A friend referred me to this shop as she had taken the Open Water Dive Program with them and…read morethoroughly enjoyed it. She said the instructor made her feel safe and helped her feel confident with her abilities in the water. I couldn't agree more. Steve is an excellent teacher/coach, and just a kind/patient human overall :) . I was deathly afraid of the mask removal underwater and Steve's calm approach helped me get over that fear. This shop truly puts safety as it's number one priority and I'm so glad to have found them. I'm thinking to take my advance class here as well now that I'm addicted to the sport and truly feel confident and safe in my abilities.

California Ocean Adventures is a FANTASTIC dive school and shop!!!…read more I researched a lot of dive schools before choosing this one. I was primarily looking to obtain my open water certification with a school who has a low student to teacher ratio. I also needed a patient instructor, as I was a bit challenged in the Discovery Scuba class I took in Maui. I drove down to Santa Cruz to buy the required mask, snorkel, fins, gloves, and booties for my upcoming certification. Both Brian and Steve suggested gear and gave me options that would meet my individual needs. I was very happy with my purchase. Brian, the instructor and owner exceeded my exceptions. He went above and beyond in so many ways! He was super patient, extremely encouraging, and made my dives very memorable!! Brian sets the class pace and learning to meet the students needs. Not only did we practice the skills needed for the certification, but we spent time on the dive just exploring and having fun! I highly recommend this place for all your scuba needs!!!

I was stoked they had the fish stringer I've been looking for. Nice and hot looking tender that…read morehelp me too.

Aqua Safaris new management is AWESOME! They are friendly and knowledgeable in a kick back way. As…read morea novice diver, sometimes I go there just to glean diving wisdom. The staff is very gracious and accommodating. They take the time to patiently explain things clearly. I've never taken a course from them, yet they've allowed me to practice setting up a tank to one of their BC's without a major purchase in the horizon. One time, I brought in my BC (which I did not purchase from these owners) but I needed to better understand it. They informed me that my integrated wt system had been recalled. I had no idea! And, they replaced it without any charge. When I do purchase items, I appreciate how the staff helps me make the best decision for myself rather than their cash register. Thanks to the Cooper trio (Charles, Caitlin, Jayme) and Mara for exceptional customer service!

I took a class with Cyndi through a different scuba shop, and highly, highly, highly recommend her…read more She is absolutely great. She's incredibly patient and takes the time to make sure you are familiar with your gear and you know what's going on. I struggled a lot at the beginning with getting used to breathing through a regulator and going through little what if scenarios like what if your mask gets kicked off. She was very helpful and walked me through my mini-panic attacks of "Oh no, my mask is off, I'm going to die!". And most importantly, she pushed me to not give up when I thought my life really sucked. All in all, CYNDI IS AWESOME. Dive and learn with her.

I took dive training with Cyndi through a different dive shop. She is fantastic. I would highly…read morerecommend her as an instructor and guide. She has a encouraging and engaging teaching style. And is very knowledgeable about marine life. If you have the opportunity to dive and learn from her, do it! You will not regret it.

This is the best water instruction class you'll ever take. Freediving can be nerve wrecking and…read morescary, but Rebekah's teaching techniques are calming and centering, and she structures the course in such a way that accommodates slower and faster learners. She also balances being encouraging and positive with progression and challenging yourself. I can't imagine a better first time experience freediving. By the time we got to the end of the class, both my partner and I felt confident and excited to go freediving again, despite our differing swim levels and comfort in open water. I highly recommend Mbay Freediving if you're interested in freediving.

I had a great experience with Rebekah of MBay. She is very safety conscious and has a SOLID…read moreunderstanding of freediving. I was really impressed by her ability to answer questions thoroughly and still keep the instruction on track. I highly recommend taking a class and plan to take another myself!

Tropical Adventures has THE best staff out there! If your dive shop doesn't have incredible staff,…read moreyou will not have an incredible experience. John, the main shop owner and instructor, was outstanding from day one. I was nervous, not having had any dive experience whatsoever, and John spent ample time with me on the phone guiding me through everything I needed to know and how to be best prepared for my dive days. He was very clear with how much things would cost and helped me cut costs on gear where I needed to! He knows everything about gear and skills which is great, but the best of all is he is highly trained and serious about your safety whether you're in the pool or in the ocean. I knew I was in good hands considering John's 30+ years of diving experience. Plus, he is a genuine, joyful guy and he feels like your best friend right when you meet him. Rebecca was the other staff member who graciously answered my many phone calls and many questions! She's very sweet and was super clear about what our schedule would look like for training. My whole experience with Tropical Adventures, John, and Rebecca was so enjoyable and fun that I'm already getting ready to sign up for an advanced course with them! I HIGHLY suggest getting all of your certs through Tropical Adventures if you want the best of the best experience learning how to scuba dive!

I bought a Groupon to get certified at this place and was excited to sign up for a class. There is…read moreno way to register online for the classes, so I had to call. I've called at least once a day for the past 3 days and have gotten an answering machine each time. The first day I called, I left a message saying that I wanted to schedule an appointment and asked for a call back. Nothing. I don't have time to call this place 500 more times, and from the reviews it doesn't even seem to be worth it to go here. I can't speak for the classes themselves, but the customer service makes a terrible first (and second, and third) impression. Pass!

I signed up for my Advanced PADI course through SF Scuba Schools and ended up with John from Carmel…read moreBay Divers. We spent the weekend in Monterey with a cozy class of 3 students. For the Advanced course, Saturday was a long but low-stress 8am-10pm day, and Sunday was 8:30am-3pm -- including time for meals and chillaxing. -Before the course:- I was nervous about various things including buoyancy skills, night diving, not getting enough attention from the instructor, getting too cold in the freezing Monterey waters, and falling behind everyone else in terms of skills. By the end, I wasn't worried about any of the above. -About the instructor:- John was insanely helpful, attentive, and experienced, and made me feel at ease the entire weekend. His down-to-earth attitude and humor definitely kept me going through the difficult sections of the class. -Before each dive:- John made sure that we understood exactly what we were going to do. He was always happy to answer my overly-abundant questions, and gave excellent instruction on what to do underwater, from the technical aspects to the emotional/mental ones (Settle down. Think warm thoughts. Fun is mandatory!). -During the dives:- I finally got properly weighted during our buoyancy checks, and IT FEELS SO GOOD! My buoyancy skills improved dramatically over the weekend. John was incredibly patient underwater. When I messed up one of the underwater navigation skills, he helped me through it again and helped me adjust where I went wrong the first time. Night diving was my biggest fear going into the course, and I wasn't even scared going into the pitch black ocean with John at my side. The ocean life is completely fascinating at night, and I'm excited to say that I'm not (as) scared of that crazy dark ocean abyss! -Between dives:- We had plenty of time to warm up, and I never once felt rushed. He even brought a tub of warm water for us to pour into our suits afterwards. -Last thoughts:- If you're looking to take any kind of scuba certification class, John is your go-to guy. I feel so much more confident in my diving skills after this past weekend. Already looking into taking another course with him (probably dry-suit because I'm a weenie when it comes to cold water). Thanks dude!!

WOW - what can I say?? If you are researching places to get PADI certified- GO HERE!!! Stop your…read moresearch now or you'll be sorry! The company is run by John Foxhall, a master diver with over 30 years of not only diving experience, but TEACHING experience. Other places may have similar COST, but they will guaranteed have a sub par experience. John is incredibly patient and compassionate for all his students. He is passionate about diving and ensures you not only have the skills required by PADI, but FUN IS MANDATORY. :) He is very accommodating to personal anxieties (of which I had no shortage), injuries/sore muscles (which i also experienced) and fitness levels (I'm average). He also has excellent equipment for rental and purchase and can explain the differences between bottom shelf, middle and top shelf products. My husband and I used John's course to prepare for a dive in the Cayman Islands and even though we will be "first-time" divers there, we feel confident we could keep up and/or lead among other divers. John has taken our skill sets from zero to extreme confidence in our ability! *****GRAB YOUR DIVE BUDDY AND A COUPLE OF FRIENDS AND GET CERTIFIED HERE.****** Also, if you are looking to take your basic certification to the next level, you want to do it with John. He has too much knowledge to keep all to himself!! Also, if you are averse to cold conditions, John has frequent certification classes further South which is also something the other places will not offer you. Can't recommend highly enough. Thank you John ad Carmel Bay Divers!!!

I signed up with Jon Prins for the beginning freediving course and highly recommend it. First, we…read moredid a remote lesson over Google Video Call where Jon led a group of ~8 students through basic safety, equalization, and breathing exercises. Then we did a morning and afternoon dive at Breakwater cove in Monterey, where we met Brandon, our instructor. I was impressed and pleased that John brought three or four instructors out so each instructor only had ~3 students. Brandon was an excellent teacher and helped me feel comfortable in the cold water and was patient and conservative while we practiced new techniques. On top of that, he really drove home the risks and dangers of freediving, more so than any of the books or videos I've seen so far. Overall, I highly recommend Fins and Foam for freediving and will be joining them in future dives. Their focus on safety and contagious passion for diving provide a responsible and fun environment. Pro tip: I learned you can get seasick just by being in the water. Dramamine could be a good idea, my buddy and I both ended up nauseous after many hours in the sea.

Wow! John and team were not only easy to work with but insanely knowledgable. If you want to get…read moreinto free diving they have everything you would need to get started and if you're already certified they have a rich community to join with consistent dives weekly. If you're even thinking about it - just do it!

PSD is an outstanding dive shop. Staff are super friendly and they supply you with a container that…read moreneatly packed all of their rental gears. It made it super convenient for me. I signed up for a refresh course and the pool is conveniently located with its own parking lot. I arrived and was promptly greeted by PSD staff and checked in. Jeremiah and Casey were our dive instructors. Both were patient and explained everything in great details. I had a fantastic time. Would highly recommend PSD to everyone.

I've been coming to PSD for a while now, and it's easily the most welcoming shop in Sunnyvale. The…read morestaff actually knows their stuff. Whether you're looking for high-end gear or just need a quick tank fill for a Monterey shore dive.

Lovely experience. Great info. Beautiful dive spot. Highly recommend. The dive spot at Pebble Beach…read morewas truly a treat.

Brandon is a great instructor and guide. He worked well with beginners and experienced spearos. I…read morewould definitely recommend him and would certainly dive with him again.

I would give 10 stars if I could!! Coach Tiffany is absolutely gifted at teaching swimming! I was…read moreso amazed at how much our two kiddos learned in just their first 30 minute lesson! Her relaxed teaching style puts the kids at ease immediately, and they're having so much fun they don't even realize it's a lesson. Truly the Mr. Miagi of the pool. Tremendous value for the price!

Tiffany and Marisa are fantastic with the kids! Our 4 year old had a great time in private lessons…read moreand Level 2 group classes. They are patient and encouraging and the kids have a blast learning. The focus is on safety and gaining independence in the water. Can't wait for the Spring classes!