Sacha Williamson, the country's first female freediving instructor, runs freediving courses in Northland. Photo / Supplied
Sacha Williamson, the country's first female freediving instructor, runs freediving courses in Northland. Photo / Supplied
Sacha Williamson has been around the ocean her whole life.
She is the country's first female free dive instructor trainer and just one of two nationwide.
The Northland woman's impressive achievement has transferred into a love for all things freediving and her new venture is reflected in that.
Freediving is exploring underwater with a single breath. Williamson is one of an estimated 5000 qualified free divers worldwide and says her upbringing around the ocean has spurred a lifelong passion.
"When you grow up around something, it's innately in you," she said. "It's a part of who I am."
Williamson has three daughters and built her business from scratch after a "shared frustration" at a lack of educational opportunities in the freediving sector.
She trained overseas in Bali and after seeing how schools were set up overseas, wanted to bring it to Aotearoa.
Sacha Williamson's freediving courses in Northland lead to some spectacular experiences. Photo / Supplied
Proud to be "a female in a very male-dominated world," Williamson said her aim was to "widen the narrative of what you can do".
"This is a full career opportunity," she said. "I didn't sit with school that well, I wasn't book smart, and I've made an amazing career out of this."
Freedive Aotearoa aims to provide a host of opportunities for those interested in freediving and other water activities, including spearfishing workshops, underwater photography and mermaiding.
Williamson offers PADI Freedive courses, which she has gained alongside WorkSafe accreditation.
With summer fast approaching, Williamson said water safety is an important element of what she does.
Freedive Aotearoa offers an "ocean resilience course" at the Whangārei Aquatic Centre for those wanting to get more comfortable under the water.
"If you look at surfing, you've got the part on top, but you also have to remember that surfers are having to deal with a place where there's no oxygen," said Williamson, "so it's learning to be smart with your resources, because it can be really hard to stay calm."
In her workshops, she stimulates what may happen in a real-life setting.
"It's a mental game," she said. "It's about using your breath, how to regulate it, and giving control to your own body.
"When you know the science behind it and you're doing it in a controlled environment, it's easier to adjust."
Williamson has travelled around the world visiting the best diving spots, but "the Poor Knights is just amazing."
"It's absolutely abundant with fish," she said. "There's archways and caves, always something to explore."
According to Williamson, the wildlife you experience is second-to-none.
"You're very quiet, you're purposeful and the fish almost recognise you as an aquatic animal."
Sacha Williamson and her three daughters Koya (left, 12), Aurora (6) and Lilly-Belle (14) are based in Northland. Photo / Supplied
She hoped to compete in the freediving depth championships in Taupō next year, however with her three daughters, she's had to weigh up her priorities.
Williamson has experience in scuba diving as well but said there were benefits to freediving that were simply unbeatable.
"Have you ever been somewhere as a driver, but you go as a passenger and it's a different experience?" she said. "It's like you're seeing it all for the first time."
She said freediving was an activity people from different demographics could enjoy.
"It's really cool for families and it's very rare that you get something you can do with the whole family."
She said freediving was something "anyone" can do if they spent time on it.
"Being around the water teaches so much about the safety of it," she explained. "There's just some things you can't teach until you experience, and the best way to learn is through play.
"If you look at majority of animals, yeah, they've got the basics like food, shelter and sleep, but most of the time they're playing."
