What Pacific Wilderness does

Pacific Wilderness, Inc. is a privately held dive center founded in 1968 and headquartered in San Pedro, California. The company operates as a PADI 5 Star IDC Dive Center — the highest level of PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) accreditation — and delivers the full PADI curriculum from entry-level Open Water through professional Divemaster and Instructor Development Course (IDC) certifications, supplemented by over a dozen specialty courses (Wreck, Boat, Deep, Night, Underwater Photography, Navigation, Search & Recovery, DPV, Dry Suit, EAN Nitrox, Full Face Mask, Naturalist, Buoyancy), Emergency First Response (EFR), and the PADI Oxygen Provider course. Knowledge development is delivered through the PADI eLearning online portal, with in-water and classroom training conducted at the company's on-site indoor heated pool and ocean sessions.

The company's commercial model combines multiple revenue streams: PADI course fees (ranging from $62 for a Scuba Tune-up eLearning to $346 for IDC eLearning, plus in-water class fees), retail equipment sales of name-brand dive gear backed by a 30-day lowest price guarantee, equipment rentals, regulator repair and tank inspection services, air fills, and organized dive trips. Trip offerings include local Southern California excursions to Catalina Island and the Channel Islands via partnerships with charter operators (Bottom Scratcher, Sand Dollar, Mr. C, 22nd Street Landing) as well as international exotic packages such as Fiji and Philippines live-aboard trips priced at $3,295-$4,750 per spot. A second retail and training location in Orange County extends the geographic footprint within Southern California. Customer segments are individual recreational divers (beginner through advanced) and adventure divers seeking guided international experiences, with a dive club membership program supporting community-driven retention. The business is small (1-10 employees), owner-operated, with no disclosed institutional funding, acquisitions, or M&A activity, and no public listing.

Name

Pacific Wilderness

Legal name

Pacific Wilderness, Inc.

Website

https://pacificwilderness.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Pacific Wilderness is a PADI 5 Star IDC Dive Center in Southern California that provides scuba certification training, equipment sales, repairs, air fills, dive boat trips, and a dive club to recreational and professional divers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Scuba Diving Instruction and Equipment Retail

NAICS

Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (48721), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (487210), Tour Operators (56152)

SIC

Water Transportation (4400), Services-Equipment Rental & Leasing, Nec (7359), Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Dive Centers & Scuba Training (PADI/SSI, certifications) (THAAAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Diving Experiences (Scuba Dives, Dive Trips, PADI/SSI Courses) (THAJAJAD), Diving & Snorkeling Retail (Scuba Gear) (CRAMAIAF), Dive & Snorkel Equipment Rental, Retail & Boat Services (compressors, gear hire) (THAAAIAL)

Keywords

• Scuba diving instruction
• PADI certification courses
• Dive equipment retail
• Scuba equipment repair
• Dive travel packages

Headquarters

HQ city

San Pedro

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Dive Training & Certification: PADI courses from entry-level Open Water through professional Divemaster and Instructor Development, with eLearning options for knowledge development
2. Scuba Gear Sales: Retail sales of name-brand dive equipment with 30-day lowest price guarantee
3. Equipment Services: Regulator repair, tank inspection, air fills, equipment rentals
4. Dive Boat Trips: Local and exotic dive boat excursions including Catalina Island, Channel Islands, and international destinations like Fiji and Philippines

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Pacific Wilderness operates as a PADI 5 Star IDC Dive Center providing scuba diving instruction from entry-level Open Water through professional Instructor Development, supported by over a dozen PADI specialty courses (Wreck, Boat, Deep, Night, Nitrox, etc.) and ancillary emergency-response training. The company also sells name-brand dive equipment with a 30-day lowest price guarantee, performs regulator repair and tank inspections, offers gear rentals and air fills, and runs a Dive Club plus scheduled local and exotic dive trips to destinations including Catalina Island, the Channel Islands, Fiji, and the Philippines.

Product overview

Pacific Wilderness is a PADI 5 Star IDC Dive Center offering a comprehensive range of scuba diving services centered around PADI certification courses. The core offering consists of PADI SCUBA Classes spanning from entry-level Open Water through professional Divemaster and Instructor certifications, supplemented by over a dozen PADI Specialty courses (Wreck, Boat, Deep, Night, Photography, etc.). Supporting services include Emergency First Response (EFR) and Oxygen Provider training, equipment sales with name-brand dive gear, equipment rentals and repairs, and air fill services. The company also operates a Dive Club with weekly group dives, organizes local and exotic dive trips, and partners with charter boat services for boat-based diving experiences at Catalina Island and the Channel Islands.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• PADI SCUBA Classes (Core Curriculum) Comprehensive PADI scuba certification courses for individuals ranging from first-time divers through aspiring professional diving instructors, including eLearning, classroom, pool, and open-water components.
• PADI Specialty Courses Advanced PADI specialty diving courses covering Wreck Diving, Boat Diver, Deep Diver, Night Diver, Underwater Photography, Navigation, Search & Recovery, DPV, Dry Suit, EAN Nitrox, Full Face Mask, Naturalist, and Buoyancy, designed for certified divers seeking to expand their skills.
• Emergency First Response (EFR) CPR and first aid training course covering adult/child CPR, AED usage, and first aid skills, valid for two years, priced at $149 for students enrolled in the Rescue Class and $199 otherwise.
• PADI Oxygen Provider Course Emergency oxygen administration training for dive injuries, approximately 4-hour course with hands-on training, including PADI O2 Workbook, Provider Pocket Mask, and certification card; priced at $199.00.
• Dive Equipment Sales Retail sales of name-brand dive gear including masks, snorkels, fins, regulators, BCDs, wetsuits, and accessories, backed by a 30-day lowest price guarantee and assisted by Divemaster-rated or higher staff trained in proper gear fitting.
• Equipment Rental Services Rental equipment available for divers requiring full SCUBA gear packages, typically purchased alongside classes or boat dive trips.
• Air Fill Services Compressed air fills for scuba tanks at the San Pedro dive shop location, available to divers needing tank refills between dives or before trips.
• Equipment Repair Services Regulator repair and general dive equipment maintenance performed by trained technicians, supported by staff certifications in regulator repair, hazmat, and tank inspection.
• Dive Club Membership Club membership program offering weekly group beach dives every Sunday, monthly club meetings, club BBQs, night dives, special events like Thanksgiving and Christmas Day dives, and member-only pricing.
• Local Dive Trips Scheduled dive excursions to local Southern California dive sites including Veterans Park, Laguna Beach areas, and Catalina Island, departing from San Pedro and Redondo Beach.
• Exotic Dive Trips International dive travel packages including Fiji trips (Voli Voli Beach Resort, priced at $3,295 all-inclusive) and Philippines trips (Siren Live-Aboard, priced at $4,750 all-inclusive), covering air, accommodation, meals, diving, and transfers.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPacific Wilderness is a PADI 5 Star IDC Dive Center, the highest level of PADI dive center status. This authorizes them to offer all PADI courses from entry-level Open Water through Instructor Development Course. Students receive PADI certifications recognized worldwide.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Scuba.com: Large online dive retailer (formerly LeisurePro) carrying major brand scuba gear with price-match guarantees. Overlaps with Pacific Wilderness's equipment retail stream at much larger national scale, though it does not operate the same in-person training and service business.
• PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors): Global certifying agency whose curriculum, standards, and eLearning platform underpin Pacific Wilderness's entire training offering. Acts as both a strategic partner and the dominant incumbent setting the rules of the certification market.
• Divers Direct: Multi-store U.S. dive retailer offering name-brand scuba equipment, training referrals, and dive travel. Comparable product overlap on retail and travel; broader geographic footprint but less depth in hands-on training and service.

Direct peers

• Ocean Enterprises: Long-running Southern California PADI 5 Star dive center based in San Diego offering the same combination of PADI certification, equipment retail, repair, air fills, and dive travel. Closest comparable operator by geography, scale, and product mix.

Others

• West Marine: National boating equipment retailer with overlapping marine product categories (wetsuits, accessories, marine safety gear). Indirect competitor on equipment retail with broader boating focus but limited scuba specialization.
• NAUI Worldwide: Long-established U.S.-based scuba and free-diving certification agency. Alternative to PADI for diver credentials; relevant as a competing ecosystem for training-center affiliations and consumer mind share.
• Scuba Schools International (SSI): Direct competitor to PADI offering an alternative scuba certification curriculum and dive center network. Relevant as the principal competing training ecosystem that could erode Pacific Wilderness's PADI-tied training revenue if diver preferences shift.

Regional players

• Catalina Express: Scheduled passenger ferry service from Southern California ports to Catalina Island — the primary access route for Pacific Wilderness's Catalina dive trips. Functions as both an enabling transportation partner and an adjacent regional player in the Catalina diving ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/PacificWildernessScuba
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pacific-wilderness

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Pacific Wilderness