I've been diving for many years, but with some long gaps between dives I wanted a refresher before…read moregetting back in the water. I went to Aaron Potash at Original Oaktown Divers, and it was the right call. He was patient and thorough, and I came away confident in my skills again. I enjoyed it so much that I returned to complete my Advanced Open Water certification with him. Aaron's training is comprehensive, and he takes the time to make sure you truly understand each skill rather than just checking boxes. What really sets Aaron apart is that his support doesn't end when the course does. On the group dives since then, he's continued to offer guidance and help whenever it's needed. He treats everyone like a family of divers, and that makes every outing something to look forward to. Whether you're new to diving or, like me, getting back into it after some time away, I highly recommend Aaron and Original Oaktown Divers.

Aaron was really spectacular. He fit my timeline for certification, adapted to my needs and was…read morethorough in his instruction. What really stands out is his emphasis on safety and being prepared for the unexpected. Scuba diving is a sport that comes with risk, and he wanted to ensure that I was ready for a variety of situations. Whether my mask filled with water, I got stuck in a low visibility area, or I needed to make a shore exit in tough surf. He had me go through live exercises of each scenario to prepare me. Hopefully those are skills I don't need to test, but on top of the beauty of diving, it's an extra comfort having that preparation

My husband joins me in giving this store and Trish in particular an enthusiastic two thumbs up…read morereview. We shopped at their beautiful and well equipped store and had a ball. Trish was so helpful and knowledgeable. No sales pressure at all. They have high quality merchandis. We took a refresher course in Walnut Creek today and it was EXCELLENT! My husband had some issues with his gear and, just like she was in the store, Trish was very patient. He had his breakthrough and completed his dive! The instruction team was very organized and available for help. Thanks to the store, thank you, Trish. What a great experience!

Ryan and his staff were extremely helpful and professional! I needed to rent some gear for a dive…read moreclass recently. They thought of everything, plus the were very organized and accommodating. Their gear was clean. worked perfect, and the staff support was terrific. I highly recommend Pacific Ocean Sports for your dive needs and I'll be using them again in the future.

Tristan was so helpful. I was looking for fins and booties and a hood for a snorkeling trip. He…read morewas so patient and knowledgeable. Highly recommend this place.

Just received a prescription mask that was made and shipped to SF in under 72 hours!…read more and I could not be happier Dexter is amazing and walked me though the whole process after calling and seeing if there was a chance to get a new mask before my trip next week It's rare you get good customer service these days and it's even more rare for "great" I can definitely recommend this place! Thanks again Dexter

hands down the best refresher course I have ever taken…read more My previous refresher experiences involved far too much classroom time, followed by the entire class swimming around a crowded pool with very little individual instruction or attention. Idonya's course was completely different. She is exceptionally knowledgeable about diving, patient, attentive, and an excellent instructor. She made sure each of us received the guidance and practice we needed to feel comfortable and confident in the water. I highly recommend Idonya to anyone who needs a scuba refresher--or simply wants to connect with a knowledgeable and supportive dive instructor in the East Bay. We could not have asked for a better experience! We will be diving with her again for sure!

My friend George and I joined Idonya's trip to Bonaire in 2026 and had a blast!! I feel very safe…read morediving with Idonya and she's very on top of things. I having been diving for 8 years and it's so nice to finally find a great instructor that I feel safe with and enjoy diving with on trips. She's great for beginners too and is always ready to help teach new divers.

Suddenly closed down and ran off with everyone's money. I've been calling and emailing for the past…read morefew weeks, but there has been no response.

Update: My husband contacted the Dive Shop a couple months ago after receiving the owner's reply…read morehere on Yelp. We were hoping they would make this right and instead they basically told us to get lost. We asked to speak to the owner and the "manager" told us that he had directly spoken to the owner and he would be happy to "look at" the dive watch, but they would not refund me for their negligent service. They also did not offer to pay for the repair or new battery/service. So how are they going to "make this right"? I'm not driving all the way to SF for some guy to "look at" my obviously flooded watch. Run far away from this shop unless you want your precious and expensive scuba gear damaged with no accountability.

PSD is an outstanding dive shop. Staff are super friendly and they supply you with a container that…read moreneatly packed all of their rental gears. It made it super convenient for me. I signed up for a refresh course and the pool is conveniently located with its own parking lot. I arrived and was promptly greeted by PSD staff and checked in. Jeremiah and Casey were our dive instructors. Both were patient and explained everything in great details. I had a fantastic time. Would highly recommend PSD to everyone.

The instructors are great however management leaves much to be desired and was quite an…read moreuncomfortable experience. Spent over $500 in certification and personal gear at this shop and yet such lack in service, felt treated like a cash cow with disregard to providing a positive experience. They forgot to include my wetsuit in my bin so during my ocean dives in Monterey I had to rent my own wetsuit on the day of my dives. Discussed this situation upon return of equipment and instead almost got charged with $55 for not capping the dust cap back on the regulator. Funny how they DO NOT stress or mention at all upon renting gear - you have to read it in the fine print. Which I feel the owner does on purpose for customers to pay out the extra $55. We ended up "breaking even" despite the huge inconvenience their mistake has brought upon me on my important certification days. Super disappointed with this shop and management. Please bring your business elsewhere.

I've been diving with The Deep Ocean Explore Store for the last two months, and I can honestly say…read morethis shop has completely changed my diving journey. From the very beginning, the team here helped me with everything -- gear rentals, certifications, dive planning, skill progression, and even opportunities to join dives purely to gain more knowledge and experience in Monterey's challenging conditions. They even organized an expedition to Catalina, which turned out to be one of the most beneficial and unforgettable diving experiences I've had so far. What really sets this place apart is the dive masters. No matter what question you have -- even if you accidentally ask the same one a few times -- they walk you through it with patience, clarity, and zero judgment. Their goal isn't just to get you certified; it's to help you become a confident, capable, and safe diver. The environment here is incredibly welcoming and community-driven. In just two months, I've seen everything from 10-year-olds getting their first certification to 30-year veteran divers calling this shop their home base. It's rare to find a place where beginners and seasoned divers feel equally supported, but this shop nails it. Whether you're looking to get certified, expand your knowledge, rent reliable gear, or join a safe and genuine dive community, this is the shop you want behind you. They care, they teach well, and they make every dive count. If you're on the fence, take this as your sign--go with The Deep Ocean Explore Store. Your future dives will thank you.

Completely inattentive sales(?)person. Would have purchased something but we were totally ignored…read more We were looking for two snorkeling sets and a wet suit and reef safe sunscreen. Could have been a decent transaction if anyone had even greeted us.

I signed up for my Advanced PADI course through SF Scuba Schools and ended up with John from Carmel…read moreBay Divers. We spent the weekend in Monterey with a cozy class of 3 students. For the Advanced course, Saturday was a long but low-stress 8am-10pm day, and Sunday was 8:30am-3pm -- including time for meals and chillaxing. -Before the course:- I was nervous about various things including buoyancy skills, night diving, not getting enough attention from the instructor, getting too cold in the freezing Monterey waters, and falling behind everyone else in terms of skills. By the end, I wasn't worried about any of the above. -About the instructor:- John was insanely helpful, attentive, and experienced, and made me feel at ease the entire weekend. His down-to-earth attitude and humor definitely kept me going through the difficult sections of the class. -Before each dive:- John made sure that we understood exactly what we were going to do. He was always happy to answer my overly-abundant questions, and gave excellent instruction on what to do underwater, from the technical aspects to the emotional/mental ones (Settle down. Think warm thoughts. Fun is mandatory!). -During the dives:- I finally got properly weighted during our buoyancy checks, and IT FEELS SO GOOD! My buoyancy skills improved dramatically over the weekend. John was incredibly patient underwater. When I messed up one of the underwater navigation skills, he helped me through it again and helped me adjust where I went wrong the first time. Night diving was my biggest fear going into the course, and I wasn't even scared going into the pitch black ocean with John at my side. The ocean life is completely fascinating at night, and I'm excited to say that I'm not (as) scared of that crazy dark ocean abyss! -Between dives:- We had plenty of time to warm up, and I never once felt rushed. He even brought a tub of warm water for us to pour into our suits afterwards. -Last thoughts:- If you're looking to take any kind of scuba certification class, John is your go-to guy. I feel so much more confident in my diving skills after this past weekend. Already looking into taking another course with him (probably dry-suit because I'm a weenie when it comes to cold water). Thanks dude!!

WOW - what can I say?? If you are researching places to get PADI certified- GO HERE!!! Stop your…read moresearch now or you'll be sorry! The company is run by John Foxhall, a master diver with over 30 years of not only diving experience, but TEACHING experience. Other places may have similar COST, but they will guaranteed have a sub par experience. John is incredibly patient and compassionate for all his students. He is passionate about diving and ensures you not only have the skills required by PADI, but FUN IS MANDATORY. :) He is very accommodating to personal anxieties (of which I had no shortage), injuries/sore muscles (which i also experienced) and fitness levels (I'm average). He also has excellent equipment for rental and purchase and can explain the differences between bottom shelf, middle and top shelf products. My husband and I used John's course to prepare for a dive in the Cayman Islands and even though we will be "first-time" divers there, we feel confident we could keep up and/or lead among other divers. John has taken our skill sets from zero to extreme confidence in our ability! *****GRAB YOUR DIVE BUDDY AND A COUPLE OF FRIENDS AND GET CERTIFIED HERE.****** Also, if you are looking to take your basic certification to the next level, you want to do it with John. He has too much knowledge to keep all to himself!! Also, if you are averse to cold conditions, John has frequent certification classes further South which is also something the other places will not offer you. Can't recommend highly enough. Thank you John ad Carmel Bay Divers!!!

All three of my children ages 3, 12 and 15 took swimming lessons at Justin's Scuba Time summer. The…read moretwo older had private lessons and the 3 year old took a group class. Everything went smoothly, we didn't have any issues and all of the children are more confident with their swimming and water safety.

Recommend for swim lessons. My son (10) and daughter (6) took lessons here. It was easy to sign up…read moreand start the classes. The instructor was as patient and helped my kids get over their fear of water. I'm very impressed! We will be signing up again. We had instructor Owen and he always made it fun for my littles

My friends and I just finished our scuba certification course with Scott and Lynn in Brentwood (for…read morepool dives) and Monterey (ocean dives). I'd give them 6 stars if I could! They're true professionals, very passionate about diving, and focused on safety. They made sure that we felt comfortable in the water, took time to explain everything with patience and care, and never cut any corners. They also accommodated our busy schedules. I would follow their recommendation and spread out the lessons. Scuba is an intense workout, and consolidating everything into two weekends was more taxing than we thought. Scott, Lynn - hope to dive with you again soon!

Wanna learn to dive? In Monterey? Which will make you SUCH a badass in other divers' eyes?…read more Learn with Scott and Lynn! You get classroom sessions, pool sessions, and open water check-out dives. He'll cut you a sweet deal on equipment, too. 100% win, even if you are a sucky diver like I am.