Idonya still continues to provide outstanding opportunities for anyone looking to get certified in the 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!) read more

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I had a great time getting certified with Idonya. She is knowledgable, patient, and we always had a good 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! read more

Idonya trained and certified us a few days before our honeymoon in French Polynesia. She was patient, knowledgeable, and most importantly all about safety and awareness. We recently went on a cruise with a couple dive opportunities. We wanted to dive but were a little nervous, so we took a refresher course from Idonya before we left. She rebuilt our confidence, and we had some great dives in St. Croix. If you're curious but nervous about diving, Idonya is the instructor you want to learn from to dive confidently and safely. read more

Idonya is long-standing pillar of the scuba diving community in the San Francisco East Bay. She got my daughter trained years ago. I have been diving with her multiple times and she's a quintessential divemaster, gentle instructor safe thoughtful and a sweetheart of a person. Can't recommend her more highly for dive trips, diving in Monterey or training and education. read more

I didn't know what to expect after not doing scuba for almost 15 years and trying to find someone new after moving to Oakland. Idonya was professional, organized, reliable and an absolute blast to get reacquainted with scuba and my open water dive certification. She works on your schedule and allows you to set your pace, making sure you're comfortable in the classroom and in the water. She helped me unlock some spectacular dive vacations since. She is patient, thorough, and makes sure you understand each aspect of scuba before moving onto the next concept. I felt safe and supported through the whole process and have referred several friends who have had nothing but great things to say. Best of all she has a great attitude and a great sense of humor to take any edge off if you're uncertain about getting into diving! Cant recommend more. read more

What can I say? I love Idonya! I've had the opportunity to dive with Idonya for the past couple weekends in a row in Monterey in July 2025, and she has been fantastic. I'm definitely going to dive with her again! I needed a refresher dive because I am diving in La Paz soon and it had been 1.5 years since I last dove. She let me tag along with a class she was teaching. She got all my gear ready for me also from the local dive shop! She buddied me with an other volunteer diver she knew (he was great and very experienced), and made it super easy, safe, and fun! I had so much fun with her, that I ended up diving with her again the next following weekend too! Obviously well connected and well liked, she seems to know everyone around the diving beach in Monterey. Furthermore, she definitely knows the beach, critters, waters, and its dangers very well, and knows how to read the changing conditions so I felt safe diving with her. Super experienced, a great teacher, chill, thoughtful, funny, and kinda like a mama bear...I really enjoyed my time in and out of the water with Idonya! She is a breath of fresh air from the normal bro diving scene, and provides a smaller and much more personalized experience to her dives. I highly recommend her! read more

Idonya was an amazing instructor that helped me feel very safe and comfortable learning underwater skills. I got certified for a diving trip in Belize and the ease and confidence I felt exploring the reefs there was all thanks to her! Added bonus is that she is a pro at spotting and showing you amazing underwater creatures during your ocean dives in Monterey! Such as this well camouflaged little octopus we saw on my second dive read more

I Love Diving - Scuba Diving Near Me

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I came across Idonya on yelps and after reading all the reviews. I made a phone call. Idonya called me right back. She is really proactive, friendly. She worked with my hectic schedule and I love the one on one class and a lot of information and detail. Not only that but she is actively diving that I can just go dive with her especially if you don't have a dive buddy. I know I have her even after the class is over. And Idonya isn't just a dive buddy but she has a lot of experience and you know you will be safe with her. read more

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I did a tremendous amount of research to find a place where they don't crank out scuba divers. I was so excited to find Idonya because not only does she teach you from a personal passion for scuba diving, she also teaches it from a place of respect for the sea life and ocean. I was terrified of open water from having a traumatic incident as a child and Idonya showed me how I am in control and gave me the confidence to be able to tackle anything that might come my way. I always felt that the ocean was my place and conquering my fears with Idonya by my side has allowed me to experience it with full gratitude and enjoyment. I dove the Great Barrier Reef and felt much better prepared than others who had more experience than me. If you want a one sized fits all approach, go elsewhere. If you want a personalized experience and want to join a diving COMMUNITY, Idonya is your gal. read more

Idonya was great! Super knowledgeable + easy going and enthusiastic demeanor = excellent dive instructor. She's also a NAUI instructor, which is the best certifying agency. read more

Idonya is an amazing instructor, she really takes time with her students and work with their skill set and level. She's a real helper for anyone in need. I've seen her help other people's students and random people who were having a hard time. She's full of empathy and extremely knowledgeable. I got my Open Water NAUI certification with her and I'm currently working on my AOW and Nitrox certification. read more

I never would have thought I'd be so comfortable being in the ocean! Idonya has a way of teaching that allowed me to be fully confident in my abilities. She is kind, yet firm. She has high standards of herself and expects her students to have the same. Respect for the ocean and for the safety of everyone. Every time I dive with her, I learn something new. She is a wealth of knowledge and you can tell she really enjoys being a dive instructor. I love her program. We did multiple dive training in a pool, then a weekend in Monterey. Of course the weekend we went, there were large rough waves, but not once did I think it was impossible. Idonya was very clear instructing us on how to enter and exit the water and how to learn the patterns of the waves. It was a great weekend! I highly recommend Idonya. Dive friends have mentioned to me, if you can dive in Monterey, you can dive anywhere in the world! Oh the possibilities Thank you Idonya for making that a reality! Some pictures of things I saw while diving in Monterey with Idonya. read more

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I was on spring break and decided to get a refresher with Idonya. She was super accommodating with my schedule as well as my disability; I am an above knee amputee. Within a few dives (both pool and ocean), I felt more than comfortable diving again. Like many yelpers have previously stated, she's pretty easy going until you need a swift kick to get you back on track again and not do something stupid. She will also introduce you to her crew of misfit divers (not in a negative way) who will keep you diving. I will be going diving again in a few weeks, I can't wait! read more

As many others have already stated, Idonya's dive services are the way to go! She worked with our needs and timeline and I was able to do my dives on the Big Island as planned! I had been certified 20+ years ago and wanted more than a "refresher". I opted to do the full NAUI Open Water Course complete with certification dives in Monterey. I am so glad I did!!! I learned things I NEVER learned the first time around and more than a few things had changed or were updated from my first rodeo too. The experience has me super excited about diving again! I will be back for additional courses and dives with her for sure! Thank you Idonya! read more

I Love Diving - Breakwater, San Carlos Beach, Monterey CA - Scuba Diving Near Me

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Go through Idonya for your diving certification and you will love diving too. I cannot speak highly enough about the quality of her instruction. She gives you a lot of personal attention compared to a dive shop. She goes above and beyond to train her students to competent AND independent. She is just an excellent teacher which is hard to find and her experience inspires confidence. Her communication style is direct and her approach is incremental so that you never feel overwhelmed by lots of new information and challenging skills. She will tell you when you are making a mistake but her humor keeps you from feeling frustrated or flustered. She has many former students of varying certification levels that continue to dive with her which really speaks to her quality as an instructor. I worked one-on-one with Jen, who I am equally impressed by. The quality of the NAUI online material is also great and will be a good reference in the future. I would not hesitate to recommend her for a first -time diver or someone looking to get more advanced certifications. She also plans dive trips both domestically and internationally which I absolutely plan to do. As an added bonus she is very knowledgeable about marine life and does marine restoration as part of her dive trips. read more

I Love Diving is THE way to go if you want to get NAUI SCUBA certified. Idonya is a great instructor, she keeps the mood light when appropriate, but is also serious and direct when necessary. She worked tirelessly to make sure I had all the gear I needed (special sizes, etc.) and even made accommodations for my rickety old back -- she went above and beyond to get me in the water and certified. She kept me on schedule, kept me motivated, and made me feel confident and able when I was questioning my abilities to breathe under water. She has an amazing group of welcoming folks surrounding her -- which is a testament to her character and demonstration of her ability to build community. I can't wait to get back in the ocean with Idonya and her people. read more

I Love Diving - Sea anemone - Scuba Diving Near Me

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Idonya is an awesome teacher. She's down earth and flexible and really goes the extra distance to make sure that you are both safe and prepared for an awesome diving adventure. She has a great sense of humor and wonderful stories and really makes the whole process easy and fun. read more

I Love Diving - 5 ppl getting lunch after dive training. - Scuba Diving Near Me

I Love Diving, is amazing! I have and will continue to recommend it to everyone. Idonya welcomes and prepares you for the very intimidating world of SCUBA diving. She teaches you the habits and practices you need to dive safely and still have fun. I got into SCUBA because my sister wanted to get certified, and it hadn't crossed my mind before. Now we're both hooked thanks to our positive experiences with Idonya. We are working with her on our Advanced Open Water and Nitrox certifications with Idonya. More in-depth reasons why you should go with I Love Diving: We received her recommendation from a female-centered FB group; the difference in teaching styles and behaviors is significantly different from the dive shop close to us (8ish min). Our class with her was my sister, her friend and me instead of another 6 students. Our having her undivided attention and knowledge from experience helped enforce our safe diving habits and appease our open ocean anxiety/fears. She is extremely knowledgeable about wildlife and will answer all your questions. She has fostered a greater appreciation and interest in our ocean and prompted me to make more changes of my own volition from what I have learned. read more

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idonya is awesome! I saw her and her crew getting ready to go for a dive in Monterey and asked if I could tag along, even though my diving skills were really rusty. She welcomed me to join. Despite me basically having to relearn everything on the spot Idonya helped me out and made me feel really comfortable on the dive. She is a wealth of knowledge and an awesome teacher. For anyone thinking about getting started in diving I would highly recommend getting trained by her. You won't regret it. read more

I had the most incredible experience this summer with Idonya and her team! Two friends and I got the wild idea to get scuba certified as we headed to Australia and explore the Great Barrier Reef. We had very little time, three different schedules, and varying comfortability. Before even committing to anything, Idonya came to us and sat down to pencil out our schedule; creating a tailormade plan. I called a few different places and no one could accommodate us with the flexibility and easy Idonya had. As we were within our pool sessions Idonya was clear, beyond knowledgeable, assuring, simplified concepts, all while cracking us up the whole time! Her confidence, knowledge, and humor put us at easy, encouraged the information to stick, and allowed us to be successful in a variety of situations over the summer. By the end of our lessons I think we have a list of inside jokes to last us a lifetime. Our experience as we went to test our skills in Monterey was also great. With the water conditions being pretty clowdy we were partnered with other experienced divers in addition to Idonya, to the point where it felt like we had three teachers and coaches along the way. We felt very held and supported through our open water sessions. It didn't just feel like we were in a class but like we found a community. As we headed off to Australia and much better water conditions we felt knowledgeable, prepared, and even laughed along the way as we referenced Idonya's jokes! Highly recommend - great experience, flexible schedule, left feeling prepared, and connected to a new passionate community. read more

I Love Diving - Mal on the GBR. Thanks Idonya! - Scuba Diving Near Me

Idonya is a fantastic instructor and a great friend. She provides more than just diving instructions; she provides a community and also has various diving trips throughout the year that you can join. I met her a few years ago to do a refresher course; I was impressed with the quality of instruction, her personality, and overall experience. She is kind and has many students/friends who continue to dive with her (myself included). Highly recommend, you won't be disappointed. read more

I just completed my NAUI Open Water scuba certification under Idonya's tutelage. She's very organized and accommodating!! We were able to schedule three 3-hour pool visits during intervals that worked with my schedule. She managed all of the equipment flawlessly. And she communicated quickly with updates, changes, etc. She even allowed me to try one size bootie and exchange for another after realized I got too large of a size (dive shops would not be as accommodating). Her instruction was invaluable. I received 1:1 equipment lectures, 1:1 pool time and 1:1 ocean time. I really lucked out to have her full attention. Idonya is personable, knows everyone and wants to help. The best part of my experience was her personality. She's quick to laugh, is perceptive, and genuinely wants to be of service. She has even been open to helping me with future questions. I can't recommend her enough!!!! read more

I did an Egypt tour and liveaboard this summer and it was fantastic! Great experience on both land and boat. Land accommodations were great, travel guides and sites amazing. The liveaboard was great. Thinking of going from snorkeling to diving. The boat the staff the food!! My experience was amazing! Can't wait for another adventure with Idonya! read more

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Very happy we found Idonya to help us break the ice - so to speak - locally in the Bay Area for snorkeling before we traveled to Hawaii to see amazing marine life. We appreciated Idonya's dedication to marine education in Monterey, her quick start lesson in the water, and that as a result we were ready to enjoy our free dive and snorkeling in Hawaii! Thanks Idonya! read more

I Love Diving - Diving! - Scuba Diving Near Me

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Incredibly flexible, fantastic knowledgeable and thorough teacher. Highly recommend!!

Thinking about learning to dive? DO IT! NOW! And work with the best instructor in the Bay Area - Idonya!! When you work with Idonya, you join a community of like-minded divers who care about the sea, the life in it and each other! And you have a diving coach and dive travel advisor for life!! Idonya loves to teach and help her students become the best divers they can be. She is an amazing teacher above and below the surface. She'll take you as far as you want to go as will her "crew" of former students. You'll always be safe, in great hands, and you'll spend the rest of your diving career learning about and deeply appreciating the source of ALL life on earth, the sea. And best of all you'll do it with a group of people who care about it just like you. Do it NOW and don't look back! Idonya will tailor a course and pace that works for you and your friends or family members. She's great with kids and a very patient teacher who can adapt the pace to suit you, your comfort level and will always keep safety first. Go discover the magic that lies just under the surface and which so few people ever get to appreciate in all its majesty. You won't regret it! read more

My husband and I were getting certified for our Hawaii trip. Idonya was very patient and made sure I'm comfortable with my skills before getting certified in the open water (especially I have fear with open water). We practiced our skills in the pool and Idonya adjusted the class schedule depends on our progress. It took us 2 days to certify in Monterrey ( Day 1 - skill test, Day 2 - navigation & fun dive). Highly recommend Idonya! read more

I Love Diving - Scuba Diving Near Me

Idonya rules! Great one on one instruction and she's a bad ass! Give her a call. Experience the ocean from below :) read more

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Amazing friendly and Loving people. This is the place to do Scuba for first timers or beginners.

Diving with Idonya was more like finding family and community than buying lessons from a business. From the beginning her passion and knowledge were clear, and her absolute belief and enthusiasm that everyone can do this, and that she can help you. As a fat person, it was an incredible gift to find someone who know what would and would not fit my body, and who was willing to work to ensure I had the right gear. I've dove in a number of places and not had this kind of support. Our dives were challenge by choice. The instruction was individual and specific. I felt mentored, encouraged and supported, and I saw things I have never seen before. I'll be back. read more

My two sons certified with Idonya in early 2020 which was an engaging process and I'd say more comprehensive training than my daughters and others had taken previously. Now after 40+ dives around the world, I continue to be grateful for the strong training, confidence in the equipment, and excitement for diving that both of my boys have demonstrated in various conditions: cold water, deep wrecks, strong currents, night dives, other. Both have gone on to Advanced level now. I share this four years later in gratitude for the fantastic start that Idonya gave to my sons in the extraordinary world of scuba diving. (and wonderful person to work with!) Outstanding teacher! read more

Idonya, more like why don't ya! If you want to get any sort of scuba diving certification this is the best place for you. Idonya doesn't hold back and made sure by the time I went from the swimming pool to the ocean, I was easily floating around like a manatee. Cant recommend I Love Diving enough, and definitely look forward to diving more with Idonya in the near future! read more

TLDR; Idonya is the best thing to happen to you if you want to be a diver. Whether you're looking to get your open water certification, want to do a refresher or learn the specifics of diving in (cold) Bay Area conditions, or advance your knowledge with higher level certifications, Idonya is an amazing resource. She is not just an incredible instructor but an incredible person. The two things about her that stand out the most to me: 1. She is always attuned to and looking out for the needs of everyone around her. Safety is of utmost importance with her and whether you are a current student, former student, or random person on the beach, if she sees you are in need of help she is the first person to jump in. When you're a part of her dive group, she is always checking up and making sure you're ok. Her ability to sense the unique needs of all the different people around her is an invaluable skill as an instructor. 2. She is not just an instructor but a center of community. I got my open water certification with a PADI instructor on a vacation, and hadn't dove again until years later when my partner was certified with Idonya. Despite me not being her student and being a beginner I was quickly swept up into being a part of her diving group and even was able to join her group trip to Bonaire. The people I have met through diving with her have been exceptionally warm, open, and helpful and all the surface time spent with them has made my experience of diving so much richer. This brings me to the trips! My first one to Bonaire was unbelievable. I was nervous about traveling with such a large group (17 people) but I have never had more fun on a trip in my life. Idonya does a ton of work to make sure everything is well organized and smooth. It takes so much of the stressful part out of vacationing because you just have to show up, dive, and have fun. In addition to just being a damn good time, the trips are an incredible way to advance your skill as a new diver. The opportunity to dive back to back to back repeatedly over the course of a week grew my confidence so quickly and I felt transformed by the end. I can't wait for the next one! In summary, just give her a call. She's one of the coolest people ever and you won't regret it. read more

I Love Diving - Coral reef in Bonaire! - Scuba Diving Near Me

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Diving is crazy and I would not try it. But my young daughter insist on getting certified. Idonya was recommended as a teacher who is great with kids and she was really fantastic! Her method was very effective and lessons always with very few students or private so every minute of the lesson counts. Her experience, expertise and strong but gentle character instantly built a trust that the parents need to let their KID SLOWLY SINK AND DISAPPEAR FOR AT LEAST 30 MINUTES TO THE DARK COLD OCEAN WITH SHARKS! 5 stars. read more

I found Idonya on Yelp and signed up with a couple of my friends to get open water certification. She was very flexible during the process and worked with our schedules. She was helpful in getting me comfortable with deep water and the gears. She is also willing to provide additional lessons if your progress is a little behind or not yet comfortable with open water. Besides the diving skills, she also gave a little conservation lesson on the marine life in Monterey. I am now confident in open water and have done ~10 dives already after receiving my certification! read more

I couldn't have asked for a better scuba instructor than Idonya. She's professional, supportive, and easy to talk to. In addition, my son and I had reservations at a Mexican dive resort that had a fire two days before our trip and couldn't accommodate us. I asked Idonya if she had any recommendations and she totally set us up with a great dive shop in La Paz with names and introductions that made our trip seamless. Thanks, Idonya! Highly recommended read more

I Love Diving - Me and Jacques chillin' in La Paz - Scuba Diving Near Me

I found Idonya on Yelp when I was looking to get my Scuba certification before a vacation. Given the semi-private lessons, I thought her rates were very reasonable. I'm glad I decided to learn from her; I had a great experience! She was able to work around my schedule and my timeline to get me certified by my trip. I felt well trained to be safe and have fun under water. In fact, the dive master who took me out on my vacation said: "I like the way you dive; you must have had a great instructor"! Idonya has built a great Bay Area dive community, and I hope to go diving with them again in the future. I love my new hobby!! read more

Idonya is a phenomenal diving instructor (and an A+ person!)! After dragging my feet for over a year, I had just over a month to get scuba certified so that I could go diving with my girlfriend for her birthday. Not only did Idonya work with me to ensure that I met that deadline, but she also invited my girlfriend and her dad on my qualifying dive. Idonya is the perfect instructor -- encouraging, informative, but never condescending. (She makes sure you know what you're doing and then lets you prove it to yourself through repetition so that you trust yourself when you dive in Monterey.) Further, Idonya doesn't simply teach you how to dive safely -- she teaches you how to be a scuba diver. I could not recommend Idonya more highly; her excitement and love of diving is simply infectious. I encourage anyone thinking about getting certified to give her a call! read more

Great experience joining Idonya dive trip to Bonaire last late Spring 2019. Trip was well planned, plenty of opportunities to dive off boats, beaches and resorts. Pretty much unlimited diving for all. Endless fun, plenty of time free to explore the islands beautiful scenery and fantastic restaurants. I highly recommend Idonya as an instructor whom is patient, compassionate and highly skilled, but also her phenomenal guided dive trips. read more

I Love Diving - Bonaire diving trip with "I love diving" instructor Idonya Pinckney. Team is exploring the coral reef off of Buddy Dive Resort. - Scuba Diving Near Me

1,000% recommend! Idonya is a top notch instructor for all ages. She puts safety first and is very level headed and experienced. She will help you build confidence in your diving no matter what level you're at. If you are struggling (like me) she will work with you until you get it. She is part of a massive scuba community so when you connect with her, you're connected worldwide. She an awesome person and takes her responsibility very seriously. You will not be disappointed! read more