I live in Brownsville and recently took some 80 CFM tanks to get filled with air upon receiving them I realized what a ripoff this place is why they are closed and not doing a business mainly because they charge $25 per tank to fill it with regular air I have Dove all over the United States and never paid more than $12 for air fills most places are 8 to 10 I even get nitrox filled for less than that they're never opened hard to get anybody to return your phone call extremely disappointed South Padre has such a potential for diving and this place leaves such a bad taste in everybody's mouth please don't judge Brownsville taste Please Don't Judge South Padre or scuba diving the valley by this place read more

Loved snorkeling! This was our first time to go with a chartered tour. We were on a family trip to S. Padre and a few of us decided to book the snorkeling trip. We saw quite a few neat fish and the ride out was smooth. A couple of things I felt could be improved... the equipment provided to some of us was in bad shape. The tube I was given to use was exactly what you can purchase in the pool toys at Walmart and the mouth piece was chewed so badly there was almost nothing left to it. That was pretty disgusting. If I were to go again I'd bring my own. Being our first time we assumed they'd have professional equipment better than we could provide ourselves. While most of the staff were pretty friendly.. the young dark haired guide in charge of providing the instructions and setting the boundaries was just not pleasant at all. He was almost scolding when giving instructions and just very unfriendly to the patrons. Definitely felt like we were a bother to him. I would certainly never book a scuba lesson or tour if he were the instructor. Maybe he was still learning and it was nerves? To end this on a more positive note ... they take safety seriously and they also provide you eco friendly packets of fish food which was really neat! read more

It would have been a better experience for all of us had we known we could rent wetsuits for the snorkeling trip. The water was freezing but the kids enjoyed it for about 15-20 minutes. We all ended up up on the boat deck suntanning for the rest of the snorkeling time which we really enjoyed more than snorkeling itself. Overall this was a great family day trip, next time even though it's 78 & sunny we will be renting wetsuits. :) read more

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This was my first experience snorkeling and unfortunately a combination of being sick at the time (I don't recommend) and unaccustomed to the gear, especially the face mask, made me feel very anxious and it took me a while to feel comfortable in the water. However, the staff were very friendly and helpful and helped me feel more comfortable while snorkeling. When you snorkel, they take you out on a short boat ride to a nearby bay where the water is shallow, clear, and sea life thrives. It is one of the saltiest bays, according to them, so they have fresh water to rinse off with afterward. I recommend bringing lots of water because your lips will be dry after snorkeling. They provide detailed instructions before you jump in the water and offer life vests for whoever wants it. I initially didn't take one because I can swim and it was shallow. However, when I came back to the boat for a moment, the crew offered me one of those life guard floats and I took it. A few other people were given them as well. The floor of the bay is all seaweed and fish life. It is awkward to stand in, but you can. It is better to float and swim, but if you need to stand, try to stay still while you do. While I wish the floor had been a sandy bottom, there is a lot of sea life living among the seaweed here, so if your goal is to see sea life, this is the place to go. The crew set up a perimeter to protect swimmers from boats, so it is a very safe experience. They also provide fish food so that you can draw more fish to you. There are A LOT of catfish and they are more aggressive than the other fish, so if you are squeamish, I don't recommend grabbing the fish food. The fish swarm you and the catfish rub against you again and again. They come up to your hands expecting the food to be there, and when the food is gone, they might nip at you hoping to find more. The catfish may even follow you for a while afterward, thinking you still have food. I don't know how long we were in the water, but it didn't feel as long as I was expecting. Nonetheless, the trip altogether takes 3 hours. Some people chose to stay on the boat, and people were able to get back on and lounge on the boat whenever they liked. Once we were all back on the boat and headed back, the staff cut up fresh pineapple for everyone to enjoy. All in all the experience was good. My friends and I had a lot of fun, the staff were really friendly and accommodating--they will do what they can to make this a good experience for you--and there are a lot of fish to look at--fish other than catfish too, haha. However, if you are a bit anxious about the experience, I strongly recommend you try on snorkeling gear in a pool first where you have a little more control over the situation. If you are able, get used to the gear first and don't go while sick. However, if I had to do it all over again, I'd do the same thing again. read more

This was a fun time for my family and I. The water was murky due to being scheduled after a hurricane. Furthermore, the experience was great. Staff was very friendly and helpful. read more

AWESOME experience. I feel this was a very relaxed and family oriented outing. Feel free to bring your own towels and sunscreen with you in a bag that you can keep near and take with you on the boat. You are fitted for flippers and taken to a waiting area. Once you get on the boat you can sit on the deck or choose to go inside with AC and it has windows. If you sick on the deck you are going to be in a lot of sun!! The breeze feels so nice. They give you food to feed the fish in bags that will break down in the water so you don't have to worry about littering. When we went we were taken to an area where you could still touch the ground (I'm 5"1) so some spots are deeper but some areas I could stand flat footed. They do take you on the side where the water is more calm and set out a nice area for you to swim in. They play music on the boat while en route. At the end of the tour they were nice enough to bring us some sliced watermelon with tajin as a topping. That was very refreshing. They have snacks and water on the boat. The only thing I think that would improve the trips would be more interaction with the crew. Maybe some fun facts being told over the radio or pointing out different things while we are traveling on the water. Other than that it allowed you to talk with the people you are with lol which isn't a bad thing just had to keep ourselves occupied. But that also could be what they're shooting for?? All in all a great trip and definitely recommend. No hassle fun read more

The crew on the boat damaged my SPG. So overall, I would highly discourage diving with this shop if you are bringing your own scuba gear. If you are renting from them, it would be fine and average service. However, if you are someone that has spent a lot of money on your own gear and take very good care of it you should be very concerned with how the crew handles your gear. Before boarding the boat, everyone sets up their gear and the shop provides the tanks. I measured my tank at 2900psi and then handed the gear off to the crew to put on the boat. When getting into the water, the crew handed my gear back to me and it was reading 2600psi. I thought it was odd but figured some had simply leaked out. After finishing the dive, I compared the SPG with a separate one and saw it was reading 300psi lower. I've since serviced the SPG but it's not able to be fixed. I've been in contact with the American Diving if they could help me out since the only people that touched it after I verified it was working correctly was the boat crew. The shop responded however refused to help in any way or accept any kind of responsibility. I'd certainly imagine if someone walked into their store and broke something, they'd expect the customer to pay but they seem to hold themselves to a different standard. It's just very frustrating when I've always cleaned and taken very good care of my gear to then have somebody I just paid $200 for a boat ride break it. Other than that, you should also expect a 10% hidden fuel charge that they throw on. They provide breakfast burritos which are okay. After the dive they walked around with slices of pineapple. The guy handed me a decent sized portion, which I was happy about, but then the diver next to me went to grab some from the guy but he refused to give any and said we had to share. Seriously? For a 6 hr boat ride, they are going to be stingy over a few pieces of pineapple. It's not a big deal but the little things can make a big difference to make someone happy. Again, if you are bringing your own gear I would suggest choosing another dive shop in the area. This one does not treat the customer's gear well and will refuse to accept any responsibility. read more

We paid for a 2 tank dive trip and we only dove once; the crew basically swept it under the rug, didn't even give an explanation nor provide a discount. Overall, really f'ing disappointing. Don't waste your time and money. read more

In town from Austin, celebrating our Daughter's 17th birthday and booked the snorkeling trip. Jay and his crew are really great. We enjoyed the boat ride out, looking at the mutli million dollar homes. They give you fish food and the fish swarm around you, my kids had a blast. On the way back we saw dolphins and the Captain followed them so we could get some pics and videos. 5 star establishment, they have several different trips to choose from, we would highly recommend! read more

If you want a top of the line diving experience there is nothing like diving with American Diving in the gulf. They are professional, experienced, and know how to treat a customer. I have dove all over the U.S. and would put them head and shoulders above any other dive shop I have dove with yet. read more

By far one of the most professional dive shops I've had the pleasure to visit. I was invited to partake in their Sept 2015 Dive week activities for wounded warrior divers. The boat staff was attentive and friendly no matter how rough the waves were. The boat dive master is knowledgeable and willing to help anyone and everyone who asks for assistance. The entire staff from the Course Director to the ladies cooking the juicy hamburgers were focused on making Dive week an unforgettable event for all the wounded warriors participating. I can't wait for the next time I visit South Padre Island so that I can make a quick visit to American Diving. I for see myself interacting with this dive center for both business and pleasure and for a long time to come. read more