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.

California Diving Academy offers an amazing diving program with professional coaching and a clear,…read morewell-run structure. My daughter started at age 9, and under Coach Eric's guidance, she has quickly improved in both diving and life skills like confidence, focus, and teamwork. CDA stands out because it combines high-level training with strong character development. Younger kids learn from older teammates in a positive, respectful environment. The whole community is supportive, and the kids truly thrive. Coach Eric is very experienced and always gives clear, personalized feedback. He's great at explaining things to both kids and parents. Whether it's in the water or Dryland, he's always focused and encouraging. The facility is fully equipped, and the flexible schedule is a big plus for families. If your child wants to compete at a high level, or just enjoy diving in a caring place, CDA is the best in the Bay Area. Highly recommend!

My 16 year old daughter started diving at California Diving Academy this past summer and it has…read morebeen an outstanding experience. She was an avid gymnast for the past ten years. On vacation last summer, her aunt (a former D1 diver) showed her some dives and suggested she just "try" diving. They looked online, found Cal Diving Academy, and sent an e-mail. Coach Eric called my daughter that afternoon to tell her about the program and suggested she come in the following week just to try it out. My daughter did not intend to switch sports then and there, but she loved diving and everything about Cal Diving Academy. From day one, the coaches and the other divers have been welcoming, friendly, and inclusive. The coaching has been incredible. Her diving is beautiful and she has learned so much. More importantly, the coaches show incredible kindness, compassion, and are very attentive to the whole athlete. Guiding them gently through fears and getting to know them as people. I am so grateful that my daughter found coach Eric and Cal Diving Academy. She is a happier person having found this new home away from home.

I had such a great experience diving with Idonya in Bonaire. She is vibrant, responsible, and an…read moreexceptional dive professional. She handles challenging situations with confidence, keeps everything running smoothly, and takes great care of everyone in the group. Just one friendly warning--she can be a little sassy and spicy! But that's part of her charm and makes diving with her even more fun!

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.

I did my open water, refresher, and advanced scuba courses with Harbor Dive and it was fantastic…read more SHOP The staff at the shop are very knowledgeable and can literally answer any question you have. They also have high end equipment for sale and rent. I ended up buying my Suunto D5 dive watch here that I can't stop wearing! I bought all my personal gear here and very happy with it. I have always rented the rest of the gear and they have worked great for me. You can tell that their equipment is well taken care of hence why I keep getting my gear from here. COURSES Michael was the instructor for all my courses and always went above and beyond to make sure you were confident and SAFE in the water. He answers any questions you have and you can tell he has a lot of knowledge and experience about diving that he shares. It was also nice to know that you were diving with a PRO/S. ADVANCED OPEN WATER The courses were always well organized from start to finish. You knew what you were doing for each hour of the day give and take some delays. This information was provided to you prior to the course as PDF. I did my advanced course at San Carlos Beach, Monterey. The day starts at 7 AM and by the time you get there, Michael and staff have already began setting up a big green tent that you cannot miss from the water. They even brought coolers full of food, snacks, and drinks! There are also scuba shops and restaurants within walking distance that you can get to. By 8 AM you are expected to be suited up and have already come up with a dive plan, which the instructor goes over with the group. This dive plan happened every time before every dive ensuring that everyone was in sync. When everyone is in the water, you gather at one spot on the surface and then we all descend together keeping the group together. This was the same when we were in the water, we were a school of divers following the instructors until we ascended. Of course during the navigation dive we were expected to navigate a square leading us back to our starting point with our dive buddy. This was a great learning experience. There was also an extra instructor that hovered around us which was nice. 2 instructors for 6 people. The five dives that we did were the performance buoyancy, deep dive, multi level, navigation, and fish identification dive. Overall it's always enjoyable diving with Michael and Harbor Dive staff and look forward to doing more dives with them. I would highly recommend to anyone!

I received my Open Water certification in 2012 with Harbor Dive in Monterey. In January, I decided…read moreto do a Refresher after a period not diving. My experience was even better the second time around! The assistance from Michael and Nina was great. They were knowledgeable and courteous. At the pool, the instructor was polite and proficient and helped me to get reacquainted with the gear and the basic skills that are necessary to know in order to dive safely. I enjoyed being in the water again so much, that after the class I went back to the shop and ask about fun dives and other possible classes. I spoke with Michael, and his passion for diving reminded me just how much I have missed it! I decided to sign up for the Advanced Open Water class for the following weekend before I left. In Monterey, conditions can be challenging but for me that is part of the fun. Michael was the Instructor for my Advanced class. It had been several years since I dove Monterey, so I was a little nervous. He was helpful, totally professional and patient. Monterey is not warm water diving like Mexico or the Bahamas, or even Hawaii. Safety is his Number 1 priority, so it is absolutely necessary to listen and follow all instructions and to ask for help if you need it. And... IT WAS AMAZING!!! Up next, Dry Suit certification!

I was certified at Marin diving center years ago, great experience great staff. Just stopped by to…read morebuy a T-shirt. Great prices and a great way to advertise for them. Thanks Marin diving center.

I bought two preowned steel tanks here. Jon, the owner, was responsive to my questions over texts…read more He was friendly when I met him at the store. He even pointed out that my Octo was missing an exhaust cover, and offered to mail me the part as I live in the Bay Area. I got the part a week later in the mail, while other dive shops couldn't order one for me. I would definitely go back when I'm in the area or consider signing up a friend for a PADI course.

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

My daughter and I had a wonderful experience getting our open-water certification. Over the last…read moretwo weeks, we were supported by three wonderful instructors. Each of the instructors knew what they were doing and each took time to work with us during the course and program. In every interaction, they were friendly, patient, and professional. I could not have asked for more and I know that my daughter and I are both so happy that we got to have this remarkable experience with such a fine group of people. I hope to see them all on a future dive! Thank you!!!!

Sonoma Coast Divers is where I got my initial Open Water Scuba certification and I liked them…read moreenough that I stuck with them for nearly a dozen other Scuba related certifications over the years. The instructors, dive guides, and retail employees are all super friendly and knowledgeable. They all love diving and it's great to just go in and talk shop with them from time to time. I've had several instructors teaching various courses and while personalities and teaching styles vary, they were all very professional and safety focused. They'll answer questions, give examples and advice...in general they'll do anything they can to make you a better diver. I've referred several people to them and pretty much everyone I've sent has come back reporting that they really enjoyed their experience also. Only downsides: 1) They don't service Scubapro equipment, so I have to take my regulator elsewhere 2) Closed Sundays If you're looking for a local dive shop, or if you've never dived and want to experience it, I highly recommend Sonoma Coast Divers!