Oahu scuba diving FAQ

1. Do you provide transportation? Reef Pirates Diving includes round trip hotel transportation from Waikiki area hotels at NO CHARGE.

2. Are your dives guided? All of our dives are guided by a PADI professional Instructor or Divemaster. Click here to find out more about Reef Pirates Oahu Scuba Diving.

3. What time of day do your dives take place? We generally offer morning and afternoon dives. We pick up for our morning dives between 7:45am - 8:30am. Afternoon pick up times take place between 11:00am - 12:00pm. Dive trips last roughly 4 - 5 hours depending on which dive sites we choose to visit.

4. Is scuba equipment provided? Yes, we provide all the scuba equipment you will need. We also offer an additional $10 off our dive prices if you have your own gear.

5. How long will the dives be? Times can vary quite a bit depending on depth and air consumption rates. You will always start with a full tank (aluminum 80 filled to 3000psi). Dives end when we reach our maximum allowable bottom time, or run low on air (500-800psi). We do not set specific dive times unless we are required to because of depth restrictions.

6. Do you have a retail store? No, we do not operate a retail store, and we don't want to. The reason we can do what we do for the prices we advertise is we don't have the overhead (expenses) of owning and operating a retail store. To see more about us and how we operate, click here.

7. What type of equipment do you use? Reef Pirates Diving only uses the latest equipment. Our current line is less than 2 years old, and we replace our gear every 5 years regardless of its condition. Our brand names include: Tusa, Scuba Pro, Oceanic, XS Scuba, Aeries, Sherwood, Xcel, and more.

8. Do you offer underwater photo or video packages? Yes, we offer both. Most companies offer photo cd's as part of your experience. What makes Reef Pirates Diving different is the fact that we have a dedicated photographer on our dives. Instead of having the dive group leader taking the photos, we have a dedicated underwater photographer as well as a dive group leader. Additionally, our photo and video equipment is of much higher quality than you will find with other Oahu dive tour operators. To see more information about our Oahu scuba diving photo and video packages and equipment, click here.

9. Do you provide snacks or drinks? Yes, we do provide snacks (chips, cookies, etc), juice and water on all our dive trips.

10. How many days a week do you offer diving? We operate 7 days a week and most holidays. We currently do not offer our Discover Scuba Diving courses on Sundays.

11. How many people will I be diving with? Our dive groups are limited to 6 people. There may be more than one dive group on the boat, however in the water, groups will be limited to 6 divers. We don't want to dive in a crowd, and we are sure you don't either.

12. What can I do about sea sickness? There are several steps you can take to avoid sea sickness. Products such as Dramamine and Bonine are designed to relieve motion sickness, however they also have side effects such as drowsiness. To avoid this, take one pill the night before you plan to dive, and another upon waking. Taking these products right before you get on the boat or when you start to feel sick will not help. Another alternative is Sea Bands. These are wrist bands that were designed to combat motion sickness by means of pressure points on your wrists. They have no side effects, and work for many people. You can find these products at most island drug stores. It is also a good idea to limit alcohol consumption and greasy foods prior to diving.