Best SCUBA Instructor Lowell Near Me

Michael Edwards: My son and I did the open water diving class and pool sessions with the owner Dave in January (we still need to do the OW dives). He was phenomenal, very clear, great humor, hearty laugh, lots of stories, and very thorough. We are looking forward to doing our open water dives when the water warms in the spring. I'm just learning about equipment types and brands, but they seem to have a lot of gear available. They have an onsite pool with a shallow end and a deep end (8ft?) And the pool is heated to Caribbean temperatures. It is smaller than you might expect a pool to be, but Dave made pool sessions work easy with 5 divers and him in the pool at once; I never wanted to get out. Highly recommend. *****

Eric Bonomolo: My daughter and I just got our open water certification. We couldn't be more thrilled with the experience! The instruction and dive site were fantastic. Highly recommend them to anyone interested in SCUBA! Our instructor Dave is not only an excellent teacher but also very knowledgeable about our certification dive site. Our certification included a 'tour' of the site's most interesting features AND we got to feed some fish ... VERY FUN!!!

Nancy Welton: We went to Aquatic Specialties as a family for open water certifications. It was an amazing dive shop. The heated pool for diving training is was right off the class room. Dave, the owner, was our instructor. He loves to dive and gets your excited. He was exceptional with two teenagers. We chose this dive shop because we were looking for a dive community and a place to feel comfortable. We can’t wait to take more speciality classes and join some dives. They make scuba diving fun, easy to learn but still has a real focus on safety.

john reilly: Dave and the team are terrific! Loved the atmosphere, instructors, and quality of training. Highly recommend!

Chris DeModena: We have been waiting months to sign our 3 year old up for swim lessons. Finally the instructor was back so we prepaid for four lessons. After receiving an email confirmation, We arrived for the first lesson only to find out it was canceled. Apparently they called but did not leave a message. We were assured that they would start the following week. After once again receiving an email confirmation, we arrived for our second lesson. The owner said there was no lesson scheduled. He tried to blame the emails on the automatic distribution and wasn’t understanding that someone input that data for the class manually.Both times we came to the dive shop we stood around for a while waiting for someone to acknowledge us. The last time the owner was just chatting with a guy about home projects not business. I asked for a full refund and did receive it but my 3 year old was once again left disappointed about no swim lessons.As a captain of a tugboat and also a certified diver, I take water safety and organization seriously. If this shop can’t even organize a 3 year olds swim lesson, I wouldn’t trust them with my life under the water. The overly casual and disorganized nature of the business wouldn’t give me the confidence to use gear that they prepared for me.

Brittany Silva: What a great team Aquatic Specialties has! They were extremely accommodating and made sure you understood the material. I felt much more confident in the skills by the time I received my verification — definitely recommending to friends!

Ted McMichael: The folks at Aquatic Specialties are super helpful. I am about to take SCUBA diving lessons there, and Robin has been helpful both on the phone and in person as I prepare for the course.

Pats Peak: We want to give a huge shout out to the folks at Aquatic Specialties! Thank you for providing divers for our annual Pond Skim event at Pats Peak! All the contestants had a great time and did not have to spend much time in the frigid water because of your AMAZING team of divers that were always ready to help!!! Thank you for providing dry suits for our staff! Everyone at Aquatic Specialties was so willing to help, I can’t thank you enough! You folks Rock!!! ~ Pats Peak

Benjamin Creem: Editing this after going on a dive trip. We had a fantastic time. Couldn't be happier

George Haire: This place is the Mean Girls of diving. If you're a new diver, go somewhere else.

Anthony Lapadula: My family and I are getting certified here and Dave Coyle has been a fantastic instructor, both in and out of the water. If you're thinking about learning to dive, I'd recommend Aquatic Specialties without reservation.

AJ B: I've been diving with Aquatic Specialties, for almost a year. When I first walked into the shop they were more than welcoming. I have completed numerous speciality trainings with them from dry suit, to deep, to full advanced open water cert. They are very accomidating to training, sometimes even do personal training 1 on 1 to meet your schedule. Dave is great, loves to dive & share it with everyone else. He also surrounds himself with good company Graham, Nathan, Luis, Chris all great to dive with too. They dive in the NH lakes region, NE shore line & other scuba destinations. I look forward to learning & diving more with them.Also the shop staff are equally friendly, Robin is nice & new guys too. Shop is well stocked with good equipment & they service a wide variety of equipment. They have a heated pool that can test out equipment in year round.

Marilyn Smith: Dave is a great instructor. Well stocked dive shop as well.

Jaime Parent: Very friendly and knowledgeable. Great kids program.

Michael T. Coon: Great dive shop! Friendly informed staff!

NH adventurer: Awesome classes. Dave is a fantastic instructor taking the extra time to work with everyone.

J: I would avoid this shop if you can, complete amatuer hour here. Called to see if they filled tanks, "yes we do"....ok I'm on my way now then. "Ok wait, you want them filled today?"...um yes please, so I ask if there is a better day to come..."no come on down we can do it". Great see you soon. When I arrive, a woman tells me instantly..."it's gonna be AWHILE, our machine is really slow today". Ok why not tell me that on the phone, before I come.Next, another woman comes and grabs my tanks and says they need an inspection...ummm no just had them done check the tags. I service my gear EVERY year by an authorized dealer. Next she opens the valve on one tank and asks "why are they empty"....am I not here to fill them? So I politely explain I just drove back from Alaska and decided to hand open the valves ON DRY LAND and lower the PSI before making the drive, figured it was safer for the remote journey. Mind you these tanks havent even been in water since I had them tested and filled. I was just being over-cautious for the trip. So I explain all of this to the woman and she still says I have to pay for an inspection...even after another woman tells her "the tanks aren't FROM Alaska and drained them on land". SO then she walks over to the "boss Dave" who can't even leave his desk to come see the situation....and again proceeds to tell him I emptied them in water and they need to be inspected. So I politely said thanks, I'll go elsewhere.Maybe if they took the time to do some customer service, they would have realized it's not a money issue...I was also there to buy a new dive torch and mask. They could have had a new customer, who spends an absurd amount on diving equipment for my family. Well their loss I guess.If the boss doesn't have the time to come address a customer concern, doesn't have a compressor that is functioning correctly, and the shop has issues with communication... I would suggest another place to trust your gear, after all it's your life. I hope they consider this feedback and change their approach.

DeLorie Belanger: Within 24 hours of a call requesting service, Dave was at our home and ready to help! He eagerly hopping into the pool in full gear and spent time until he found and patched all holes in our in ground pool. Dave saved the summer!! Highly recommend, professional and reliable. Thank you!

Robin Reiner: Dave was incredibly patient and thorough in making sure that I understood and could complete the skills necessary to earn my Perfect Buoyancy certification! Thanks to him, my inner mermaid is shining and ready to approach dives with more confidence and enjoyment. Being able to take classes in his on-site heated pool in ANY weather, especially when other shops are still waiting for access to rental pools, is one of the best advantages, along with Dave's superior instruction! I highly recommend for any age considering scuba! You will be in good hands.

Jeffrey Tobin: My favorite dive shop. Dave and his staff are awesome. They have great equipment and great service. Dave has trained me for my original certification and my advanced and nitrox. You can’t ask for anyone who is better or safer.

Kyle Lamarche: I love this place so much. Me, my wife, and my little brother have all been padi certified here. Discover Diving makes you feel like family. With knowledgeable instructors, helpful staff, and good prices, I can't imagine you could want much more from a shop. Jeff will also bend over backwards to get you in the product you want. He fought covid short supplies and got me the wetsuit I wanted after a year and never complained once.

Mike Smallwood: Great shop family owned. All types of dive gear

Terry Leahy: Jeff us always accommodating. Very knowledgeable.

craig tittmann: The best local shop for all your diving needs. They offer PADI courses and is a great source for good snorkeling supplies.

CashMonEy Toutan: Good

Tim Foster: Friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable. Recommended if you need anything scuba related to go here first. No pressure to buy all the best stuff instead steers you to what you need. Makes you want to spend more. Thanks for having pride in your business.

Shawn Walsh: After 30 years of diving I came to Discover Diving to get my Instructor certification. Jeff was very knowledgeable, a great teacher and mentor. He made sure I knew the information and was prepared for all my exams. I passed my certification last month, and thanks to Jeff, I am ready to take on new students! Highly recommend working with Jeff and Discover Diving for all your diving needs and education!

Brenna Smith: Great experience!

Hammy C Johnson: Great Conversation wuth the owner. Very friendly and knowledgeable. I cant wait to do some real business there!

ryan Wilson: Great service, and fair pricing, we stopped by to get a complete suit for one of my workers and the owner was great he helped us every step of the way ...Thank you for your help

Matthew burnett: Wonderful experience. I've been travelling to dive shops in mass and NH, everyone has been really helpful but Jeff at Discover Diving was extremely helpful, was not pushy, and helped me find the right solutions for me.

Lee Ford: Such a great place - friendly, helpful, and had me laughing from the minute I walked in the door. I cannot recommend this place enough.

Jose Juan: Great Place. Jeff is very welcoming. Got a super deal on a Dive Computer!

Craig Iannotti: Great experience first pool dive. Brian was very patient with us new divers.

dan Napier: Just like any other diving place.

G Burt: Had the pleasure in diving with the group in the Caymans

Czerwony Fiat: I love this store! The owner made me and my daughter feel very welcome. He took his time and answered every question we had. The store itself is well supplied and has better prices then I found in any other dive shop. Great job Jeff!

Steven Dube: I swung in yesterday on a whim and the owner answers all my questions and told me all about diving and what his classes include and made me feel very comfortable. Even his customers are great and were telling me their stories. I'll deffinatly be coming back to take the class as soon as I can

Dave Schofield: Great Dive Shop!

Robert Fox: Jeff is a great dive shop owner and instructor. He provides a large selection of dive equipment and training and provides fantastic service to support your underwater adventures. I have been using his service for years and will continue in the future.

Molly McIntosh-Case: I took their open water class and pool sessions and had a great experience with United Divers. I'd never been scuba diving before so everything was new to me but the instructors were very patient with me and helpful as we practice the skills. There was a great ratio of instructors to students in the class and the instructors all had a lot of diving experience and were very knowledgeable. I would recommend going to the shop to sign up/get info, they're definitely an in person type of business.

Alexa Huzar: Jim and John are amazing instructors! Everyone on staff is awesome

Marouen Ben Guebila: Positive:Communication,Professionalism,Quality,ValueJim, John and the whole team were very friendly and helpful. Totally recommend United Divers!

Brian Leblanc: Awesome, knowledgeable and friendly

Victor Samsonov: Very friendly and helpful people. Just fyi no nitrox just air fills for the tanks.

Adaurides Finamore: Positive:Quality

Benjamin Weiss: Ožujka y

doug bevan: I had a really nice experience taking the classroom and pool sections of the open water certification. The people in the shop were helpful and explained everything we needed to know about the process and necessary equipment.The pool sessions were a bit behind schedule, though that seemed more a product of others in the class being late. Our instructor, Annie, was friendly, professional, thorough, and experienced.Just be sure that if you plan to do the open water portion of the certification elsewhere, that they accept SDI for the pool/classroom section.

CK LEE: 좋은강사 안전을 책임지는 교육.

Maddie K: Received my open water certification through United Divers and couldn't be happier! All of the instructors for the pool/classroom portion as well as the open water dives were experienced, friendly, helpful, and overall great people who make the experience fun and engaging! Highly recommend if you're look for a shop to dive with.

Rebecca Feickert: I completed my entire certification (pool and open water), and United Divers was awesome. The instructors were thorough, safety-conscious, and friendly. Highly recommend!

A W: Captain Kirk might be the best scuba diving instructor out there. I was a failed-once student from a resort certification class while the rest of the family members got certified like a walk in the park. Also in general I am just not very comfortable with water. But I did make a new year resolution to get certified so I can join the rest of the family. I have to admit that I had lots of doubt when starting the class. As time went by, with Kirk’s systematic step by step instruction, I slowly gained the confidence that I might be able to do this. I still can’t believe I actually got certified last week as I started with not being able to jump into the pool just a couple of months ago.I am so grateful that Kirk helped me achieving this goal through tireless patience, encouragement, solid knowledge as well as the simple yet precious integrity of being the scuba diving instructor. Kirk has opened up the rest of 70% world to me, so I get to see the colors that belong to the under the sea wonder. More importantly, Kirk helped me to overcome some biggest fear that I had toward the water. For that, I am forever grateful.A big shout out to Erika who is equally patient, sweet and considerate. Thank you for helping me to tick off another bucket list.I can’t recommend this class enough especially if you are like me .

chad griffith: Highly recommend Dive KS and their team! My wife and I were looking to get certified and we were provided an abundance of knowledge and guidance before beginning the process. Kirk is an amazing instructor. He is very patient and encouraging. Kirk also instilled the confidence needed to complete the skills and ensures readiness. The team is super accommodating as well. Overall, a wonderful, fun experience!

Keri Baugh: We had the best experience with Kirk and DIVE KS getting our 13 year old Padi certified. Kirk is meticulous, takes extra care to ensure his students are fully knowledgeable and is a top notch professional. The team was flexible with our schedule, generous with their time, patient, and just great people. We will definitely be back. Couldn’t have asked for a better, more professional experience and our son is very well prepared to dive as an official Padi OW diver!

Dmitry Grinberg: Dove with Kirk x2. Awesome. Highly recommended. My sister did a course and I tagged along.

Sean Barry: Just had my Re-Activate pool review with Dive Master Trainer Kirk and deciding to go through Dive KS was one of the best decisions I've made. Kirk was very personable and delivered the expectations and demonstrations of each skill with clarity and fun. I felt totally at ease and confident with Kirk's encouragement and guidance. I can't wait to schedule my AOW classes. Erica was huge help picking out my new gear and providing some great tips. She was on top of checking in with me during this whole process and was a gem to talk to. She and Kirk were very accommodating of my schedule and actually added this class just so I could finish up (Unparalleled Customer Service). This review could go on for pages. In a nutshell, if you are looking for a very personable and friendly group of highly skilled people to continue you on your diving journey look no further than Dive KS!

Joe Iannelli: I was certified 15 years ago and have always dived in Caribbean waters. Since I was from the northeast and had never explored the northeast ocean, I did a quick google, found DiveKS, and decided to try them. I was looking for a guided shore dive close by, and DiveKS hit all the marks I was looking for. Upon arrival at Back Beach, Kirk was wrapping up a dive and greeted us right away. He was very professional, knowledgeable, and confident, making me feel comfortable diving into new water. I refreshed my navigation skills, had a great experience, and highly recommend DiveKS. I will certainly be back for another dive in the future!

Sumit Sharma: I was looking to get my teenage daughter certified earlier this year before our spring vacation. I called several places but was lucky to reach Kirk who instantly put me at ease by saying "I'll work with your schedule, so you are ready for your vacation". He is super accommodating and really planned the classes based on our schedule. My daughter finished the theory and the pool dives with Kirk, and I did my refresher course as well. His prices are very competitive as compared to others.Kirk is very professional and friendly. During each class, he explained the purpose of each skill, demonstrated how to do it with clear instructions and then had us practice the skill until we got it right. My daughter built that confidence that allowed her to finish the open dives in tropical waters a week later. Even after the course, Kirk followed up and gave us tips so we could enjoy the experience and be safe on our open dives. Highly recommended!

richard devanney: Booked Dive KS for a private guided dive for 5 guests. Kirk was very professional and went out of his way to help out with the logistics of renting wetsuits for the guests. His briefings were very safety conscious, and the dives were great, lot of marine life. In summary, we were in very good hands. Highly recommend diving with them and would love to come back to do more dives in and around Salem.

Kevin S: Great place 🤩🤩 customer service was excellent I am very happy to have such a awesome Dive shop near by. Thanks we will be back 👍👍👍👍

Had Deane: The owner went above and beyond to take me on a dive before the season had stared. And expert navigator; he made the experience feel safe, and adventurous. Can’t wait to come back.

Jacob Johnson: Kirk, the owner, and Erika, the GM, were very helpful. I visited the shop searching for advice, and I couldn't be more pleased. They answered all of my questions and allowed me to try on a couple of wetsuits. They have an excellent gear selection, and the shop is well put together. I highly recommend DiVE KS to those who want to begin scuba diving or simply swimming in NE waters.

Glenn Goldstein: I had the best experience at Dive KS. Kirk and the crew were fantastic. Professional, knowledgeable, patient and catered to my busy schedule. I was totally prepared for my open water dive certification. Great prices and good selection of gear in the shop. I can not rave enough about the shop. Thank you for a great hands on experience. Rock on! Glenn.

Anthony Chen: I took my Emergency First Responder course, required as a prerequisite to Rescue Diver, with Kirk and he was an incredible instructor. He was engaging, enthusiastic, and most of all, he was comprehensive in making sure we covered all primary care, secondary care, and even several optional care topics like emergency oxygen provision. He and the dive shop also accommodated us on short notice, we had 2 weeks to complete the eLearning and practical training before our drive trip and they were able to squeeze us in based on our availability.

Vinny Araujo: My wife and I did our pool certification with Dive KS so we could go scuba diving for our honeymoon! We wanted to do our open water somewhere tropical we felt super prepared and passed our open water easily due to the high level of instruction we received from Dive KS. I struggled with a certain skill during the pool certification and Kirk was super patient and help me work through it. During the training you will see that the instructor really is a master at his craft! Looking forward to doing destination dive with Dive KS!

William Rowley: Capt. Kirk knew his SCUBA - taught the class efficiently, responded to personal needs with urgency, and never condescended or underestimated any of us. Solid guy and excellent instructor - worth every penny.

leticia silva: Highly recommend!! I did the open water dive certification and Kirk was awesome. He is a super patient and knowledgeable instructor. Took his time explaining and making sure we all knew exactly what to do. He kept us calm and was very helpful when we needed extra time or help. Highly highly recommend if you’re looking to get into scuba diving!!

Kevin McCafferty: Kirk is an awesome dive instructor and I would highly recommend him to anybody looking to get into this sport. 👌

D Jones: I had a very good experience with Dive KS. They are professional and very accommodating. I needed a scuba review as earliest as possible. They got back to me, booked a pool within a couple of days. Everything was organized and efficient. Kirk is so enthusiastic, professional, and a good instructor. He made sure I got all the skills needed and went through my main concerns. He is very patient with me. After having done no scuba diving for two years, he made me feel confident to go back to ocean again. I will definitely go diving with him next time. If you are looking for a scuba course, Kirk is the guy. He is a great teacher!

Alexandra Gordon: Dive KS is a great place to finish up your SCUBA classes or head out on dives! I needed to complete my PADI confined water dives before heading on vacation and Kirk made sure I had completed every skill successfully before my flight (even if it meant a private pool class in the middle of the day). He made sure that I knew what was coming in the Open Water dives so I would be prepared.Would definitely recommend to anyone looking to become PADI certified!

Bridget Ball: Instructor amazing!! I took the open water dive course and Kirk was so helpful. He was very patient with me and helped me through some anxieties I was having. I would 100% recommend anyone to go there for any and all their diving experiences. Erica and so sweet and kind. It is so wonderful to have met such kind and knowledgeable people. I assure you they take pride in all they do including making sure you have the skills needed to dive safely and confidently with in your limits.

Marina Simons-Fulton: I had two great experiences with undersea divers in the past month! First was a pool refresher class and the instructors were kind and helpful. After the class I decided to purchase a new mask and the woman helped me find a well fitting mask in record time. I’m always intimidated by a wall of masks but she made it easy! Will be back for all my diving needs.

Joseph Poirier: Im new to scuba....and I'm so glad I came to this shop! Matt E helped me last time and today... super helpful... patient with a newbie.. took the time to explain everything to me. Just great service. Thanks Matt!!

John Carlson: Three years ago I left the below review and things have not changed in fact they continue to exceed all my expectations. I have bumped up my certification three levels with them and now truly feel like a diver thanks to Shaun, Larry, Matt and Luis. Whit's customer service is awesome and instead of having me deal with a vendor she championed getting a replacement for defective equipment. The north shore is lucky to have this dive shop!!!!!!...Been going to this dive shop for over 10 years and it is the best. They have run great Discovery SCUBA sessions for the Cub Scout Troop I ran. They have great quality rental gear and their store is well stocked. The staff is welcoming, friendly and knowledgeable. Also just had my youngest son certified there and they did a great job. Also a pleasure to swing by the store.

Chris Miller: Thanks, Whitney, for supporting diving on Cape Ann

Ian Edwards: I have done business with a number of dive shops in my 17 years of diving, and Undersea Divers is the best. The service is fantastic, they have fixed all my my gear when things wear out. The staff is super friendly and go out of their way to make your diving experience worth while. As others have said Whitney on-top of things and very helpful in helping find the right fit for custom gear.

Unknown Error: Great shop! My better half learned to dive with Shawn up in Gloucester. A most excellent shop, but as the saying goes... check them out yourself :-)

Anthony Vattay: If you want to explore the silent world beneath the sea, Undersea Divers is where you will find the key to open the door enabling you to witness the vast realm hidden from most people. Whitney, Shaun, Larry, and Matt will guide you in the skills necessary to explore the sea and become confident visitors and stuarts of the ocean.

Doug Mcabee: Best dive shop ever

Olivia Swonder: This is a great place to complete your Open Water Certification course! The staff was extremely friendly and receptive to all questions and concerns. The confined water dives were done in very small groups, and the instructors were attentive to everyone's needs. It was an amazing and fun time.

Elizabeth Roberts: About five years ago, these awesome folks taught me to dive and helped kit me out in bargain (but still decent!) gear when I was a brand new diver, and continue to be my trusted source for shiny new gear and training as I adventure further.Whitney is happy to share her recommendations and super welcoming, no matter what your experience level; Shaun went to the trouble of assembling both my light setups for underwater photography before I left the shop (and without me asking); no question is stupid; they carry practically everything you would need in a pinch before a dive; and I somehow end up laughing every time I stop in.Their dive society is great for new divers who want to get some experience but might not have a lot of friends who dive. It (and advanced open water and rescue classes) helped take me from being a (painfully) shy, nerdy, inexperienced diver to a much-less-shy and even nerdier experienced diver.Selection, training, good vibes and opportunity for personal growth: 10/10.

Melissa Belfield: Incredible dive shop. Whitney is so organized, friendly, and provides so many opportunities for new divers to get connected to the local dive community. Joining the undersea dive society really helped me to progress as a new diver because there were people there of all ages and with different levels of experience. Matt is the most enthusiastic dive instructor anyone can hope for and he strikes the perfect balance of supporting you while also challenging you to improve on each dive. The shop always had my kit ready when I came before the dives and I so appreciated that level of organization as so many dive shops lack this. I am so happy I found this place over the summer and I will always dive with Undersea anytime I am back in the area:)

Marine Life North Atlantic App the App: Wonderful crew! Very friendly, knowledgeable, and very helpful!

Vy Nguyen: Love their Dive Society! Nice group of super friendly people to get you familiarised with local divings. It's great that they do both weekend and weekday dives to accommodate different schedules!Keep it going!

Igor Danelisen: Thank you for keeping me sane during pandemics. Thank you for making me feel welcome any time I was in the shop, taking classes or just running away from my “other life problems”. Thank you for helping me make new great friends and proving once again that the diving is about community. Thank you for answering my Emails during the times the shop was closed. You are truly the best!

Paul Baratta: Great group of dedicated professionals who are there to ensure you have everything you need to dive safely. Dive Society is a great addition and the people diving are all very friendly and helpful. It is well worth the $50 one-time membership fee to join and go on dives with the group.

Bridget Ball: Very professional and knowledgeable.

Jonathan Morneau: I've been a customer at Undersea for almost 10 years. Whitney and Shaun have been great to me; when I lived in another part of the country Undersea was still my go to shop and they made sure I got all my favorite dive gear FAST!I just stopped by on a Friday night within an hour of closing to get a couple hoods and some dry suit stuff. Matt and Shaun started sorting through gear right away to find what I need. If you love diving as much as I do - you will love this store.

Marc Wippern: These guys are the best!The dive store offers a wide variety of courses and certifications for all skill levels, taught by an excellent group instructors.Their store is well stocked with everything you would need for your scuba or snorkeling adventures.Most impressively, they are the center of a very active local dive community. Their dive society organizes group dives, dive trips, and provides an excellent means for divers to meet other divers, get involved and get diving.Whether you are an total beginner thinking you might be interested in learning to dive or are a seasoned diver give these guys a call, you will not be disappointed.

Lucas Cunha: Extremely knowledgeable and friendly staff. Great variety of items in the shop. Can’t wait to go shore diving with them!! 12/10!

Brent Mahan: Mike has been awesome. We achieved our open water dive certification. He was incredibly flexible around my inflexible schedule, was professional, focused on safety, took the time to make sure we understood the training truly (not just checking boxes), had a private warm “indoor” pool, good equipment, and provided us many nuggets of wisdom. Highly recommended.

John Cassell: Mike and Sue are great! I spoke with them before signing up for my class and they fully explained how the class worked and what to expect. I took my son, brother and cousin with me to the classes. We completed the online portion of the class and then the in person pool and open water dive portions.One thing that I was looking for was safety, having never been diving before I was concerned about how I would do as well as my son - who was 10 at the time. Mike took very good care of us and instructed us to the point where we not only understood the system of diving and what we needed to do but also why we needed to do it. We went over the skills in the pool together, practiced by ourselves after we were comfortable with the skills and then went to the open water to demonstrate our skills. Mike paid close attention to all of us and gave me instructions on how to dive with my son in order to keep things safe when we dive.After the classes, over the last 3 years, I have taken my son diving in Aruba, St Marteen, Hawaii, Florida and Costa Rica, as well local dives. Many dive masters have commented on how well my son and I perform while diving and I give credit to Mike for the instructions, guidance and care to safety. Mike also helped us get fitted for gear, how to properly use the gear and safety procedures for using the gear.My brother and cousin also enjoy a high quality of enjoyment while diving. Top notch place and I recommend then anyone who is willing to dive to go here.

David Czapiga: My family and I received our open water certification from Mike Nalen back in November. I contemplated just moving on to another dive shop and never looking back, but decided I needed to share my experience.We first went to aquatic escapes during a discover scuba experience and had a great time. We then signed up for the open water class and paid in full. After completing the online portion, we completed several days of in pool training. When signing up for the class we were told we would have a private class. This was untrue, several classes had as many as 5 other divers in the pool with us. Not the greatest to have 9 students is a small training pool. We were surprised at the first class to find it was a different instructor than the one we enjoyed during discover scuba. Each in pool session began with Mike demonstrating a new skill and setting us loose in the pool to practice. We were then left to our own devices to perfect the skill with little to no feedback from the instructor.When completing the open water dives in the ocean, Mike apparently forgot to teach us a very important skill, regulator recovery. We were shown this in a few quick moments is shallow water then expected to perform at 25’ in 42 degree water. As could have been expected it didn’t go well for my 12 year old son.Once done with our OW dives, we were told we passed and headed back to the dive shop. Once there we were given documents to sign indicating we completed the required dives and skills. Would have been nice to see that earlier in the class to know expectations of skills necessary. When calling Mike less than a week later he was noticeably agitated when I asked for a dive log documenting our dives ( a requirement of dive resorts I had been contacting ). He proceeded to argue with me that I didn’t need a dive log. After pressing Mike he agreed to put together dive logs for my family and me.We then reached out to another dive shop and got further training for my wife and kids to be more comfortable with diving. Had a great experience in Nashua. If you are looking for scuba training I recommend looking elsewhere..

Jerry Catt: My first dive experience was a resort course in Grand Cayman with Tortuga divers, a quick safety class in the pool and printed material, skills demonstrated and off to the ocean. Three enjoyable dives. No complaints. Back in New Hampshire I did my open water paying attention, reading and understanding the provided materials and paying attention in class. Not everyone in my class did so but they were able to pass as they were able to demonstrate the required skills. I could list the negatives but I think my experience was typical. I then moved on to my new. Dive store Aquatic Escapes to do my advanced open water and discovered everything that was missing in my previous training. Mike not only explained what but why each skill was needed and ensured I was proficient in every one. I feel fortunate to have found such an inspiring and capable instructor and would recommend both him and Aquatic Escapes without reservation.

Michelle Czapiga: I was very disappointed in the education and training I received from Mike Nalen, owner of Aquatic Escapes Dive Center in Londonderry, New Hampshire. Even though he boasts 20+ years of diving experience, it doesn’t make him a good teacher or instructor. He was neither enthusiastic nor helpful.We were told what was included and what to expect upon signing the contract and paying for the program, but our experience was nothing like what was promised or what we signed up for.In the end, I graduated this program with my scuba certification feeling inadequate, and my two children, ages 15 and 12 , graduated this program feeling shamed.I would never recommend Mike to anyone who is excited to learn about scuba diving, and wants to become certified. He is unprofessional and shows little interest in the success (or failure) of his business or his students.

Patrick Wark: Sue and Mike at Aquatic Escapes were nothing but awesome from the moment I reached out with my inquiry to the completion of my course. They were very friendly, very helpful, very patient, and very flexible to my circumstance and schedule.Their prices are very fair as well. Even if other certification providers had gotten back to me as quickly and surely as they did, the best deal was still with AE.I did my training dives with Mike, an expert diver and great teacher with decades of experience. I highly recommend him for any dive training/certification you have in mind.Back Story: About a month ago, I realized I had the chance to go after an obscure bucket list dive I learned about years ago, but I only had a few weeks (in the middle of winter) to get my dry suit diver certification, which is required for it. I was pessimistic about the possibility of getting this done, but I still contacted every dive training service in the region just in case there was a chance. Aquatic Escapes was the ONLY place to promptly write me back with optimism and confidence that we could easily get it done in time. And because of them, I was able to work around my busy schedule and get the certification completed just like that. Now I'm ready to check a very cool dive off of my bucket list later this month.

Shawna Marks Campbell: Mike and Sue are the best. They feel like old friends and are great instructors. Very knowledgeable about equipment too. If you want to learn how to dive, this is the place!

Matthew Gish: Bought a swim mask which leaked,tried to return and was denied. Store claimed something about the mask being like underwear and blamed it on the state of nh. Buyer beware of this place

James Roth: Super friendly people, great equipment for rental, new tanks, etc. Decent selection of the bare necessities onsite. They are not priced high like some dive shops, everything is reasonable and they are happy to order things for little markup. Would love to take courses here or go on a trip, seem like a good shop to dive with.

betty mccbribe: NOT A FAN OF THE MISERABLE CAPTAIN JAROD.NEVER AGAIN.

John Mackey: Great customer service from Sue and Mike.

Gottlieb Stoll: I was looking for a scuba shop to certify my daughter while I got a refresher so we could dive together. Mike and Sue were very friendly and helpful through the entire experience. We have continued to visit their shop for our equipment needs and additional training. I highly recommend them for any diving needs. (Bonus points for the heated pool!)

Nick Lang: Great people, lots of knowledge fun to talk to

Laurie Ann Keough: Very knowledgeable and made me feel at ease. Signed up for Try Scuba! Can't wait!!

Christina Ptak: Called to inquire about Open Water certification for my boyfriend and a refresher course for me. Sue was friendly, patient, and informative spending time to explain the different options and even making recommendations. I’m so excited to have found a great dive shop and community in my own backyard!

Bill David: Best service around. Extremely knowledgeable. They know customer service. Worth a visit.

Harrison Chambers: Came here with a few friends to learn more about diving, their classes and costs. The owners were very friendly and had some interesting stories as well. We arrived close to closing time and we weren't hurried out past closing time. They answered all our questions and welcomed us back anytime.

Roland St Germain: Looked around to learn to dive and chose Aquatic Escapes due to their extreme flexibility with the classes. They worked the classes around our schedules, which over the summer were not consistent. Then they were EXTREMELY helpful when purchasing equipment for the class - never once pushing to purchase a more expensive or extra item. On the 4 open water dives, Mike was great and made sure everyone was comfortable and could do the skills being tested. Even giving extra time and opportunities to get them done.I could not have been happier and cannot recommend them high enough. Any additional classes I take will definitely be through them.

Nolen G: Rented some tanks here recently. They charged 12 for the tank rental and then you have to pay to fill them,7$. It was nearly 40$ to rent two tanks. Thats a rip. My local shop rents for 12 and includes air .

Joe Lafrite: It takes only 100 dives to become a dive instructor, and all agencies have dumbed down their curriculum so badly that tropical resorts are able to certify new divers within a week. It's reckless. Find an instructor like Mike who has thousands of dives, and a lot of experience to share. Pricing for gear is good too, and can compete with the online retailers.

Chris Almeida: Craig guy to talk to on the phone never rushed answers all the questions doesn't react to any question that may be dumb or you know very knowledgeable Explains everything you know great great great guy to talk to I can't wait to work with him

rick auclair: Great people. Great instructors. Friendly. Purchsed some excellent equipment. Will never go anywhere else.

Sophie Beckman: Went here for my open water diving certification and I had a great experience. Felt a little anxious about diving but Matt was very understanding and made sure everyone was comfortable during all steps of the training. Matt and Pam went the extra mile multiple times to make sure I got the course completed. The course was flexible, convenient, and thorough. Would definitely recommend to anyone looking to get any type of dive certification or equipment! They are the meaning of a true small business that has the care and personal experience of a SMB.

Vanessa Epro: If you have any interest in scuba, check out Leominster's new dive shop, Descent Divers Scuba Shop. I signed up on a whim (solo), and felt so comfortable, well prepared and welcomed. They teach all levels of scuba diving (advanced and refresher courses too), and they have gear for rent and for sale. I am so glad I signed up! I completed certification in 2 weekends (2 pool sessions & 2 open water sessions). I can't wait to do some fun dives now!

Amanda Tucker: Stopped at decent divers with some questions about their classes and getting a new wetsuit. They provided me with great info and I am lol forward to taking a class with them soon!