Bespoke scuba lesson client diving at fantasy reef in Oahu Hawaii
Matt Zimmerman

Bespoke Scuba Lessons

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Bespoke Scuba Lessons

If you are looking for normal semi private 2 day scuba lesson, this is not the right page.  Go here.

Bespoke scuba lessons are available for anyone willing to invest in their new hobby by purchasing equipment.  However, if you have not yet done your first dive, the process will begin with a pool session and an open-water dive.  Executive-level private try dive instruction is $500.  Further training costs are reduced by this amount.

the kinds of people bespoke scuba diving lessons graduates meetCost of Bespoke Scuba Lessons

$1500 plus $750 per extra person in your private group.  Too much? Follow this link for no-purchase training starting at $595.  Bespoke lessons with 5 boat charters and private training are actually less expensive than retail. You are leveraging your equipment purchase with us.

Each client will purchase, at MSRP, a full set of scuba equipment with a minimum value of $3000.  This is not hard to achieve with a quality equipment purchase.  You will be advised in that purchase by your private instructor who will guide your purchases to fit the kind of diver you intend to be.  All set up of the equipment, and training in its use will be an integral part of your growth as a diver.  Scubapro, Aqualung, Oceanic, Mares, and Garmin, are some of the brands we deal with.

What is included in bespoke scuba lessons?

  • all private instruction
  • as much pool time as needed – your pool or ours
  • training in the use of YOUR new equipment
  • up to 5 boat charters – 10 dives (only 2 charters are required, the rest is our investment in your development)
  • Nitrox training (every diver should have this)

Who will be my private scuba instructor?

You may choose your staff member if you have met someone you admire.  Otherwise, our general manager will speak with you about your needs and we will assign one of our most experienced instructors.  Of course, you may change instructors if you wish.  It does not escape our notice that clients that are requesting this service are excellent customers, we will put you with our best, and OUR best are pretty awesome because they are all great.  If you would like to be trained by the owner, Dr. Matthew Zimmerman, it will need to be coordinated with the international dive trip schedule.

What will the schedule look like?

That is really up to you withing the constraints of the requirements.  Your private instructor is a working professional so you will need to be respectful of their time and not cancel last minute on them (reasonable emergencies excepted), but basically, you can decide on the schedule. Once and instructor is assigned and you have an idea of time required, the two of you can make a bespoke schedule.

You will have your private instructor on the water with you on regularly scheduled boat charters.  Private charters would incur an additional cost ($500 off the $1700 normal rate).  Equipment setup can occur in your home or at the shop (the shop would be better equipped to deal with any adjustments, it is also stocked with accessories you may find that you need/want).  The pool is yours or ours, whenever is convenient for you.  Your instructor is available for up to 5 2 tank boat charters and unlimited pool time.  Boats depart twice daily 7 days a week, so scheduling those is not an issue.

What certifications will I earn with bespoke scuba lessons?

Lifetime Open Water Certification is the primary certification you will earn.  If you have that already we will advance your ratings from where you are currently.

You will also earn a Nitrox certification.  Next, we will be spending a lot of time on buoyancy control. Enough to earn the Perfect Buoyancy rating as well.  Part of the dive education you will receive includes the difference between the two types of Advanced ratings. You will earn one or be on the way to the other, your choice.  Earn additional ratings at a small cost.

What’s next?

Many people come to us with a trip somewhere already booked and they want to dive when they get there.  Bespoke scuba lessons training will prepare you for that.

If you want personalized travel advice related to scuba diving we will put you in touch with the owner, Matthew Zimmerman, who runs the international dive travel program.  You can just get advice on where to go, or you can join a group trip.

Get started!

Send an email to info@islanddivershawaii.com and mention you are interested in bespoke scuba lessons.  That will start the private instruction and guided equipment purchase process.

 

 

Manolo Cabasal

It just comes naturally…

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Today on the Sea Fox, we had a large group of Discover SCUBA Divers, students finishing their Open Water, and SCUBA Refreshers. The conditions were spectacular as usual in Oahu, 60-80 ft viz at both Koko Craters and Pa’a’awa with mild surge and current.

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A whole HOST of aquatic animals came to out to greet the new and refresher divers. Green Sea turtles, sergeant majors, trigger fish, puffer fish, giant green morays, devil scorpion fish, an expired 7-11 crab, and an octopus delighted the undersea heroes.

Moray EelDCIM100GOPRO

 

Congratulations to:

Bryan – DSD 1st and 2nd dives EVER!!
Peter & Mark – 1st dive in 5 & 15 years respectively
Clay & Jake – Completion of the PADI Open Water Diver Course

Many thanks to you guys for coming out. You guys looked great in the water. Diving, for you guys, definitely comes naturally.

Shout out to the CREW!! Capt. Joe, Alex, Marnie, & Jess

Dive Stats:
Koko Crater & Pa’a’awa
36ft – 44min & 40ft – 48min

Lauren Smith

3 Things You Must Be Able to Do to Become Scuba Certified

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Scuba diving is an exceptional sport that allows you to enjoy a world that is magical, mysterious, and compelling. At Island Divers there isnt a day that goes by that we’re not celebrating the beauties of Hawaii’s amazing marine environment. And in this spirit, we are always excited when people come to us wishing to become scuba certified.

Certification is important, because by properly using the ‘Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus’ (scuba) you will be able to explore the depths easily, comfortably, and safely.

Requirements
To become scuba certified, you have to be at least 10 years old, although even children under 10 can participate in junior dive training programs. You must be fit and healthy, showing us that you can swim and float without aids. We will ask you to fill out a medical and fitness questionnaire and once all is in place, you’re ready to go!

Three Basic Elements
There are three essential elements things that go into scuba certification, and they all have to do with the techniques and procedures for safety that lead to achieving your lifetime certification.

1) Academic Learning
The first step is self-guided course work that includes quizzes and a final exam. Here you will learn the basic principles and theory behind diving and safety procedures. These include:
· How pressure affects the body
· How to choose the right scuba diving gear
· How to intelligently plan your dives

2) Pool Practice
A pool offers a sense of security until you are ready for open water training. It’s where you learn how scuba diving equipment functions and how to use it correctly. This includes:
· Clearing water from a flooded mask without surfacing
· Breathing from your regulator
· Using fins
· Controlling buoyancy by adding or releasing air from your buoyancy control device
· Descending and ascending
· Easily recovering a misplaced regulator
…and other skills.

3) Open Water Training
We call these “check out dives,” which are several dives made under our supervision. You will not be in very deep water, which allows you to adjust to the sensation of being out in the real ocean world. Here you will show us that you can handle all the knowledge you’ve gained, as well as the absolute thrill you’ll feel finally seeing some amazing underwater sights.

The Coveted Cert Card
Once we see that your skills are in place, you are ready for certification. Now you can get that coveted Cert Card that vouches for your training and qualifies you to dive in open water without supervision!

Contact Us
At Island Divers Hawaii, we are trained and certified through the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) to lead courses for divers of all abilities, from beginner to advanced. Here on the island of Oahu you’ll be in one of the best places to learn, with crystalline water, extraordinary sea creatures, along with spectacular reefs and wrecks to explore. Sharing the underwater world is one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself, so sign up today at www.oahuscubadiving.com !

Lauren Smith

A Great Way to Try Diving before Signing up for a Scuba Class

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There are different scubaA Great Way to Try Diving before Signing up for a Scuba Class diving experiences you can try before committing to your certification.  You might not be sure how you will like diving underwater and to make a financial commitment can to something you have never experienced before can be daunting.  Island Divers Hawaii offers a few different programs to give you your first experience of breathing underwater without being certified.

If you are not confident yet to dive in the ocean you can give it a try in the pool first with our Bubble Maker Experience.  This course allows you to slowly descend into the shallow end and practice your breathing techniques. Once you are comfortable, you then slowly swim to the deep end of the pool to practice a few diving skills, to make you feel more confident in the water, and a few games to learn how to control your movements underwater.

The next option is a Discover Scuba Experience which combines the confined water training in the pool with your first instructor supervised ocean dives. Going into your first ocean dives you will have the skills to know how to keep calm and comfortable while enjoying the amazing aquatic world around you.

If you are comfortable in the water and just cannot wait to swim with the fish, you can jump right in with Island Divers Hawaii Intro Dives. We teach you the few intro skills like clearing your mask, recovering your regulator, and clearing your regulator right there on the anchor line before you descend for your first amazing instructor supervised 20 minute dive!  After you return to the boat and have a snack, you can jump back in with your instructor and enjoy another dive without worrying about any skill training you accomplished on the first dive; it’s just fun diving from there!

Now you are ready and you know exactly what you have been missing!  So on to your certification and here at Island Divers Hawaii we have the best price on the island for your Open Water Certification, only $195!  If you’re looking for more private classes on your own time, we offer this any day of the week for a competitive price of $495.  If you complete a Discover Scuba Dive Experience with us, you can give us only two more days of your time and we can make you a certified diver for only $395!  You can see Island Divers Hawaii offers many options tailored to what works best for you.  We want to give you every opportunity to enjoy one of the best experiences on Earth!

Call us and start diving today.