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WE
LOVE
DIVING
… even more, we’d love to take you!
A PADI 5-star IDC (Instructor Development Center) facility highly respected island-wide and beyond. We have been providing happy customers guided certified scuba dives, discover scuba dives, scuba gear rentals, scuba gear servicing and scuba instruction since 1971.
As part of our great service, we have a fully stocked dive shop with everything to meet your scuba diving, snorkeling, freediving, spearfishing and swimming needs.
Established by founder Jack Aaron, Aaron’s Dive Shop has since grown into Oahu’s most respected dive facility and is recognized as the #1 Dive Operator and Dive Shop on the island.
After 43 years, Jack was ready to retire and spend some quality time with his beautiful wife Sissy. On November 7, 2014, ownership of Aaron’s Dive Shop passed from the Founder, Jack Aaron to Warren Murray.
Aaron’s Dive Shop’s excellent record of scuba diver safety and personal attention to customer’s needs has been often featured by local and national magazines like Scuba Diving Magazine, Skin Diver, Sport Diver, Scuba Diver and many more. The dive shop has also won more awards than can be counted from organizations like PADI, The US Commerce Association (USCA), Cousteau Organization, Honolulu Advertiser Choice Awards, TripAdvisor, Oceanic, Hawaii Business Magazine, Scuba Diving Magazine and many more.
At Aaron’s Dive Center, we treat all our customers with aloha – as valued customers and good friends. With scuba diving being one of the world’s fastest growing sports, it is our responsibility to introduce new participants to a world they previously could only imagine. We teach and demonstrate the skills necessary to keep scuba diving safe, while at the same time providing each client the ability to enjoy a lifetime of fun and excitement.
Aaron’s Dive Shop plays an avid role in the community, annually donating to school functions, fundraisers, and other various community events. We happily support and participate in local Kailua events, like the Fourth of July Parade, every year! Breast Cancer Hawaii is an organization we work closely with for a fundraiser every year. We also have the pleasure of donating our dive services to Make A Wish. We continue to actively participate and engage with the community, with events like Women’s Dive day, regular clean-ups and Holiday dives. Also, we partner with conservation organizations and eco-friendly businesses; for example Aaron’s is a HMAR Marine Steward. Check out our NEWS page for more information on our community activities.
You must be at least 10 years old and you MUST be able to swim!
You must also be in good health.
Yes! Please use any of the ‘Book Now’ buttons or live calendars to book online. To book minors and SCUBA courses please give us a call at 808-262-2333.
During busy season you’ll want to make your reservation as early as possible. Thanksgiving and Christmas bookings usually happen 1-2 months in advance. Busy season is December-Jan and May-August. Our availabilities are visible in real-time on our website – just hit Book Now or view the live calendars, OR give us a call if you have questions.
All year round! We have excellent wildlife and warm water twelve months of the year. Humpback whales are present in the wintertime. Hawaiian monk seals and Hawaiian spinner dolphins are present year-round.
Most divers prefer to start the day with a dive. This gives you the best opportunity to be the first divers at a dive site for the day – which can mean a chance to see sealife that is typically deterred by humans.
However this is not fact. Anything is possible with the ocean and in Hawaii that means ANYTIME is the best time to dive!
Morning dives also gives you the majority of your day left to explore the island.
If you make more than one open water dive on the same day; or, dive over two or more days, wait 18 hours prior to flying. (PADI Discover Scuba Diving Booklet, 2013).
We will NOT book you for a dive if you have a flight scheduled within this window.
Great question! Scuba diving is first and foremost about safety and secondarily about fun – because it is no fun if you aren’t being safe. People who are physically fit and in good health are the ideal divers.
That being said, there is a PADI medical questionnaire that you must fill out before diving as a Discover Scuba Diver. This Medical Questionnaire is visible on the Discover Scuba Diving webpage. You will fill this questionnaire at the boat. If you say ‘YES’ to any of the questions on the medical questionnaire, you will need a doctors note to dive. You will NOT be allowed to dive without a doctor’s note of approval if you have a yes on your Medical Questionnaire. Please show up to the boat with a doctor’s note of approval if you have a ‘YES’ on your medical questionnaire.
If you are on vacation and aren’t able to get a note from your regular doctor, don’t worry. You can go to Doctor’s On Call or another on-island doctor to be cleared for diving, which depending on what your ‘yes’ is for could take as little as 15 minutes.
The Medical Questionnaire is here to keep you safe. We understand that the extra step of getting a doctor’s note can be tedious but it is in your best interest. We appreciate your understanding.
If you are getting scuba certified with Aaron’s Dive Shop, you will need to have a more detailed Medical Questionnaire completed before beginning your class.
Aaron’s Dive Shop Cancellation Policy –
Customers will receive a full refund if:
Customers will NOT receive a refund if:
Great question!
You have 3 options when booking.
No worries! Give our shop a call. 808-262-2333. We are open 7 days a week!
Most charters take about 3-3.5 hours.
Our long range charters can take 4 hours because the dive sites require a longer boat ride.
Please wear a swimsuit and bring a towel.
If you have your own gear – by all means bring it! We always recommend bringing your own mask & snorkel if you have them because that is the most personal dive item – meaning not all masks fit all faces. That being said, we do have masks available that fit MOST faces.
For day charters, we recommend sun protection and whatever personal items you need. For night charters, we recommend bringing something warm for the ride home, as it gets chilly when dark.
There are dry storage areas on each of our boats. We ask that you only bring what you need on the boat, as space can be limited.
Our dive sites are close! Most boat rides are somewhere between 5-25 minutes depending on the dive site.
No, there is not. There is a public restroom at Maunalua Bay Beach Park. See the photo below.
We cannot guarantee that the restroom will be open/operational. We recommend utilizing facilities elsewhere before arriving at the boat or enjoying the ocean-wide facility.
No worries! We offer any and all dive gear rentals for $40 flat. So whether you need just a BCD or the whole shabang, we have you covered!
When booking, we ask for your height, weight and shoe size so that we can get your perfect size.
All gear will be brought to the boat for you.
Two tanks and weight are included for all dives.
Of course! Upgrade your scuba tanks to Nitrox for $15 a tank.
Aaron’s recommends you follow your regular procedures for minimizing seasickness – whether that be through Dramamine or some other means.
We also recommend you minimize your alcohol consumption the night before a dive. Boat rides hungover – especially for those with seasickness – are not very fun.
Living and working in Hawaii is the dream. But the dream does not pay very well.
Gratuities are greatly appreciated! Most guests leave $25-40 for their hard-working crew.
During the summer months the water warms up to about 80-83F (26-28C). In the winter months the ocean temperature cools down to 75-77F (23.5-25C).
For most people this is warm water year-round. For our staff, we get a bit chilly in the winter time.
Proof of certification is required for all SCUBA dives – no exceptions. If you cannot find your dive card, we may be able to look up your certification in your dive agency’s online database. Please call our shop directly to be sure that we are able to verify your certification prior to your arrival.
If you do not have your certification card (but your certification has been verified by the shop), a photo ID will be required upon check-in or we are not able to allow you to dive.
Absolutely not. Turtles, like many other Hawaiian sealife, are heavily protected under the law. Harassing, chasing, touching, etc of Hawaiian Green Sea turtles, Hawaiian monk seals, Humpback whales, Manta rays, etc. is against the law. It will not be tolerated and can/will result in massive fines as well as sitting out from the dive(s).
On the other hand! We do offer photo packages! That’s right. Have your Hawaiian scuba adventure properly documented! Get a new profile picture of you diving alongside a turtle – from a safe distance. Available for individual divers or for a group! You will get all photos taken throughout your charter given to you via a Google Drive folder. Available when you book online or ask a staff member about it.
No worries! Give our shop a call. 808-262-2333. We are open 7 days a week!
If you are calling from the mainland (or other part of the world), don’t forget about the time zone difference! We operate on HST (Hawaii Standard Time).
You must be at least 10 years old and you MUST be able to swim!
You must also be medically fit to dive. More information on that with the next question.
Different courses require different prereqs. Check out our courses page for specifics.
Open water – the first level of diving – requires that students must be medically fit and able to complete a 200 yd swim (there is no time limit or stroke requirement).
If you are looking to get certified, check out the Medical Questionnaire you will need to have completed before you get certified. *You do not need to have this waiver printed or filled out before class. This digital copy is only for informational purposes – you might need to get a doctors note or physical before you can become certified. Check out the form to see if you need to see a doctor before beginning your course. Students will fill out a written form when they begin their scuba course.
Different courses require different things. Check out our courses page for specifics.
Most courses include all or most scuba gear needed.
Most courses book-work is done online via eLearning before you start your class.
Regardless of whether you use eLearning or a workbook, you need to have the book-work completed before your first day of class. You also need to bring proof of your completed bookwork to your first day of class.
It is important to note that Open Water students are REQUIRED to complete the RDP Table section of the eLearning. The PADI eLearning lists the RDP Table section as ‘optional’. It should be completed prior to the start of class.
Different courses require different amounts of time. Check out our courses page for specifics.
Most courses take between 2-3 days.
Of course! We do recommend you plan ahead.
Call the shop as soon as you have your dates set so you can get started on your eLearning course work. This simplifies your training on the island so you can focus on the pool work and ocean dives and maximize your time on the island! We will schedule your scuba training around your vacation schedule!
PADI stands for Professional Association of Diving Instructors. PADI is the most well recognized scuba diving credential agency in the world. PADI provides a framework for scuba education with safety requirements, prerequisites and a huge network of scuba centers. PADI scuba certifications are good for life and accepted all over the world!
The short answer is YES! The long answer is, it depends upon the course you took and the agency you took it with. Each agency does things a little different. That being said, give Aaron’s a call and we can look into the specifics of what your next certification prerequisites will be.
Referral Students – AKA students who began their scuba certification with another shop and would like to finish their certification with us. Aaron’s Dive Shop is excited to help you complete your Scuba Certification!
Before we giant stride into the water, we will need some completed paperwork:
First and foremost, your COMPLETED PADI Medical Form. Two options: Either bring the completed copy from your previous dive shop or you will need to fill out a new PADI Medical Form for Aaron’s Dive Shop. Be aware that if you previously had to receive medical clearance by a doctor, a new medical form will require another doctor’s clearance.
Secondly, your complete scuba dive Training Record from the dive shop(s) you began your training with. The dive shop you received your training from will have your Training Record.
Please email your previous PADI Medical Form and dive training records to info@aaronsdiveshop.com AND show up to the boat with the completed PRINTED PADI Medical Form and PRINTED training record.
No worries! Give our shop a call. 808-262-2333. We are open 7 days a week!
Our Dive Shop and Dive staff are knowledgeable in all things Snorkeling, Freediving, Spearfishing, Swimming, Recreational Scuba Diving, Technical Scuba Diving and Professional Level Scuba Diving.
Check out our Dive Club next time you stop by; the best “bang for your buck” club that Oahu has to offer!
Aaron’s is also delighted to regularly work with and support the Military through Pacific Diving Academy, Armed Forces Gear Orders and all Military customers. Ask for military discount, and with proof of active ID receive 10% off. *excludes tanks and weights*
Aaron’s Dive Shop crew are trained & practiced in Emergency First Response, AED, and emergency oxygen provision. Our captains are United States Coast Guard certified. All vessels are Coast Guard inspected & equipped with AEDs, emergency oxygen kits, EPIRBs, life jackets, throw rings & first aid kits.
We do not allow touching or harassing wildlife on any of our charters. We utilize the south Oahu’s mooring system to avoid anchoring on the coral reef.
I was born and raised in California. I started diving in the 70s but really got serious about it much later in life. I eventually became an instructor and taught diving in the cold waters of Northern California. After 35 years working as an engineer in the semiconductor and defense industries I retired. Much to the envy of all of my dive buddies, I moved to Kailua and took over Aaron’s Dive Shop. I consider myself extremely fortunate to be able to retire early and follow my life’s passion for diving.
Worrying about what happened in the past and what might happen in the future will prevent you from making good things happen in the present.
My sense of adventure. Every dive has the potential to see or experience something for the first time.
My favorite dive of all time was on February 1, 2014. I was diving at 90 feet in Bluefish Cove near Carmel, California. The conditions were stellar. 50°F and over 60 feet of visibility. I had my camera and I happened to see a Giant Pacific Octopus (GPO) land on a large rock. Since I saw it before it went camo on me I was able to slowly approach it. I signaled to my dive buddy and he captured the encounter on video. I was expecting the GPO to swim away or ink me and swim away. But as I got close it became curious and grabbed on to my camera rig wrapped its arms around it and me. Once I started to back away it lost interest and swam away. However, the experience was exhilarating one of my most memorable.
If goober had a definition Chandler would probably be in it.
Introducing Captain Know-It-All Rachel, the multitasking marvel of the high seas and depths below. She’s not just a manager—she’s the master of all maritime and aquatic domains. With a sailor’s swagger and a scuba instructor’s finesse, helm master Rachel navigates the choppy waters of both business and adventure. With a resume as vast as the ocean floor and a knack for knowing everything from bow to stern, Captain Rachel is always at the helm, guiding her ship—and her staff. Whether she’s charting courses, managing the shop, or schooling scuba divers, Rachel does it all, and she does it with style.
I grew up swimming off the coasts of Southern California and started diving a few years back on Catalina Island. I enjoy instructing and learning as much as I can about the local reef life here in Hawai’i. Marine Biology always has and always will fascinate me, which means I’m basically a Sylvia Earle wannabe.
“One can never have enough socks.” -Albus Dumbledore
my peepers
During my time in University my passion for the world and my curiosity for other cultures took me across the ocean to places all over Europe, Japan, South East Asia, and Australia. After a few years working in the corporate world, I decided to pack my life into a backpack and start traveling the world full time. It was then during my time in Australia and Thailand that opened my eyes to the world’s oceans and made me fall in love with Scuba Diving. I then spent several months on the Island of Koh Tao training with PADI instructors and falling in love with teaching diving. After several years of teaching I grew to love diving and the community so much I decided to purse a full time career in it!
Keep Moving Forward!
Anything that makes me as colorful as I can be to help me look like a parrot fish!
Ewa pinnacles & The Navy Tug. The marine life is always very active as well as I get to see my favorite resident Octopus I have named Steve!
I’m an electrical engineer who got confused about whether or not you can build stuff underwater, and decided to become a scuba instructor to find out.
Life always works out better when you do the best you can for others around you.
My aqualung storm fins, god I love those fins.
La Paz, Mexico, fantastic reefs and sort of a secluded location from tourists.
I promise I am an instructor, see my photo proves it.
But don’t be fooled by his stern countenance; beneath that rugged exterior lies a heart as warm as a tropical lagoon (or so the legend goes). When he’s not busy orchestrating dive missions or single-handedly wrestling sharks, Larry enjoys long walks on the beach with his beautiful siren wife, Carina.
So, if you dare to embark on an adventure of epic proportions, look no further than IDC with Larry. Just be sure to bring a healthy dose of respect for the sea—after all, you wouldn’t want to incur the wrath of the one they call… Larry Grayson.
Ever since I frog kicked out of the birth canal, my parents knew that I was destined to be a diver. Just kidding, I can’t swim.
Let the waves guide you to where the light will not.
Colorful headbands! Hair be wildin’
Penn State grad.
“How fleeting are all human passions compared with the massive continuity of ducks.”
― Dorothy L. Sayers, Gaudy Night
My Pokemon card bookmark in my dive log – it matches my first dive buddies card from when we got certified together.
Koko Craters because I LOVE turtles.
Master Instructor
In the mysterious realm where the sea meets the sky, there exists a figure of legend: Ken, the enigmatic scuba sage. With a heart as deep as the ocean and a passion for tec diving that burns brighter than a thousand suns, Ken is a force to be reckoned with beneath the waves. His very presence commands respect from the denizens of the deep, who whisper tales of his exploits in hushed tones.
Ken’s mastery of the underwater world is unmatched, his every movement a ballet of precision and grace. He guides his students not just through the motions of diving, but on a journey of self-discovery beneath the waves. With a twinkle in his eye and a mischievous grin, he regales them with tales of underwater conquests and brushes with the unknown.
But beware, for Ken is not one to shy away from danger. He is a seeker of thrills, a conqueror of the abyss, and a collector of tales that would make even the bravest adventurer’s blood run cold. To dive with Ken is to dance on the edge of oblivion, to stare into the abyss and laugh in its face. So, if you dare to join him on his quest for underwater glory, prepare yourself for a journey unlike any other – for with Ken as your guide, the depths hold no secrets, only endless possibilities.
In a corner of the universe where time bends like a pretzel and the laws of physics take extended coffee breaks, there exists a peculiar anomaly known as Tim’s Scuba Shop. Run by the enigmatic Tim, this establishment has been serving the underwater needs of eternity since, well, forever.
Tim, with his eternal smile and perpetually damp wetsuit, greets customers with the timeless charm of someone who has seen it all, done it all, and then done it all over again. For Tim, every day is just another dive into the abyss of existential absurdity.
Picture this: Tim, amidst shelves stocked with fins and snorkels older than the concept of time itself, patiently assists a customer named Adam. Adam, a mere mortal with a penchant for aquatic adventures, seeks Tim’s sage advice on the latest in underwater fashion.
“Ah, Adam, my dear friend,” Tim intones with a wink that spans epochs, “behold the wonders of the sea, encapsulated in these timeless goggles.”
Adam blinks, unsure if he’s witnessing a sales pitch or a philosophical treatise on the nature of existence. But Tim, ever the consummate salesman, persists, extolling the virtues of fins that have weathered countless tides and snorkels that have borne witness to the evolution of aquatic life.
As Adam leaves the shop, laden with gear that will outlast civilizations, he can’t shake the feeling that he’s just glimpsed a sliver of eternity in the form of Tim’s Scuba Shop.
And Tim? Well, he continues his eternal dance with the depths of time, content in the knowledge that as long as there are oceans to explore and customers to bemuse, he’ll be there, forever ensconced in the soggy embrace of his beloved dive shop.
My name is Lauren and I’m an Open Water SCUBA instructor and marine biologist working with marine debris. I grew up by the ocean, with my mom being a SCUBA instructor back in the day, so diving was always a part of my life. However, it took on a new meaning to me when I had the opportunity to do diving research on coral and parrotfish in the Florida Keys for several years with Clemson University. When I left that to pursue my Master’s in Marine Science at Hawaii Pacific University, I knew I had to keep diving. That’s when I decided to become a SCUBA instructor. Through this, under the amazing guidance of Larry Grayson, I discovered I have a deep love for teaching people about diving and showing them the ocean for the first time. It’s such a joy to take people out on the water and share my love of the ocean with others.
I’ll also never dive without my trusty dive knife because you never know when you’ll see debris that needs to be removed!
Diving in Hawaii is always amazing but I will say that my absolute favorite spot is when the conditions are just right and we get to dive Spitting Caves, especially in winter when the whales are nearby singing to us!
Introducing Toad, the amphibious wonder of the deep blue. Born with
webbed feet and an affinity for holding her breath longer than your
average goldfish, Toad emerged from the primordial ooze ready to conquer
the underwater world. Now, Toad graces the mortal realm as a scuba
instructor extraordinaire at the local dive shop. With a buoyancy
control that would make Newton jealous and a knack for finding the most
elusive sea creatures (or at least pointing in their general direction),
Toad is the undisputed Queen of the underwater jungle gym. So, if you’re
ready to plunge into the depths of the ocean with a side of whimsy and a
dash of absurdity, look no further than Toad, the scuba instructor who’s
more frog than man, but all legend.
I first walked into Aaron’s Dive Shop in 1973, when it was a shack down on Maluniu Ave. Jack was running it pretty much alone. I was an enthusiastic 15-year-old, just certified, and was bound to be on Jacques Cousteau’s dive team. Well, at least in my mind. Jack was intimidating and encouraging at the same time. My friends and I would motor out to Moku Manu when the waves were smaller in a soggy 13 ½ foot Boston Whaler with a Johnson 20hp of unknown vintage that was rescued from a junk pile at Makani Kai, before the condos were built there. The diving was exquisite! A captain’s license, ocean-related career in Hawaii, masters degree in California, another career that moved me around the planet a bit. Then: retiring and fulfilling a decades-long dream of sailing my beloved Islander 44 from California back to my old mooring spot in Kaneohe Bay. And the magic of working at the Best Dive Shop in the world, with the Best Crew, and absolutely The Best Customers you could imagine. Living the dream!
We shall not cease from exploration.
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time.
T.S. Eliot
A keen power of observation.
Thank you for visiting our site and hopefully you get some time to come diving with us!
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