

—Integration with the Te Wheke Moana schools delivery pathway

—Pricing structures that work for working wāhine

—Funding pathways via Tū Manawa where applicable

Programmes currently running

Tuesdays · Free

Kerikeri & Kawakawa

Weekly rangatahi sessions on Tuesdays — free, funded by Tū Manawa.

Limited spots

Kaitaia weekend workshops

Pool Freediver certification for wāhine — very limited spots.

Cohort dates

Cohorts are built when a critical mass is ready.

The best way in is to get in touch — let us know where you are in your pathway and we'll work out the timing.

$85 commitment

We run the first course free of our time. We ask for an $85 commitment — non-refundable — which covers your online SSI certification and online learning.

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Part of the bigger picture

Te Wheke Moana

Moana Wāhine feeds directly into our Ocean-to-Trades schools pathway — marine education for Te Tai Tokerau rangatahi.

Explore Te Wheke Moana →

Who's leading it

Sacha Williamson

New Zealand's first female SSI Freediving Instructor Trainer

25+ years of professional ocean experience, with partnership history spanning the Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust, EMR, the R. Tucker Thompson Trust, and the I Have a Dream Foundation.