Neptune Charlies
Ocean Safaris

For Immediate Information or Reservations
Call Toll Free 1-800-982-6747
(808) 331-2184

To our valued guests, we offer you over 10 years of experience on and in the waters of the Big Island of Hawaii.

"We would like to share our wonderful tropical experiences with others so that they may enjoy the ocean as we do. We know your experiences on and in these beautiful waters will be the memories you cherish for a lifetime!"

--- Mark

We really want to share these wonderful experiences with you so that you too may enjoy what the ocean in Hawaii has to offer. As we have continued our studies, our credentials have grown! So has our list of satisfied customers! Whether it's snorkeling, whale watching or just a cruise down the coastline, we at Neptune Charlies would love to be your ocean recreation company.

Mark is a US Coast Guard boat captain and also a PADI Scuba Diving "Master Instructor". He brings to you over 3000 dives of experience. He has certified hundreds of scuba divers in all levels of training and all ages, from 10 all the way up to his oldest, 76. He teaches 12 PADI Specialty courses and is a member of the Kona Underwater Photo Society where he's won several "Photo Shootout" contests.

Mark is also an accomplished underwater videographer capturing his guests' "Kodak moments" while scuba diving. When you can finally force Mark out of the water, you'll usually find him 3 putting the greens or looking for his ball in the rough around one of the many golf courses here in Kona.

Captain Derek Yamashita was born and raised right here in Kona, Hawaii. Quoting Derek,"I've always loved the ocean and everything around it". For the past 15 years, Derek has spent the summer months as a Charter Boat Captain at a remote fishing lodge in SE Alaska. "Being able to work on the ocean and around its abundant wildlife has taught me great respect and appreciation towards Nature and Gods creations". Now, working with Neptune Charlies I get to enjoy working with people and sharing my experiences with such amazing animals as the Hawaiian Spinner Dolphins and the Manta Rays right here in my own hometown". Derek is also a PADI Certified Scuba Diver and is currently training to become a DiveMaster.

Evan Snyder is a PADI and Naui certified Scuba Instructor who has lived on the Big Island now for almost 3 years. He had spent the last several years in the Caribbean, living and working in the Bahamas and Puerto Rico. Evan also has extensive experience diving in other areas of the Caribbean, the Great Lakes, Northern California, and even in Africa. Evan has traveled to dozens of countries and can speak passible German, Spanish and Mandarin Chinese if he has too. He is currently studying Japanese, and his basic commands are coming alone quickly. (hand signals!) When asked his favorite critter in/under the water, Evan say's it's a dead even heat between the Manta Rays, The Octopus and his all time favorrite,"the Hawaiin Spinner Dolphins".

Buddy Huber is one of our most famous PADI Dive Instructors here at Neptune Charlies! Buddy came to the Big Island many years ago from the wilds of Wyoming, and he sure doesn't miss that snow! He's been a Dive Instructor for 5 years and when he's not digging up interesting things on one of our dive adventures, you can find him cruising the Island on one of his custom motorcycles. The only thing Buddy loves more than the "beautiful" Manta Rays (his words!) is snorkeling with one of our resident pods of Hawaiian Spinner Dolphins. He truly eats, sleeps, and breathes ALOHA!

Trevor (T-Bone) Bourg was born and raised in Kona, Hawaii. He is a licensed charter captain who has spent over 20 years on Alaskan and Hawaiian waters running charter boats and commercial fishing boats. Trevor enjoys just about anything involving the water including surfing and diving, and you can most likely find him in or around the ocean during his free time. " Neptune Charlies has given me the opportunity to share in memorable experiences of first time swimmers to experienced oceangoers. It's great to see how excited our guests get when in the water. To get right in there with the dolphins and manta rays is an experience of a lifetime."

Roger Valdez was born in Orange County, CA but grew up in the great State of Arizona. Pure destiny has brought Roger to the mystical Island of Hawaii which he has made his home for the past two years. With an unlimited respect for the Ocean and all that lives there, "my experiences swimming with wild dolphins and up close encounters with giant manta rays has opened my mind to a whole new adventure in life. Stepping outside my comfort zone and taking a risk is what I call an adventure" says Roger. As a certified diver and also trained both in First Aid and CPR, Rogers attention to safety of our passengers while on our adventures is priority #1. In his time off work, Roger enjoys exploring the unknown areas on the Big Island and surfing every chance he gets! "I look forward to seeing you on one of Our Charters".

We are members of the
Professional Association of Diving Instructors
since 1977 and adhere to all PADI safety standards
in our instructional and recreational dives.