Who we are
We dive here.
Explorers. fishermen. Historians. FRiends.
We founded DiveVB in 2023 to connect All of Us through our shared love of the ocean.
Our Mission
We are local scuba and free divers. What does that mean? We dive local, and we dive often. The waters of Virginia Beach and the Outer Banks are full of history, from sunken Civil War-era barges to history being made today with the offshore wind project turbines. Sharks, rays, flounder, schools of spadefish, and seasonal tropical species frequent our waters, giving divers the aquarium experience without hiding behind the glass. We dive local sites and want to spread our knowledge. Join us on a dive and see unforgettable that few people ever experience!
“These guys rock.”
— Abraham Lincoln
Founders
My name is Ben Grau, and I met my buddy Michael Ramirez in 2022, when he started in the same group at Newport News Shipbuilding. We are both electrical engineers by trade, but we got here in different ways. Michael is a former Marine from Rosenberg, Texas, who used his GI Bill to study engineering at Texas A&M before making his way to Virginia Beach. I grew up in Newport News before studying physics and engineering in college, later returning home for work.
This is a picture from our first time diving together at Lake Phoenix in Rawlings, VA (a familiar site if you were certified locally!).
We share a love for adventure and a passion for exploring the natural world, and we want to share that with you! Hit the button below to connect with us and our group!
Our Team
Meet some of the amazing people who make DiveVB adventures possible! Big thanks to everyone who helps out in planning excursions and going on these trips with us.
hunter
After a bad snowboard accident, Hunter pursued a new passion and signed up for his open water certification as soon as he was medically cleared. Since October of 2019, Hunter has traveled extensively to dive including Costa Rica, Zanzibar, Bonaire and the Caribbean. While all of those dive destinations offer something unique, Hunter believes we have world class diving here locally off Virginia and the Carolinas. Steeped with history and teeming with marine life, the “Graveyard of the Atlantic” offers endless diving potential and discovery.
Trusty Dive Buddy & Amateur Photographer
David was first certified by PADI in 1988 and became a Divemaster in 2019. Professionally, he is a Marine Engineer who has sailed as a submarine officer, merchant Chief Engineer with Friend Ships Unlimited humanitarian relief ships, lead Project Engineer for GE electric propulsion ships, and is currently Port Engineer for a Navy destroyer. He enjoys all kinds of diving: SCUBA and freediving, including spearfishing. You may see him poking around low visibility jetties, the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, and Chesapeake Bay wrecks looking for dinner and new dive sites. If you are looking for a dive buddy, David is always ready to dive.
Shore Diving Aficionado & Divemasterdavid
