Kai Gathering Safety & Watermanship Day with Arataki Dive

For tāne Māori | Whitianga, Coromandel

A practical one-day experience helping our tāne build safer skills, better decision-making and confidence in and around the moana.

Supported by Water Safety New Zealand, this kaupapa exists for a very simple reason:

We want more of our people, our whānau and our tāne coming home safely from the moana.

This is not a freediving course or a spearfishing course. It's a practical day on the water focused on the skills and decisions that can help keep you safe while diving and gathering kai.

We'll dive together, kōrero together and work through real-life situations, helping you understand not only how to dive more safely, but when not to dive at all.

THE DETAILS

Who: Tāne Māori age 35-55yrs
Where: Whitianga Marina
Time: 7:30am–5:00pm
Cost: Fully supported by Water Safety New Zealand
Booking deposit: $100 – refunded when you turn up and participate
Experience: ALL experience levels are welcome
Medical form: Mandatory before entering the water
Gear: Bring your own dive gear – talk to us if you're missing anything
Spearguns: Please do not bring a speargun

WHY TĀNE MĀORI?

This particular programme is funded specifically to support tāne Māori because our whānau are disproportionately represented in Aotearoa's drowning statistics. And we want to help change that.

The purpose of the funding is simple: put practical water-safety support where it is needed and help reduce preventable drowning amongst our whānau.

This isn't about excluding anyone from learning these skills. It's about responding to an identified area of need.

Not tāne Māori but keen to come along? We hear you. We'll be running opportunities open to everyone later in the summer, so keep an eye out for those dates.

For this funded programme, though, our focus is our tāne, and helping more come home safely.

WHAT WE'LL DO

We'll spend the day out on the moana, combining practical diving and kaimoana gathering with kōrero, demonstrations and small-group support from our experienced dive crew.

We'll explore:

• Reading weather, swell, sea state and choosing where — or whether — to dive

• Why divers get into trouble and how drownings can happen

• Buddy diving and looking after each other

• Recognising panic and knowing what to do when things start going wrong

• Planning safe entries, exits and escape routes

• Dive preparation and equipment

• Practical shallow-water freediving skills

• Float and float-line safety

• Heavy lifting and kaimoana gathering safety

• Managing fatigue and knowing your limits

• Real-life scenarios, experiences and close calls

• Knowing when to call the dive and say "not today"

This isn't about chasing depth or proving how good you are.

It's about becoming a safer, more considered and better-prepared diver.

WHAT TO BRING

You'll need your usual dive gear including a wetsuit, mask, snorkel, fins, weights if you use them, and ideally a dive float/float line, plus warm clothes, towel, sun protection, water, lunch, snacks and any personal medication.

Please don't bring a speargun.

Missing some gear?

Kei te pai, let us know before the day.

We don't want missing equipment to stop someone participating, so tell us what you need and we'll do our best to help get you sorted.

ONCE YOU'RE BOOKED

We'll send you some pre-reading, your mandatory medical form, and invite you to our group chat.

Use the chat to ask questions about gear, travel, diving or anything you're unsure about.

Coming to Whitianga the night before? Let us know. We're happy to help sort any last-minute questions or gear needs.

IMPORTANT: YOUR $100 REFUNDABLE DEPOSIT

Your place is fully supported by Water Safety New Zealand, but it isn't free to deliver.

There is real funding, a vessel, fuel, guides, equipment, planning and resources behind every place, and there are only a limited number available.

You will pay a $100 deposit when you book. It will be refunded once you turn up.

If you don't show up  your $100 is not refunded.

We understand that life happens. If something changes, please kōrero with us as early as possible so we have the chance to offer your place to someone else.

But please only book if you're committed to coming.

This kaupapa exists to help prevent drowning amongst our people, our whānau and our tāne. If you secure a funded place and simply don't show up, that's one less place available for someone who might genuinely need this support.

We're doing our part to help our people enjoy the moana and come home alive from their dive. For us to keep offering opportunities like this, we need you to do your part and show up.

You won't leave knowing everything.

But we hope you leave reading the moana differently, looking after your buddy differently, recognising risk earlier and feeling more confident making the call when conditions aren't right.

Secure your place with your $100 refundable deposit!

Any questions email us at kiaora@saltaotearoa.co.nz