Dave Murray is the RADDEST dude you will meet. He instructed my wife and gave me a quick refresher. He will put you through the paces and make for damn sure your prepared to scuba in any scenario. He is the most kind hearted hard ass I've met. Get certified at Pacific Wilderness and make for sure you ask for Dave. If he's available of course. read more

I follow this scuba shop on Facebook and they keep it updated with really cool stuff. I needed to rent some gear for a dive off PV and so I decided to rent from here. Prices were fair, service was OK. They were a tad rude when I returned the gear; sort of just brushing me off. Hmm OK. Anyways, the location is HUGE. And incredibly well stocked and they even have their own pools. This place is legit. read more

I took PADI class and there is no such hidden fees. The other shops I went to they didn't show me the book fee until I ask. The price is very competitive and reasonable. They are not forcing and pushing at all. The sales want you to understand what you getting and what works the best for you. They offer free exchange and great bundle deals. They have tons of different brand and selection for you. When I purchased the masks. They ask me to try it out and they adjusted the selection based on my face size. The result is a one supper comfortable fit masks. Lastly, The bundle I purchased included fin, snorkel, and mask it beats the price on Amazon. I would end up spending more if I purchase separately on Amazon. read more

This is a review about how they operate in terms of Groupon, not about their training or their gear or any of it, which I'm sure is probably fine. The price that Groupon offers, claiming that it is a 60% discount, is literally exactly the same as the cost of their classes if booked directly through their own website. That's not a discount. It certainly means that the 60% claim is a total fallacy. What I balk at is blatantly false advertising. I'm not a business, I don't know how Groupon works, so the fault may lay with Groupon, but still it makes me feel that there's fundamentally something less than honest about the company when the way they've been advertised is less than honest. read more

Got my open water certification this past weekend & I am SO happy! Everybody at PW is awesome, helpful, kind, and hilarious! I really felt like I made a new lil scuba family. David, who I spoke to on the phone and worked the whole store, was SO HELPFUL. He literally answered every one of my one million questions, and made me feel super confident in every decision. He's also really funny, so he made the whole process fun as hell. Grant was my instructor and he is fantastic. He is very thorough, explains everything so that you actually understand the concept instead of just making you memorize it. Despite having a few nervous breakdowns under water (lol), grant kept me calm & built my confidence. THANKS GRANT!! My boyfriend was in Ian/Scott's class and he is super happy with them too. We're both ecstatic about being certified, and having done it with such awesome people and an awesome shop. Look no further!!!! This is your go to dive shop! :) read more

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Buyer beware. Both my girlfriend and myself certified at Pacific wilderness 10 years ago and had a great experience. After we both received our advanced open water certifications we spent over $5000 buying dry suit, wet suits, bc's, masks, fins, regs, the whole nine yards. Most of our gear is Scuba Pro and was top of the line when we purchased it. Finally a year ago I broke a mask strap and had trouble finding the original mask strap that came with my mask. I went to the dive shop and they found the original one for my mask (perfect). Well I broke that mask strap today and went down to pacific Wilderness to buy another strap for my mask and they didn't have it. So I asked if they could order it for me and they said "No". I came home and found it online. I've referred many people to them over the years that I regret doing. Now I'll refer them to Dive n surf in Redondo Beach. I'll never spend one red cent in their store and they only get 1 star because I need to post this review ( it would be negative 5 stars). One last word to the owner, build your business on customer service and not arrogance. Out of air in Redondo Beach read more

Best place in the LA area to get all the Padi certifications. And also the overall cheapest place. The instructors (especially Josh) are great. I'll go there again for my Padi Advanced open water certification. I felt very well taken care off read more

Had a class here with Staci and Rob. They were great! Also Joy and Mike helped on on the open water dives. We're also great to work with. And David from the shop is also really great and helpful. Definitely recommend this place. read more

I went to this dive shop to get my son and I certified for diving. I paid for private lessons and was told the dive instructor would be in touch with me to give me all the detail of what I needed to do prior to our classes. I was never contacted so a few days before our classes were to take place I stopped by and they told me he should have e mailed some instrutions of what would be required to do prior to classes. They proceed to give me the packet that the dive instructor was suppose to give me at the time of payment. These instructions included a 6 hour video and a approx 60 page book. So three days before classes were to begin would not have been enough time. Because of their horrible communication I canceled my lessons and would never do business with this shop. I did try to support my local San Pedro business but they failed on every step. The worst part is they really didn't care read more

This is my Go-To dive shop! I got my AOW through this shop, with the help of the best instructor I've had the pleasure to learn from (shout-out to Khrystyna!). Plus, Pac Wild has the best deals on rental gear. read more

I had an incredible experience with Pacific Wilderness! I took the open water course and Khrystyna was a fantastic instructor. She has a no nonsense style and makes sure everyone is safe. I had an issue during one of the pool days and she took time out of her own schedule to meet me midweek for a makeup session. Also shoutout to the dive masters who really made the experience: Danya, Steve, and especially Tim. They not only made the dives fun but invited me to continue with them after the course. I will definitely be moving forward and getting further certifications. The sky's the limit... or should I say the bottom! read more

Got my open water certification here this past weekend and it was great! The course is well organized over two weekends. Christian was an extremely patient instructor and always made sure to over explain skills so you were comfortable before doing them in the water. Would recommend the boat dive course to anyone interested in learning to dive. read more

I just completed my open water PADI certification with KHRYSTYNA and it was an amazing experience. She is very knowledgeable, energetic and just an overall badass. I was very nervous going into it, and she was patient in answering all of my questions. She really cares about making all her students competent scuba divers. I highly recommend anyone thinking about it to take her class!! read more

Getting scuba certified was without a doubt much more challenging than I expected but because of that, it was that much more rewarding. I officially became certified this weekend and absolutely could not have done it without the guidance and support of the BEST instructor, Khrystyna and dive master, Tim. Khrystyna is one of the most bad ass women I've ever met. She is insanely knowledgeable and really emphasizes the importance of safety. LISTEN closely because everything her and Tim say are spot on and their goal is to not only successfully certify you but to also allow you to forge the same deep passion for diving and the ocean they possess themselves. I am extremely impressed by this dive community and am so thankful for this life changing experience. Tip: Come each day prepared, mentally and physically. Also, read, study, watch the DVDS. Do invest in GOOD quality gear. We ended up purchasing all the recommended styles/brands at the Pac Wild shop and we were so happy we did. It makes a big difference and rest assured you won't be needing to upgrade it all in the near future. Also, we were given the opportunity to have our day 1 of ocean dives at Catalina and our entire group was beyond thankful we chose this option. It is a little bit more money since you pay for the round trip Catalina Express ticket but it was SO worth it. Instead of having your first ocean dive be walking in from the sandy shore with your 45+pound gear on your back, you get to walk in to the ocean using a set of stairs and get to dive in a dive park. With insane visibility, we swam through kelp forests, saw a giant black sea bass, and had such a rich first day experience because of this. Luckily, we were able to pass all our tests and did 3 dives in Catalina. Ocean dive day 2 we dove at Crescent Bay in Laguna and completed our final 4th dive. Getting in and out of the ocean is pretty rigorous but once you're in, there's a cool reef to explore and since we passed all our tests already, it was just a fun dive! I highly recommend Pacific Wilderness for your certification! read more

I've wanted to get scuba certified for a while now, but the one thing that held me back was the price tag that came with it. Pacific Wilderness offers the course for a low price of $199, but they make it very clear that you need fins, snorkel/mask, boots, and gloves for the course, and I highly recommend buying your gear with them because 1. it is VERY well priced 2. if you buy the gear there and decide that it doesn't work for you in the pool session, you can just exchange it on the spot and pay the difference, and 3. if you buy gear there, they include the PADI coursework and handbook for free ($70 value) They say that you can also bring your own gear if you have it, but you would have to purchase the PADI coursework for $70. This is a two weekend commitment where one weekend is lecture and pool work and the second weekend is 4 dives over the course of 2 days. If you decide to sign up, I would highly recommend asking for Khrystyna as your instructor if you can. She is extremely passionate about scuba diving and she wants everyone to be able to experience it in a fun and SAFE way. Khrystyna, along with her dive masters, Tim, Danya, Steve, and one other instructor, Ryan, made the entire experience so worthwhile because they all want you to succeed. They all do such a good job of making sure everyone feels comfortable with the skills before going out to the water. Even when we got out to the water, they were constantly making sure that we were feeling comfortable in the ocean. I can't say enough good things about the whole experience and it wouldn't have been the same without Khrystyna, Ryan, Danya, Tim, and Steve. HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend this!!! I am already thinking about getting my Advanced Open Water certification! read more

I just got my certification a few months ago. This is my regular dive shop now. After trying to shop online and going to other places, they've been the best. They will have everything you need, if not, they will get it for you at a pretty great price. They've always had the best prices, even beat a lot of online deals. They've always been blunt and to the point. Outside of the fun shopping, the instructors are amazing. They are the #1 reason why I will always go to PW. They know their shit! - end of story. It's SCUBA DIVING - Would you want someone who doesn't know their business?! read more

I've been to this shop many times over the years as I live somewhat close. The prices are definitely fair but it's hit or miss on the customer service. Theres two great guys named eddie and fred who have always been more than helpful to me but theres a new portly young guy that doesn't know anything about diving and talks down to you. I thought it was just me but chatted with some of my friends who have gone there and they say the same thing, the guy is arrogant and doesn't know what he talks about. There's another guy there named Jeff, he is even worse, one time I needed a part and instead of ordering it he grabbed some of his old gear and pulled the piece off and then charged me what a brand new piece would cost. I wouldn't mind if the piece was new but it was beat up! I told him I wasn't in a rush and could wait for the ordered piece. If another shop was nearby this place would probably die out, however it's the only shop that is nearby where I live. If you head in there ask for Eddie or Fred, otherwise you are wasting your time. read more

Pacific Wilderness earned my PADI salute! My boyfriend was recently scuba certified and went through PW. He had a BLAST and had nothing but positive things to say. I went with PW a few weeks later on a Sunday am dive in Laguna beach, which was also a blast! I would highly recommend following PW on facebook if you are a diver so you can keep track of and join in on their weekly dives. In terms of the shop itself, PW has everything diving/water related. If you want it, they have it. Sure the location is a bit seedy. However, the past two times I went to pick up equipment I caught up with the corn cart (if you don't know what it is....look it up). Fantastic service, knowledgeable employees and killer dives. I'm in! read more

I had bought a new Bear wetsuit a few months ago. The wetsuit fell apart within a month. I think I bought a dud! I brought it in and John was amazing. He was helpful and refunded me 100% with no hassle. Every time I'm in this place staff is helpful and I always leave happy. read more

This place is amazing! I signed up, somewhat on a whim, to do the PADI Open Water class over two weekends. The $199 price (even includes tax!) is an absolute steal. It's most inexpensive option in the local area, by far. It includes everything...the scuba rental in the pool and at the ocean (you can pay for upgrades like integrated weights or a dive computer, which are nice but not required), the certification card, instruction and even some coffee in the classroom. You just need to pay for the basic gear, and if you buy the five items, the set of books is free. I was pretty intimidated by their selection of gear as a new diver, but they're really helpful and offer free exchanges if it doesn't fit you quite right in the pool water and price matches if you find a better deal elsewhere (I didn't). Pick up the books at least a week in advance...it's a lot of material and there are quizzes. All in all, the total time I spent was ~25 hours in class/pool/ocean over the two weekends. Rob and Stacie were amazing instructors. Their daughter also served as a 3rd "instructor"/helper in our pool sessions, and Cheryl was there on our beach dives. They're all super passionate and awesome people who want you to have a good time and while being safe. The pool is heated! I get cold ridiculously easy but this water was really warm. We did early morning beach dives at Shaw's Cove which were kind of unpleasant because 1) there is a set of stairs to go up and down with all of your equipment 2) I was unlucky and kept repeatedly getting hit by waves while entering and became an awkward turtle with all the gear on my back. Luckily, Rob, Stacie, Cheryl and some kind divers helped/saved me so I could get into the water. I was almost ready to throw in the towel but they were very encouraging. They also kept readjusting me and my equipment and making sure I didn't get lost or drift upwards due to my failed attempts at achieving neutral buoyancy. I am proud to say I did not get close to drowning or become hypothermic. We made several dives to about 25-30ft and saw lots of fish and snail. :) I honestly can't even believe I made it through. I'm not crazy fit (My fitness level is close to "casual hiker/couch potato" with a somewhat active regular job). All the gear weighs more than half of my weight. And my job required me to work over the weekend in the late evenings. So I was exhausted. I'm still a little traumatized by the beach dives but luckily there's an easy fix. Boat dives only from now on! Looking forward to diving with friends next month and when I have more time, I'll consider the Advanced class. read more

I did my Open Water certification with Khrystyna as my instructor in December 2018 and I couldn't have asked for a better learning experience and adventure! It is clear that Khrystyna is passionate about what she does and she makes sure that everyone knows their stuff! I couldn't forget the proper rules and education of scuba if I wanted to! I have had many teachers in my day and I can say this class has been the best learning experience because of her! She made it fun at the same time with her bubbly personality. :) The people in our class were awesome too, lots of great memories to walk away with! I'm ready to go for my advanced! Cheers! read more

Thee greatest dive shop, ever. The owner, Jeff, really knows his stuff. The prices can't be beat. I can't wait to take another class!!!

This is your neighborhood, no nonsense, dive shop. I got my dive cert here about a year ago and I continue to shop and rent from them. The staff is great, some are just plain funny as hell, and a few are funny because they are not so funny, but they are all very helpful, down to earth, and knowledgeable. When it comes to prices they are very competitive, especially in the wetsuit department. There is a Dive Club that is pretty big with lots of classes, trips and lectures. The lesson pool is adequate. The neighborhood is iffy at night, but only if you are leaving after class late. Even a year and a half later, and me and my friend really haven't been diving as much as we should, they still remember us. Go check it out. read more

First off, I want to call out Eduardo and Lisa for being incredibly supportive, knowledgeable dive instructors that took good care of all us newbies wanting to get certified. Both my husband and I had a great experience learning to dive because of them. They have great passion and respect for this sport, and rightfully so because not only does diving take patience and practice, but also great care for yourself (listen to your body's reactions) and the environment you're exploring. The PADI course is quite thorough... to the point that it may seem repetitive. There are SO many things you must factor in while diving, and there is a reason why the materials, videos, and classroom discussions are repetitive... it's for our safety. Diving itself is not difficult (and actually quite Zen!), but what you learn is how to be safe, and being 60 ft under water there are plenty of safety concerns at all times, especially being new to it. I actually had to push out my open water dive dates because I got an ear infection the week before we were supposed to go out to the beach. I was so incredibly bummed out because our class was also going to dive in Catalina for our last skill test. Eduardo and Lisa were able to accommodate to my schedule and take me out on a different weekend to Redondo Beach for my required open water dives. And since it was a medical issue, I was not required to pay any additional rescheduling fees. After we were both certified, we still wanted to meet up with our instructors for some dives, and we recently went out to Catalina with them! SO much fun, we both had a blast :) Thank you both for the great experiences!! Looking forward to more to come. read more

Signed up for the Living Social PADI Open Water course certification with some friends. After signing up and scheduling for the class and dives my friends and I made sure to ask all the questions we have going into this certification. HINT: Make sure to follow all the directions that are given or else!!!! - Read the study material - Finish the Knowledge review - Watch the DVD - Bring Lunch or Snack (during classroom session) - PASSPORT PICTURE for your CERTIFICATION CARD The class itself was fun and direct, our instructor Bill was very knowledgeable/experienced and helpful throughout the whole time and made sure we learn the right and proper way so we can have fun all the time. - Picking up our required basic gear and scuba gear Sean helped us picked our gear and showed us how to properly test and fit them so you are comfortable with it when you use it... also during the confined dives (pool) if you dont like your gear you can walk out and swap them out!!! The staff doesnt try to over sell you on stuff you dont need or want... it is all up to your own needs but they do recommend why to upgrade some of the parts like springs for your fins and a better holder for your mask/snorkel I RECOMMEND GETTING SPRINGS FOR YOUR FINS!!!! IT DOES MAKE YOUR LIFE WAAAAY EASIER ONCE YOU GET IN THE OCEAN!!! Parking can suck sometimes specially on the weekend when there is a class going on... read more

This place is great. My friends and I were recently certified about a month ago. Jeanne is probably the best instructor you can get. She may seem strict but she really cares. She is very passionate about the sport and she lives by her word when she tells you that she can resolve any problems you might encounter. I trust her with my life. I often joke about how you gain immortality in the water when she pairs up with you. She's just amazing. The front staff is very helpful and super chill. They tell you exactly what you need and no BS. During the Catalina dives, you will meet one of Jeanne's assistants, Hunter. The name is fitting, you'll know when you meet him. Okay it's his beard! He's super chill and very helpful. Without even asking, he often checks up on you throughout the day and assists you with your gear. He's pretty awesome. The only reason I'm not giving this place 5 stars is because of the other assistant, David. Probably the most rude and unhelpful one there. Don't bother asking for his help. He answers everything condescendingly if he answers your questions at all. He changes his story when we ask Jeanne about something he said. It happened a few times. At Catalina, he's just stands around as oppose to Hunter. He seems like he's just there to put in his hours to become a dive master. I would definitely recommend to avoid if he does.. But overall, great place to get certify. Should be 5 stars, but David was that bad.. but don't let him ruin your experience. read more

Just completed my Open Water Dive class with my awesome instructor Khystyna! She is not only super passionate about teaching but super knowledgeable. What I enjoyed most about her class, was how well she managed my classes safety in the pool and out in the open ocean. PLEASE take all her advice into consideration! Her goal is not for you to spend more money but for you to have the best experience possible! read more

Pacific Wilderness is my preferred shop since moving to LA. They have an outstanding selection of everything from basic gear to high end video/photo, a staff that is knowledgable and passionate about diving, and very competitive prices. Jeff is the owner and has a real passion for diving. He organizes at least one dive a week and couldn't be a nicer guy or more passionate about this sport. With Pacific Wilderness you get not only a dive shop, but an entire dive community. For new divers out there about to get into diving, I think it's important to realize how integral your dive shop will be in your progression as a diver. Dive shops help you pick gear, choose setups, get trained, meet other divers, fill tanks, plan trips, service and fix gear, solve problems and more. Make sure you pick a shop (this one) competent in all of these areas. read more

Don't bother with their groupon. You don't have until the expiration date to enroll in a class -- you have to already be enrolled in a class before expiration or else they charge you $50 to 'extend' it 90 days. Terrible way to trick customers. read more

Bucket List Item: Certified Open Water Diver.. Check! Great shop, great people, great service and competitive pricing. I took the open water PADI certification course with Jeremy W. He did a fantastic job of instructing our class in how to proficiently and safely use the equipment. He did a fantastic job of providing instruction on the surface and underwater in a manner where you learn to trust not only your equipment but also in your own ability to overcome unexpected situations. I highly recommend Jeremy to anyone looking for a fantastic instructor. read more

My younger sisters and I took the Discover Scuba class today and had an amazing time. The instructors Frank and Albert were great and we had loads of fun. There is a lot in the back with stacked parking and small changing room/bathrooms. Don't forget to bring a towel and flip-flops and maybe some shampoo. The pool area isn't the cleanest and nicest, but it could accommodate all 8 of us comfortably, gear and all. We plan to go back to Pacific Wilderness for their PADI OpenWater Diver Course. read more

I passed the accelerated 4-day diving course about a year ago. KEITH is an amazing dive instructor, and it's clear that he's in this field not for the money, but to spread his love for the ocean. He is fair, kind, and he really cares about student safety. Listen to everything Keith says. He doesn't anger easily, but thankfully, he isn't a pushover when it comes to safety and procedure. There was a time that he yelled at me during my first underwater dive because I wasn't following the procedures that he taught me. It was 100% my fault, and he was 100% right; I absolutely should have been more self-aware and careful, and Keith was just making sure that I would be safe. Keith only yelled at me because he sincerely cared whether I learned the material, and wanted to make sure that I would be safe the next time I went on a dive. I've spoken to a lot of experienced divers, and they've told me that instructors at other locations don't have that kind of emotional involvement and commitment to their students. Diving is a very safe sport--if you learn how to do it right, and instructors like Keith work very hard to make sure that you learn the procedures properly. Leave your ego and pride aside at the door, and you'll get a huge reward. Scuba diving will open you up to the 75% of the world that you've been missing out on for your entire life, and the instructors at Pac Wild will open up those doors to you. It's incredibly beautiful out there. Pay close attention in class, have confidence in your ability--you CAN become a scuba diver. Just some fun facts: PADI is the largest and most recognized scuba diver training organization in the world. According to a 2014 study by the Sports and Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), 51% of all divers are women. Scuba diving is an inclusive sport and divers often move in pairs or as a team. Strength, weight, height, and physical ability are secondary to cooperation, trustworthiness, vigilance, and self-awareness. I am a very small-framed and short individual. At close to 5 feet tall and under 120 lbs, I don't look anything like what you'd imagine when you visualize a scuba diver. If I can do it, you absolutely can as well, and the amazing instructors at Pac Wild will help you get there. read more

Recently completed a PADI open water course with Instructor Khrystyna. After the classes, she took the time to help me pick out the gear I needed and has invited me to several dives since. I highly recommend pac wild for both gear selection and conscientious and interesting instructors. read more

Man oh man! What an amazing experience getting my Padi Open Water Certification from Pacific Wilderness! Big shout out to Khrystyna, our instructor, she is very serious about teaching the class but once she has everyone's attention she works the group magically. I'm not super book smart but she explained everything thoroughly and I was able to catch on pretty quick. If anyone had any questions she would take the time to make sure they understood. She is very theatrical which made the class that much more exciting and interesting. I'd also like to give a shout out to the master divers that assisted in the class. Danya, Tim, Steve, and Jason S. Really great group of people who added even more character to the class. I do have one regret though...that I didn't do this years ago. So looking forward to the adventure's that await. Scuba For Life!! Thank you so much Pacific Wilderness read more

Here is the best thing about PW. Recall what a dangerous driver you were after you first left the DMV with your license. You thought you were super pro but you now know.... diving is the same way, but pw and its community works to mentor and help divers. Nobody in the LA area has a club that dives more. They dive 2 to 4 times a week free with club membership which includes enough air fills to make the cash A push. They keep stuff in stock better than most anyone. There is a reason public safety and commercial divers are in there all the time. read more

Awesome service! David took the time to fit my son and I for all of the necessary gear to get ready for our cert class. His service went above and beyond. Thank you, David!! Our instructor, Edrick, has been wonderful. The experience has been amazing. We're looking forward to our beach dive next week. I strongly recommend this dive shop for beginners through experienced divers. Their prices are great and their service is outstanding! read more

I am so glad I found this place. I've been to every scuba shop within 20 miles of my house, and this place is hands down the best. I wish I would have found them at the beginning, because unfortunately for me, I overpaid for allot of stuff, and didnt get the best instruction. I decided to give them a try with my Advanced Open Water course. But before doing that, I decided to just walk in one day and feel the place out. The thing that stood out the most to me was how welcomed I felt in their shop. That is not a feeling I had felt at any other place. These are guys who work there because they love to dive; plain and simple. Other stores I've been to use high pressure sales tactics, and dont offer the best advice. This place is night and day different. So naturally I did indeed take my AOW class through them. Best choice I ever made. I was linked up with Josh Sprinkle. I liked him right away. I could tell he knew exactly what he was doing, loved diving, and loved to share that passion with his students. After my AOW classes I realized I wasnt happy with some of my equipment. It became obvious that I didnt pick the best parts previously. But this time around I knew the place to go. I spent a few weeks discussing moving over to a BP/W with my instructor. This time around I bought it brand new at the store, and had it fitted. I followed up with a new AIR 2. Again I want to emphasize that they are not a high pressure sales place. They did it right. They taught me a few things, won my confidence, and then helped me purchase what I really needed when I was ready. I like this place so much that I have already signed up for EFR, and Nitrox for next week. As soon as I finish that, I'm going to go straight in to Rescue. Its very possible that I may progress over to Divemaster and I have no question about where I would go for that. read more

I took my Advanced Open Water class here, and our instructor Helen V. was amazing! She was very knowledgeable, and the best part was she's extremely patient. Another student had some mishaps and she handled it like a pro. The dives were leisurely because she gave us plenty of time to practice key skills before the dive. Best part is she has a unique talent at finding interesting sea life. The shop in San Pedro is a 100% dedicated dive shop. It's very traditional and you can tell the more seasoned veteran divers come here for their equipment. They just hang around the shop, so you know they know their stuff. The prices here are competitive with online retailers, so don't always go for the lowest-end products if you're committed to diving in the long term. Parking can sometimes be competitive in the lot behind the shop and street parking in the area, so come early for class or meets at the shop. Usually, the club dives at Vets Park in Redondo, and are very friendly with newcomers. read more

We went to go rent wet suits. No customers were in except me, the wife, and a friend. Service was really slow. When our friend discovered that one of the tanks had a leak, the worker didn't change it out so we can go right along. He made us wait so that he can repair it. Why couldn't he do that when we were already out to scuba? They did have plenty of other tanks. Also, he gave the misses the wrong amount of weights for her weight belt. She was not able to sink to the bottom for scuba diving. We let him know this, and he didn't care. In one ear, out the other. When we also came to drop off the stuff, he made us go to the back and wash off the suits and equipment. I was shocked because 1) the last time we rented equipment, we didn't have to do this. 2) there was no one else in the shop. He could have done this when we left to increase our customer satisfaction. He didn't care. Needless to say, I'm very disappointed with their worker. I wonder why Pacific Wilderness would tolerate this. read more

Just finished my Open Water Dive class and can't begin to say how impressed I was. We had Khrystyna as our instructor (with her team of Divemasters Danya, Tim, Steve, and all the other Divemasters who names I can't remember at the moment) and I gotta say...they were all absolutely AMAZING!!!!! From the first day meeting her to our last ocean dive, Khrystyna was so helpful every step of the way!!! It is clear that she is passionate about diving, she was strict about safety (which I appreciated as I was quite nervous coming into the class), but also made every second of the class fun. She was very patient in answering everyone's questions, and you could tell she genuinely wanted us to become competent divers. She has a very calming presence under water, which for someone like me who was nervous for our first ocean dive, helped in so many ways! She was very patient and encouraging under water (despite not being able to talk and only being able to play underwater charades). There was a situation with my goggles constantly flooding the whole first day of ocean diving, and she helped me fix the problem while sitting at the bottom in the sand (Tim had noticed where my mask was flooding from and pointed it out to her. And she basically had to fully flood my mask to make it sit properly on my face). She told me when we surfaced that she felt bad for doing it cause she knew I probably wouldn't like it, but she really wanted to help...and even though it sucked having my mask flood, I now know what I was doing wrong and am so grateful for them doing that! She then sat with me 30ft down at the bottom and helped me relax my breathing a bit before going back up to the surface. Idk how she corrals all 8 students under water, but she did it! The past 2 weekend have been an absolute blast, my fisnce and I wouldn't have been able to accomplish it all with Khrystyna, Danya, Tim, Steve, and the other Divemasters who came with us for our ocean dives! Can't wait to do our Advanced Diver course!!! read more