SSI Freediving Instructor Course — Bay of Islands
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Description
The course that creates the next instructor in your community.
Becoming a freediving instructor isn't about being the deepest diver in the room. It's about being the one who can take a stranger, in a wetsuit, on a cold morning, and give them their first competent breath-hold — safely, calmly, and in a way they'll remember for the rest of their lives.
This is the SSI Freediving Instructor course, delivered by one of two SSI Instructor Trainers in New Zealand. Small cohort, full instructor pathway, supported through your first teaching season. $2,800 full course — your $500 deposit today secures your place in the cohort.
Who this is for
- SSI Advanced Freediver (Level 2) or equivalent
- You want to teach — professionally, casually, or as part of a school programme
- You're committed to the safety standards that make freediving sustainable
What we cover
- SSI teaching methodology and lesson planning
- Pool teaching: static, dynamic, safety
- Open-water teaching: free immersion, constant weight, depth progression
- Risk management and emergency response
- Equipment, briefings, debriefing
- Practical teach-backs — you'll teach real students under supervision
- SSI standards, paperwork, certification process
- Business basics: pricing, scheduling, insurance pathways
Where it happens
- Freedive Studio, 30 Selwyn Road, Paihia (theory)
- Kawakawa Pool (teaching practice)
- Bay of Islands sites (open-water teaching)
Prerequisites
- SSI Advanced Freediver or equivalent
- Current First Aid, CPR & AED — including Emergency Oxygen Provider (see React Right First Aid and Emergency Oxygen Provider if you need to get current)
- 100+ logged freedives
- Medical clearance — see medical form
Course Formats
7-Day Instructor Fast-Track — $2,800
For divers already performing at ~30m and ready to move directly into instructor-level training. Total training: ~75–85 hours (SSI standard).
Instructor + Advanced Freediver Course — $3,600
For 20m divers who want more time refining technique, equalisation, or completing Advanced/Depth requirements before instructor-level training. Total training: 100+ hours.
What's included
- 6–7 days of instruction (depending on format)
- SSI Instructor digital materials and certification
- All pool, site, and boat fees
- Access to The Recovery Studio — Scandinavian sauna, cold plunge, breathwork, mobility
- Ongoing post-course support — first teaching season mentorship included
One requirement left after your course?
Sometimes a depth or performance requirement doesn't quite get finished or verified on the day — conditions, time, or footage. That doesn't mean starting over. Our Post Course Video Submission pathway lets you complete an outstanding requirement remotely by video evidence, within 6 months of your course. $150 per submission.
Who teaches it
Sacha Williamson — SSI Instructor Trainer, one of two in New Zealand and the first female. 25+ years professional ocean. Trained instructors for Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust, EMR, R. Tucker Thompson Trust, and I Have A Dream Foundation. NZQA Unit Standard 4098 assessor qualification.
You'll be trained by the person who trains the trainers.
What this leads to
- Teaching freediving professionally — solo or in a school
- Joining the Freedive Aotearoa hub-and-spoke instructor network
- Pathway into the Te Wheke Moana schools programme
- SSI continuing education — Mermaid Instructor, Specialty Instructor
Where this fits in your pathway
If you're new to freediving, start with the SSI Freedive Level 1 first — the Instructor pathway assumes a confident open-water diver. If you're already certified and building toward instructor, our weekly Freedive Clubs are the cheapest way to keep training. Freedive Adventure Days are also great for technique under guidance.
Safety, certification & accreditation
Freedive Aotearoa is an SSI Instructor Training Centre — one of very few in New Zealand. AdventureMark certified. Qualmark accredited. WorkSafe-aligned Safety Management System. Read our safety standards → | About SSI →
What divers say
“I recently completed my freediver certification with Sacha from Freedive Aotearoa, and I can't recommend her enough!”
“Stoked to have worked with Sacha and learn about my own physiology and psychology.”
★★★★★ 5.0 from 10 Google reviews · read more →
Questions? info@freedive.co.nz