Freediving, Foraging and Rewilding in Norway: A Team Worth Knowing
With more yachts cruising north, this is a team worth knowing. Dear guests and captains heading to Norway, please take notes.
I met Martin Helseth in Norway years ago. He's a two-time Olympic rower, the founder of Rewild Norge, and Course Manager at Frivannsliv. What he and his team offer is exactly the kind of authentic, local experience guests increasingly ask for.
Meet Martin
Martin Helseth is a Norwegian two-time Olympic rower who turned his energy from the rowing lake to the ocean. Today he splits his time between teaching people to feel at home underwater with Frivannsliv and protecting the coast through Rewild Norge.
What I like most is how he talks about the sea: calmly, with respect, and with the kind of local knowledge you simply can't get from a guidebook. Spend an hour with him and you'll look at the fjord from your deck very differently.
Frivannsliv: freediving the Norwegian way
Frivannsliv is Norway's largest freediving course and equipment provider. Their instructors are CMAS-certified, their gear is made for Nordic conditions, and they build programmes around each guest's level and interests: freediving, spearfishing or coastal foraging.
Norwegian water is clearer than most people expect. Below the surface you'll find kelp forests glowing gold in the light, curious marine life and a silence that is hard to describe. With the right wetsuit and a calm instructor beside you, it feels less like a sport and more like a meditation.
First-timers usually start close to the swim platform, learning to breathe, relax and float before going deeper. Experienced divers can ask for more ambitious sessions.
Spearfishing and coastal foraging
For guests who love food, this is the highlight. Gather scallops by hand or try spearfishing with an experienced guide, then hand your catch to the chef on board. Dinner doesn't get more local than that.
Sessions work beautifully in any season. Even in winter, with snow on the mountains, the team is out on the water, and the light in the north is extraordinary.
Rewild Norge: doing some good along the way
Rewild Norge is Martin's new NGO, based in Ålesund, focused on restoring marine ecosystems. For sustainability-minded guests, they host beach cleanups and educational sessions on local marine life, above and below the waterline.
It's a real way to connect with Norway and do some good along the way, and a lovely experience to share with children on board.
Meeting points are flexible. They come to the yacht, wherever you are cruising.
Thank you, Frivannsliv
All photos in this article are by Frivannsliv. Thank you to Martin and the whole Frivannsliv team for sharing them.
Still need the yacht?
I have a few lovely options cruising Norway this summer. Just ask, on WhatsApp or through an enquiry.
Talk to the FounderQuick answers
Do I need freediving experience?+
No. Programmes are built around each guest's level, from first-timers to experienced divers.
Where do we meet the team?+
Meeting points are flexible, and they come to the yacht.
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