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.

We just completed our open water certification with Paul Rollins today. He is an amazing…read moreinstructor. I am not a strong swimmer and had some reservations about whether I could complete this. Paul worked me, my wife and son to make sure we were comfortable and safe. We did many pool dives to work on skills and then dives in the ocean for certification. Paul also helped us with equipment purchases. It was very personal service. If you have any interest in diving, Paul is the person to see. He has been diving for many years.

We went on the whale watching tour. It was WELL worth the cost being one of 21 passengers on the…read moreboat (compared to other companies that do the large charter boats). The guide and captain were so knowledgeable.

Great experience! Make sure to read the details of the meeting point ahead of time, since the bar…read moreaddressed suggested is several storefronts down from where you need to be. The email is helpful. The boat is comfortable and the crew did an amazing job of circling each point of interest both ways, and making sure folks on the "good" side stayed seated so everyone could see at all times. The speed of the boat is amazing. Really a fun experience. You will be reminded to tip MANY times, just FYI.

I feel extremely fortunate to have this quality of dive shop so near my home. Ian is laid back,but…read moreI can be sure that all the work he does on my scuba equipment is top notch. We buy a lot from them and know if there is a problem with it anything, they will fix or replace it. I have never had an issue with any work I've had done there or with anything I've bought. I know if I did they would make it right! When Ian has serviced my gear, I take it on a trip with confidence that it will be exactly right. All the guys at Skin divers Paradise are very friendly and they REALLY know what they are doing. So glad they are there because I wouldn't want anyone else working on my scuba gear. The shop has just about anything in it a diver would need! Keep up the great work! Love ya, all!

From the owner: since 1959' Skindivers has brought Scuba Diving to Northern New England,, and since 1999 we also…read moreintroduce people to the greatest sport on top of the water, Windsurfing! Our specialties include Scuba Diving Certification, sales and service of Scuba Equipment, Snorkeling instruction, International Scuba Travel and more Windsurfing instruction as well as equipment sales, repairs and rentals, paddle boarding . We stock an extensive line of wetsuits and water wear appropriate for Scuba,Snorkeling,Windsurfing, Gold Prospecting and Paddlesports.

We loved our experience. The captain and the Audubon Rep were very nice and engaging. Answering…read morequestions as we docked, during the cruise and after. The captain was great and slowed the boat down, when he saw wildlife. Our trip was perfect - perfect weather and so many creatures to see. We saw more birds than I can remember or name. LOL Of course we saw Puffins!! They are very cute, tiny and fast! Bring decent camera if you are going to try to get pictures of them in flight. The boat was buzzing with excitement when we saw them. They slow the boat down and drive slowly around the island so that both sides of the boat can get a chance to see and take pictures of the birds and researchers on the island. During our trip out - we saw a gigantic sunfish and a few pods of porpoises and many seals/sea dogs. So cute!!!! There is a bathroom on board (I didn't try it). They also have a galley, where you can buy food and snacks and souvenirs. We didn't buy anything. There is an upper deck and lower deck. We sat on the upper deck, since it was a beautiful day and there were still seats left. Definitely wear sunscreen and a hat and make sure the hat fits tight or is tether to your clothing. The wind gets pretty strong as they speed up. If you have trouble with motion sickness, you definitely should take precautions. They had staff with vomit bags ready. They prefer kids not vomit over the edge if possible. LOL Total time on the boat is about 2.5 hours. It takes about an hour to get to Easter Egg island. Parking - if you are ok to walk...you may want to try to parking other than where they recommend - which is literally right at the boat dock. The convenience is great - however, it's $50 to park and they pack cars in TIGHT. When we do this again, we will definitely find another lot to park and walk from. There's plenty of cool shops to stop in as well on the way to and from the boat dock. If you like the ocean, boats and wildlife. I think you would like this cruise. We did!

It's nice that they have a puffin and whale watching combo cruise. Being short on time, it was nice…read moreto have the opportunity to do both in one half day. We had a naturalist/animal guide who was knowledgeable and very attentive at identifying birds. There were a decent number of puffins, though they didn't really get close enough to make out the finer details by naked eye, but there are binoculars for rent (not sure how helpful they are because I had my own camera). We unfortunately didn't see any whales, but we were each given a standby ticket for a future cruise. The instructions in the email confirmation weren't completely accurate -- it instructed to go to a different pier where the cruise was actually going to be. Thankfully, I was able to reach staff over the phone and clarify this quickly. Definitely dress in layers, because once the boat starts powering out of the bay, the wind chills the temperature down a good 20 degrees. They did have blankets available but I'm not sure if they're an additional cost. The inside of the boat is nice and toasty, but the views aren't as crisp. I'd heard parking was rough, but if you go before June 1, I noticed some lots nearby were free, and there is free 4 hour parking a short 6 minute walk away that is just long enough for the cruise.

Best shop around, can't replace Donnie's experience. Good air fills. Can service vintage gear tooread more

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!

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!

Had a fantastic 3 hour cruise this morning on Camden Harbor Cruises. Cassie was very informative…read moreand educational, we learned a lot about lobstering in Maine, as well as taking in all the awesome scenery (got to see a handful of lighthouses on this tour). We also observed several harbor seals on the cruise. As an added bonus, the weather happened to be perfect this morning. Dogs are allowed on the boat, our mini poodle also loved her outing today. We highly recommend this cruise if you have never been to the Penobscot Bay area before.

I have been on about 20 day cruises in my life and this was the best. Cassie told stories and…read moretalked about interesting history and facts for the entire 3 hour cruise. You can tell she is very knowledgeable about all things related to central Maine and marine life. The boat pilot was also amazing. He was able to adjust the cruise to keep us dry and out of the really big waves. The boat itself was comfortable with plenty of room for all of us. There is a bathroom onboard and you can even get your Lighthouse passport stamped! I would highly recommend taking any of Camden Harbor Cruises.