Business Details
26 Years
experience
Scuba Diving Charters and Courses on Oahu, HI
Founded in 2000 by Dr. Matt Zimmerman, Island Divers Hawaii has grown from a local diving club into Oahu's premier scuba diving service. Our team of certified instructors and boat captains brings decades of combined experience in recreational and technical diving, specializing in wreck dives, reef explorations, and certification courses. We operate a fleet of six Coast Guard-certified vessels equipped with state-of-the-art safety features, ensuring access to Oahu's most diverse dive sites. Our commitment to personalized service and safety has earned us partnerships with military bases and a loyal customer base. With retail locations in Hawaii Kai and Honolulu, we offer equipment rentals, repair services, and specialized training programs.Our staff includes Master Scuba Diver Trainers, technical diving experts, and marine biologists dedicated to sharing Hawaii's underwater ecosystems. We maintain rigorous safety protocols and equipment maintenance schedules to ensure optimal diving conditions. Our community involvement includes environmental conservation initiatives and local dive club events. With over 20 years of operation, we've established a reputation for exceptional customer service and educational dive experiences. Our unique approach combines professional instruction with a focus on creating lasting customer relationships through shared passion for ocean exploration.
Services
Scuba Charters
Open Water Certification
Wreck Diving
Snorkeling Tours
Gear Rental
Details
- Year established: 2000
Highlights and features
- We offer over 20 years of experience in scuba diving instruction and charters
- Our fleet of six boats provides access to Oahu's most diverse dive sites
- We implement a patented wreck diving safety protocol for technical dives
- Our team includes Master Scuba Diver Trainers and technical diving specialists
- We provide 24/7 customer support for dive planning and equipment inquiries
Associations and certifications
- SSI
What people say
Amazing wreck dives
Knowledgeable instructors
Guaranteed turtle sightings
Excellent safety record
Professional equipment maintenance
Services
Scuba Diving Charters
Our daily boat charters explore Oahu's best dive sites including wrecks, reefs, and marine life hotspots. Certified divers can choose from morning deep dives or afternoon shallow reef excursions. Each charter includes equipment transport, safety briefings, and professional dive guidance. Our six-boat fleet accommodates groups of all sizes while maintaining personalized attention.
Open Water Certification
Our SSI-certified courses teach essential scuba skills through classroom instruction, pool training, and open water dives. The 2-day program covers equipment use, dive planning, and safety procedures. Graduates receive lifetime certification valid worldwide. Courses include all necessary gear and professional instruction from Master Scuba Diver Trainers.
Wreck Diving
Explore Oahu's famous shipwrecks like the Sea Tiger and YO-257 with guided technical dives. Specialized training available for wreck penetration dives. Our instructors have extensive experience in deep diving and underwater navigation. All necessary safety equipment and gas blends are provided for these advanced excursions.
Snorkeling Tours
Our 2.5-hour snorkeling tours visit turtle habitats in Maunalua Bay with expert guides and safety equipment. Tours include gear rental, flotation devices, and underwater scooters for non-swimmers. Certified divers can upgrade to combined snorkel-dive experiences. The tours operate daily with guaranteed turtle sightings.
Dive Travel Packages
We organize escorted dive expeditions to global destinations including Cozumel, Fiji, and Raja Ampat. Packages include accommodation, dive logistics, and equipment handling. Our travel specialists coordinate group bookings and provide destination-specific training. Trips cater to both recreational divers and technical diving enthusiasts.
People
Matt Zimmerman
Owner
Founder with 20+ years experience in scuba instruction and dive operations. Holds advanced certifications in technical diving and wreck exploration. Previously served as a biomedical research scientist before transitioning to full-time dive operations.
Sheila Jordan
Boat Captain
Certified dive master with 15+ years in dive operations management. Oversees daily boat scheduling and crew coordination. Specializes in customer service logistics and dive site selection based on conditions.
Mark Savel
Master Scuba Diver Trainer
20-year industry veteran with expertise in underwater photography and equipment repair. Teaches advanced courses in wreck diving and technical specialties. Maintains equipment for the company's 200+ gear inventory.
Hunter Vivirito
Advanced Open Water Instructor
Specializes in deep diving and navigation training. Former finance professional turned dive instructor with Platinum 1000 instructor rating. Leads wreck exploration trips with emphasis on marine life identification.
Carrie Younkin
Divemaster
Certified wreck specialty diver with expertise in nitrox blending. Manages the Honolulu location's dive operations. Focuses on customer safety and personalized dive planning for technical excursions.
Questions
What scuba certification options do you offer?
We provide SSI and PADI certifications from beginner Open Water to professional Divemaster levels. Specialties include wreck diving, nitrox, and technical diving. Our instructors can accommodate both certification systems.
Can I dive Oahu's wrecks without prior experience?
Introductory wreck dives are available for certified divers. Penetration dives require Advanced Open Water certification or higher. Our instructors provide necessary training during charter trips.
What's included in your dive packages?
Packages include equipment rental, safety briefings, guided dives, and post-dive logbook certification. Some include transportation and refreshments. Specific inclusions vary by selected dive package.
Do you offer night diving opportunities?
Night dives are available for certified divers with appropriate experience. Specialized equipment rentals and guided tours ensure safe exploration of nocturnal marine life in designated areas.
How do you handle dive cancellations?
We follow a 48-hour cancellation policy for full refunds. Weather-related cancellations receive rescheduling options or full refunds. Travel insurance is recommended for international dive trips.
Reviews (6)
Susie Restic
Jan 27, 2022
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Enjoyed a fantastic morning of both wreck and drift diving - saw turtles, eels, white tipped shark and more. The crew was spectacular - especially Hunter, who captured everyones attention with his informative dive-briefings. Added bonus was seeing whales breaching nearby and hearing them singing underwater. We are repeat divers with Island, and look forward to our next trip with them.
Bernard C.
Jan 25, 2022
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Came here to buy snorkel gear for my wife and myself. Great selection of masks, snorkels, and fins. They were super helpful and patient during the mask fitting process. Helped us pick out a great set of fins and snorkels as well. The customer service here is outstanding. They will help guide you through the buying process, are very patient while you try on various equipment, and there is no pressure to buy. They made sure we knew how to use the equipment, that it fit well, and installed my lens for the prescription mask I bought. The prices are fair and comparable to what we found online. We went
Isabel Sciabarrasi
Jan 24, 2022
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I had the best time doing discover scuba diving at Island Divers. Anyone who wants to try out scuba diving I highly recommend this place. The crew are all so friendly and ready to assist you with anything you may need. You get a great view from the boat and an even better view underwater. This is such an awesome place and I cant wait till I get to come again!!
Akshay Mutha
Jan 18, 2022
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Best experience ever. Couldnt have asked for better instructor and their team. Everyone was very friendly and trying to give their maximum for the best experience. We were able to see so many marine animals - several green sea turtles, eels, stone fish, etc. Overall just an amazing experience
Richard Rundhaug
Jan 13, 2022
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We had a great experience with Island Divers. The water was rough but Skipper Matt handled the rough water well. The equipment was in excellent shape. There was a full compliment of sizes available. The diving staff demonstrated expertise throughout the dive. They were very helpful. My wife and I had a great experience with Island Divers and I highly recommend them.
Kenny Hoggan
Jan 06, 2022
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My adult son and I did a three-day dive package with Island Divers Hawaii and had a great time. Given that we went in December and the weather can be a bit unpredictable, we were grateful to end up with mostly good seas. The first day was a bit bumpy, and as I hadn't taken Dramamine, suffered the consequences of seasickness. As approved by your doctor, if you're susceptible to seasickness, I highly recommend (as did one of the captains), taking a half Dramamine the night before and one about an hour before embarking. I did this for the other two days and never felt a hint of sea sickness. The captains
