Training with Aaron is one of the absolutely best ways to learn to dive…read more If you're like me, you'll start by thinking you "need dive certification" and quickly realize what you actually want is to learn how to dive. I searched pretty widely to find the right person to train with and found Aaron. One of the things that inspired me to work with him is that he is a "career safety professional". He thinks about risk holistically. He manages to be highly empathetic and never push you beyond what you can handle, while simultaneously putting you through the exactly right amount of simulated disaster (that a normal school would never have the courage to do). He has the qualities of a great coach. He's able to keep a class on track, even for someone who asks a million questions like myself. He is patient, and he will not let you give less than what you are capable of. His prices are a steal (I hope he raises them). You get individualized instruction, and on top of that, you'll graduate into a group of alumni who continue to dive together. If you like to do things right, work with Aaron.

Aaron is a great diving instructor who takes the time and care to work with each of his students…read moreindividually to understand where they are at and what they need. As a first time diver, I was both excited and nervous, and struggled a bit with my buoyancy. Aaron was patient and funny and encouraging and by the end of day two at Monterey I felt much more confident and capable. One of the great benefits of Original Oaktown Divers is Aaron's commitment to community and a feeling of belonging. That is unique and something to be valued!

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

Idonya still continues to provide outstanding opportunities for anyone looking to get certified in…read morethe Bay Area. My daughter did her rescue diver certification with Idonya and now feels ready to help others should the need ever arrive (although hopefully it does not!)

I had a great time getting certified with Idonya. She is knowledgable, patient, and we always had a…read moregood time at my pool lessons and even more once we got out to the ocean. There was plenty of flexibility on times to work with my schedule. I felt totally ready to go on my first dive in Thailand. Thanks, Idonya!

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.

I've been coming to PSD for a while now, and it's easily the most welcoming shop in Sunnyvale. The…read morestaff actually knows their stuff. Whether you're looking for high-end gear or just need a quick tank fill for a Monterey shore dive.

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!!!

Justin's Scuba Time is a great place for learning how to swim. They offer various time slots…read morethroughout the day making scheduling easy and convenient. The staff is always nice and friendly and the instructors are amazing! It was comforting to know that even as an adult learning how to swim can be fun! Thank you guys, I truly had a wonderful experience.

We enrolled our daughter for private lessons for two sessions. She is 3 years old. She was afraid…read moreof the water and the parent/me classes in other locations didn't really help her. She absolutely loved her swimming lessons with Ms. Annabelle! Ms. Annabelle helped my daughter become comfortable in the pool. She taught her basic swimming motions (kicking legs, arm movement, floating). We appreciate Ms. Annabelle being so patient and kind to our daughter. We definitely will enroll her in private lessons again soon! We highly recommend Ma. Annabelle!

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.