Adventures from the mountains to the seas.

As a team of outdoor enthusiasts & aquatic professionals; we are here to offer you support, education, & inspiration to EXPLORE MORE.

Meet Ischa

owner & operator

Raised in the Appalachian mountains and called to the sea - Ischa and has been working on the water for over 10 years; While enjoying it as her playground for a lifetime. What started with the rivers, lakes and wetlands of the Carolinas, moved on to a career traveling to some of the most prestigious dive & sailing destinations worldwide.

Her love of exploring inspires her to create space for others to do the same.

Certifications:

  • PADI Dive Instructor

  • Master Scuba Dive Trainer

  • USCG Licensed Captain

  • Emergency First Response Instructor

  • Wilderness First Responder

  • AAUS Research Diver

  • Adaptive Diver Certified

Meet the Team

Mike

Mike is the founder of mountains to seas & happily passed the torch to Ischa after years of a working relationship.

His father instilled a love of diving in him at an early age. Since then he’s taken every possible opportunity to be in, on, under, or at least near the water.

The more time he spent diving, the more he realized the divers having the most fun were well trained. So he continued his own training, becoming a Master Diver & obtaining multiple specialty ratings. Through providing high quality customer service, training, and gear sales - He grew Mountains to Seas into the best rated dive shop in the area.

Along the way, He’s been lucky enough to dive all over the Caribbean, Mexico and along the southern US Coast.

“My goal as a Master Scuba Diver Trainer is to teach you to hit the water as a well-trained and responsible diver, and to enjoy the amazing aquatic adventure waiting for you”

CERTIFICATIONS:

PADI Dive Instructor

Master SCUBA Dive Trainer

Emergency First Response Instructor

SSI Instructor

Multiple specialty ratings

Kevin

Kevin started his underwater adventures in 2009 becoming Open Water and Advanced Open Water certified in quarries in Eastern North Carolina. He began his path to becoming a professional in 2013 achieving his Divemaster rating in 2014. He became an instructor in 2022. In addition to his recreational certifications, Kevin also holds technical certifications in Advanced Nitrox and Decompression Procedures. Kevin has won local photography contests for his underwater photography & loves to share his knowledge on the subject. When not diving, Kevin can be found enjoying the outdoors running, hiking, biking, photography, and traveling.

CERTIFICATIONS:

Master Scuba Diver Trainer

Open Water Scuba Instructor

EFR Instructor

Boat Instructor

Deep Instructor

Delayed Surface Marker Buoy Instructor

Digital Underwater Photography Instructor

Dive Against Debris Instructor

Diver Propulsion Vehicle Instructor

Drift Instructor

Dry Suit Instructor

Emergency Oxygen Provider Instructor

Enriched Air Instructor

Equipment Specialist Instructor

Full Face Mask Instructor

Invasive Lionfish Tracker Instructor

Night Diver Instructor

PADI AWARE Instructor

Peak Performance Buoyancy Instructor

Search & Recovery Instructor

Self-Reliant Instructor

Tec Rec Gas Blender Instructor

Underwater Naturalist Instructor

Underwater Navigator Instructor

Wreck Instructor

Juan

Juan was raised in Hialeah-Miami until the age of 15 when he moved to the mountains. Of Cuban descent & grateful his parents choose to seek out the American Dream. While his love of the water grew - He join the local fire department as a volunteer which expanded into a career in emergency services.  He has trained for high-angle & swift water rescues as well as other intensive rescue responses. His love for diving started when the fire department wanted to establish a public safety dive team.  SCUBA became his peace & he wanted to expand his knowledge - which turned into a career.

“Water is the perfect substance and it heals the soul. It's one of the only things we have the recipe for but still can't make it.   I am a big Bruce Lee follower and one of his teachings states: 

“Be Formless, Shapeless like water. You put water in a cup and it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle it becomes the bottle, you put it in a teapot it becomes the teapot. Water can flow, or it can crash, be water my friend.”

My goal as a dive instructor is to get you comfortable, confident & ready to explore the adventurous world that waits underneath the surface.”

CERTIFICATIONS:

PADI Open Water Instructor

PADI Full Face Mask Instructor

PADI Dry Suit Instructor 

Emergency First Responder Instructor

NC Advanced Emergency Medical Tech.

NC Firefighter Lvl. 2

NC Firefighter Lvl. 2 Instructor

Swiftwater Certified

A note from the owner:

“By choosing to train or experience this watery world with us, you will be choosing to push your own boundaries and learn new aspects of yourself & nature; Walking away with not only an amazing experience, but a newfound sense of confidence & trust in yourself.

Through providing elevated In water & outdoor training as well as immersive travel experiences; My goal is to share that the water is accessible and able to be enjoyed and explored by EVERYONE. No matter your age, health, state of mind; there is a way for you to feel the freedom of weightlessness that water allows.

I have a mission to help others foster a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness within the natural environment we are surrounded by. Cultivating a relationship with “the wild” inspires people to appreciate life & the planet differently.

I believe that water provides the ultimate lesson in life.

Fluidity.

So … let’s dive in!”