Jethro Acosta started his ocean-oriented career at age sixteen,
working on Trilogy Excursions in Maui, Hawaii where he would teach
guests, many of whom were seeing the ocean for the first time, how to
snorkel in the tide pools of Hulopoʻe Beach in Lania. After moving to
Santa Barbara at age 16, one of his jobs was working at Underwater
Sports (which is now Bluewater Hunter, ironically), where he ran the
dive shop while attending SBCC.

His life was changed by participating in a study abroad program that
went to Asia for four months. He changed major from Aquaculture to
International Business, and packed his bags for Spain, where he earned
a degree in International Business from Schiller International
University in landlocked Madrid, Spain. Gills dry, he moved back to
Santa Barbara, never to leave. After many twists and turns in his
career, he found out that Bluewater Hunter was for sale. As a longtime
customer, he saw the opportunity to own BWH as an avenue for adventure
and in line with his lifetime passions. As a business person, he was
drawn to the fact that BWH was a diamond in the rough and had a prime
location which also happened to be his favorite place in the entire
world, the Santa Barbara Harbor.

Blue Water Hunter’s location has a rich history, and has been a diver
hub since 1964. Mal Wolfe and his partner Don Ducket started the
original dive shop called the Diver's Den in 1964. They had a standing
get-together at the "Den" every Friday. Many sea stories were told
(all true), and adult liberations were enjoyed. After some time, they
moved their shop to Anacapa Street, which became Anacapa Diver. Kevin
Franks then started Underwater Sports in the same location. This is
where Jethro Acosta, the current owner, worked in his 20's.
Meanwhile, in Goleta, Brain Bradley purchased Bob's Diving Locker in
1992 and changed the name to Bluewater Hunter. They also manufactured
Deep Thought wetsuits. The Deep Thought wetsuit was a collaboration
between Bob Guthri and Brain, who manufactured the first true
anatomical wetsuit patterns and improved the neck and wrist seals. The
suits are still used today by commercial divers up and down the
west coast. Along with the wetsuit manufacturers, they had a
full-service dive shop. They moved from the Goleta location to the
current location in the Harbor in 2000.

Since Acosta took over the shop in 2019, the shop has gone through a full
transformation from top to bottom. This transformation have
brought in the best and most inventive products in the dive industry.
Along with the latest and greatest dive gear, the store has added a
collection of ocean-oriented gifts, products made by local artists', and
jewelry.

Blue Water Hunter offers comprehensive Freediving and Scuba diving
instructions and certifications. We also offer private charters to the
Channel Islands. There you can sightsee or get more adventurous and do
a guided dive that explores under the waters off the least visited
National Park in the United States. The Channel Islands are considered
one of the world's foremost destinations for diving and seeing
wildlife.

Bluewater Hunter has also  expanded its current products and services
to include saltwater fishing gear targeting local species. After
speaking to many clients about the lack of selection of fishing gear
that targets the local fish species, I teamed up with Owen Scheid to
bring a comprehensive full-service fishing store to the Santa Barbara
Harbor. Owen Scheid, born and raised in Santa Barbara, has 25
years of knowledge gleaned from fishing local and offshore waters up
and down the West Coast. Fishing, along with building custom rods and
Steady Drift, are his passions.

We are pleased to now offer a full selection of saltwater fishing gear
from custom rod wrapping and repair to the most sought-after fishing
gear in the industry. A small selection of the vendors we carry
includes Daiwa, Seeker, Big Hammer, Izerline, Tady Lures, Hook Up
Bates, Owner Hooks, Goldstar, War Baits, Kicker Jig, and fresh-frozen
bait (anchovies, sardines, squid, and mussels).

If you are looking for adventure, we got you covered. If you are
looking to get into diving or fishing, we can share what we know with
you and give you tips. If you want to hear "Big Fish" stories, we have
endless stories to share. We bring our love and passion for ocean
adventure with us every day to work and welcome the opportunity to
share our passion with anyone who walks in the door. Come in for good
vibes. Leave with a plan for your next adventure, a new piece of gear
that will make diving and fishing more epic, or a unique gift that
encapsulates the spirit of Santa Barbara and the ocean.

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