It wasn’t until I was en route via a Cadillac Escalade from Four Seasons Resort Oahu to Ko Olina Marina — which is just down the road — that reality began to sink in. Within one hour, I would be fully suited up and jumping into open ocean water for my first-ever Discover Scuba course, which is a standard offering at PADI-certified dive centers around the world and some resorts, too (although usually in a pool setting).
An avid snorkeler but decidedly not a diver, I focused on what I knew about Trident Adventures — the new snorkel, dive and adventure operation based at Ko Olina Marina — which has a pedigree that would assuage even the most nervous beginner.
Trident was founded by buddies Stephen Kaplan and James Beck, two recently retired Navy SEALs with some serious qualifications. For one, Kaplan’s final stint with the Navy was as a lead dive instructor for the SEAL team on Oahu. He has also run underwater safety for several locally filmed television shows and movies, including the “Magnum P.I.” reboot and “Hawaii Five-0.”
Kaplan and Beck have partnered with Four Seasons Oahu for several on-site exclusives. Primarily geared toward youth and young adults, offerings include a PADI Bubblemaker program in the resort’s Serenity Pool, which is suitable for ages 8 and up; and a follow-up, two-hour SEAL Team dive experience in the pool that’s focused on open-water skill development. For ages 10 and older, Trident Adventures can also host Discover Scuba sessions in the resort’s gentle ocean lagoon, which it shares with neighboring Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa.
Trident Adventures' co-owner Stephen Kaplan is a retired Navy SEAL.
Credit: 2019 Erin Lindholm
Teens and adults with a little more ocean familiarity — as well as guests at any of the Ko Olina resorts — can head to Ko Olina Marina for open-ocean snorkel excursions, Discover Scuba sessions, PADI certification dives, shipwreck dives and more, including some seriously high-adrenaline, SEAL-inspired experiences.
“We can cater to everyone, from families with infants to people jumping out of helicopters and meeting us on the boat; we do it all,” said Kaplan, who was all smiles as he explained the range of offerings of the new company, which set up shop earlier this year.
This particular day, we were bound for Electric Beach. Located a bit north of Four Seasons, it is equally suited for snorkelers and divers. The water is crystal clear, and even from the surface, I could see all the way to the ocean floor some 30 feet below. The group was a mix of families ready to snorkel and divers of various stages, including me and a teenager working toward her PADI certification. I was struck by how fun this excursion could be for families, who wouldn’t have to split up just because some were interested in snorkeling and others wanted to try scuba. Everyone would be looking for sea turtles, manta rays, spinner dolphins and plenty of tropical fish.
“You guys have one concern today: Have fun, and we’ll make sure you’re safe,” Kaplan said.
And he was not resting on his laurels — among the other certified team members keeping an eye on the dozen or so clients in the water was boat captain Mel, who ran ocean safety for the state of Hawaii for 35 years. Every non-certified diver has either one-to-one or two-to-one instruction.
Suited up and briefed about the gear, safety measures, hand signals and some beginner skills we’d be focusing on once in the water, the only thing left to do was jump. (And, spoiler, I did.)
While everyone’s Discover Scuba is different, I spent the majority of my time hanging out just a few feet underwater, getting comfortable breathing through the equipment and learning some best practices, as well as wrapping my mind around the fact that the ocean’s surface was my new ceiling.
On day two, I had the option to snorkel or scuba. You’d better believe I jumped in with confidence, scuba gear and all.
And this time, I made it to the ocean floor.
The Details
Four Seasons Resort Oahu at Ko Olina
www.fourseasons.com
Trident Adventures at Ko Olina
www.tridentadventures.com
PADI Discover Scuba Diving
www.padi.com
