Cruise & Snorkel on a 1.5-Hour Waikīkī Private Charter

UPDATE: Came back to Ocean Therapy Scuba, completing my PADI Advanced Open Water, Nitrox, and DPV certifications, and man, what an experience! I originally got my Open Water certification with these guys, came back for a few fun dives, and knew exactly where I wanted to go for my next certifications. Huge shoutout to Instructor Dan! The guy is incredibly knowledgeable, patient, easygoing, and genuinely makes learning fun. His briefings gave me serious Disney Jungle Cruise skipper vibes, informative but with plenty of laughs along the way. What I appreciated most was that he actually took the time to see how we dived before jumping into the training. He noticed some issues with my trim and buoyancy, made a few simple corrections underwater, and the difference was night and day. That’s a damn good instructor. Over the three days, we explored Turtle Canyon, Kewalo Pipe, Horseshoe Reef, Rojo Reef, Secrets, and Sea Tiger. Every site was awesome in its own way. Spotted eagle rays, octopuses, massive sea cucumbers, colourful fish everywhere, and even a couple of sharks just sleeping and minding their business. Sea Tiger was easily one of my favourites. Swimming alongside an actual shipwreck and seeing just how massive it is underwater was unreal. I was so excited seeing everything that I’m pretty sure I burned through my air faster than usual! The boat is another huge plus. Comfortable, clean, plenty of room for your gear, and only six divers, so you’re not crammed onto some massive boat. The whole experience feels relaxed and personal. Big thanks to Instructor Dan, Captain Bailey, and Captain Alex for an awesome three days. Great people, great diving, and an experience that makes you want to keep coming back. Started here as a brand-new diver, and now I’m Advanced Open Water certified with Nitrox and DPV under my belt. Already looking forward to what’s next! If you’re thinking about getting certified or just want an incredible day of diving in Oahu, these are your people. 🤙🤿 Previous review- I had a really solid experience getting my PADI Open Water certification with Ocean Therapy Scuba. Everything was organized, chill, and down to earth from the start. We started in the pool going over the basics before heading out for the actual dives, which made getting into the ocean feel a lot more natural. Roger was my PADI instructor and worked with our group of three, all at different comfort levels, and did a great job getting everyone on the same page by the end. I definitely had a couple rookie moments too. At one point I mixed up the inflate and deflate buttons and surfaced when I wasn’t trying to. Luckily we were in shallow water, but they used it as a good teaching moment about getting comfortable with your gear and why controlled ascents matter. I also had trouble equalizing my ears on the way down, and they showed me a few different ways to work through it without rushing me. They covered everything you’d want to know starting out, from setting up and breaking down your gear to buddy checks, underwater communication, safety, and handling different situations. The gear was modern and in great shape, and if something didn’t fit right, they adjusted it or swapped it out. Amanda was our captain and she was really cool. The boat itself was really nice, comfortable, and easy to move around on. Getting in and out of the water was smooth, and the whole atmosphere was laid back. The dives were great and easily the best part. The most time consuming part was honestly just the online coursework beforehand. It wasn’t hard, it just takes some time. Once that’s done, the pool and ocean portion is where everything really starts to click. Overall, I’m really glad I went with Ocean Therapy Scuba. Good people, solid instruction, good gear, a nice boat, and great dives. I finished the course feeling comfortable with what I learned and ready to keep diving. Definitely a solid place to get your Open Water certification in Hawaiʻi.

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