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Santa Barbara Aquatics Santa Barbara Aquatics

PADI 5-Star IDC · Goleta

Scuba Diving Classes in Santa Barbara

From your first breath underwater to going pro — PADI courses with small classes, our own heated indoor pool and the Channel Islands on our doorstep.

Start with Open WaterView all courses
  • PADI 5-Star IDC
  • Heated indoor pool on site
  • Small class sizes
  • Local dive sites

Your Path to Certification

Every diver starts with Open Water. Here's where it can take you.

Two smiling student divers in hooded wetsuits giving the OK sign at Santa Barbara Aquatics
Open Water DiverStart Diving · start here

The foundation of scuba diving. Do the eLearning at home, then two pool days in our heated indoor pool and four ocean dives — a beach dive and a Channel Islands boat dive.

$600

Enroll in Open Water
Advanced Open WaterBuild Your Skills

Five adventure dives over a weekend — deep and navigation plus three you choose. Certified to 100 feet.

$625

View Advanced Open Water
SpecialtiesBuild Your Skills

Build the skills for the diving you love.

From $200 · 4 courses

See all specialties
Rescue DiverRescue & Safety

Learn to prevent and handle problems in the water. Option to add Emergency First Response.

$600

View Rescue Diver
Professional TrackGo Pro

Turn your passion into a profession — start with Divemaster, then on to instructor through our PADI 5-Star IDC.

$1,500

View Divemaster

Explore Our Courses

Find the right training for your next adventure.

  • Start Diving

    PADI Open Water Diver Course

    Dive confidently up to 60 feet. eLearning, two pool days and four ocean dives.

    $600
  • Build Your Skills

    PADI Advanced Open Water Course

    Five adventure dives, including deep and navigation.

    $625
  • Rescue & Safety

    PADI Rescue Diver Course

    Prevent and manage problems in the water, with an EFR option.

    $600
  • Start Diving

    PADI Refresher Course

    Been a while? Brush up your skills in our heated pool.

    $150
  • Build Your Skills

    PADI Enriched Air Diver Course

    Longer bottom times on nitrox.

    $200
  • Build Your Skills

    PADI Drysuit Diver Course

    Stay warm and dive California year-round.

    From $250
  • Go Pro

    PADI Divemaster Course

    Your first professional rating — lead dives and assist classes.

    $1,500
  • Start Diving

    Private PADI Open Water Diver Course

    Open Water one-on-one or with up to two friends, on your schedule.

    From $999
  • Build Your Skills

    PADI Peak Performance Buoyancy

    Fine-tune your trim, air use and buoyancy.

    $300
  • Start Diving

    Emergency First Response First Aid/CPR/AED Course

    CPR, first aid and AED skills — no diving needed.

    $100
  • Build Your Skills

    PADI Sidemount Diver

    Two tanks at your sides — streamlined and redundant.

    $500

  • Not sure where to start?

    Tell us about your experience and we'll point you to the right class — or come by the shop in Goleta and see the pool.

Why Dive with Us

  • PADI 5-Star IDC

    We train new PADI instructors — the same standards run through every class we teach.

  • Heated indoor pool

    Pool sessions happen in our own heated indoor pool at the shop — gear up and step right in.

  • Experienced instructors

    The owners teach alongside our instructor team — divers who've logged dives from Bonaire to Iceland.

  • Local expertise

    Beach dives on the Santa Barbara coast and boat dives at the Channel Islands aboard the Spectre.

  • Full dive shop on site

    Fit your mask, fins and boots with us, and rent the rest — everything under one roof.

  • A diving community

    Keep diving after your class — boat days, trips and a shop full of people who love the water.

Meet Your Instructors

  • Andrew Bolling, Owner & PADI Instructor at Santa Barbara Aquatics

    Andrew Bolling

    Owner & PADI Instructor

    Diver since 13 and a full-time dive professional since 20, Andrew brings decades of experience as a PADI Instructor. His favorite dive sites include Fiji and Bonaire, but the best is still a day diving our California kelp forests.

  • Jed Grundy, Owner & PADI Instructor at Santa Barbara Aquatics

    Jed Grundy

    Owner & PADI Instructor

    A Marine Ecology major and AAUS Scientific Diver, Jed is a PADI Elite Instructor Award winner and avid sidemount/technical diver. He loves diving the Mexican Cenotes and Anacapa Island, where he earned his own Open Water certification.

  • Christina Viani, Scuba Instructor at Santa Barbara Aquatics

    Christina Viani

    Scuba Instructor

    Open Water certified at age 12, Christina has been a PADI Professional since 2007 and has dived Thailand, Taiwan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Mexico and Iceland.

  • John Nelson, PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor at Santa Barbara Aquatics

    John Nelson

    PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor

    John got his Open Water certification on his honeymoon in Hawaii in 2007 and returned to diving in 2018. He loves sharing the sport that's given him so much with his students.

  • Shannon Mabry, PADI Instructor at Santa Barbara Aquatics

    Shannon Mabry

    PADI Instructor

    Shannon started as a swim instructor in 2019, earned her Divemaster rating in fall 2021, and her Open Water Scuba Instructor rating in December 2022.

  • Megan Saunders, PADI Instructor/Assistant Manager at Santa Barbara Aquatics

    Megan Saunders

    PADI Instructor/Assistant Manager

    Megan learned to dive in 2014 while studying marine biology and earned her Open Water Scuba Instructor rating in December 2022. She's dived Bonaire and Mexico, but her favorite dive is still the California kelp forest.

Meet the whole team →

Dive Class FAQ

How much does scuba certification cost in Santa Barbara?

Our group PADI Open Water course is $600. That includes tuition, PADI certification fees and rental scuba gear. The Channel Islands boat trip is $219, paid at orientation. You'll also need your own mask, snorkel, fins, boots and gloves. Private Open Water starts at $999.

How long does it take to get scuba certified?

About two weeks. You do 8–10 hours of PADI eLearning at home first. Then there's an orientation night (Thursday, 6 pm), a weekend of pool training and a weekend of four ocean dives: a beach dive at Goleta Beach plus a Channel Islands boat dive.

How old do you have to be to scuba dive?

Our group Open Water class is for ages 15 and up. Divers aged 10–14 can earn the same certification in our private Open Water course.

Do I need to be a strong swimmer?

You need to be comfortable in the water, not fast. At orientation you'll swim 200 meters (or 300 meters with mask, snorkel and fins) with no time limit, and float or tread water for 10 minutes.

Where are the pool sessions and ocean dives?

Pool training is in our heated indoor pool at the shop, 5822 Hollister Ave in Goleta. Beach dives are at Goleta Beach, and boat dives go to the Channel Islands aboard the Spectre from Ventura Harbor.

What scuba gear do I need for the class?

Rental scuba gear is included in Open Water. You bring your own mask, snorkel, fins, boots and gloves. We'll fit you in the shop, with a student discount in store.

What is PADI eLearning?

The theory part of your course, done online at your own pace. For Open Water it's about 8–10 hours of videos, quizzes and knowledge reviews, and everything (including the final exam) must be finished before orientation.

Is there paperwork or a medical form?

Yes. After you book, we email your class paperwork for e-signature. It includes the PADI medical questionnaire, so you'll know before class if anything needs a doctor's sign-off.

I'm already certified. What's next?

Advanced Open Water ($625) is one weekend and five adventure dives, including deep and navigation. Specialties include Enriched Air Nitrox ($200), Drysuit (from $250), Peak Performance Buoyancy ($300) and Sidemount ($500). Then Rescue Diver ($600) and Divemaster ($1,500). Been a while? A Refresher is $150.

Can I give a dive class as a gift?

Yes. Pick "Choose dates later" when you book, and the diver chooses their class dates whenever they're ready.

What Our Students Say

  • Katy Magnani

    Open Water Diver

    "Recently got certified for open water here. The staff is amazing in both their knowledge and in how incredibly fun and friendly they are! It was a fantastic experience and I’ve felt incredibly comfortable and safe going out on my first few dives since!"

  • Zackary

    Open Water Diver

    "They helped me get fitted for OW certification. I even had to try different fins for the right fit and they made it work. Knowledgable staff with high quality equipment. What more could you ask for!?"

  • Don Campbell

    Parent of an Open Water Diver

    "This place is amazing from the owner’s to the associates, to the instruction. My daughter took the course there and I couldn’t have asked for a more knowledgeable or helpful set of instructors. Thank you for giving my daughter the gift of dive."

Our Dive School

Santa Barbara Aquatics has been teaching divers on the Santa Barbara coast since 1984. Since 2017 it's been owned by instructors Andrew Bolling and Jed Grundy, and it's a PADI 5-Star Instructor Development Center in Goleta. Every class starts in our heated indoor pool at the shop on Hollister Ave, moves to the beaches of the Santa Barbara coast and finishes with boat dives at the Channel Islands aboard the Spectre. Our instructors teach small groups, and the full dive shop is right there for gear, rentals and air, nitrox and trimix fills.

Ready to Start Your Diving Journey?

Every diver starts with Open Water — pick a class date and get started.

Start with Open Water

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