About Salt Aotearoa
Our Freedive Centre and Community
Our Kaupapa in Motion
2019–2021
Getting started
Freshly returned from swimming with whales in Tonga, Salt begins as a part-time passion project to inspire more wāhine to get into all things diving, especially after realising there were so few girls to learn with. What starts as a few ocean-loving women quickly grows into a thriving community with serious momentum, even through the chaos of COVID. We ran our first community sessions and Freedive Camp, and by the end of 2021, it was clear this was becoming something much bigger.
2022–2023
Building the foundations
We teamed up with legends like Water Safety NZ to host events, courses, and our annual camp, all while navigating the wild process of becoming an Adventure Tourism Certified operator. Sounds simple, right? Yeah… not quite. We manage to nab our very own dedicated freedive waka, Kiwa — an ex-Coastguard vessel — and gathered a crew of of dedicated frothers who’ve since helped carve so many oceanic pathways for our community.
2024–2025
The next wave
While I grew my own whānau (literally), the team kept the Salt energy alive with Sessions, Regional Clubs, Summer Trips, and Courses connecting water wāhine across Aotearoa. In 2025, we hit a massive milestone — becoming Aotearoa’s second fully registered independent freedive centre. We then launched our first Pacific Experience in Rarotonga as part of our Voyager Series, and set our sights on continued growth, expanding our community across Aotearoa and connecting with our sisters across Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa.
Meet the Salt Crew
Renee
Founder, SSI Instructor, and proud māmā.
Renee spends much of her time behind the scenes, making connections, dreaming big, and quietly cheering on the crew — often while breastfeeding or wrangling a toddler! She’s deeply committed to supporting the rest of the team to step into their power and shine, creating the space for Salt Aotearoa to grow and thrive.
Camille
Marketing + Operations queeny, SSI instructor
And hostess with the mostest!
Camille joined us at our very first Kai Iwi Lakes Camp and has been a driving force behind much of Salt’s recent growth. Her energy and genuine love for all the wāhine is truly magical to witness, a true team player and all in for the community. From dusk till dawn, she ensures everyone is happy and cared for, while also bringing her ocean expertise as a freediver and spearo — plus a love for all things water sports!
Hannah
Our Admin Extraordinaire
She joined us at our very first Kai Iwi Lakes Camp and has come full circle, now supporting Salt behind the scenes with all the important (and sometimes pesky!) admin tasks. She’s the friendly voice you’ll hear nudging you to upload your profile photos to your SSI app — always with a smile and the nicest reminders possible!
Jules
Renee’s amazing partner and all-round legend
Jules supports the kaupapa with his dad jokes, expert captain skills, and freediving know-how. A multi-national spearfishing champ (though he’ll never admit it!), his marine career feats are next level — think tuna wrangling and spearfishing at 60 metres! He’s also our health and safety guru, ensuring that the ocean, the boat, and our wāhine are always safe, happy, and well looked after.
Brooke
Tauranga-based club rep, SSI instructor, and all-round medical and fitness queen
Brooke joined us at one of our Kai Iwi Lakes camps and went on to become an instructor herself. She now hosts and leads many of our courses and events. Her kind, supportive, and infectious energy draws everyone in, and she has a beautiful way of connecting deeply with the wāhine she teaches and the world around her.
Laura
Pāpāmoa-based spearo frother, ultimate hype girl and host queen.
She co-hosts the epic podcast Spearo Diaries and has a unique way of connecting with wāhine on every trip she leads. Her energy resonates with everyone, and she naturally holds space for each wāhine, creating an environment where everyone feels seen, heard, and supported, a rare gift she shares effortlessly.
Elena
Freediving Instructor
El, Our Auckland-based Salt bae, El, joined us on a Huntress trip and quickly became an instructor, now teaching and supporting wāhine on our courses and trips. She’s a total weapon in the moana and, as an added bonus, her cooking skills are absolutely legendary!
Benny
Freediving Instructor
One of our OG Salt baes, Benny joined us at our very first Kai Iwi Lakes camp and quickly became freediving obsessed. Spending time learning to spearfish then becoming an instructor Benny is truely an example of zero to 100 in all the best ways. She even set a New Zealand freediving record! Now, she helps lead many of our courses and trips, inspiring wāhine to smash their freediving goals. Her energy brings the vibes, and girls always find themselves exceeding expectations when she’s around.
Vance
Oceanic Sensei, Freediving Instructor
Or Koro, as we like to call him
He has taught and trained much of our crew, including our OGs and our founder. His cool, calm, and supportive energy resonates deeply with wāhine on every camp and course. Not only does he guide our community, but he also mentors our instructors, passing on knowledge and care with every interaction. He’s the calm amongst the storm and the one we can count on for grounding energy and wisdom when emotions run high. Truly an absolute gold nugget.
Lorelei
Freediving Instructor
After crushing her Advanced Freediver course at our iconic Kai Iwi Lakes camp, Lorelei became an instructor herself. She’s now back to support the next generation of wāhine divers, sharing her skills, confidence, and love for the moana with our community at every opportunity. You’ll also find her working with the legends up north at Dive Now!
Sam
Salt Aotearoa Wingman
Sam Sam Sam, the actual OG. Our Mares and SSI guru, Sam is the reason Salt exists. He’s been Renee’s organisation wingman from day one, supporting and guiding everything we do. In the water or on land, his expert teaching and supportive style has helped countless wāhine reach their ocean goals. With infectious energy, genuine care, and a kind, thoughtful nature that always puts others first, Sam is truly a gem in every sense.
Zac
Freediving Instructor
Our chill guy, Zac!
Zac brings heaps of joy and good vibes to every camp. An SSI freedive instructor and full-time DOC Marine Ranger/Seal Wrangler, he’s the laid-back, knowledgeable presence you want by your side on any freedive haerenga — guiding, supporting, and making every moment in the moana feel effortless and fun.
Kent
Freediving Instructor, Photographer
The infamous Uncle Kent!
Kent is a true legend in the spearfishing world, best known for teaching and supporting both the OG wāhine divers and the next generation from across Aotearoa. His kind, generous nature, paired with his expert teaching style, makes every trip with Uncle Kent unforgettable. And you can bet he’ll always have his underwater camera kit in tow, capturing all the magic beneath the waves!
Dan
Freediving Instructor, Photographer
Dan joined our last freedive camp as one of our incredible SSI instructors — and quickly became a crowd favourite!
This legend wears many hats: underwater photographer, surf lifesaving instructor, and all-round ocean advocate. Whether he’s teaching breathwork, capturing the magic below the surface, or empowering surfers to stay safe in the waves, Dan brings calm, expertise, and good vibes in equal measure. What a bloody legend!
Ingrid
Skipper, Chef, Freediving Instructor
Ingy is our wāhine toa of many talents — skipper, hype queen, freedive and spearfishing support, deckhand, and hands down the best chef you’ll ever meet.
She’s the heart and soul of our crew, bringing unstoppable energy, laughter, and aroha to every trip. We’re so lucky to have this absolute powerhouse on our team — and trust us, people often come back just for her cooking!
Shona
Underwater Photographer, Skipper, Freedive Instructor, Whale Guide
If you’ve ever admired the elegance and power in our underwater wāhine imagery — you can thank this ocean queen. Shona truly embodies the spirit of an ocean goddess. A skipper, underwater photographer, dive instructor, whale guide, and māmā, she brings both strength and deep compassion to everything she does. Shona has a remarkable gift for helping our wāhine feel safe, seen, and celebrated beneath the surface — capturing breathtaking images that honour both the power of the ocean and mana wāhine in one beautiful frame.
Jenae
Photographer, Freedive Instructor
Jenae first joined us at one of our early Kai Iwi Lakes camps, where she grew beautifully in both confidence and skill in the water. Now she’s come full circle — returning to support the next generation of wāhine divers with her calm, grounded energy. These days, she’s also exploring her creative side through underwater photography, capturing the magic of the moana from an entirely new perspective.
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