Starting their dive business with five sets of scuba gear and a Volkswagen van, Jeff and Teri Leicher have built a lasting legacy in Kona that will now be enshrined forever.

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Starting their dive business with five sets of scuba gear and a Volkswagen van, Jeff and Teri Leicher have built a lasting legacy in Kona that will now be enshrined forever.

The owners of Jack’s Diving Locker — a full-service snorkeling and scuba-diving operation with two locations in West Hawaii — were recently inducted into the prestigious International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame (ISDHF), located in the Cayman Islands.

Established by the Cayman Islands Ministry of Tourism at the beginning of the 21st century, ISDHF recognizes people and organizations that have made lasting, notable contributions to scuba diving. Fellow inductees joining the couple in the ISDHF Class of 2026 are Thomas Koch, Ed Uditis, Amos Nachoum and Syed Abd Rahman.

“It’s an incredible honor that was completely unexpected,” Teri told the paper in a phone interview. “Never in our wildest dreams did we think we’d be inducted into a group with so many diving greats.

“We never thought what we did would get noticed on a worldwide scale.”

The West Hawaii community has certainly noticed and appreciated Jack’s Diving Locker, and for quite some time, too. Founded in 1981, the company has transformed from a local dive operation to one of Kona’s most trusted marine businesses.

Jeff and Teri met on Oahu in the late 1970s and moved to Kona in 1982 as scuba dive instructors. The couple began their work with the company by overseeing diving classes and charters — soon purchasing a 23-foot boat named the Blue Dolphin. Throughout the years, Jeff and Teri have chartered dives all over the Gold Coast — ranging from the Suck’em Up Lava Tube, Golden arches or Kaiwi Point. During excursions, divers are greeted by tropical fish, green honu and lively dolphins. Jack’s also offers locally famous night dives, such as manta ray snorkels and Pelagic Magic blackwater excursions.

Year after year, Jack’s Diving Locker slowly gained popularity and trust throughout the community.

“It took 45 years to go from a Volkswagen van to five boats with over 40 employees,” Jeff said. “It probably would have scared us off if we’d have known how much it was going to grow.”

In the late 1980s, Jerry Garcia — lead guitarist and vocalist of the Grateful Dead — dived with Jack’s over 300 times. Garcia was so impressed with the operation that he even testified in support of a mooring buoy project that the Leichers started in 1986. A mooring buoy is anchored to the seabed, allowing boaters to secure their vessels without dropping an anchor.

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The Grateful Dead, along with other supporters, made a generous contribution for mooring buoy installation — helping set the stage for the Malama Kai Foundation. The donations were especially important during that time, as local government did not have the funds to maintain the installations.

Since its creation in 1991, the Malama Kai Foundation has worked closely with local communities, businesses, universities and government agencies to protect Hawaii marine life and promote ocean conservation. In addition to day-use mooring buoy programs, Malama Kai has evolved into offering ReefTalk lectures, scholarships, community conservation projects and more.

“Statewide, we now have 288 moorings that boats can tie to and not drop anchor on the reefs,” Teri said. “The Malama Kai Foundation helps the Division of Aquatic Resources install and repair these moorings.”

With Jack’s Diving Locker being such a staple of the local diving community, Jeff and Teri have enjoyed seeing generations of divers pass through, which keeps them motivated to this day.

“We have a few clients that have been diving with us for so long that they’re now returning with their children and grandchildren,” Jeff said. “We’ve had all three generations on our boats here, and in some cases on international trips that we lead. That’s pretty cool.”

Nearly five decades after beginning their journey in Kona, the Leichers’ love for the ocean continues to fuel their desire to share it with future generations.

“Whether I’m snorkeling, scuba diving or just putting my face in the water, it’s just so healing,” Teri said. “The waters here in Kona are really exceptional.

“The ocean is life. Without our oceans, life will cease to exist. It’s so important to protect them worldwide and enjoy them without doing harm.”

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