Connecticut’s First PADI Dive Center. Still the Best.

About Scuba Shack

At Scuba Shack, we believe life is better beneath the surface. As one of the first and oldest continually operating PADI Dive Centers (Store #38), we’ve built our reputation on turning curious beginners into confident, capable divers. Our mission is to share the awe-inspiring beauty of the underwater world with people of all ages and backgrounds—providing a professional, supportive, and personalized environment where every diver can thrive.

Recreational Training

As a PADI Five-Star Instructor Development Center, Scuba Shack has issued over 11,000 certifications across all levels of diving. Whether you’re just starting out, looking to expand your skills, or pursuing a career as a dive professional, our experienced team is uniquely equipped to guide your journey. Your path begins with the Open Water Diver certification, followed by core courses such as Enriched Air (Nitrox), Advanced Open Water, and Rescue Diver. We also offer our exclusive Foundations and Principles of Diving course — providing personalized instruction in buoyancy control, propulsion, and dive planning.

Specialty Training

For divers looking to explore new areas of interest, Scuba Shack offers over 20 PADI specialty courses — from Night Diving and Wreck Diving to Dry Suit Diving and Underwater Photography. These specialty certifications allow you to expand your skills, increase your confidence, and experience new types of diving environments.

Ocean Advocacy

Our passion for diving goes hand-in-hand with our commitment to protecting the ocean. Through PADI AWARE initiatives, we offer courses focused on Shark Conservation and Coral Reef Protection. We also host regular Dive Against Debris events, bringing our community together to remove marine debris and protect our local and global waters.

Professional Training

Scuba Shack is a leader in professional dive training. Our instructional team includes PADI Course Director Monty Fitzpatrick — an 18-year PADI Elite Course Director who has personally trained over 250 PADI instructors, not one of whom has ever failed the PADI Instructor Examination. In 2025, Monty was recognized with the PADI Professional Excellence Award — one of the highest honors PADI bestows on dive professionals worldwide. Supported by multiple Master Instructors and IDC Staff Instructors, Scuba Shack provides comprehensive professional training from Divemaster through Open Water Scuba Instructor and beyond.

Technical Training

For divers ready to go beyond recreational limits, Scuba Shack offers structured, safety-focused technical diving training. Starting with an Introduction to Technical Diving, you’ll build a strong foundation in buoyancy control and double-cylinder diving before progressing into extended range and decompression diving.

Public Safety Diving

Scuba Shack proudly supports the training needs of public safety and first responder dive teams throughout the Northeast. Course Director Monty Fitzpatrick holds the rating of PADI Public Safety Instructor Trainer — the highest level attainable within the PADI Public Safety Diving program — supported by multiple PADI Public Safety Diver Instructors on staff. We offer the full PADI PSD program: Public Safety Diver, Surface Support Specialist, and Advanced Public Safety Diver — training that meets NFPA 1006 & 1670 standards.