Paihia · pop-up days · small numbers
Freedive + Spearfishing Adventure Bay of Islands & Cavalli Islands
The best of both worlds: a freediving adventure with New Zealand's top freedive instructors and a spearfishing session with the experts from BOI Spearo. All the gear and a full snacking platter included.
$480 per person · special, usually $649
Pop-up days · special $480
The best of both worlds
We're an eco-tourism company first, so our spearfishing days are pop-ups: a handful each summer, when you ask for them.
It's a hybrid adventure: a freediving day with New Zealand's top freedive instructors, plus a spearfishing session with the spearfishing experts from BOI Spearo. The ultimate tasting platter of all things spearfishing.
Learn the area, the local fish and how to spearfish properly: safely, selectively and with respect. Then head out to the Cavalli Islands or the outer Bay of Islands, wherever the water is best on the day.
Everything is included: spearfishing gear, freediving suit, fins, weight belt and mask, the whole lot, plus a full snacking platter on the boat.
Our kaitiakitanga promise
Looking after each other, and this place
Kaitiakitanga (guardianship) is at the heart of everything we do. Being kaitiaki means looking after each other, looking after this place, and having a deep connection with the kai (food) we put in our bodies.
In Te Tai Tokerau (Northland), gathering and sharing kai isn't a trend. It's our way of life: a feed shared up the road, lemons off the tree, kai from friends and whānau. We want to help ensure that way of life for our tamariki (kids) and theirs.
So we take only what we need, leave the breeders, share what we gather, and give back to the places that feed us. Water safety is part of it too: coming home safely to the people we love.
Take only what you need
Spearfishing done right is selective: you choose with your eyes, the right size and species, and leave the rest. We follow the size and bag limits, respect any rāhui, and never spearfish in marine reserves.
Breathe. Learn. Respect.
We start on land
Freediving first. Breathwork, breath-hold safety, the buddy system and one-up one-down. Good spearfishing starts with good freediving.
Know your fish. We go through the local species, how to identify them underwater, MPI size and bag limits, rāhui and marine reserve boundaries, and which fish to leave alone.
Handle the gun safely. Loading, unloading, safe carrying and the rules we live by in the water.
Out on the water
Two dives and a platter
Dive one is all technique: quiet duck dives, moving slowly, blending into the kelp and letting the ocean come to you. Look first, always.
Back on board for the ultimate snacking platter, then dive two, where you put it all together with the BOI Spearo crew. Only ever the right species and the right size, and only what you need.
We finish by talking about respect: for the ocean, for what it gives us, and for the people we share it with.
Ocean to table
Our chef
Our chef teaches us how to make a delicious tom yum using the whole fish, so nothing goes to waste.
From the water to the table: how to process, keep and store your kai, use every part of it, share it, smoke it, cook it, make proper sauces, and chef the heck out of it.
More about our chef soon.
How the day goes
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8am
Meet at our studio in Paihia
30 Selwyn Road. Coffee, gear fitting and your plan for the day.
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8:15am
Land workshop
Breath-hold safety, local fish ID, size and bag limits, gun handling.
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Mid-morning
Out to the dive spot
The Cavalli Islands or the outer Bay of Islands, depending on conditions.
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Late morning
Dive one: technique
Duck dives, moving slowly and blending into the kelp.
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Midday
Snacking platter on board
A full platter, then rest up.
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Afternoon
Dive two
Put it all together with the BOI Spearo crew. Only what you need.
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About 4pm
Back in Paihia
Then the Clubhouse sauna and cold plunge.
What's included
The whole lot. Got your own gear? Bring it.
Our promise
Healthy people, healthy whānau, healthy ocean
We love these waters, and we want our tamariki to be able to dive them too. Everything we teach comes back to that.
Two ways to join us
Whichever you choose, you dive with highly trained freedive instructors and the spearfishing crew from BOI Spearo, in small groups.
Breathe · Adventure · Recover
Finish at the Clubhouse
Back in Paihia, warm up in the Clubhouse sauna and cold plunge after a big day in the ocean.
Commonly asked questions
Why pop-up days?
We're an eco-tourism company first, so spearfishing days are pop-ups. Book your spot, and we'll confirm your date with you personally.
How do I lock in my spot?
Pay in full when you book. That locks in your spot, and we'll confirm the date with you. We book our whole day (boat, crew and BOI Spearo) around you, so we can't hold spots without payment.
Do I need to be a freediver?
You'll need to be a confident swimmer and comfortable in the ocean. A freediving certification (Level 1) is recommended. We can run your Level 1 in the days before.
Do I need to have spearfished before?
No. Beginners learn the basics from scratch and stay close to us. Experienced spearos get local knowledge and coaching to take their freediving further.
What do we do with what we gather?
We share it. Only the right species and size, within the rules, and only what you need for your whānau and friends. Plenty of people choose to just enjoy the dive. Recreational catch is for eating and sharing, never selling.
Do I need a fishing licence?
No. You don't need a licence for recreational fishing in New Zealand's sea, but size and bag limits apply and we'll teach you them.
How many people?
Small numbers, always. Because the groups are so small, if someone drops out we may not be able to go ahead. If we can't run your day, we'll move you to another date or give you a full refund.
What if the weather's bad?
We check about 48 hours out. If it's unsafe, we move your day or give you a full refund.
Something else? Message us
