Business Details
23 Years
experience
Your Trusted Dive Shop in Carolina Beach, NC
Carolina Beach Scuba has been serving divers in Southeastern North Carolina since 2003, offering comprehensive scuba diving solutions from beginner to advanced levels. Our team of certified instructors brings decades of combined experience in recreational and technical diving, including specialties in wreck diving, spearfishing, and megalodon tooth hunting. We operate as a 5 Star Professional Development Center, providing SDI and TDI certifications from Open Water to Instructor levels, along with specialized training in rebreather technology and emergency response diving.Our full-service dive shop stocks premium equipment from leading brands like Dive Rite and Cressi, while our private 6-passenger vessel enables access to premier dive sites including shipwrecks and fossil ledges. With multiple locations serving Carolina Beach's coastal waters, we combine local expertise with international diving standards to deliver exceptional underwater experiences.
Services
Scuba Instruction
Dive Charters
Gear Rentals
Tank Fills
Certification Courses
Spearfishing Trips
Megalodon Hunting
Equipment Sales
Boat Diving
Technical Training
Details
- Year established: 2003
Highlights and features
- We offer SDI and TDI certifications from beginner to instructor levels
- Our team includes military veterans with 35+ years of diving experience
- We provide specialized training in rebreather technology and wreck diving
- Our private 6-passenger boat accesses exclusive dive sites
- We stock premium scuba gear from top brands like Dive Rite and Cressi
Services
Scuba Instruction
Our SDI-certified instructors provide comprehensive scuba training from beginner to professional levels. Courses include Open Water certification, advanced specialties, and instructor development programs. With both classroom and practical components, we prepare divers for recreational and technical underwater adventures.
Dive Charters
Explore premier dive sites aboard our 37' Stapleton vessel. We offer wreck diving, megalodon tooth hunting, and spearfishing charters to locations like the Stone Tug and Esso Nashville. Trips range from inshore ledges to offshore wrecks up to 57 miles from shore.
Gear Rentals
Rent state-of-the-art scuba equipment including regulators, BCDs, dive computers, and wetsuits. We offer complete gear packages for divers of all experience levels. Our rental fleet features products from Dive Rite, Sherwood, and Cressi for both recreational and technical diving needs.
Tank Fills
Access high-volume air and nitrox fills with our 36 CFM compressors. We provide air fills from 80cf to 150cf tanks and nitrox blends up to 34%. Special blending fees apply for custom mixes beyond standard percentages.
Technical Training
Specialized technical diving instruction includes TDI-certified programs for intro to tech, sidemount, and rebreather diving. Our courses cover decompression procedures, extended range diving, and cavern exploration with both academic and practical training components.
People
Robert Krieger
Owner/Elite Instructor
A Marine Corps veteran with 20+ years diving experience, Bob specializes in technical diving instruction and wreck exploration. He joined Carolina Beach Scuba in 2021 and became owner in 2023.
David Smithey
Captain
With 40+ years diving experience and 31 years in law enforcement, David brings extensive local knowledge of Carolina Beach waters. He holds multiple scuba certifications and specializes in spearfishing charters.
Keith Jernigan
General Manager/Instructor
A retired environmental services professional, Keith has been diving since 2019 and specializes in wreck diving instruction. He joined Carolina Beach Scuba in 2022 and leads many of our advanced training programs.
Mike Cleary
Course Director Instructor Trainer
With 35 years diving experience, Mike is a former airline pilot and fireman who specializes in rebreather and emergency response training. He holds multiple advanced instructor certifications across technical diving disciplines.
Roger Malone
Instructor
A certified diver since 2014, Roger focuses on safety-oriented training programs. He specializes in sidemount and drysuit instruction while leading recreational diving excursions along North Carolina's coast.
Questions
What scuba certification levels do you offer?
We provide SDI certifications from Open Water to Instructor levels, plus TDI technical courses including rebreather and wreck diving specialties.
Can I rent scuba gear without certification?
Yes, we rent complete gear packages to all experience levels. However, certain technical equipment requires appropriate certification for safety reasons.
What dive sites do your charters visit?
Our charters access 60+ local sites including shipwrecks like the Stone Tug, fossil ledges for megalodon teeth hunting, and spearfishing locations up to 57 miles offshore.
Do you offer megalodon tooth hunting trips?
Yes, we specialize in fossil hunting charters targeting megalodon teeth. Our experienced crew guides divers to productive ledges with depths ranging from 90-130 feet.
What payment methods do you accept?
We accept major credit cards, bank transfers, and cash payments for all services including equipment purchases and dive charters.
Are there age requirements for scuba diving?
SDI certification requires minimum age 10 for junior open water. Children under 15 need parental supervision during training and recreational dives.
Reviews (7)
Richard Webb
Jan 06, 2022
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Great deals on wet suits; new and used. Very friendly with great customer service. We have been trying to find a wet suit for our daughter and this shop had exactly what she needed.
Stefanie Draper
Oct 26, 2020
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This was our 1st ocean dive, and Carolina Beach Scuba took great care of my husband and me! The registration/sign up process was a little bumpy, but once we showed up at the boat everything was just perfect! Shane was our 1st mate and he went above and beyond to make sure we had everything we needed and felt comfortable every step of the way. My husband did not fare well on the boat because it was a very choppy day on the sea, but David and Shane did everything and more to make sure he had the best possible experience. I highly recommend David and Shane! It was a bit of a murky dive to the Hyde
Gary Simon
Oct 22, 2020
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I dived with Carolina Beach Scuba on June 20 & 21 to see wreck of the Hyde & then 2 dives to search for Megaladon shark teeth. I found shark teeth & whale bone fossils! A great experience all around. Professional, organized & safety conscious crew. I used a 120 tank for first time, recommend. I had a regulator leak issue on my pre-check & they switched me out at sea with a rental so I could continue until I serviced mine. Captain David & DiveMaster Garrett were very methodical in giving best dive experience. I usually dive in the Florida Keys, Honduras & Caymans and so happy to see the visibility
Bruce Moore
Jan 16, 2020
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David and his team did an awesome job. We had a great experience from start to finish. I will be diving with them again. ( I'm a NAUI instructor and have dived around the world so not my first dive )
Trent Gonyaw
Sep 02, 2017
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Super friendly and very knowledgeable. Stationed at for Bragg, I was looking for a while for a shop to dive with and these guys surpassed my expectations. Always called me to keep me posted whether conditions were going to permit to dive or not, helped me with some gear and worked with my unreliable time limit. I highly recommend this dive shop and staff.
Wickey Lusk
Aug 06, 2017
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David and everyone in the shop were wonderful. They answered every question I had, and always made sure safety was a priority in class. Although it was a class David made sure that he was also giving us independence as well. They are friendly, honest, and knowledgeable!! I will dive with them every summer!
Thomas Burke
Jul 22, 2017
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The staff here is very helpful and friendly. They helped a friend of mine and me get all the rental gear we needed for our first dive and have awesome prices for the entire rig (snorkel, fins, weights, mask, wetsuit, BCD, air, and regulator w/ computer). I'd recommend this shop to anyone in this area of town.
