Hi, I’m Sacha…

I come from a long line of water(wo)men, I grew up on and in the water, and became a commercial diver in 2001 when I was 18 years old, for https://www.underseaconstruction.co.nz/

I would spend more of my waking life under water, and gained experience in every opportunity that arose,
– I worked with AusAID and UN on aid situations in the pacific Islands
– volunteered for the Marine Education Centre Wellington
– worked for the Victorian University Wellington marine laboratory assisting post grad students
– worked alongside DOC, NIWA, Victoria University and Te papa assisting on research expeditions

And I loved it, this was not what I did, but who I am.

I started seeing what was happening under the surface, the destruction, the pollution, and depleting sea life.
I felt I needed to look after it, to preserve it, so I set off to become a Scuba instructor hoping I could share this underwater world and help others love it too, and therefore look after and preserve it.
Freediving is what I did in my spare time,  I had a hunger for paua and would collect that along with mussels from my local dive spots, but mostly I took photos and played.

My curiosity had me wondering and I wanted to learn more, but I didn’t seem to fit into either of the freediving camps available – spearfishing or competition diving neither I felt that drawn towards at the time.

I travelled and found freediving courses and attended as many as I could. I fulfilled a dream of becoming a Freedive Instructor too. When I came back to NZ in 2013 with my young family I dreamed of starting a freedive school with the same vision of sharing what’s under the sea, plus so much more.

Now with 20 years’ experience and having the next generations of mermaids to consider, (Yes I have 3 girls) I want to be diving with my children AND grandchildren, sharing with them this world that has captivated me so much.