10/01/2026
Thank you to Diversco for featuring us as the Dealer of the month for October!
Diversco is the parent umbrella for Sherwood Scuba , Genesis Scuba , and AKONA Adventure Gear
Here is the article:
WOODS & WATER OUTDOOR SPORTS
Brandon, Florida | Diving with the Best
This month, we’re proud to recognize Woods & Water Outdoor Sports Center, a family-owned dive business serving the Tampa Bay area since 1984.
At the heart of Woods & Water is a father-and-son team whose passion for diving spans generations.
Owner and lead instructor Ed Ciesla has been diving since 1976 and became a scuba instructor in 1982. Over the years, Ed has logged more than 7,000 dives and certified more than 2,500 divers. His experience extends well beyond traditional scuba instruction. In 1989, Ed became certified through the Handicapped Scuba Association to teach scuba to divers with disabilities.
His son, Eddie, followed in his father’s footsteps from an early age. Eddie began diving at just six years old and was certified in 1999. Today, he has more than 3,000 dives and has introduced more than 1,100 people to the underwater world
Together, Ed and Eddie have built Woods & Water around a simple philosophy: have fun, while maintaining professionalism and safety.
Over the last several years, that family partnership has begun to evolve. Ed has gradually stepped back from the day-to-day business, while Eddie has taken on a larger role and become the face of Woods & Water. It’s a natural transition that reflects the same path Eddie followed growing up; learning the business, learning to dive, and eventually becoming the next generation to lead the business.
Their commitment to the local community also extends beyond diving. Woods & Water supports both the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts of America by providing the uniforms, equipment, and supplies they need. Ed and the Woods & Water instructors also train for the Dive Pirates Foundation, continuing their commitment to making diving accessible to more people.
For Eddie, diving isn’t just something he teaches. One of his favorite parts of the sport is catching lobster and serving it up at the monthly dive socials. His favorite dive site is Boynton Ledges in Boynton Beach, Florida.
And now, there is another generation being introduced to Woods & Water.
Eddie recently became a father for the first time. His daughter, Aria, is now five months old and has already been “helping” around the store this summer, just like her dad did when he was growing up.
Eddie hopes Aria will grow up around the scuba industry the same way he did, surrounded by diving, divers, and the family business. More importantly, he hopes she develops the same love for scuba diving that has been passed down from her grandfather to her father.
After more than four decades serving the Tampa Bay area, Woods & Water represents something we value greatly in the dive industry: a family business where a passion for diving is passed from one generation to the next.
We congratulate Ed, Eddie, Aria, and the entire Woods & Water team for more than 42 years of serving divers and introducing new generations to the underwater world. We look forward to seeing what the next generation of Woods & Water brings.
