What Divers Say About Us

Scuba Steve, where do I even begin. He was the one who made me feel comfortable in a pool for the first time, guided me all the way through my Open Water certification, and then led a private course to get my Advanced Open Water certification in Catalina. He gave me the confidence to learn a brand new skill in a place that truly pushes me beyond my comfort zone. I was so lucky to have done this with someone I hold very dear to my heart. It is an experience that will stay with me forever. Steve and I stay in contact and it feels good. I haven't been in the water recently but I am eager to get back out there. Knowing I have Steve to talk to and bounce questions off of makes this new passion that much more exciting. Steve is your man, folks.

After a lot of research and preparation to complete a long time dream of open water diving I decided to go with Scuba Life. The course structure is efficient and ensures a strong emphasis on the technical skills of diving along with the necessity of safety. My instructor, Steve, was incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about our success in learning how to properly dive beyond just checking the boxes. The first day was eye-opening and provided much needed insight into the world that is scuba before we ever touched the water. Day 2 was the pool day and they are not lying when they tell you it’s the hardest day you’ll have in your dive career. Be prepared and ensure you can pass the basic swim test. Day 3 & 4 being the following weekend on Catalina Island was all about the dives. By this point you have your gear (which you’ve taken care of for a week) and the entire class feels like a close-knit team. Every dive felt more like a natural act and eventually the respirator becomes an extension of your lungs. Highly recommend paying the extra cost to add-on Enriched Air and Peak Performance Buoyancy certifications that are offered. If you are serious about diving and want to learn from the pros, this is the place to go!

Taking Advanced Open Water is a must not only to enhance your diving proficiency and build confidence, but to broaden your opportunities to dive a wider range of unique locations to see wrecks, night life and deep water marine life. Steve’s enthusiasm, knowledge, attention to safety and expertise made it an easy decision to continue training with Scuba Life.

Highly recommend Steve! My son took the open water certification course and had the most amazing experience. He learned so much, and found something new he loves! Steve is a fun, genuine, kind, patient, understanding, very knowledgeable, caring, supportive, and professional instructor who takes the time to ensure his students understand all of the skills required to be a successful diver in a positive, safe, and encouraging manner. He quickly responds to every question and is very personable. Thank you Steve for opening the doors to a whole new world of adventures for my son!!!

It was an absolute joy to take a refresher course with ScubaLife! The instruction was private and personal, the pool was a lovely private backyard pool, and I came out of it feeling prepared to dive again after not touching a tank on 10 years. Would highly recommend this to anyone who needs to get their confidence back for tackling the open water!

My 13 year old son took this 2 hr course and had a wonderful learning experience with Steve. I cannot say enough great things about this instructor! He is very patient, understanding, professional, kind, down to earth, and makes the class fun. Highly recommend for those who are curious and want to see what it’s like. Lots of details- and Steve takes the time to explain everything so it’s easy to remember. Thank you Steve! So grateful my son wants to continue exploring scuba diving!!

Steve’s methodical approach and willingness to share personal expertise set him apart as an instructor. He balances a strict focus on safety with an engaging teaching style that ensures students walk away with both improved confidence and a deeper breadth of knowledge.

I recently completed this ScubaLife specialty course. Seeking a higher-level understanding of underwater navigation, I found Steve’s instruction to be exceptional. By broadening the material to include both land and surface-level exercises, he helped me solidify the information and significantly improve my confidence and accuracy. It was a thrill to navigate the course successfully and locate the final marker during the skills test! This course is an integral step toward my Rescue Diver and Master Scuba Diver certifications, and I truly appreciate Steve’s tailored teaching approach and unwavering positivity throughout the process.

I finished my underwater navigation specialty as part of a broader step towards my Rescue Diver and Master Scuba Diver certifications. ScubaLife makes the course easy to understand and fun regardless of your initial ability to navigate underwater with a compass. Everybody in the class was a better diver after completing this course. Thanks Steve!!

I had the absolute best experience earning my Advanced Open Water certification in Catalina thanks to Steve! From start to finish, he was incredibly supportive, patient, and knowledgeable. Steve has that rare combination of being both an excellent teacher and someone who instantly puts you at ease. He took the time to make sure I truly understood the skills — not just how to perform them, but why they matter for safe and effective diving. His clear explanations and calm coaching made every dive feel purposeful and confidence-building. Catalina is already an incredible place to dive, but having Steve as my instructor made the experience unforgettable. He was attentive, safety-focused, and genuinely invested in helping me grow as a diver. I never felt rushed or overwhelmed — just encouraged and empowered. If you’re considering your Advanced Open Water certification (or any training), I can’t recommend Steve enough. He helped me become a more confident, capable, and safe diver — and made the whole process fun along the way!

I cannot say enough amazing things about my scuba instructor, Steve! Going into this, I was honestly nervous and battling some real fears about being underwater in the open ocean. From day one, he made me feel completely safe, supported, and capable. Steve’s personality is absolutely incredible — patient, calm, encouraging, and genuinely fun to be around. He makes you laugh 🤣 He has this natural way of explaining things that makes everything click. No pressure, no judgment — just steady confidence and encouragement exactly when I needed it. What truly sets him apart is how much he cares and wants you to succeed!!! He didn’t just teach me the skills; he helped me work through my fears step by step. Because of him I didn’t just complete the course — I fell in love with scuba diving. I have gone on to get my advanced and have over 50 dives within a year! I can’t believe how much more enriched my life is because of his guidance. Now, instead of anxiety, I feel excitement. Instead of fear, I feel confidence. That transformation is 100% because of Steve’s guidance, professionalism, and heart. If you’re even slightly nervous about learning to dive, this is the instructor you want by your side. I’m beyond grateful — this experience changed everything for me. 🌊💙Thank you so much, Steve!!!!!!

I did my Advanced Open Water course with Steve as the lead instructor, with Tony and Joe assisting, and couldn’t have had a better experience. I’ve had a handful of scuba instructors, and Steve, Tony, and Joe truly stood far above the rest. I definitely felt that I was in the hands of experts. All the material was explained clearly and concisely, with safety being the utmost priority. I felt that the information I received was so much more thorough than what I learned from other instructors, yet also so simple. Most importantly, I’ve never had so much fun diving. Since Steve was so attentive and patient, I was able to dive with confidence and get the most out of the experience. He made sure we attacked every dive with full preparation, taking the time to review information that I feel other instructors would often rush through. Tony and Joe added so much insight through both technical skill and personal experience, and I was so impressed with the wealth of knowledge imparted by all 3 of my instructors. I can definitely say that my true love for diving started with this AOW course—it was the most fun I had ever had diving. Shortly thereafter I did more fun dives with Steve, and even outside of the learning environment Steve is a dive buddy who approaches every dive with the utmost care and professionalism. I’ll be continuing my diving education with Steve and the Scuba Life team for my MSD, and genuinely do not think there is a better group of instructors out there!

Getting scuba certified doing private sessions w Steve was one of the best decisions I’ve made. The one-on-one instruction made a huge difference in how confident and comfortable I felt in the water. Instead of feeling rushed or lost in a group, everything was tailored to my pace and learning style. I have a pretty busy schedule and doing the private courses meant everything was on my terms. I could choose when and where I wanted to do the sessions. He even came to the house to do the first session in my pool! Steve was patient, knowledgeable, and thorough. He took the time to explain not just what to do, but why — which helped me really understand diving concepts like buoyancy, pressure changes, and safety procedures. I always felt supported and never embarrassed to ask questions. If you’re serious about learning to dive safely and comfortably — especially if you have a busy schedule or want more personal attention — I highly recommend going the private course route. It’s absolutely worth it.

I highly recommend this course. Steve and his team are absolutely amazing at ensuring you become both a skilled and competent diver. This course changed my life, it opened my world up to so many possibilities and sparked a new passion for me. Steve ensures that you leave the course as a skilled and knowledgeable diver. The skills I learned in this course have been essential for all courses I have taken since then!

After such a positive and supportive Open Water experience Scuba Life, it was great to continue expanding my technical skills and confidence as a diver. I really appreciated Steve's emphasis on learning and improving with every dive, and the reminder that perseverance is more important than pace. More training in the works!

I commend the highly experienced, professional, and positive team of instructors at Scuba Life. Steve leads the crew with unparalleled attention to safety and a deep understanding of the critical concepts required to be a successful Open Water Diver. I am excited to plan more training and diving adventures with Scuba Life in the future.

Steve is an outstanding scuba diving instructor and an absolute joy to learn from. His depth of knowledge is incredible, and it’s immediately clear how passionate he is—not just about diving, but about his students and their experience. He takes the time to explain concepts thoroughly, answers every question with patience, and makes safety feel natural and confidence-building rather than intimidating. What truly sets Steve apart is the comfortable, supportive environment he creates. Whether you’re brand new to diving or looking to advance your skills, he makes you feel completely at ease and genuinely excited to be in the water. His enthusiasm is contagious, and you can tell he truly cares about each student’s success and enjoyment. I couldn’t recommend Steve more highly to anyone considering scuba diving. Learning from him has been an amazing experience, and I’m so grateful for the skill, confidence, and love for diving he instills in his students.

We could not have asked for a better team. Lead by Steve’s vast knowledge, Kalani and Tony all worked together to ensure our success. Their focus on safety first is apparent with their small instructor to student ratios, ensuring each student feels comfortable in and out of the water. Professional and fun, their passion for diving is contagious. Looking forward to more adventures with Scuba Life.

Definitely one of the most fun dives in the suite! I highly recommend adding this one!

Here we go! The OW was such a great enriching experience, I had to keep going. This round was very technical and really opened up my awareness underwater. This course stretched my comfort and confidence as a diver. Steve’s methods of instruction whilst underwater was easy to follow and retain. Def going back for more!

Amazing experience! Steve was an awesome instructor guiding me and our group through our open water cert. he talked through everything that we would experience from multiple points of view ensuring we understood and calmed any anxieties before they came up. His first concern was having a safe dive, his 2nd was making sure we had fun!

The biggest confidence booster for an open water diver. Steve really nails it with teaching each speciality and helps you build the skills you need to go further into the under water world. Wouldn’t do it anywhere else. Awesome weekend!!