The management is a mess. The instructor wasn't told I was coming to the confined water session. No…read moremessaging, no check-in ahead of the class because the instructor didn't know I was coming. I was lost, called and no one picked up the phone because everyone was in water. They expected me, a complete beginner, to put on all the gears myself and swim to the teaching location (the confined water pool is at least 7ft, someone not comfortable with water can potentially drown without supervision). As a result I missed half of the class and wasn't qualified for the open water session. I asked for a refund and they pointed to me to their one-year free instruction policy, which will cost me non-trivial hotel, flight expenses for another trip. Despite of the above, Max was very patient catching me up when I was late to the class. I appreciate his instruction.

this is a review for Neal Tyagi. My partner and I took the Level 1 Free Diving class and also did a…read moreprivate coaching session with him. Neal has great energy and is passionate and knowledgeable about the sport of free-diving. he is also very attentive, detail-oriented and challenges you in a gentle way. i learned a lot from our time together about the mind-body connection present in free-diving, and by the end of our session together definitely saw shifts in how i related to the physical act of diving and understanding how to better my technique. thanks Neal, for the gems. hope to get out there with you again soon!

My short review for the Wave 1 beginner freediving course is: If you're even slightly interested,…read moretake this course! Whether you're beginner or "advanced" but not certified, you won't regret it!! Since there were no other reviews here yet, I decided to also write an in-depth (see what I did there?) one. Now the long review... I'm so glad that I enrolled in the freediver certification course with Honolulu Freedivers. I've been an avid snorkeler for decades, competed in distance freestyle ocean swims, paddling competitions and triathlons--even taught some folks how to swim. I LOVE the ocean, BUT I also love to be able to BREATHE often, whenever I want to, even more. I could dive to pool depth, but needed to pop right back up. So, freediving was always kind of a unicorn. Prior to taking the certification course, holding my breath during the exertion of ocean dives was incredibly hard for me. Despite having good cardio, the urge to breathe while swimming underwater and the desire to surface was overwhelming. I tried watching hours of YouTube "expert" videos on my own. But it didn't really help, and in retrospect I'm lucky to not have accidentally drowned trying some of the stuff I saw. In the two-day, info-packed beginner course (Wave 1), Derek's instruction and his course materials helped me to fully understand my self-inflicted limitations. On the first day, extended my person best static (land) breath hold by a full minute! In the water, I was able to reach AND RELAX FOR A WHILE at a depth I would have thought impossible for me--then on day two, I DOUBLED that distance to earn my certification (20 meters). Derek is ultra-experienced, patient, friendly and puts safety first during dives. His assistant kept an extra set of eyes on us and provided additional instruction/feedback. The pre-dive breathe up and the post-dive recovery were drilled extensively because of their importance. He gave precise, helpful critiques. And, because he limits his class size, everyone had more than enough time and it was fun!! I felt very safe doing all the dives. Some went perfectly, and for the ones where I lapsed on technique, Derek was right there to keep me from making things worse for myself. Then at the surface after recovery he was quick to give corrective instruction for the next dive. Most importantly, I also learned how to confidently deal with dive buddy emergencies: shallow water blackout, loss of motor control, cramps, etc. I now have increased value as a dive buddy for my friends, family and fellow divers because of this class. With what I learned, I might save a life one day, maybe my own. An added bonus is that any diver certified through this class, has an open invitation to attend recurrent Honolulu Freedivers boat dives and weekly pool training, and also becomes a member of an international online community group (Molchanovs) where even more material is accessible. I took the class with two other friends and made a new friend, as a tourist also dropped in to attend. We all agreed it was well worth the investment! Thanks, Derek and V!!

Fantastic first-time Freedive experience; exceeded my expectations! Derek is an amazing freediver…read morewho excels as an instructor. His reputation as a patient and positive teacher is well deserved. He gave me the confidence to go further than I thought possible. Highly recommend! - Will

Freediving at its finest!…read more Go sign up and learn how to hold you breath for 3 minutes and dive to 66 ft!!

From the owner: FII Level 1 Certification, FII Basic Freediving Safety Course, Freediving depth and breath-hold…read moretraining, Apnea practice sessions, Line diving training sessions. CPR, First-Aid, and Oxygen training courses. We offer advanced scuba courses only. We do NOT rent gear.

Update: We got our GoPro footage a few days after the dive and the photos a little over a week…read morelater. Yeah, the package was pricey, but worth every penny for a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Honestly, I was worried I wouldn't have many good shots since I didn't stay in the water the entire time--but I was wrong. The photos came out crystal clear and absolutely epic. That's when it really sank in: I actually did a cageless shark dive. Already planning to go back in June 2026 to do it all again.

If you're reading through reviews debating whether or not you should do it - DO IT. Sign up. I'm…read moretelling you you won't regret it and you will be so proud of yourself after and in awe of the beauty in sharks. I was you - 5 years ago I was like hmm should I? Sharks seem scary, but the adrenaline and excitement led me to push purchase + and I made sure to add the professional photography session. This specific experience is what catapulted me into my passion that has become marine life conservation and just the ocean in general. For people with anxiety - READ THIS STEP BY STEP WHAT HAPPENS ON THIS TOUR: First things first - take motion sickness meds night before and morning of the dive. You'll get to the harbor and they'll have you sign a waiver and then welcome you onto the boat. You'll take your shoes off and get on to the boat where they typically split it by people who got the photography package on one side, and the GoPro users on the other side. It's only about 4 divers to each safety diver - small groups are better! Once you're on the boat they will give you a presentation on what you'll see and what role the sharks play in the ecosystem. Then they prepare you for the water on the ride over where if you're lucky, you'll see some spinner dolphins on the way! The boat ride is about 15 minutes each way. Once you get out to the diving spot, you'll gear up and start getting in the water. There is a rope alongside the boat that you hold on to while you look out at the sharks. One by one the safety diver will ask if you are comfortable doing a little individual dive for a better look. If you are interested, they count you down 3..2..1 and then guide you to the right spot. If you don't want to go - no worries, just hold the rope and enjoy the view! You're in the water for about 40 minutes and then you get back on the boat. They tell you some more conservation facts and before you know it you're back in the harbor in awe that you just swam with real sharks in the open ocean!! I have now done this dive about 6 or 7 times - it is my favorite activity especially as the seasons change, different animals come to visit. You can do fun things, even if you're scared. The crew at One Ocean is top notch and will not only tell you you're safe - but will make you feel it. Big thanks to Captain Liko, Gina, and Kaitlyn for always showing me a great time!

Great dive with Ed! The boat ride was nice and quick to our dive sites and I saw a turtle on each…read moredive! The equipment was set up for us and it was a great experience overall. Thank you so much!

We had semi-private diving (only 4 divers) which was great. Dive guide Faith is so nice, asking for…read moreour experience, caring during the whole time. I had issues with fins underwater and she jumped to help! We also got to see wreck which we didn't expect, which is awesome! We had pineapple for lunch, which was conveniently cut and was so yummy! Only downside is that their new dive computers didn't kick in during safety stop and I didn't see deco time - it was showing total dive time.

When it was time to upgrade my short fins and diving mask that I literally found on the beach -…read moreWestside Dive & Tackle was the spot I decided to go to. I walked into a few other surf and snorkel spots but they mostly carried short fins. I went with the Leaderfins which are the most affordable carbon fins. The fins do come separately from the foot pocket, so I also got their forza foot pockets. They do offer a service where they put together your fins and foot pockets but only certain people are trained on that, so I did have to pick it up just a few days later- and that service is $30. I also got a pair of diving socks to go with my fins. They have different sizes, thicknesses, and cuts (high vs low). I also got a new diving mask and snorkel. The best thing about going to a dive shop is the ability to try things on and Westside Dive has so many different options. Being able to put on the foot pockets with the diving socks or even just trying on a few different masks to find the one that best fits your face is why it's better to come in person than buying online. The service was also super friendly. I was making some big purchases, so I wanted to make sure that each component was exactly right and the staff here was helpful and overall super chill. We talked story for a bit, exchanged where we like to go diving and even some fish recipes. If you're looking for diving gear, support local and check out Westside Dive!

KAYDENZE is the man! Love this shop! Always helps out! Thanks for setting up my bf pathosread more

It's honestly hard for me to even put into words how much this experience means to me. Diving with…read moreHawaii Adventure Diving on the North Shore is something truly special, and every single time I go, it exceeds my expectations. The crew consistently goes above and beyond to make the experience both fun and safe especially Ro, Stacey, Terry, and Ronnie. Their professionalism, energy, and genuine care make all the difference. You can tell they love what they do, and it shows in every detail of the dive. The optional photo package provided by Terry is worth every penny. I'm a certified diver and have had the opportunity to dive in several locations around the world, as well as with other companies on the North Shore, but none compare to this team. Hawaii Adventure Diving stands in a league of its own. This experience means the world to me. I travel to Hawaii every month for work, and I try to do this shark dive every time I'm here. That alone says everything. I won't be diving with any other shark diving companies on the North Shore, Hawaii Adventure Diving is simply the best!! The North Shore has been hit really hard recently with devastating flooding. Hawaii Adventure Diving's crew needs our support. Book your dive today!!

What a bad ass experience to do in Hawaii! We did the shark diving excursion (no cage), and we…read moreactually saw a tiger shark (along with a couple galapagos sharks) ! The crew was very helpful and made sure we felt very safe to do it. We hung on to a rope connected to the boat and just went with the waves. We went out on a choppy morning, so the only downside was some got seasick from the waves. Im glad we didn't do the cage cause I imagine we be tossed around with the waves. Other than that, it was super awesome. Only 6 of us went out so it was a nice small group. The photographer was great (see photographs - cost extra for the photos), the gal who took us out was very directive and could read the sharks body vibe so she knew how to guide us. And thanks captain Ronnie for navigating the choppy ocean.

I learned about Affinity Freediving through Elaine's monthly community freediving meetups. At the…read moretime, I had only just started getting into freediving and was also new to the island, so the meetup was an opportunity to get connected to the freediving community and to make friends. Despite being a beginner, I felt very welcomed to the group and appreciated Elaine's careful attention to our group's safety and comfort. Her experience as a clinician and emphasis on mental health and making freediving as accessible as possible resonated with me, which is why I chose to take my Level 1 course with Affinity Diving. My experience with Affinity Diving exceeded all my expectations. Elaine was patient, receptive to various learning styles and experience levels in our group, and was able to tailor the course to meet everyone's individual needs. Our theory portion of the course was outside on Magic Island which was wonderful compared to a traditional classroom setting, and having the lagoon which meets the criteria for the confined water portion of the course was really nice because it was less cramped than a swimming pool which is more common for other courses. Elaine also provided nearly all the equipment including weight belts, weights, masks, fins, even spare neoprene pants and tops, which not all schools provide. This also gave us a chance to try out gear that we weren't all necessarily in the position to be able to upgrade right away. I passed my exam, but did not pass my skills test at the end of Day 2. Elaine was encouraging and unlike other instructors who leave it up to the student to reschedule make up sessions, Elaine took the initiative to offer times to reschedule to anyone that didn't pass, and encouraged me to continue attending the monthly community free diving meetups. I don't know of any other instructor or dive school who as as invested in their students success as Elaine, and about a month later after additional practice, I was able to come back and complete my final skills test. Affinity Freediving's commitment to inclusivity and community is genuine and I have come away from the course with lots of wonderful memories and new dive buddies. I cannot think of a single negative thing to say and would recommend this course and Elaine as instructor to anyone looking to discover freediving or take their existing skills to the next level. Mahalo! -Jess Chilinski

Elaine's instruction was exceptional! Tailored to my level, patient, and experienced. Def recommend…read morediving with her, Will be back for more!

My instructor was Tim. He was very professional and extremely knowledgeable on all of the topics he…read morecovered. I came into the course with a relatively high comfort level in the water and a respectable depth from watching YouTube videos. I took the course to refine a lot of fundamental skills and more importantly to learn how to act in an emergency situation. The course really hits the topic out of the park and prepare you to properly act if the worse happens. I will definitely be taking my intermediate course in the future though this company. I also got a PB on my static breath hold and on my depth.

I just completed my level 2 freediver cert with Tim and I'm so happy I did. I've always been…read morecomfortable in the ocean but after taking his course, I feel even more safe knowing how to properly handle safety and emergency situations that I've never accounted for before. I also appreciated the deeper knowledge of efficient entries, breathing up, and proper form skills I gained from Tim. My diving has improved immensely and I have Tim to thank for that. He was very patient, knowledgable, clearly passionate for the sport of freediving. I'll definitely be returning to Tim for his other courses.