{"product_id":"freediving-taster-day","title":"Freediving Taster Day — Try Freediving in the Bay of Islands","description":"\u003cdiv style=\"background:#fff3e0;border-radius:10px;padding:16px;margin-bottom:20px;border:1px solid #f0dfc4;\"\u003e\u003cp style=\"margin:0;font-size:15px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e⚕️ Hey — before you book, check this out!\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eComplete your \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/drive.google.com\/file\/d\/1xzSeNSV5EKZQrcTti3UCWqhUL03BO0ZH\/view?usp=sharing\"\u003eself-check medical form\u003c\/a\u003e. If something is flagged on page one, you get a second chance on page two — still self-check. If something is still flagged, go to page three, print it out, and take it to a doctor to sign you off.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eOne day. One breath. One ocean.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Taster Day is the first step. No experience, no expectation — just you, an instructor, and a stretch of Northland water clear enough to see what you came for. $280 full day — your $50 deposit today locks your spot; balance on the day.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy the end of the day, most people are holding their breath longer than they ever thought possible. Some keep going and book Level 1. Some come back six months later. Either is fine. You leave with a benchmark and a memory.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWho this is for\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou're curious about freediving but not sure if it's for you\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou've snorkelled and want more\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou're a scuba diver wanting to dive without the tank\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYou're visiting the Bay of Islands and want one good day in the water\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat we do\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMorning:\u003c\/strong\u003e breathwork foundations, equalisation technique, safety briefing at the Freedive Studio in Paihia\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePool session:\u003c\/strong\u003e confined-water work — getting comfortable face-down, breath-up rhythm, first dives\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOpen water:\u003c\/strong\u003e guided dives in a sheltered Bay of Islands site, with one-on-one supervision\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDebrief:\u003c\/strong\u003e what comes next, if you want it to\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat's included\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAll equipment (wetsuit, mask, fins, weights)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProfessional SSI-certified instruction\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePool entry and open-water site fees\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHot drinks and a snack between sessions\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat to bring\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTogs to wear under your wetsuit\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA towel\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSun protection (rashie or SPF 50+)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA change of warm clothes for after\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWater and lunch\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWho teaches it\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSacha Williamson — New Zealand's first female SSI Freediving Instructor Trainer, second overall in the country. 25+ years professional diving. Trained the freediving instructors at Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust for nearly a decade. AdventureMark and Qualmark accredited. Bay of Islands local.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou'll be in the water with an instructor trainer — not someone who finished their course last summer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eFrequently asked\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDo I need to be a strong swimmer?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYou need to be water-confident. You don't need to be fit, fast, or experienced. If you can swim 100m without stopping, you're fine.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat if I can't equalise?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWe'll work on it. Equalisation is a skill, not a talent. By the end of the morning most people have it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat about weather?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBay of Islands ocean conditions are reliable, but if a day is unsafe we reschedule — no cost. We have indoor pool capacity if the open water is off.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMinimum age?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e12 with a parent or caregiver present. Under-12 by special arrangement — email us.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRefund policy?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eReschedule any time up to 48 hours before. Within 48 hours we'll work with you — life happens. Full \u003ca href=\"\/policies\/refund-policy\"\u003epolicy here\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat's next after a Taster Day\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/freedive-course-l1\"\u003eSSI Freedive Level 1\u003c\/a\u003e — the natural next step. Two-day certification.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/freedive-adventure\"\u003eFreedive Adventure Day\u003c\/a\u003e — once you're certified, the guided ocean day.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/sauna-session\"\u003eRecovery Studio Sauna \u0026amp; Plunge\u003c\/a\u003e — wind down after the water.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eSafety, certification \u0026amp; accreditation\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFreedive Aotearoa is an SSI Instructor Training Centre, AdventureMark certified, Qualmark accredited, and operates under a WorkSafe-aligned Safety Management System. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/health-safety\"\u003eRead our safety standards →\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ePick your date below — or \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/wa.me\/64273733348\"\u003echat with Sacha on WhatsApp\u003c\/a\u003e if you'd like to ask first.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cscript type=\"application\/ld+json\"\u003e{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"Course\",\"name\":\"Freediving Taster Day\",\"description\":\"One-day intro to freediving in the Bay of Islands, Northland NZ. Morning breathwork and pool session, afternoon open-water dives with SSI Instructor Trainer. No experience required.\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.freedive.co.nz\/products\/freediving-taster-day\",\"provider\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"Freedive Aotearoa\",\"sameAs\":\"https:\/\/www.freedive.co.nz\"},\"hasCourseInstance\":{\"@type\":\"CourseInstance\",\"courseMode\":\"Onsite\",\"courseWorkload\":\"PT8H\",\"location\":{\"@type\":\"Place\",\"name\":\"Freedive Aotearoa, Paihia\",\"address\":{\"@type\":\"PostalAddress\",\"streetAddress\":\"30 Selwyn Road\",\"addressLocality\":\"Paihia\",\"addressRegion\":\"Northland\",\"postalCode\":\"0200\",\"addressCountry\":\"NZ\"}}},\"offers\":{\"@type\":\"Offer\",\"category\":\"Paid\",\"price\":\"280.00\",\"priceCurrency\":\"NZD\",\"availability\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\/InStock\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.freedive.co.nz\/products\/freediving-taster-day\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en\"}\u003c\/script\u003e","brand":"Freedive Aotearoa","offers":[{"title":"Default","offer_id":53161584034157,"sku":null,"price":50.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"url":"https:\/\/www.freedive.co.nz\/products\/freediving-taster-day","provider":"Freedive Aotearoa","version":"1.0","type":"link"}