Pura Vida Divers — Local services in Riviera Beach

First I will discuss their dive boat and crew and then the shop. The dive boat is only one of few I will dive from in South Florida. The boat is clean, very clean, the crew is professional, and the entire operation as a whole is superb. So many dive boats there in South Florida are dirty, unkempt, nauseating (from terribly maintained engines, poor exhaust gas routing, and likely some leaks in exhaust system), and unprofessional, this is NOT Pura Vida, they're all you could ask for in a dive boat. They are safety oriented, first and foremost, they don't allow spear guns, and are big on respecting marine life and the underwater environment.

Professionalism is measured many ways, but I measure it by how they handle when someone, let's be real it was me a few-ish times, is yakking (vommiting) their brains out the entire time on the boat. The crew just let you be, but they're watching you; unlike some boat crews who will verbally pester you, or make recommendations, which only makes you yak more, Pura Vida crew just let's you yak in peace, safely with no embarrassment.

Now the dive shop has just what you need, rather, everything you EXACTLY need (if that makes sense). We needed two brass and glass SPGs, walked in and, bam, two brass and glass SPGs, and service to install it quickly for me on the spot to boot (yes there is a cost for service, no one works for free here in America) but the labor cost was insignificant, didn't even notice it. I needed a spare Tusa Paragon mask, boom, there it was. Big blue tech dive light? Take your pick. Want your tanks filled properly and only pay exactly for the gas you needed to fill it? Take them on in there and get your fill. We love going here because when we open our wallet to spend money we know someone is listening to us and making a recommendation based off what they've heard, not what they think is best regardless of your needs, they're truly a great shop for anyone from open water divers all the way up to...

When visiting from North in the West Palm Beach area I always try to get out for a dive trip and have used various charters in the area. This was my first experience with Pura Vida Divers. The sign up process was smooth and easy to navigate. A reply email was fast with directions to complete an online waiver and once completed, directions to the shop and/or boat location was provided along with confirmation of rental tanks. A follow up phone call was received a few days prior to the charter. Crew were onsite to welcome divers and provided transfer of equipment onto the boat. As stated, weights are provided and were soft weight pouches. The vessel was comfortable and the ride in moderate seas was pleasant. The vessel safety briefing and dive briefings were clear and complete with instruction on what to do in case of emergencies. The dive site briefing was also complete providing depth, temperature, currents etc. and what may be expected. A rough dive plan was outlined and you could follow your own plan with a rough time limit of 50-60 min. A divemaster was in the water with a float ball and you could stay with the DM. Given these were deeper sites in the 70-90 ft. range most dives were of the 40 minute range with returning pressures of 500 - 750 psi. I liked that the dive masters ensured everyone was geared up and a step by step pre dive safety check was conducted together ensuring all were adequately prepared to splash. Entry and exit procedures were clearly outlined and clear directions given on how and when to approach the boat for exits. Marine life was as expected with various fish sightings. A Hammerhead shark encounter was the highlight of the dives, but bull sharks, green moray, turtle, barracuda and the normal grunts, yellowtails etc. were all observed. Overall, a great experience with a crew that made you feel comfortable and were fun to be around. Would highly recommend for you...

2023 Update: Unfortunately I can’t post another review, but I have to make a special shout out to Julie. We have an uneven number of divers with us in May so I felt more comfortable having a dive guide for our two days of boat dives. I absolutely adore her! She was so much fun and so helpful. Can’t wait to dive with her again! Rick was also amazing! His photography and video skills were an added bonus. I felt so safe with Julie and Rick. We’ve now gone on three boat trips with PVD and rented equipment on other days for BHB- never had an issue and the staff is always wonderful. See ya in August!

My boyfriend and I are relatively new divers with only a couple years’ experience. We have only gone diving in California, so we were excited to dive in the Palm Beach area. We booked two days of diving with two different shops in the area. Pura Vida Divers is the way to go! We felt so comfortable scheduling the dives, renting gear, and most importantly diving with this shop. We went to Blue Heron Bridge with Lawrence and had an incredible experience. We loved it so much we booked a charter with Lawrence a few days later to see the reefs and wrecks in the area. We can’t wait to go back. The shop was so organized, fair pricing, and welcoming. Lawrence was the perfect balance of helpful but let us explore at our own pace. He was so patient and even kind enough to take a few photos and share them with us. He taught us so much and really helped us to feel confident on our dives. He is such a talented diver and diver guide with so much knowledge and love for the ocean. We can’t wait to go back and plan more trips with Lawrence and Pura...