Your Instructor
Instructor
I'm an AIDA Instructor Trainer and have been teaching on Oahu since January 2022. Over a thousand students later, the part I still like most is the first time somebody relaxes underwater and realises it is nothing like what they braced themselves for.
Classes are small on purpose — three to six students depending on the course, and often fewer. That means I am watching you individually, not managing a crowd, and we can slow down on whatever you personally find hard without holding anyone else up. Most people's sticking point is equalization, and it is almost never solved by trying harder.
The atmosphere is deliberately unhurried. There is no performance pressure, no comparing yourself to the person next to you, and no expectation that you hit a particular number. Depth limits on my courses are ceilings, not targets. If you finish a course having dived comfortably to 12m and never gone near 20m, you have done the course exactly right.
Nobody breath-holds alone, ever, in any session I run. Every dive has a trained buddy and a clear plan, and I would rather call a day for conditions than talk myself into running it. This is not caution for the brochure — it is the actual reason freediving has a good safety record when it is taught properly.
From 2022 through 2025 I worked as a photographer at the CMAS World Championships. CMAS is one of the international governing bodies for underwater sport, and its world championships are the deepest competitive freediving on the planet. I spent four years in the water alongside the best divers alive, at the exact moments that mattered most to them.
What that taught me is the opposite of what people expect. At the elite level almost nothing is about pushing hard. It is relaxation, patience, and unglamorous technical precision — the same things a complete beginner needs on day one. Watching how the best in the world actually get deep made me much better at teaching somebody their first breath hold, and that is genuinely the part of this job I enjoy most.
Whether you're brand new or already certified, I'll meet you where you are.
AIDA International
AIDA International is one of the world's best-known freediving education and competition organizations. AIDA certifications are recognized globally, which means the level you earn here on Oahu will carry over wherever in the world you decide to dive next.
The AIDA curriculum is built around progressive levels: AIDA 1 (foundation), AIDA 2 (open-water beginner), AIDA 3 (advanced), AIDA 4 (master), and AIDA Instructor. Each has clear in-water and theory benchmarks. That structure makes progress measurable and keeps safety standards consistent: every AIDA instructor, anywhere in the world, teaches the same rescue procedures and the same physiological principles you'll learn here.
If you're new to freediving, the AIDA pathway is a clear and widely respected way in. If you've already certified with another agency, AIDA offers crossover evaluations — a short assessment that confirms your existing skills so you can step straight into the level that matches your experience.
Trusted by students
Mitch is awesome, let's start with that. I'm always afraid that someone who is an expert at their discipline will come off a little arrogant or high and mighty, but Mitch was genuine and down to earth. He was always attentive and sharing his expertise and experiences when needed. As someone who teaches from time to time it's always a pleasure to find someone like Mitch who has truly mastered his craft and who also has the ability to effectively pass his experience to someone with a lower skill set. The objectives of the course were laid out clearly and we never dwelled on anything for an excessive amount of time. I felt very safe during all of our in water lessons and exercises, even when I was pushing my body beyond comfortable perceived limits. I held my breath for longer than I would have ever imagined not 2 hours into this course with zero previous practice. I will not hesitate to recommend Mitch to friends and family, and he will be my first choice for further training. 12/10 stars.
Best instructor I could have asked for in pursuing my first free diving course! He walked me through the whole process and even helped me exceed my breath hold limit, which I am extremely grateful for because his methods help me in the dives I go on to this day. I highly recommend taking your first or next free diving course with Mitch, I know I will when I'm ready to level up! Thank you again Mitch for helping me join the free diving community!!
Sponsor
Mahalo to Lucky Owl Car Rental for keeping me on the road between dives. If you need a ride while you're on Oahu, give them a look. They're good people and they take care of their guests.
Visit Lucky OwlPick a course or get in touch. I'll help you find the right starting point.
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