Bob’s Sea &Ski

Bob’s Sea & Ski carries a deep history in the Fairhaven community, tracing its roots back to 1971 when it was founded as the Cape Cod Skin Diving School of Fairhaven by Bob Mercer, Sr. Over the decades, the business has evolved through various iterations, including a period as Whaling City Sea, Ski, & Outdoor Sports, before returning to its original location.

Now under the direction of the second generation, Bob Mercer, Jr., the shop has maintained its focus on high-quality instruction and equipment. It serves as a multi-season hub, providing expertise in SCUBA diving, snorkeling, and spearfishing during the summer months, while also catering to the local winter sports community.

The centre is a family-operated establishment that prides itself on its long-standing presence in the local diving scene. This multi-generational approach ensures that the expertise gathered over nearly fifty years is passed down through the instruction and service provided to the diving community.

Beyond standard SCUBA instruction, the team offers specialised training in spearfishing and advanced snorkeling. This diverse skill set makes the centre a versatile destination for those looking to move beyond basic recreational diving into more targeted underwater pursuits.

Divers can work through a full range of certification programmes, starting from initial dive training through to advanced levels. The centre provides various Dive Certification Courses to help students build their skills and confidence in the water.

For those looking to specialise, Bob’s Sea & Ski offers Advanced Snorkeling Classes and dedicated Spearfishing Classes. These programmes are designed to provide technical skills for divers who want to explore the marine environment with more precision and intent.

The shop is a full-service SCUBA centre, offering a wide range of premium brands including Scubapro, Sherwood, Aqua Lung, and Henderson. For those travelling without their own kit, a complete rental selection is available, including cylinders, BCDs, regulators, wetsuits, masks, fins, and snorkels.

On-site technical services are a core part of the business. They provide regulator servicing for both first and second stages, as well as BCD maintenance including power inflator services. The shop also handles annual visual inspections for both steel and aluminium cylinders, and provides hydrostatic testing for those requiring five-year cylinder recertification.