I've been a customer of Atlantic Aquasport for over 20 years, and without a doubt, they are one of…read moremy favorite small businesses to support! My husband and I got our Open Water Certifications from them years ago (their on-site pool makes classes so convenient!), and more recently, our 12yo son completed his certification with Don and team. The instruction is top notch. All of the classes were 1:1 and tailored specifically to our needs and comfort level. We all came away incredibly confident divers, which is the best measure of success. Anytime we're on a trip, the dive master always comments on what a skilled diver my 12yo son is. I swell with pride every time I hear this and am so thankful for the great instruction he received, as it will help keep him safe in the water for years and years to come. As an added bonus, Don lets my son borrow equipment anytime we go away to ensure he's using the same equipment he trained in and therefore as comfortable & confident as possible. As soon as my son stops growing :-) we will buy our gear from Atlantic Aquasport. But until then, being able to borrow equipment has been a huge cost saver and convenience. My husband and I have purchased all of our gear from Don and couldn't be happier with the quality, selection, and support we get even after the sale. My regulator has a lifetime guarantee from Don. It had a problem Don couldn't fix (likely from years of being jostled around by baggage handlers across many airports) and Don replaced it free of charge, no questions asked. My most recent experience with Atlantic Aquasport was going on a Saturday morning dive with them to Nubble Point. Despite having logged 500+ dives, this was my first New England dive and I loved it! The crew let me borrow additional gear to ensure I'd be warm enough, conducted a thorough safety briefing, and guided me on a really fun dive that surpassed my expectations for what I'd see in New England waters. I love the Atlantic Aquasport team and can't recommend them enough for training, gear, and local dives!

Atlantic Aquasport is by far the best place to get a dive certification on the seacoast. They work…read morewith your schedule to get your classes in, and I really appreciated the classes being private for a more personalized experience. Conor is very knowledgeable and such a great dive instructor. :)

Highly highly recommend. In particular, I appreciate the professionalism and responsiveness by…read moreDick Scott for their training programs; qualities getting harder and harder to come by these days.

I can't recommend Portsmouth Scuba enough! I wanted to challenge myself to get my open water…read morecertificate and the instructors / staff were beyond supportive in helping me achieve that goal. Very knowledgeable / experienced / professional / fun and willing to share it all for your benefit. You're in good hands with them!

I needed a mask with prescription lenses. Mike explained everything to me very thoroughly on the…read morephone, and when I went into the shop, Paul helped me to pick a mask, dropped in the right lenses (in stock), tested me, and wrapped things up within a very friendly 20 minutes. Very fair prices and a fantastic experience with people who are extremely knowledgeable. I'll be coming back for sure!

After spending two half-days with Nick at East Coast Divers, I walked away with a completely new…read morelevel of information and confidence. Even though this wasn't a certification course, the workshop provided practical setup advice and technical insights that are hard to find elsewhere.   Nick's technical knowledge is expansive; he was able to address every question or concern the group had with ease. What impressed me most was his willingness to help outside the specific scope of the workshop--if we had a scuba-related subject we were curious about, he would work with us one-on-one to provide pointers or recommendations. It shows he's invested in the diver's overall success, not just checking boxes for the day's lesson.   He clearly cares about the curriculum and his students. He went over the allotted time both days to ensure we truly understood the material, and I wouldn't have shortened it by a single minute. If you are looking to fine-tune and improve your in-water skills, I highly recommend his Advanced Buoyancy, Movement, and Positioning Techniques workshop.

They have all the toys and the staff is delight to work with. An excellent Shop for maintenance and…read morerepair of my regulator and console as well.

I just have to give a shout out to Luis, one of the instructors/ guides at this excellent dive…read moreshop! I needed help getting acclimated to cold water diving in New England, and was lucky to get Luis as my private guide for multiple dives. He is very patient, safety-oriented, positive and has taught me lots. He also manages to find interesting critters on every single dive! This shop has the kind of quality instructors that you want to continue your training with.

Aqua diving academy is a shop tucked off of commercial street in Portland with a smaller sized…read moreparking lot in front of the shop that is free (though plenty of parking on street). It looks small on the outside so I wasn't sure what to expect, but I tell ya this shop has TONS of awesome gear for its size! I needed a snorkel and new mask, with an older one and old fins I brought in to have them look at for an upcoming trip to Tahiti and found many to try on and compare. The sales person I had was great- he was patient, helped me analyze my fit and things to pay attention to and tricks to get a good seal for a good mask fit and pros/cons of different types. He also looked at the well used older fins I brought in and rather than say they looked like the needed to be replaced as I had thought, inspected them for dry rot etc to make sure the condition looked ok and said as long as I'm comfortable in them they should be fine rather than buying new. He looked at my snorkel and could see one of the seals was no longer working. I looked at new fins too just in case I needed a back up. Good selection of reef safe sunscreens and other accessories like waterproof bags, etc. I was most surprised by how many wetsuit options (full,shorty, etc) they offered, including thermal tops and bottoms,many of which could be also used for surfing and other sports and many were not highly priced like i thought I'd find at a dive shop. Obviously if you are a diver they have quite a bit of dive gear and I believe they offer education/pool/diver certification through them as well. Loved my mask and snorkel on the trip I took, snorkeling multiple times per day it was a major step up in performance and comfort from my US divers inexpensive one prior. All in all highly recommend this shop!

We had a great experience with Aqua Diving Academy getting gear and learning how to snorkel. The…read morestaff was knowledgable and extremely helpful picking out the right mask and snorkel. We then took a few snorkeling lessons with Angel which prepared us for an upcomig trip. I feel much more comfortable and confident in the water. Angel was a terrific teacher and coach - and she is clearly doing something she is passionate about.

For most part I do not write reviews. When I do write a review is because I felt real appreciated…read moreand was treated with care and presented with great customer service. I was scuba certified long time ago and logged hundreds of dives until life changed and I took a break from diving for 14 years. Recently i came to the conclusion that diving was my passion and I was literally miserable been out of the water. My road back to diving took me to Discover Diving where I worked and still work with Jeff and Deb to map my way back to diving. What amazes me and made it special was that both Jeff and Deb are notorious, in a good way, to make sure you feel and experience that you are the only person that matter to them from the time you come into the store to the time you leave. Don't get me wrong, they acknowledge other customers

The owner and instructor Jeff is very friendly, knowledgeable and full of energy. He knows his…read morestuff. Prices in the store are way better than in similar stores yet you still getting quality stuff. Open Water Diving classes - price is better than 4 other dive shops I checked out.

I recently completed my open water SSI certification with Dave at Aquatic Specialties and had an…read moreincredible experience. I was completing this course, including the open water portion, all in December; I was eager to get certified in a New England winter, and Dave matched that energy. From the moment you meet Dave, his enthusiasm for SCUBA is palpable. Throughout long class days, Dave is cracking jokes, telling anecdotes and getting you excited about the skill you're about to have, all while answering a barrage of questions. In the water, he is professional, vigilant, and in his element. He exudes an air of calm and control, allowing you to confidently perform skills that would otherwise be terrifying or disorienting- like removing your goggles or respirator in 45 degree water. Beyond that, the staff is equally as knowledgeable and the community they foster is incredibly warm and welcoming. Even on my open water dives where I thought it was just going to be myself and Dave, I ended up meeting more people who tagged along just because they wanted to dive. I'd be hard pressed to find a more inviting community that is excited to pass the knowledge along to others. What an awesome experience and an awesome group of people that I can happily say I'm a part of now. Thank you Dave! 5/5 stars

Excellent instructors! Worked with me patiently to resolve difficulties I was having and made sure…read moreI had the right gear for me. Game changer!

Learning to dive is something I've wanted to do for years, and I couldn't have asked for a better…read moreinstructor than Kirk. From the very first session, it was clear I was in expert hands -- not just in terms of skill and experience, but in patience, communication, and genuine passion for the underwater world. Kirk made complex concepts easy to understand, always took the time to explain the "why" behind every skill, and most importantly, never rushed the process. They created a calm, supportive environment where I felt safe, confident, and encouraged at every step. What really stood out was his attention to detail. Whether it was checking equipment, giving real-time feedback underwater, or sharing fascinating facts about marine life, they went above and beyond what I expected from a dive instructor. By the end of the course, I wasn't just certified. I felt like a true diver, ready to explore the ocean with confidence

Dive KS is the best!!! Kirk and his team are extremely thorough. Getting certified was a well…read moreorganized and fun experience. I felt so ready for all aspects of the skills of diving by the end. I recommend this shop to everyone I know looking to get certified.

Great customer service the staff actually helped me right away, were super nice, and didn't make me…read morefeel like I was bothering them just by existing. Huge upgrade from Marshall's, where apparently standing near cologne is enough to get treated like a criminal. Also, those Gatorade energy gummies are no joke. I ate them thinking I'd get a little boost, and instead I felt like I could run a marathon and throw up at the same time. Had me tweaking in aisle 4, but in a respectful way. Overall, awesome staff, great store, and a much better experience than getting pre-arrested at Marshall's.

overall stock is kinda lacking imo. staff are nice and helpful. ambiance isn't anything crazy…read more wouldn't rly recommend unless for specifics