I didn't know what to expect from the folks at Open Water Adventures, to be honest. When you go into a dive shop, you can get anywhere from seasoned expert to hobbyist trying to make a quick buck. Open Water Adventures in Charlotte is definitely the former. Joe, who I'm learning now is the owner, gave me his cell number so we could stay in contact about my upcoming trip to the Galapagos Islands--a destination he's visited six times, if memory serves. He wants to put me in touch with his contacts there for tours, lodging, the works. That's the kind of out-of-the-ordinary service I wouldn't have expected but received anyway. Honestly, everyone in the place was outstanding. I made my appointment and paid with Marcela, did paperwork with Meghan, and trained with Anthony (Li'l Momoa) for my diving refresher course. Things were a little harried at first, but I didn't think I'd be able to finish this course in a couple of hours, so I cleared my schedule. As usual, it's a question of expectation vs. delivery. I think the quality of equipment, expertise, and instruction are well worth the time spent making sure ducks were in a row and all was prepared exactly right. Safety comes first--diving is a fun time, but it carries its share of dangers. Learning how to avoid them isn't something I'd prefer rushed. I want to know it all very well before I go giant striding into open water. Diving isn't a cheap pastime. But it's one that will be incredibly rewarding if preparation and equipment are in order. And I feel as though Open Water Adventures knows that and puts it into practice. read more

Open Water Adventures - Me, Li'l Momoa (Anthony), and Julie. We're gettin' our skillz all nice and SHARP. - Scuba Diving Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

Did a refresher course with Dillon and this Dive Shop is FANTASTIC! They really do make the effort to go the extra mile - and Dillon gave a GREAT refresher for me (out of water 16 years) and was incredibly patient, never rushed and focused immensely on safety. I'd return here for any dive needs in a heartbeat. Clean shop, heated pool, all staff was professional & friendly! read more

Joe Gaydeski and his staff are absolutely amazing. My scuba journey began as a gift from my wife. She knew my passion for diving and as a gift ,she purchased lesson at OWA. In the beginning, she researched local dive shops and talked to a close friend regarding the best place to teach Scuba Lessons. She found OWA to be the best choice for certification. OWA was highly recommended by her friends and she purchased dive lessons as my Christmas present. As I began my lessons in March 2020, I was amazed at the hands-on approach of Joe and his team.They assured myself and the class would be prepared for not only being certified but aware of risks associated with diving. This approach made me more confident in the underwater adventures that lied ahead. As I completed my written exam and set forth for in the open water portion of my certification, my wife was able to attend. She witnessed the compassion and detail of the instructors in completing the necessary open water dive skills. Once I became certified, we both commented on the leadership of Joe and his staff. I feel I not only became certified but, gained friendships in my new world of diving. Joe has 30 years of experience in diving and his staff are also very knowledgeable and are not afraid to ask question if they don't know the answer. Thank you Joe and Staff, Adrian and Jodi Hill read more

Great facility, friendly staff, but communication is very lacking. A dive shop sells fun, so it basically sells it self, but when you don't keep appointments, never call with cost estimates for servicing gear etc, what you end up with is frustration, wasted trips, and more $ spent than you may have wanted to spend. This shop is very close to my house so I will probably get tank fills here, but my kids training and gear from now on will be at another shop. read more

Husband review time: I went here looking for some gear and a place to get Wifey trained up to SCUBA with me. The staff is so helpful, they will spend as long as it takes to answer all sorts of questions. They have flexible courses where you can on your own schedule (and working with your instructor) come in when you have the time, weekends too. You can get an individual experience (costs a bit more) or be in a small class of 4 people. You won't feel rushed as 12 people around you zip past you and leave you wondering why you aren't learning as fast. The selection is modest, that is the biggest drawback here. Plenty of quality gear but nothing compared to those cavernous places you find at major dive hot spots. The prices are reasonable and they have some discounts if you get your full kit here. My favorite thing is that this is SSI and not PADI - although PADI is more numerous I like how SSI has more educational requirements and you get a better understanding of SCUBA. I will have an update as soon as I take Wifey to this place. She can't make it because on weekdays it closes at 6PM and she can't even get home from work in time. That is a drawback. Another issue not their fault is all the construction on the road out to this place. It is out of the way and a long drive. The construction slows things down and you have to drive a long ways to get a nice spot to turn around because the road is divided. read more

Open Water Adventures - Learning SCUBA. - Scuba Diving Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

This place is cute. My 3 year old is taking swim classes and I like that it's a small class; only 3 students to 1 instructor. When one kid is with the instructor in the water, the other two are touching a colored pad at the edge of the pool. My baby is a bit antsy, so they are allowed to splash a bit while they are waiting. But it would be nice if the instructor maybe gave them some direction while they wait; like hold on to the edge and kick your legs or practice doggy paddling. And he could demonstrate this. Maybe he does and they don't follow? Iono. I'm in a waiting room for parents. This is her second class and my first time taking her but she enjoys it. She's not scared of the water. In fact she lives the water. So all in all it's good for my baby. I'm sure technique will come later. read more

I left a review in March 2022 after I had an horrible experience with Open Water Adventure. You are welcome to see my first review. I honestly didn't think it would get much worse but it did in a huge way. I finished my Open Water course in March and just needed to get my referral from them. I completed all the online modules, 5 in person classes, 5 pool sessions and passing the exam. When I requested my referral to do my check out dives. The owner refused to issue my referral despite the fact that I have earned it. He was upset that I didn't purchased my equipment with them. He told me that I wasted his staffs time and I would learn about wasting peoples time. I was devastated that all my hard work was being stopped by the owner. He said "I shouldn't have allowed people like you in my pool". I am a person of color and was very offended by his statement. I ended up having to contact SSI to get my referral. I am happy to say that I have completed my scuba diving certification with another school. My experience was so much better and I am about to finish my Advanced Certification. This had nothing to do with my diving skills as the owner never actually seen me in the water. The owner denying me of my referral had nothing to do with my skills. He was just being ugly to me for no reason. The worst part, Open Water Adventure tried to stop me from being certified. The owner tried to stole my joy of diving by complicating it with greed and personal biases. The owner abused his authority by not giving me my referral. I love the water and was excited about being a certified scuba diver. It is unfortunate that this school tried to kill my spirit and abuse their Authority. read more

Took up scuba diving via the encouragement of a close friend. Fast forward 10 years later I decided to give it a try! I fell in love with it Day 1. Zan my dive instructer was and remains the best. He was very knowledgeable and patient. During our check out dives to Florida we had the opportunity to snorkel with manatee and dive in some really cool sink holes. 1) Blue Grotto and 2) Devil's Den. Not to mention I meet some great people and made new friends. I highly recommend this great group of people. Zan, Joe, Chris, John and the rest of the staff are top notch. If you want to learn how to dive this is your dive home. For a nominal fee they will gear you up and let you try it out to see if it's truly for you, but trust me once you start you can't stop. Doug T (now certified openwater diver) read more

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They are very friendly here. Everything is a price premium - you will easily pay twice as much if not more to get certified (just the course is double, let alone the open water dives). The shop doesn't have much variety when it comes to gear and it is nearly impossible to find a price on anything. You have to spend a lot of time asking about prices - here is a tip: they are higher than online. The people couldn't be nicer but I don't know if I make enough to support the pricing here. This gear can become very expensive very fast. read more

I've just returned from the intro "try scuba" class ($50). If you are on the fence or don't know what to expect about a certification this is perfect. We spent about half the time learning our gear and getting fitting outside the pool and half the time swimming around. The class was just myself and my husband, not sure if others were larger. The personal attention was impeccable. I was set at ease as we progressed from 4ft to 6ft to eventually 15ft. This was a gentle intro to what can feel very overwhelming. Our instructor was patient, knowledgeable and kind. The hot showers in the locker room made the visit in winter a lot more comfortable read more

Best scuba shop I've been to! Joe, the owner, keeps the shop extremely clean, is very knowledgeable, and has been in business for 30 years! Awesome on site indoor pool and great service techs. read more

This is s great place to get scuba certified and buy quality equipment. My husband and I originally signed up at another dive shop but had nothing but trouble getting scheduled, taking the course online, and finally decided that it didn't bode well for the dive training experience and so cancelled. Exactly the opposite experience at OWA. The staff were friendly and responsive and answered all our questions. We could tell right away that they were knowledgeable and would make sure we were well- trained. John H. was our trainer/teacher and did a great job. Just before the trip I got nervous and Joe (the owner) got in the pool with me and we worked on it until I was ready. OWA is committed to training safe divers and making sure people have a good experience. We are on our way back from our open water and night dive certifications in Florida and can't say enough good things about Joe, Chris, John and the OWA staff! Looking forward to a trip with them in July! read more

Just got back from the annual 4th of July West Palm Beach trip. It was fantastic. The shop they partner with in FL (Pirates Paradise) is friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. The OWA crew (Joe, Heather, Dillon and Alex) are great hosts and work to keep the agenda full so there is never a dull moment with great restaurant outings planned or great suggestions if you want to eat on your own. Over the past several years my family and I have been diving all over the Caribbean and the marine life in WPB tops them all. Accommodations at the Marriott were equally nice, comfortable rooms with big beds (2 Kings) and heated pool and whirlpool. Best deal going if you want to dive a great site and not risk flying. I've held my professional diving certification for nearly 25 years and have been diving all over the world and can tell you Joe and his crew know their stuff. read more

Great shop, great instructors, personal service, and a commitment to doing what ever it takes for their patrons!! I run a local business and have high expectations for service and details. Joe and Heather put in the extra time to ensure their customers are totally happy and satisfied. Highly recommend this shop for any divers in the area looking for instruction, equipment, excursions, or any other dive related needs. You won't be disappointed. read more

I called Open Water Adventures to see about a lesson in their pool to learn how to use our equipment (bought online) and was told that even though I got certified there years ago, they wouldn't allow practice on any equipment that wasn't bought through them. Not a great business practice in an industry which elsewhere embraces cooperation and safety. read more

Nicely-equipped shop, but Joe, the owner, is out for the bucks. 'Nuff said.

If you are looking for a good quality dive shop in/near Charlotte, this is your place. Good people and a very nice facility, including a great pool built for training. I have shops closer to my home, but the drive is worth my time. The prices are in line, and staff will get you what you really need (not what they need to sell). Highly recommend checking OWA out if looking to get certified, get equipment serviced, or buy new gear. read more

Best dive shop around! I moved away but still choose to dive with and recommend OWA because of their great customer service, focus on safety and knowledgeable staff. Highly recommend! read more

Well equiped shop and great personal service. I took swimming lessens prior to the OpenWater Scuba Certification Class and my swim instructor was GREAT! I attended the OpenWater Scuba Certification Class with a relative and the Instructors were Great and they made the class very interesting. The Florida checkout/certification was fun and exciting. Once back home we had questions on the QR code and transcribing our paper logbook to the SSI app. and wanted to see the pictures from the Florida checkout which the owner took. Sent several voice mails and texts to the own with no, and I repeat no, response. Also asked the folks in the shop and they said the owner was the only one that could answer our questions. So we sent other voice mails and text with no response. Not a good way to end a Great experience. read more

I can't say enough good things about this place! Joe, Heather, and their staff are amazing- so knowledgable, encouraging, patient and fun!! I can't imagine a better place to get scuba certified. Thanks guys for an awesome experience ! read more

The absolute best place to go to if you are looking for any gear and/or certifications. Joe and OWA staff really care about you and are willing to work with you to fit your schedule and until you are completely comfortable. Also, all of the staff is extremely knowledgable and have tons of experience- so you always feel safe in the water. I can't wait to continue working with OWA in the future! read more

I am currently in the process of getting my SSI open water diver certification from Open Water Adventures. I have thoroughly enjoyed the classes so far. These people are professionals to the core. The atmosphere is always great and their equipment is top of the line. My instructor is John Humphries. He is a delightful man. He taught me all the skills in a fun and easy way. He always places a great emphasis on safety which is nice. John always made the classroom and pool sessions fun. He gives individual attention to each student. OWA guarantees equipment fit so if you buy something and it does not fit they will exchange it. I am going to Blue stone next week for my check out dives. I highly recommend OWA to anyone looking to get into scuba diving read more

This year I got my SSI scuba certification at Open Water Adventures. I was impressed by how flexible OWA was with me! I was working on a very tight timeframe, attempting to get certified while planning my wedding... in time to go diving on my honeymoon. All of my experiences with OWA were great. The first day I visited I got some great gear. The staff in the dive shop were extremely knowledgeable about the gear but never pushy. I took private lessons from Randall Hannah, and could not imagine getting better training. Randall gave me plenty of time and personal attention so that I could master the skills and feel comfortable as a brand new diver. All things considered, I think I got certified in about one month - that includes all my pool and classroom time and my two check-out dives at a local NC rock quarry. Again, I was impressed with OWA's willingness to work with me to ensure that I would be ready for some amazing dives during my honeymoon. They worked to fit all of my requirements into my busy schedule... and I had a great time doing it! read more

Very nice people and very helpful. I tell everyone I talk to to go see these people before they go to any other dive shop.