Southern Belle Scuba Testimonials

"I recently took the basic scuba diving course from Mercedes, and I truly feel that she is an exceptional SCUBA instructor. She has all the right characteristics. She has an extensive understanding of the SCUBA course, as well as the surrounding marine wildlife. She has a degree in marine biology and has an amazing eye for spotting and explaining interesting creatures. She knows exactly what to touch and what not to touch.

Mercedes also has a very warm and inviting personality. She is full of life and really enjoys her work. She was serious about teaching, and was very determined that we thoroughly knew all of the material. It was never stressful; always fun; and very thorough.

Overall, her scuba course was one of the best decisions I have made. She is very calming. I was terrified of sharks prior to the course, and we saw two sharks during a dive. I actually swam towards them with Mercedes because I grew to trust her that much. I couldn't have asked for a better experience, and it was worth far more than what she charged. Thanks Mercedes!"

Seth Christian

New Orleans, Louisiana

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"Ever since I was in high school I wanted to learn how to dive. Once I found out that a group of friends were getting SCUBA certified I jumped all over the opportunity to finally do it. Mercedes was an amazing instructor to say the least. She was very thorough with the techniques needed in the open water and took the time to make sure that everyone was comfortable with the dive gear and what they were doing . She was well organized throughout the entire learning process. The bookwork, pool dives, beach dive, and open water dives were all fantastic and her personality made her super fun to be around. I had an absolute blast and I am so glad that we took the class with Mercedes and will continue to recommend Southern Belle Scuba as, "the

people you need to get certified with!"

Jose Casas

Miami, Florida

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"Simply amazing! I recently moved to Miami Beach from New York and decided to try new things, first on the list was SCUBA diving. Mercedes came very highly recommended and now I see why. Her passion for marine biology made my underwater dives very memorable to say the least. She takes great pride in her work and it absolutely shows. Her teaching abilities are second to none. Her upbeat personality made for a fun experience, in and out of the water. Thank you Mercedes for being a true professional!"

Jamie Evans

Miami Beach, Florida

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"Mercedes was an excellent instructor! She is not only very knowledgeable about SCUBA diving, but also about marine life as a whole. She is very thorough in her instruction and patient with students who don't understand something. Mercedes was excellent at making everyone feel comfortable; she made students feel less apprehensive and overcome any fears they may have. Greatly recommended!!!"

Brandon Metzler

Brandon, Mississippi

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"My first dive was unlike anything I have ever experienced and at the same time I felt right at home under water because of my excellent teacher Mercedes Smith. Her passion for SCUBA shines through her teachings and she strives to make her students comfortable in every aspect. Scuba diving is such an exciting adventure and I highly recommend Southern Belle Scuba as the starting point for your personal adventure!"

Katy Barrett

Jackson, Mississippi

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"I had the best time in my certification course. It was all very hands on activities and Mercedes was always willing to spend extra time to make sure you learn everything properly. You can really tell she enjoys what she is doing and brings the enthusiasm to the class. While having a good time throughout the course, she is always focused on making sure you feel comfortable in the water. My first training dive, I had malfunctions with my equipment, but thanks to the awesome training I received during the course, I kept my composure and calmly fixed the problem. She is an excellent instructor and an even better person. On every dive I have done since then I look forward to the ones with her because she has an eye that even the most experienced divers cannot compare to. She knows all about the marine life and is very good at finding it, even in the least expected spots. I highly recommend for people of all ages to get their certification with Southern Belle Scuba. It is an experience of a life time."

Andy Hall,

Ft. Lauderdale, Florida

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"I can't believe I did it. I could not have completed the course without a patient & encouraging instructor. Mercedes made me feel confident & comfortable with all aspects of diving. She was a wealth of knowledge & covered the material thoroughly. It was a blast diving with her. Her passion for diving & marine life is downright contagious!! She even knew the Latin names for most creatures we ran (swam) into. I highly recommend Southern Belle Scuba...you will not be disappointed!!"

Maurijo McFarland

Wilmington, North Carolina

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"I had an incredible time learning to scuba with Mercedes. She made all of us feel safe, comfortable and confident as we learned this exciting new activity. The classes were fun and efficient, yet she still provided individualized attention to keep everyone progressing at the same speed. I definitely recommend anyone seeking their scuba certification to sign up with Southern Belle Scuba."

Kelly Karase

Miami Beach, Florida

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“I appreciate learning from people who are the best at what they do. Mercedes’ many years of diving experience, expertise, and great teaching style helped me to learn with confidence, and have a lot of fun.”

Nathan J. Hiller, Ph.D.

Miami, Florida

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"I completed my certification course with Mercedes in September of 2009. It was an amazing experience for me- definitely one of the highlights of 2009! Mercedes is a professional and organized instructor. She is diligent in making sure each of her students reaches a comfort level with the gear and breathing techniques prior to making any dives. She took the time to work individually with each student. I appreciated this so much about her class. I felt completely comfortable with the gear and with all of the techniques we learned before we entered the ocean. The first dive as a class was so exciting! This was due to the incredible preparation we received from Mercedes. Mercedes' enthusiasm for, and knowledge of, the marine environment only added to my incredible experience. I would highly recommend Mercedes course to any new diver!"

Leah Shadle

Miami Beach, Florida

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"As a classroom teacher for the past 8 years myself, I was very impressed with the way Mercedes handled her class. Teaching is never easy, but she is so knowledgeable and comfortable with the material that she was able to switch gears and backtrack in order to meet her students needs without a problem at all. Her brilliant smile and easy going attitude help even the most nervous of beginning divers to relax and start enjoying their new underwater adventures. Since my beginning diving class with Mercedes, I have gone on to receive several other certifications. It is my pleasure to rate her as the best instructor I have ever had. It's a shame that we no longer live in close proximity, because I would have gotten all of my certifications from her if I could! I now have roughly 100 dives and have been diving in some of the greatest places in the world, including the Great Barrier Reef, and Palau! What are you waiting for!?

From a beginning diver to a diver seeking advanced certifications and specialties, Mercedes Smith is one of the best instructors available."

Nathan Mapson

Yigo, Guam

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"I had a goal to overcome my fear of scuba diving and thanks to Mercedes it was possible. She is the most patient, kind and versed instructor I had the pleasure of experiencing. Not only does she know about scuba diving but her knowledge about the marine life is impressive. Mercedes makes you believe you can do it even when you don’t think you can, she is awesome and I feel safe diving with her anytime."

Sacha Suarez

Miami, Florida