I've been visiting for a while and always get 5* service. They are VERY veteran friendly. Most recently I stopped by with a friend who also had a recent 5* refresher experience. The friend needed some help with rental gear. Victoria, the employee on staff, was incredibly helpful. She was extra attentive. I also had some questions about programs and gear. She was very helpful and even looked up some NAUI information right there while I waited. Definitely give them a try if you don't have a "home" shop. read more

Signed up for SUBA Certification. So far so good! Very helpful and informative! In water this weekend and next!

Great local dive shop. Always have what I need and at a decent price. Staff is always super helpful.

Paul & Eric are phenomenal. Accommodating, professional, flexible, and attentive during sessions to ensure safety and learning are paramount. Thanks, Blue Octopus Team read more

The course director is not an easy guy to get along with. He will argue with you and listen to no reasoning. Beware of dealing with him in your classes and diving with him, he is reckless. The owner is awesome and so is the sales staff. read more

I would give more than 5 stars if I could. Stopped in to talk about basics for my upcoming class and Jenn was awesome. She helped me get fitted for the usual stuff and answered so many questions about more than the basics. I spent hours with her talking about maintenance, care, diving, equipment, and more. Blue Octopus is MY dive shop! read more

Just got fitted. The team was great. Knowledgeable, through, and friendly. Will post more as I go!

I took the 3 day open water course from here. Great experience from the outset. The team made me feel welcome and I was comfortable asking all my noob questions - No egos or attitudes at all. Everyone was super helpful and friendly, the shop was clean and well run. I met the owner on my second visit to get fitted for my wet suit - John was a really great guy. No pressure to buy, just an all around great experience. My class was out at Lake Phoenix, VA. Gene was my instructor. He was exceptional. A real pro, and a regular guy too. 30 years diving experience, so he knows his stuff. He was patient and paced the instruction to meet our needs as students. He made it fun, and I appreciated how seriously he took safety. By this point at the end of the second day, I am totally comfortable, and I feel prepared for my planned diving vacation. I'm pretty much a Navy SEAL at this point I think... ;-) Thanks Gene, John and the Blue Octopus team. I highly recommend this place for your first SCUBA experience. read more

Blue Octopus Scuba - Relaxing after Day 2 of Open Water class at Lake Phoenix, VA - Scuba Diving Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

I just got back from my second weekend diving with Blue Octopus and highly recommend them to anyone considering scuba diving. When picking out gear, the staff made recommendations based on my personal considerations (being a tall woman, sometimes things fit a bit funny). I found fins, a mask, a wetsuit, boots, and a snorkel that met both my needs and my budget. Everyone is friendly and has a wealth of knowledge about equipment and diving techniques. The staff answered all my questions, and I never felt rushed or like I was being upsold. Online sign-up for the class was a breeze, and all the instructions were easy to follow. The instructor was available to me a couple of weeks before make sure I got the correct paperwork filled out and didn't have any questions about the e-learning. My 3-day open water course instructor is a consummate professional, and I felt safe and thoroughly educated while still understanding my limits after the class. If you are looking to learn how to dive, travel, or expand your skills, definitely check out Blue Octopus! read more

This shop is one of the best scuba shops I've been to in a while, not only is their staff super kind and friendly but their equipment is great! Plus their instructors are super understanding and patient! 10/10 would recommend them for lessons and equipment!!! read more

My 73-year-old husband talked me into going to the Blue Octopus to purchase hooded scuba ice vests and fins, because he wanted to support a local small business. The manager and her colleague told us that they didn't have hooded ice vests, but that they wore Bare Exowear jackets with separate hoods, which they highly recommended. They didn't have my size, but swore that I should wear a size smaller that they did have. After that they showed us fins, beginning with the most expensive, which they said they used. I said I just wanted the full-foot kind that didn't need separate booties. Instead they showed me the next most expensive fins and said I would be much happier with them and booties. When I asked for the price of the fins they had shown me, neither one answered. I asked to try on the full-foot fins and then, again, how much each cost. The full-foot fins were half the price of the second most expensive fins, which would have also required booties. Even though I felt very uncomfortable about their up selling, my husband bought the jackets, hoods, booties for himself, who had already bought his fins there, and the full-foot fins for me. In mid-June we left for our three-week vacation. The incredibly tight jacket was still too bulky to fit under my wet suit and the water wasn't cold enough for my husband to need his jacket, so we wanted to return them. We hadn't even taken off the tags. That was when I was told of the Blue Octopus' draconian return policy: "All product sales are final and not eligible for refunds." When I protested the manager and her colleague left the room. When they came back, the manager was holding a "Refund Policy" in a plexiglass frame (see photo). She said that they always told customers the policy at the time of purchase. I know that isn't true, because I would never have let my husband pay almost $175 for a jacket that didn't fit and that I was pretty sure I wouldn't wear. The other unfair Blue Octopus policy that potential customers should beware of is "Educational courses are refundable with a doctor signed letter stating student(s) are not cleared to participate." Yet the very next sentence says "Educational course may be rescheduled within one year of purchase." All in all, this business does not earn my respect and I recommend that divers and potential divers look elsewhere for their scuba needs. read more

Blue Octopus Scuba - Blue Octopus dive shop draconian return policy - Scuba Diving Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

Took a scuba tuneup class to refresh my PADI advanced open water certification skills in prep for a dive trip. Erik was the very understanding instructor who helped me regain the skills I found most challenging. The folks at the shop were also very helpful & informative before & after. read more

Scuba is a COVID friendly activity and I always wanted to get qualified so I could dive on vacations. I got my PADI open water, advanced open water, and nitrox certifications through Blue Octopus over two separate weekends down at Lake Phoenix (30 miles south of Petersburg off I-85). I could not have been happier with my experience at Blue Octopus. Their staff is friendly, patient, and knowledge and my dive instructor, Pete Kohut, is amazing. My random dive buddy and I enjoyed our open water weekend so much with Pete, we returned two weekends later with him for our advanced and nitrox certifications. Pete taught me the skills needed to dive with confidence. Mandatory gear to buy is minimal and allows you to snorkel... mask, snorkel, booties, and fins. Blue Octopus expertly fitted my purchases and provides the rest. I highly recommend Pete and Blue Octopus if you have the itch to dive. read more

My husband and I came in to get his tank filled and I came out with a brand new Zeagle Zena BCD. Thank you to Mike and the crew for outstanding service and sharing their expertise. They have a great selection of the top brands and are quick to make a special order. We'll be back again! read more

Blue Octopus Scuba - Scuba Diving Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

After having a not-so-great experience with a different scuba company, my wife and I contacted Blue Octopus to get certified for open water diving. They were great. Our instructor, Scott, in particular was kind, patient, knowledgeable, and lots of fun. We will definitely use them again for any further training. read more

Let me start by saying that I received my PADI Open Water Cert from another establishment. At the time, I thought it was adequate. However, after taking my Advanced Open Water with Blue Octopus, and becoming part of the "family" they have my absolute loyalty. First, Mike W., my instructor, is unparalleled in his knowledge, zen-like patience, and teaching ability. He spent an incredible amount of time helping to correct bad habits I picked up through my "cattle-call" Open Water training, as well as providing invaluable information that is not included in the PADI training materials, for instance, how individual physiology and anxiety can affect buoyancy. Other shops might be a factory to churn out certifications, but learning from him, you know that you are becoming an elite diver. Additionally, the flexibility of the team truly accommodates divers. They are obviously enthusiastic about their trade and will tailor training to suit the students' schedules and interests. It doesn't hurt that the instructors I had the opportunity to chat with are absolute riots. They are definitely doing this out of love for the sport. Before coming to Blue Octopus, I had been scouting basically all of the local dive shops for not only training but dive trips (since I am more of a tropical clear-water diver). Blue Octopus has very diverse trip opportunities that I haven't seen with other companies - ranging from weekend trips to Florida to more elaborate trips where you live/dive off a boat for over a week (and many are very affordable). Even better is the frequency; if you're motivated to go on a trip, it is likely they'll have something fun coming up soon. When it comes to scuba gear, you can trust Blue Octopus as well. I purchased gear from 3 other shops (and believe me when I say I paid top-of the line prices) that didn't properly fit at all, and some pieces were positively buoyant which made it more difficult for me to accomplish my dives. While we were many hours away from the dive shop, Mike was extremely well prepared and allowed me to try different articles to determine better fits, even allowing me to use his personal gear. I already acquired some items from Blue Octopus (including a dive computer), and I know that I am going to entrust them when I need more. Long story short, you won't get this kind of service anywhere else. My experience with Blue Octopus has only served to make me more motivated about attaining Master Diver, Dive Master, and beyond - exclusively with them. read more

Always courteous and professional, the people who run the shop and provide training don't quit until you are satisfied with your ability in the water. They organize frequent dive trips to the local quarry as well as destinations around the world. read more

Blue Octopus Scuba - Scuba Diving Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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I've been diving for 13 years and this is my favorite dive shop by far. High quality equipment, knowledgeable and courteous staff and professional, skilled instructors. Highly recommend Blue Octopus SCUBA. read more

Yes, this is my dive shop, it all started here for me. I'm grateful to Blue Octopus Scuba for their services, certification classes, specialties, advice and the extra mile the staff (especially Mike, when he is not busy) goes for your to help you with your inquiries. The instructors are great, they offer rental and sales of good gear and service it for you. They have access to a local indoor pool where you can have your training year long. They have access to a local Quarry (2 hours drive from the DMV) where you can get your confined water training and enjoy some fresh water fish, wrecks and even a week of outdoor camping at the Quarry. You'll keep great memories. I wish I knew about them way earlier... read more

We have been going to Blue Octopus Scuba for about 2 yrs now and have nothing but great things to say about it. The service is impeccable. Mike is very knowledgeable about the gear. The scuba stories are great to hear. My husband did his certification there and feels that the training very student oriented. It was not intimidating at all. Ron and Mike were his instructors. So far we have done one dive trip with BOS to Grand Cayman but we plan to do others in the future. read more

Yesterday (October 7, 2017), my daughter and granddaughter took the Discover Scuba course through Blue Octopus in preparation for future training and certification. I observed the course, which was taught by Christina. I have been diving since the 1960s and have watched and participated in a lot of scuba training. I must say that what my kids got was excellent. The course began with a "table talk" of about 30 minutes on diving principles and safety. Christina also threw in a lot of quick facts and hints that went past them at the time, but then she reinforced them in the pool session. I saw a lot of "oh yeah, now I know what that was all about" looks on their faces. The in-water part of the training lasted about 2 hours, conducted in a rec center pool. During this time, Christina explained in detail all the equipment they wore, what the function was of each piece, and how to do things like adjusting their buoyancy with their BCD vests. Then she took them for a "dive" in the lap lanes. At my request, once she determined that they were ok with the dive equipment, she took them into the deep end of the pool to the bottom to test their abilities to clear their ears. Additionally, I was surprised at the quality of the equipment the shop provided for the course. The BCDs, regulators, and gauges were all very good stuff--better than mine. At the end, they were both chattering like little girls--or new divers--"did you see me when I...." and "I saw you....", etc. That was how I could tell that they really had fun. I certainly recommend this course and Blue Octopus for anyone contemplating a scuba certification for themselves or their children. read more

Super impressed with the customer service and knowledgeable recommendations on diving gear!! Michael was so helpful and basically assembled a Zeagle BCD that fit me perfectly! It feels like it was custom made for me! I highly recommend Blue Octopus Scuba!! read more

It was cold outside and I was thinking about diving, so I signed up for the equipment course and spent a Sunday afternoon learning about my equipment. Once you have your own equipment and dive with it a couple of times I highly recommend that you take this course with Blue Octopus. You will learn what you can safely do to keep your stuff clean and make it last and make your diving experience more enjoyable. read more

Local dive shop with knowledgeable staff. Looking forward to taking classes here and trips too.

Blue Octopus Scuba recently (September 2013) opened in the former location of Splash Dive Center. I stopped visiting the previous store a year or so earlier, so I was happy to drop in and check out the "new" store. I was pleasantly surprised to see a clean, fully stocked retail store with PADI classes! Michael B. greeted me and showed me the layout, inventory, and even helped me locate a replacement Dive Rite Z-knife at a great price! I am excited a great PADI store is back and operating in Alexandria, VA once again--I will return! read more

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I am so impressed with this dive shop. From setting up our open water certification dive time to getting fitted for great gear to the amazing instructors. It was all a great experience. Mike really knows his products and his love for diving is apparent as he teaches even when fitting someone for a wetsuit or BCD. My friend and I did the confined and open water dive training all combined in a 3-day weekend down at Lake Phoenix and it was really a great experience. I had a lot of anxiety going into it and had a couple of freakout moments, but every single instructor that weekend, (Janet, Mike, and especially our divemaster Don) really took the time and patience with me to get me to overcome my fears. While we had to complete certain skills with each dive, they also made sure we were having fun. By the end of the weekend, I was doing mask clears and other skills with much less anxiety and was able to focus on the joy of breathing and exploring underwater. The lake itself was much more interesting than I could have imagined. It has many underwater attractions including underwater basketball hoops, a helicopter, boats, and a fireman's memorial. The area has a campground and is very well managed. I am really looking forward to exploring this new world of diving and hopefully taking more dive classes as well as trips with Blue Octopus Scuba. read more

I recently got back into diving after a decade long hiatus. I did the PADI re-activate and bought some new gear through Blue Octopus. All the employees I have encountered there are friendly and super-knowledgeable. They've earned a loyal customer and I look forward to enrolling in some new certification courses - but only through Blue Octopus. read more

I can't say enough good things about our instructor Ellie, who gave me the skills and confidence needed to scuba dive - she was patient, accommodating, positive, and above all, incredibly knowledgeable. Kirsten was amazing as well, helping fit me in gear, giving great advice, and overall very helpful in the water. Everyone we met in the shop was so helpful - Paula fit me for a mask and Tim explained the whole certification process. I would highly recommend this place for renting gear or getting certified - it was such a rewarding experience. Everyone I met was welcoming and helpful. I completed my online training and contained water dive through Blue Octopus intending to take a trip on my own to finish my open-water dive certification, but am hooked and will absolutely be booking our next dive trip through them. read more

I came in with a broken strap on my old fins. They were able to match up the strap and buckles so they're like new... at a very reasonable price. I couldn't be happier with the service. read more

We were complete novices in search of snorkeling gear for an upcoming trip. Everyone was incredibly helpful, and provided outstanding service. Most highly recommend, customer service at Blue Octopus is off the charts. read more

I did my scuba tuneup or refresher course whatever they call it here today. The dive master was Abbie and she was great. She took time to answer all of our questions and concerns, and helped us correct our goofiness I hope to do more diving with them soon. read more

This shop is awesome. I took the confined water class with Janet. She was wonderful. So professional, safety conscious and still focused on us having fun. Really made me want to further my training and pursue what I'm sure will be a great adventure. Love supporting a small local business. Many thanks for your courtesy. A nice bottle of Merlot is on the way. read more

Gene helped me out in a bind. He's patient and was really attentive to what skills I needed help with.

Great people, great staff, great instructors. We did our open water certification and we also took a diving trip to Florida with the shop, everything was great! The instructors were patient, the staff was helpful and we had an awesome time diving in the Florida Keys. Highly recommend!! read more

Blue Octopus Scuba opened in the same location as the former Splash Dive Center. The new owners are very friendly and committed to providing a premiere dive shop in Alexandria. The staff is extremely helpful and the inventory has expanded to include everything from snorkelers to recreational divers to technical divers. Their PADI certification courses are now available and more and more dive trips are being added to the trip board. read more

I have done both my Open Water certification and a local day dive with Blue Octopus, and I'm always impressed by their staff and level of service. Their instructors are incredibly patient, encouraging, and really dedicated to their students' success. In addition, Mike and the rest of the Blue Octopus staff go out of their way to make diving with them a great experience. read more