FreediveSafeAdmin 
On August 28, 2026, the FreediveSafe! Hawaiʻi team will take on one of Hawaiʻi’s most iconic open-water challenges—the Maui Channel Swim. Our three-person relay team will swim 9.9 miles across the ʻAuʻau Channel, from Lānaʻi to Maui, not simply to reach the finish line, but to honor lives lost, raise awareness, and help prevent future tragedies in Hawaiʻi’s waters.
It’s easy to say, “Ask a local,” or “Talk to a lifeguard,” but we asked ourselves: What is our role as educators in building that awareness?
With guidance from Mel Puʻu of Mākaha Beach, we began exploring existing ocean current resources by PacIOOS and bringing them into our classrooms to complement the invaluable local knowledge shared by our communities.
The FreediveSafe Justin Lee Scholarship Program was created to invest in the next generation of safe, responsible, and respectful divers.
Every community event is another opportunity to share knowledge that can save a life.
Through our community outreach events, the FreediveSafe team sets up educational booths where divers, spearfishers, families, and ocean enthusiasts can stop by, ask questions, and access free dive safety resources.
Since 2020, FreediveSafe Community Spearfishing Safety Workshops have brought lifesaving ocean safety education to communities across Hawaiʻi.
Designed to be delivered almost anywhere—with or without power—our workshops can be hosted in community halls, parks, beaches, schools, and outdoor gathering spaces, making it easy to bring essential safety education directly to the people who need it most.
Understanding why you should never dive alone and how proper buddy protocols have saved countless lives in Hawaii’s waters.
Spearfishing in Hawai‘i is more than catching fish. It is a responsibility that connects us to our cultural roots as people of the Pacific and provides our families and communities with food. Our new Beginner Spearfishing Guide helps young divers understand their kuleana: knowing the rules, choosing the right fish, and respecting the ocean so … Read more
Article by Sara Stover for Ke Ola Magazine – Hawai’i Island’s Community Magazine (September – October 2022 Edition) _____ On a breezy Saturday morning at the beginning of the summer, 25 of Hawai‘i Island’s youth willingly gather in a classroom at Hawai‘i Preparatory Academy (HPA). Dylan Currier and Sandy Hammel are demonstrating how to address … Read more
Poised, perceptive, preparing his next move; he eyes his target with encyclopedic knowledge of Hawaii’s elaborate reefs. But contrary to his well-disguised, aloof demeanor underwater, today, National Spearfishing Champion and revered Honoka‘a native Justin Lee finds himself vividly seen, He’s not underwater, and he’s not hunting fish. Standing inside a classroom in Waimea, Hawaii before … Read more
