Pearl City, HI Outdoor Activities

Though he earned a Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences from the University of California San Diego, Matt Zimmerman decided to pursue his love of the ocean instead of science and move to Oahu. He founded Island Divers Hawaii there as a way to share his enthusiasm for scuba diving as well as the discoveries it can share, from intricate coral to schools of fish locked in a never-ending struggle for tenure. Zimmerman and his knowledgeable staff teach dive courses for curious students and lead boat charters that give divers the chance to test their new skills in pristine waters.

Seabreeze Water Sports' licensed adventure-seekers have been helping likeminded folks safely skim over the water's mirrored surface or dive deep below rolling waves since 1986. Their certified flight and scuba instructors dispense their knowledge as they prep guests for safe scuba diving and Jetlev jetpack flights, during which a jetpack propels guests up to 30 feet in the air using a high-powered pump that, like Poseidon's Harley, uses ocean water as fuel. They also outfit nautical voyagers with equipment and safety vests for jaunts on surfboards, parasails, jet skis, and high-speed tubes.

To further fulfill their mission of adventurous memory making, Seabreeze's staff also runs their own digital media shop, where they snap photos of each watery experience using the media chips that accompany each guest. Their direct taxi service makes pesky logistics a breeze as their drivers shuttle guests between Waikiki hotels and picturesque shores.

The enthusiastic wave-tamers at Hawaiian Surf Adventures infuse students with their waterlogged passions for surfing, standup paddleboarding, and outrigger canoeing. With access to areas such as the uncrowded waters of Maunalua Bay, instructors give their students the space needed to learn how to balance atop a board while riding the backs of white-crested, aqua-blue waves or vacationing Loch Ness monsters. Whether paddling surfboards, hanging ten, or navigating a canoe, the team makes adventures easy for beginners and informative for more seasoned watersports enthusiasts.

Founded with the goal of curating unique island adventures that promote up-close encounters with local wildlife, Island Water Sports Hawaii facilitates humans’ return to nature with intimate tours and activities. Working out of the Hawaii Kai Marina, Island Water Sports’ passionate staff of boat captains ferries guests out into Maunalua Bay to partake in aquatic adventures including kayaking and snorkeling. The company’s signature eco-friendly submarine scooters secure riders' heads in clear, bubble-like helmets that draw on the principles of diving bells to safely seal air inside and keep faces dry, comfortable, and breathing easily throughout underwater tours. On boat tours, the balmy sea air tussles the manes of Island Watersports’ skippers as they point out awe-inspiring vistas and wildlife such as humpback whales that migrate to Hawaii from Alaska to nurse, mate, and take their sundresses out of storage.

From the pristine beaches of Waikiki, Diamond Head, or North Shore, instructors with CPR and lifeguard certification lead students into Go Nuts Hawaii's open-water surf lessons. Privately or in groups, students find their sea legs atop long boards that can be rented or bought onsite; alternatively, they can skim the water buoyed by the shop’s standup paddleboards. Waterproof accessories add a technological edge to voyages and range from cameras for aquatic action shots to waterproof headphones for drowning out mermaids loudly counting their pirate gold. The company's helpful staffers—including one Japanese-speaking member—put customers and surf students at ease.