We celebrate our Ghost Fins one year on by announcing a popular freediver as a new Penetrator Fins Brand Ambassador!

What first began as a way to gather food, pearls, sea sponges and salvage from shipwrecks freediving has now become one of the most highly photographed underwater adventure sports.

Originally from Florida, USA, now calling the beautiful islands of Hawaii home is the much loved mermaid of the sea, social media influencer and our brand new Penetrator Fins Recreational Freediving Ambassador .......
Kim Kertz! (@kimkertz)

So while I wasn't allowed a trip to Hawaii to formally congratulate Kim, I was able to catch up with Kim on the eve of announcing her as a Penetrator Fins Brand Ambassador for some insight into how she got into free diving and what she thinks of our fins.

#notsotrustysidekick:
Firstly I would like to say on behalf of the Penetrator Fins family "Welcome" and thank you for taking on such a great role with us!

@kimkertz:
Aloha! I'm excited to officially start working with you guys and become part of the family.

#notsotrustysidekick:
Kim we have seen you quickly become the face of our Ghost Fins on Instagram, how did you first find out about our Ghost Penetrator Fins?

@kimkertz:
A friend of mine knows how much I loved the transparency of clear fins but I could never find crystal clear ones, so he showed me the Ghost fins on your website and said "Kim you need these in your life!" Hahaha he was right! Now I am obsessed with them, I just love the clarity and high performance I get every time I use them!

#notsotrustysidekick
I like that friend! So have you always been into freediving?

@kimkertz
No, Ive probably only been freediving for about two years now. Before freediving my passion was scuba. I got into the freedive scene one summer when I was on a scuba live-a-board in the middle of the Caribbean with my best friend and we just couldn't stay out of the beautiful waters  so we jumped in and began snorkeling and diving deeper and deeper. It was the "weightless" feeling of having no gear that was immediately addictive and since then I have just been hooked.

#notsotrustysidekick
Wow! I would love to be able to do that, you will find that I am both a big chicken and a floater (snorkeler), so do you have any tips/tricks that you could share with me and our readers?

@kimkertz
Well my two biggest pieces of advice are to one, never doubt yourself and your abilities, you can do anything with the right training and practice. And my second is to fully educate yourself in safety and proper form. Look at taking a course on freediving, safety and knowledge are power and in this sport it could just save your life or your friends.

#notsotrustysidekick
Okay so I need practice and to trust myself more, but here in Australia there are lots of things out to get you, sharks, stingers, crocs, box jellyfish the list goes on. How do you stay calm and not freak out when you see the local wildlife while trying to get to new depths?

@kimkertz
When I'm in the water I fully understand that I am no longer in my world, I'm a visitor in a completely different element. I respect every bit of life and movements in the water and trust that I am a welcomed guest.
Of course like everyone I've had my moments, but I just remember that panic will fix nothing and swimming away only makes you look like bait.

#notsotrustysidekick
I do not want to look like bait!...... Ever....

@kimkertz
Well make sure you stand your ground and make your presence known if ever aggressively approached by anything. With new depths of breath holding I trust in my training and that my body will let me know when it's time to make my way to air. Never panicking is the key, it only burns more oxygen which you don't want. Freediving is about a calm relaxed state of mind that is important to keep at all times.

#notsotrustysidekick
Okay so I need to stay calm, practice, not doubt myself, stand my ground, not panic and not look like bait! I'm exhausted already!!

@kimkertz
Hahahaha you are a big chicken aren't you!

#notsotrustysidekick
YEP! So with all that training and knowledge you have, have you ever found yourself in a confronting situation?

@kimkertz
Unfortunately I have. I like to squeeze in some pretty tight spots but always manage to find a way out but not on this one day. That day I had managed to pin myself between two walls of lava rock and coral about five feet from my exit and twenty feet from the surface. As my body began to beg me for air my mind started to race. I thought so many crazy things before reminding myself to stay calm and figure it out. After what felt like forever I finally ripped myself out scratching up a lot of my right leg and my stomach on my not so graceful exit. I hit the surface and gasped the biggest breath of air I have ever taken. This experience didn't quite set me back but made me realize how much more careful I needed to be with my cave explorations and how important safety really is. 

#notsotrustysidekick
Wow! That was lucky! I have seen a video of yours cave diving it was both cool and scary at the same time. How do you get those great photos and videos for Instagram? Is it planned or just "spur of the moment?"

@kimkertz
I owe most of these images to the incredibly talented photographers I'm so lucky to dive with. They truly are amazing and each individual has such a unique style and eye for different moments. Some of the images are softly planned but most are caught of me in the middle of a drop. The majority of the time I am off in my own world searching for different things or just working on my breathing. I don't really pay attention to what they're taking photos of but every time they seem to catch that perfect moment. The photographers are the true artist I'm just an aspiring free diver with a deep passion for what I do. 

#notsotrustysidekick
Have you got a favorite memory from your freediving journey so far?

@kimkertz
I've had some pretty spectacular moments while underwater but I've gotta say my favorite was the morning of my last birthday when I turned twenty five. It was my first birthday away from my family and friends in my hometown. I went out for a morning dive, the first thirty minutes were quiet so I went to the bottom of the ocean floor and started practicing my bubble rings. As I began my third drop I turned around and was pleasantly surprised to see two huge pods of dolphins swimming over to check me out. I had the water all to myself as my dive buddy was occupied at the other end of the beach. For almost an hour these majestic creatures danced and played with me underwater, let me swim with their young, and even launched out just feet in front of my face spinning through the air. I truly felt as if this was my birthday gift from mother ocean herself. I was filled with such thankful joy it brought tears to my eyes. Days like that one are what I live for and what makes me have so much love for the ocean and free diving.  
 
#notsotrustysidekick
That is very cool! So your quite a big social media influencer, I'd like to know who are your biggest influencers?

@kimkertz
My biggest influencers aren't any specific people but the free diving world itself. The pure excitement divers get from sharing their passion about freediving and watching each other reach new depths is what influences me most. Yes it can be a competitive sport but even when you're competing, everyone is still on the same team. We're all here to grow and get better together and the community of freedivers is a very welcoming and supportive group of talented individuals. It's something I've loved most since the beginning. 

#notsotrustysidekick
Having spent so much time diving, do you think its made you more aware of the environment and conservation of the oceans?

@kimkertz
I've always carried interest in the environment, land and water. I wouldn't say the amount of time that I spend in the water makes me more interested specifically in conservation but more eager to share not just the good but also the bad. Conservation is very important to the survival of not just our oceans but the planet we live on. Knowledge is everything and most of the time people just don't know the damage they're causing. Sadly the reality is, most of us want to show only the beauty without all of the trash we're constantly picking up. Reef clean ups aren't just a scheduled event but an every day part of my life. 

#notsotrustysidekick
That is so true, there is always a dark side to all the beautiful photos that often social media doesn't let us see. So finally I would love to know what can we expect from you in the future?

@kimkertz
Well I plan to travel around the Polynesian Islands, coastal lines of Europe, Indonesia, and so much more spreading my love for the ocean and all it has to offer. I have only begun my freediving adventure and hope to reach new depths and longer breath holds while training around the world. In the process hopefully change some lives along the way while sharing the beauty and peace of free diving through images that can take people on a short trip under the surface. 

#notsotrustysidekick
Well hopefully we can catch up in person next time. Thank you for your time today Kim!

@kimkertz
Your welcome, I look forward to seeing you guys in Hawaii soon!

If anyone has any further questions for Kim on diving or on the Penetrator Fins she uses please find her on Instagram under @kimkertz.

Happy Diving
#notsotrustysidekick

All photos used are credited to the corresponding photographers that were listed on first publication unless not first credited.