I needed a mask with prescription lenses. Mike explained everything to me very thoroughly on the phone, 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! read more

After spending two half-days with Nick at East Coast Divers, I walked away with a completely new level 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. read more

The whole process of getting fitted for equipment went smoothly and the camaraderie among the staff was evident. No pressure, good education, great vibes, reasonable costs, and a nice connection with Paul who clearly loves what he's doing. Great dive shop! read more

I completed both my Advanced Open Water and my Deep Certification with ECD. I've also been a long time customer of their retail location. You won't find a more devoted team of people who go out of their way to give back to the diving community. I cannot overemphasize how important it is to do your training with someone who sets the bar as high as they do. They are so supportive and they do not teach simply to get your certified. You will grow exponentially through their basic or specialty courses and their goal is for you to be an independent and safe diver who can then inspire others. Folks often say to do your written portion where it's cold and go to the Caribbean for your open water dives. I've done well over 100 Caribbean dives and I would argue just the opposite. Learn the absolute fundamentals with ECD so that you will be safe, reliable, independent with your gear, able to troubleshoot and be the dive buddy you would want for yourself. They aren't there to be a concierge shop that does things for you - they do it WITH you so they help you grow. Then you can dive New England without living from vacation to vacation and when you do head where it's warm, it'll be child's play and you can simply enjoy the beauty. Oh yeah - and you simply won't find a kinder more interesting group of people. Daniel read more

The staff is super friendly. I had a few questions of the service . The value is good for the service . The location has metered street Parking . read more

Very friendly and helpful. Fitted face mask perfectly...great options and information. They know what they are doing and gave really valuable advice to first time users. read more

I'm giving East Coast Divers a well-deserved 5-star review and wanted to share why. Although this isn't my regular dive shop and I'm not a frequent customer, I recently bought some drysuit socks from them on eBay. I reached out to them via email for recommendations on dive computers, knowing they have extensive experience with shore diving, which I also do, as well as technical diving and other types. To my pleasant surprise, I received detailed and informative responses from three different staff members. Their advice was super helpful and guided me in choosing a new dive computer. If this is the level of service they provide to every customer, you'd be crazy not to use them. I haven't visited their shop yet, but I now plan to stop by over the winter as I dive year-round in New England. read more

East Coast Divers is an absolutely terrific group! I wanted to get certified as Open Water Diver a few months ago and the group guided me through the whole process. They are extremely accommodating, outstanding teachers, and provide all kinds of support to get certified. I have a super busy work schedule but Kim and Nick and the team were able to accommodate my never ending calendar changes. They also have great equipment for purchase. I cannot say how happy I was with them!!! I just finished my open water dives in Bonaire and finished the certification! read more

Hi - Did a Free Dive level one pool cert with ECD. Can't say enough good things about the experience. Danny and Fritz who ran the class were knowledgeable, focused on safety and skills, kept a great balance of making it fun and relaxed at the same time and really importantly were very patient. I came away from the sessions excited to do more pool work and complete the open water portion of the cert as soon as possible. Nick who runs the shop is hyper responsive and passionate about helping others experience the ocean. If interested in free diving I'd recommend signing up!! Cheers to all. Also I made the mistake of ordering a mask through Amazon, it wasn't cheap but it leaked as didn't fit my face. The folks at ECD will find the perfect mask for you at a price similar to Amazon. Makes all the difference. read more

Full-service dive shop serving the great Boston area. Equipment rental, sales, service, air fills (including Nitrox and He). Friendly staff, I frequent this shop nearly every week. Also their charter (Cape Ann Diver II) offers a great experience for shore dives. Good stuff all around. read more

My daughter and nephew got open water diver certified with East Coast Divers this past weekend! My daughter is 14 yo and my nephew 21 and it was an exceptional experience for both of them. A huge thank you to the incredible team of ECD instructors (Kim, Lisa, Kim, Matt, Jake and others) as well as the amazing store staff of Paul, Fritz, Jenna and more. In each step of the open water diver class, including classroom Zooms, equipment review, pools, and open water dives, the instructors were organized, knowledgable, focused, patient, and professional (with a great touch of humor at the right time to alleviate any student anxieties). I highly recommend East Coast Divers if you are looking for instruction at any level (they teach through technical!), service, or sales. read more

Well...it's official .. east coast divers has ruined me I LOVE DIVING!!!! and I owe it all to Nick, Dan, PJ and the rest of the crew over there. I was part of an intense week long ECD training session at the MIT Media Lab (ie roboticists, data scientists and artists under water) - after that I went on to purchase all my own gear front them and start diving around Marblehead / Gloucester and even in Bermuda recently! They are excellent trainers, a HUGE source of knowledge, reasonable on prices, and most importantly have become friends to dive with. They are also particularly supportive of veterans which earns a big read more

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We bought A++++ masks here also snorkels and boots. Staff are very helpful and know the products. Masks really work well if you purchased quality and try them on. Will last for 10+ if you purchase good quality and take care of them. Covid compliant here for trying on masks. Competively priced w internet A*****, asked for a discount and got it as a savvy shopper and bought what I saw rather than internet. Keeping it local and a good buy. read more

I've traveled with East Coast Divers on dive trips from the Carribean to Rajah Ampat. Every trip was magnificent. We just came back from Bonaire and the diving was fantastic. The trip was planned excellently, and for me, the coaching was superb, the people in the group was fantastic and as always, every detail taken care. Whether you are just traveling with them or taking lessons, it's a family atmosphere conducted with extreme professionalism. read more

Whether you are already a member of the diving community or just getting into it, I highly highly recommend East Coast Divers. I recently got open water scuba certified with Nick and it was a wonderful experience. I learned so much and had an amazing time doing it! All of the staff are incredibly friendly and knowledgeable. If you are looking for equipment, further certification, or just want to learn more about diving, ECD should be at the very top of your list!! Wonderful place with wonderful people!! read more

Plain and simple, I highly doubt that I'd have maintained a chance at becoming a scuba diver if not for ECD, their amazingly supportive staff, and their flex course. I'm not fully trained yet, but I will definitely be sticking with it and them. 1) Try scuba class? Recommended. It's terrible-in-a-good-way. I learned what I hoped to: (a) I can breathe through a regulator underwater, and (b) I will learn tons in pursuing the sport, both about myself and the underwater world. The majority of the class involved awkwardly floundering around underwater, because face it, scuba diving is difficult. Sans discount-code, the cost is steeper than that of other shops in MA, but the price you pay gets fully applied to open water training, so it's worth it. 2) Open water course? Top notch! The price is a hair higher than that of other options in the area, but the value is worth it many times over. The course is set up such that you can repeat pool sessions until you are comfortable with all of the skills of that lesson, and that has been critical for me--I've been battling a strong, personal, flight-to-surface impulse, which could be deadly in the ocean, so I've had to take class 2... three times so far... but I think I'll get it on my fourth try. Had I gone elsewhere, I'd probably have given up or flunked out by now. I've been told by friends (who are unaffiliated with ECD) that, when watching recently-certified local scuba divers, it's obvious who trained through ECD (the skilled ones) and who trained elsewhere; my experience so far makes me believe that. 3) Staff? Everyone that I've interacted at length with so far has been outstanding---I would use the terms patient, friendly, supportive, and passionate-about-diving when describing each of their personalities (plus other positive terms that would vary more subtly person-to-person). In order of lengthy interaction, they include: Zack [instructor], Kate [classroom], PJ [sales], Bill [instructor and sales], Lisa [instructor], Dan [sales], Aleksey [instructor], and Eric [instructor]. The ECD team seems like one big, happy, chill family to me, and I'm always looking foward to my weekly interactions with them. 4) Parking? Easy on Sundays; can't vouch for other days. 5) Miscellaneous: - I sign up for everything over the phone; it feels faster than online. - Returned the snorkel that I used once and disliked, easy peasy. - I quit a class early because I was randomly overwhelmed by tear-ridden anxiety that day; received an unprompted phone call from Dan the next day to talk through what might have caused it, and together we developed a plan to get me back in and underwater to try again. It's proof they care, and it worked. - I switched from flex to private lessons so I'm not distracted by classmates and can learn at my own pace. - Dreaming of diving with seals at the Isles of Shoals. read more

EVERY interaction that my 10YO son and I have had with your staff and trainers has been nothing but outstanding. The dedication the show to our success as scuba learners has been nothing short of passionate and supportive. We've brought some personal challenges to the process (my anxiety and my son's age/executive functioning level) yet at every step, your team has offered alternative pathways for us to successfully reach our goals. We have grown so fond of everyone there and look forward to continuing the relationship. You've also enabled my son & I to have an activity together that isn't related to every day life logistics - which is a true gift. I believe SCUBA will be a life-long "thing" for us to continue to bond over as he grows. I am grateful for this experience and cannot recommend ECD highly enough! read more

I was inspired to give a shout out to East Coast Divers when I read the lone 1 star review by Santi C., who seems to enjoy attacking local small businesses because she has written a number of 1 star reviews. I think some people just prefer being unhappy. I can't believe I haven't praised these guys before now! I lived in Boston for a couple of years and still visit frequently to see family and get in a few dives with EC Divers. Nick and Alex (and their entire team) are some of the friendliest, most knowledgeable and hardest working folks in the dive industry. They care a lot about their students, their integrity, their business and the scuba industry as a whole. They are also some of the best divers with whom I have been in the water and they train students at a higher level than most. I have watched them both bend over backwards to accommodate student needs and make customers happy. The result is a combination of a quality staff team that make scuba diving fun and accessible and a fun group of divers who call them home. Years after having met these guys, I am an instructor in San Diego and started my own small diving business here. Though there is nothing in it for them other than helping another dive business try to do it better, Nick and Alex have been transparent and super helpful with insight, experience and training tips and tricks they have figured out. Anyways, if you are in the greater Boston/New England area, go check them out. It is always refreshing to work with genuinely awesome human beings. From the left coast, I wish everyone at ECD the best! read more

I have nothing but great experiences with ECD and especially with its new owners. The staff is knowledgeable, helpful and respectful. Often in this hobby you have to deal with amateurs who couldn't find employment anywhere else. I recommend ECD for the beginner diver and the more accomplished. Furthermore they've invested heavily in providing a class of teaching and equipment for open water divers that is unparalleled. They also are investing a lot to support the local technical diving community which I belong to. 6 stars. read more

Love the fact I found exactly what I was looking for: I had the best swim today due to the fins. Thank you for the service.

Amazing dive center and school. I've been a customer for many years, and keep going back for classes and charters. East Coast Divers stands out as it feels like a family. Everyone is friendly, patient, and has your best interests in mind. Instructors don't rush, they want you to feel confident and skilled, not merely get some card. Every trip is well-organized and a ton of fun. I could not recommend EC Divers any more highly. Rock on! read more

Scuba diving was one of many things that was on my bucket list. I bought a Groupon for try scuba and I bought it. Last week I decided to try it. It was an incredible experience. My instructor was so full off informations, she explained to me all the steps one by one. Once we were in the water she was so patients with me. It took me about half hour to get use to the equipment and understand the use off them. But after that I was very comfortable, i loved everything about it. I'm definitely going to sign up for the classes and get certified and get to go dive in the ocean. Wafaa Boston read more

East Coast Divers has been absolutely amazing! I decided to get my Open Water Scuba cert even though I had never dove before and chose East Coast Divers. The classroom and pool sessions were fantastic at calming my nerves about diving and the weekend of cert dives went great! The instructors are top notch, and the low student to teacher ratio is wonderful. I can't wait to use my new skills in the open water in Australia! read more

Super recommend. I did the snorkeling class and before i started i was absolutely terrified to even enter the pool, i was raised to be scared of pools, ocean. After my lesson all i want to do now is snorkel. It was an incredible class and helped me a lot everyone should do a class before they try to snorkel read more

I am often skeptical of booking private sessions to train for freediving. There are a lot of instructors out there, but sometimes teaching styles just don't seem to line up. I didn't have the issue with ECD. My instructor, Nick, paid attention to the way I learn and was able to make the time I spent in the water highly efficient. Not only that, but I had a great time. My goals were to improve my freefall, equalization techniques, and breathhold time. In one session we were able to tap into all of those skills and I left feel more confident in my abilities than ever before. I plan to take my Level 2 with ECD in Mexico and will definitely be visiting the shop for more training when I am ready to enter into the competitive space. Hang out with these guys. You won't be disappointed! read more

I had an incredible experience with ECD. When I first got into the pool for training sessions, I felt like I could barely breathe, couldn't handle water touching my nose or I'd freak out, and felt like I would never be able to dive. All of the instructors were so great in helping each individual student, while also diving into the science behind scuba, which made me feel even more comfortable. Now, I'm officially certified - I'm comfortable and confident in the water. They focus on the things that are usually not considered - snorkel skills, science, and technique. They are personable and really care about turning everyone into a great diver. I can't wait to take more advanced classes with them in the future! Highly recommend read more

If you're looking to be scuba certified... this is the place! When my wife and I were considering different dive shops in the beginning, we noticed that ECD were slightly more pricey in their offerings. But after having completed all the pool and academic work, there's absolutely no doubt that we'd do it all again with ECD. Scuba diving, I think, is a pretty intimidating sport. It's something you want to do, but aren't sure what it takes to get to actually doing it. The people at ECD made it as painless as possible... in fact, they made it an absolutely fun experience in a very supportive environment. From finding correctly fitting equipment to making sure you're feeling comfortable with all the different skills in the water, the people at ECD will take care of you, plain and simple. read more

Awesome customer service from Nick and East Coast Divers. Recently I was having some equipment issues which as a professional is tough since we rely on our gear to be working all the time. After some personal attempts to resolve the issue with the company, Nick stepped in and got me taken care of. Now my issue is being fixed and I'm a happy diver again! This speaks volumes about ECD and the culture there, customer comes first and they will bend over backwards for you to keep you happy and safe. Another reason to support you local dive shops because they support us! Check these guys out for all your diving needs! -Matt Marcoux read more

This review is specific to the way the store operates and scheduling management. This review does not reflect my view of the dive instructors (Tori and Kim Murray), both which are high quality, patient, and professional. My issue with the store starts with miscommunication about classes schedule. On May 10, 2018, I contacted Kim Malkoski to let her know that I would be able to please schedule for July 21st and July 22nd deep dive sessions. She came back confused and said she only booked one day in June, which was incorrect. I asked her to fix the issue and on May 21st she emailed back that she will fix both accounts. On June 30th 2018, both my husband and I attended the Night Diving class at the store and the instructor (Tori) noted that I should look into scheduling for both deep diving sessions and not only one. I proceeded to ask the front store person to fix/re-fix(?) the issue and one of the lady said she'll fix it. I then proceeded to work on purchasing flashlights which were mandatory for the dive session on the same day, when I was checking out for the gears, I asked the front desk one more time that my deep dive schedules have been fixed and the person has confirmed again that yes it has. On July 15, we returned for deep dive class and Kim Malkoski was there to note that we were (i) still scheduled for one day deep dive instead of two days, (ii) that we owed more money because we had not fully paid. We proceeded with paying for the outstanding amount, but the frustration of the multiple back and forth and the lack of focus and follow through from the store has definitely built from here onwards. Second, the store did not send any e-mail communication/reminder whatsoever about the need to purchase flashlights, SMB, finger spool, and wet notes. I saw that they clarified the gear section on their websites, kudos to them so that future divers would not need to bear what we had experienced. That being said, when we took the classes, no clear instructions were given albeit the founder noted to me that if you look at its hard to navigate website there's a prerequisite tab which listed the gears. As such, we only learned about the need to purchase the additional gears on the day of or a day before the dives were to take place. Such limited amount of time would not allow us to price shop for comparable gears online leaving us no choice but to purchase from ECDivers, which charged an extreme markups to the gears compared to those available online. To be clear, I have no issue that ECDivers gear prices are higher than online. However, as a budget conscious diver, I would appreciate that ECDivers would send an email reminder a week before the class date so that I have the ability to shop and come prepared for the class/dive. I understand the founder is working on such email reminder. Similarly, I was not aware nor was I extended the 10% discount for the gears we bought from the store. Here is a price comparison, we paid full retail for 4 flashlights (we needed 2 per diver) for $270 (apparently 10% discount was not approved for us), similar gears (albeit of lower quality according to the founder) costed $15/flashlight totaling $60 online. Look, if you're an avid technical diver, $270 would likely be a good investment, but for a "fun" occasional diver it did feel like we were ripped off. The resentments continued to built. Finally, on July 16 2018, we attended the deep dive pool session with Kim Murray. We both had a difficult time to adjust with the two tank dives and the new but awkwardly designed BCD. Unsurprisingly, given our poor performance at the pool, Kim Murray suggested that we have another pool session to increase our comfort level, we agreed. On July 17 2018, I called the store and spoke with Bill, there appears to be internal politics as I needed to contact Kim Malkoski. I asked given the tight turnaround time to discuss the scheduling with Nick and Alex (the founders) directly, Bill said to contact Kim first as to not step on her toes. I did and that's when Nick noted I would still be responsible for the cost of charters if the instructor decided we're not ready. I was upset by the way the cost discussion came up. The heated discussion ultimately led to Nick offering two options: refund or continue training, I picked training which he then reneged because I was noting that the store has no integrity due to inconsistent messages, miscommunications, and mismanagement. I just took a leadership integrity class and he noted the article I sent to him was biased as it conveniently fit with my opinion. He then said: I will be more than happy to refund...Or, I can decide to retract your statement, and we can move forward. I retracted my statement and he reneged again deciding that I'm not fit for his class. Funny that he pride himself as someone with integrity when his word and action did not match, and he did not honor the options he offered. How is that reflective of a person with integrity? read more

My Son took a introductory class to Scuba. Yesterday. He loved it. The Trainer was very patient and helpful. read more

East Coast Divers - Intro scuba lesson - Snorkeling Near Me - Brookline, Massachusetts

So we are headed to Belize in a few months and the coral reefs there sparked my interest in scuba diving. a quick search online and i stumbled upon ECD. the have a pretty decent class schedule - you can either do it all in one weekend or over a few nights. we opted for the weekend course. i went in to sign up and the man behind the desk was so helpful. he walked me through everything i needed to do, read, fill out and sign. the people there were really friendly, and i felt right at home. i was looking forward to coming back to get the equiptment. so to take lessons, you have to have the fins, boots, mask, snorkle, and log book. although i knew it would be pricey, the set for two people was about $450 (you get $50 per person off when you sign up for lessons) which kind of floored me. when you tack on the lessons for two people, the total (with the discount) was about $900. Of course, if you borrow everything you need for lessons, you can use that $50 towards something else later on. but be prepared to spend. Again, the people at ECD really knew thier stuff when they were outfitting us. I felt that they were pretty truthful about the quality and shelf life of the items they were selling, and although we did get some upselling, i never felt pressured. even though we left broke, i didn't feel uphappy about my purchases. until my doctor told me that my asthma will most likely cause me to stroke out when i ascend. boo. ECD took everything back, full refund and the regret was mutual. they remember your name after one visit, their strong relaitonships with customers is evident, and they seem very knowlagable about diving in general. if you need diving equiptment, lessons or even info - i would def reccomend ECD. read more

I took an SSI Equipment Webinar with EC Divers in the evening, and it was great. I was able to do it from the comfort of my basement in NJ and did not have to swing by EC Divers to do it. Alex and Nick were great and very informative. Not only showing each item, but recommending Save-a-dive items and common problems that occurred. The best part was they shared their time tested preferred configurations of items and fixes that they learned over trial and error. Even if this only saves me from missing a dive or two, I will come out ahead in time and money by making sure my equipment is in good shape and lasts a long time through good maintenance habits. I have 5 pages of notes from the webinar and would highly recommend it!! Also I bought a dry suit from Nick, and it fits perfectly. read more

I've been procrastinating. I admit it. But let's face it, the winter time was NOT the best time to start training for scuba certification! It's mighty cold in the winter! Yes, but here I am wanting to get through my training so that I can start getting into the water (rather than just float from the top!) and I had trouble finding a place that was flexible enough to adjust to my busy schedule and one that had a rigorous and thorough training process. Luckily my boyfriend had been good friends with the individuals at EC divers and voila! I am just one class away from completing the pool/academic requirements before I actually hop into the ocean! If you're anything like me, you can make a 101 excuses in your mind why not to start the training process. Let's face it, we're all busy and we all have "time later on." But really, why not just start now? I finally took the plunge (har har). The individuals on the phone were friendly and helped me understand the training process, what the schedule was like and how they were able to accommodate my time (or lack thereof!) There are a total of 6 pool sessions and 2 classroom sessions that you need to complete. You need to complete the pool sessions in order but the classroom sessions can be done at any time in any order. If you follow their schedules, you will be taking pool lessons on Sunday 5:45 -7:45pm (first pool session) and then 7:45-9:45pm (second pool session). The next scheduled pool session are Wednesdays 7:45-9:45pm. They offer all pool sessions on any of those days. Just make sure to call beforehand to let them know you're coming because they limit the number of students per instructor. So not only are these times friendly for those who work during the day but they also offer private pool sessions (a little more money) where they find a time that is convenient for YOU to finish your certification At first I had this vision of chaos where a bunch of students of varying capabilities following a single instructor. Well duh, that's obviously NOT how things were run. They understood where everyone was coming from and people of varying backgrounds/swimming capabilities were present. We had a neat 4 person class and we teamed up with Alexsey (who subsequently taught ALL my lessons... by chance!). The instructors were thorough, patient and vigilant at all times ensuring you completed your tasks successfully before you moved onto the next objective. The pool sessions take place at the Boston University pool and there is plenty of parking on the street there. The classroom sessions take place in a back room of the dive shop. Remember, before you start your classes, you need to complete the online SSI training otherwise you'll have wasted a drive! Really, it's for your own benefit to have that completed. It takes a while as there are a series of lessons and matching quizzes. For the pool session, make sure you have scuba fins (not short snorkel fins), booties, mask and snorkel. If you drop by the dive shop beforehand, they'll show you exactly what you need. phew... I think I covered everything! After I complete the initial certification I hope to also participate in their specialty dives which there is a long list of that is too long for me to list here. Bottom line: You've got a friendly, enthusiastic group of dive instructors with a business motto of safety first and flexibility of schedule. I am very pleased with what I have seen so far so come on and take a look for yourself! read more

East Coast Divers isn't your average dive shop. The staff is made up of a really great group of people who love being underwater, and take pride in sharing that aquatic love with their dive community. I got certified there a few months ago, and despite only having been diving once before (and never having even snorkeled), I was made to feel super comfortable and happy throughout the whole course. Now, I'm a questions person. I like to know why I have to do certain things, or how things work before I entrust them with my life-sustaining airflow. Sometimes my questions can push even the most patient teacher to their limits. Not so with the instructional staff at ECD. Each of the instructors I had during my training was well versed in all things scuba, and would willingly geek out while describing the ins and outs of a BC or a regulator. They also didn't mind gently pushing me when I claimed I couldn't float face-down in the pool during my first session (thanks for believing in me, Pat!) That level of commitment and encouragement when I'm learning something new is so important, because there's nothing worse than being afraid to questions, or feeling incapable of performing what is actually a pretty easy task once you give it a try. After I finished my pool and classroom sessions, I finally got to hit the cool (cold?) waters of the Atlantic with my newly acquired dive skills. First thing's first. The water is not that cold, especially when you're in a semi-dry wetsuit. I was absolutely shocked at how comfortable I was in the water in late October and early November. Besides not freezing my cheeks off, I also felt like a total badass when I went to work on Monday and boasted of my underwater adventures. On my last open-water certification dive, I had the amazing fortune of spotting a seal while floating on the surface at Old Garden Beach in Rockport. I was elated, and cherished the moment so much so that I drew a picture and Instagrammed it so that it would forever be remembered in my photographic history (Note to Self: Get a GoPro so that next time, there actually is photographic evidence). This brings me to my next point: there is a ton of sweet ocean life to be seen in the waters here. On my first day as a certified scuba diver, I hovered above a torpedo ray. A torpedo ray!! Yes, it's as cool as it sounds, and no, I did not provoke it, although I did manage to kick up a bunch of sand and obstruct my dive buddies' view of said ray. Noob move, I know. There are also lots of these awesome little moon snails that I'm obsessed with. I won't ruin it for you by trying to describe the wonder of the moon snail, but trust me when I say it redefined the gastropod species for me. So there you have it, my two cents on East Coast Divers as well as the practice of diving on the east coast (say that ten times fast!). Both are wonderful, and you'd be a real landlubber if you didn't give them a try. read more

This is a great dive shop!! I'm going to Thailand in a week and wanted to do the classroom and pool sessions here in Boston first to save time; and I'm so glad I did!! Everyone here is really friendly. I have had 6 different instructors for the 2 classrooms and the 5 pool sessions; and they were all excellent. They made me feel safe and comfortable in the water. Diving for the first time can be pretty scary so it really helps to learn from instructors you feel you can trust. I was a little nervous at first, but I felt really comfortable by my 4th pool session. East Coast Divers offers SSI courses. If you google SSI vs PADI, you'll soon find out that everyone will say it really doesn't matter which you start with and that what's more important is the instructor. Well, instructors.. because they are several of them here. :) Classrooms are right at the shop. The pool sessions are at the BU pool on Babcock Street. Their flex schedule is extremely convenient. The equipments at the shop range from entry levels to professional grades. I have never felt pressured to buy anything. I was even talked out of buying a more expensive diving computer, which I wanted.. but didn't need. The shop's return policy is also hard to beat. You can try stuff at the store or they can order your size for you. You can return anything within 60 days. You can't get this kind of customer service online. Online stores won't let you return stuff you have already used in water. Plus, it's good to support local small businesses. Parking is easy. I have never parked more than a few cars from the shop. Plenty of parking in front of the BU pool, too. Also, if you take a class here, you can use their pool for life! I'm now done with my pool sessions, but I'm going to go dive around in the pool for fun tomorrow. Hopefully, there's an open spot!! Anyway, check them out, you'll be glad you did, too :) read more

My husband and I got certify back in 1999 but haven't scuba dive since 2001 we bought high end equipment but they were stolen somewhere between Paris and Boston. Long story short my kids got certify this summer and decided to take a family vacation this Christmas, just being us, last minute people we call them this afternoon and went tonight to try on the suits,BC,regulator the whole nine yards there were very friendly and patient and helpful,they close at 7pm but stayed open for us until 9 p.m and offered to take us for a pool dive to refresh our memory. OH yes, we are leaving next week so they are going to express our order. Thanks Paul and Dan. read more

My husband and I took scuba classes and got certified with East Coast Divers. They were outstanding. This is a dedicated group of individuals who LIVE to scuba dive and who cannot wait to share their passion for diving with you. They also get along really well with each other so you get a nice sense of camaraderie in the store and elsewhere. They had a convenient teaching schedule that combined classroom and pool sessions (very convenient in the BU pool) and let you choose either an intensive weekend course or take classes on weekday evenings. We chose the weekday evening courses and preferred that because we slowly built skills over a few weeks instead of cramming it all into 2 days which would have been harder to retain. We worked with owner Paul Adler and his employees Nick Fazah and Alex Dulavitz, all of whom were outstanding teachers who really took the time to make sure we understood exactly what we were doing and why. They explained safety procedures and when they took us out for our open water dives, we felt completely safe with them. Scuba diving is PRICEY. But considering how little margin of error there is, you want to go with the best. We highly recommend East Coast Divers. read more

If you're looking for a dive shop this place rocks. Whether you're hoping to learn about diving, need some new gear, or just want to shoot the S@#% with some guys that know a ton about diving and love to talk about it, East Coast is the place you're looking for. I've been around the water most of my life and when I finally decided I was gonna learn to dive I stumbled upon this place. When I got my certification here I knew they were great instructors, but it wasn't until I travelled to go diving that I realized how good. The dive master I was diving with told me that he would have expected I'd had twice the number of dives under my belt if I hadn't told him my logged numbers. He told me it was a testament to my instruction. Thanks East Coast! read more

What a great experience! I was nervous buying diving equipment as a beginner and brought my co-worker with me for some moral support. Sad to say, he was not need. The staff was great! Liz helped me pick out everything I needed without feeling pushy or "must-buy" feel. She knew every equipment, told me the plus and minuses of them all and step back for me to make a decision. You couldn't get any better than that. My co-worker agreed with everything she said and told me the prices are fair compare to everywhere else. I would go back there again in heartbeat. I just wish I have taken my diving course with them. Definitely thinking of taking the advance classes if their teaching is as great as their customer service. A++ people. read more

Have always wanted to stop in as I enjoy a good snorkeling once in a while and figured it might be a good idea to look into SCUBA. So over vacation I ordered some fins from an online store (not EC Divers). After receiving these, the straps needed to be applied in such a way that I absolutely could not figure it out. I tried, my neighbor tried, and I even called the online store in an attempt for help. No dice. So I decided to see if the good folks at EC Divers would be of any help. I am so happy to have gone. These guys were awesome. From the moment I walked in and explained my dilemma, they were more than will to help. They also teased me a bit, but that was to be expected, as the problem was relatively easy for them to solve as they are the professionals. If these guys are half as helpful and friendly to an actual paying customer, you'll be happy you stopped in. I am looking forward to going back once my schedule clears up a bit. When I was chatting with the guys, they shared some info about the available SCUBA classes they offer and it seemed like a great time. read more