Meet Your Key Largo Scuba Diving Experts

Pete is the guy who keeps Sea Dwellers running. Whether he's at the helm of the boat, helping with scuba classes, or making sure guests have a great experience, he's usually involved in just about everything.

A lifelong passionate diver, Pete loves introducing people to the incredible reefs, wrecks, and marine life of the Florida Keys. If you've spent any time around the shop, you've probably heard one of his stories-- or one of his jokes.

Fun fact: Pete has a fear of marshmallows. Sharks, deep water, and rough seas don't bother him. Marshmallows, on the other hand, are a different story.

Beau's passion for diving started with a simple goal: helping others discover the incredible world beneath the surface. Today, as Sea Dwellers' Director of Instructor Development, he trains and mentors divers at every level, from beginners taking their first breaths underwater to future dive professionals pursuing their own careers in the industry.

With an extensive list of instructor ratings and specialties, Beau is especially passionate about education, conservation, and developing confident, capable divers. One of his favorite things about diving in the Florida Keys is the abundance of shipwrecks, each with its own story and unique marine life to explore.

When he's not in the water or teaching, Beau is working toward his goal of becoming a PADI Course Director—the highest level of recreational diver training.

He also shares his adventures with his German Shepherd, Bjørn, who may not dive, but is always ready for the next adventure.

Jasmine does a little bit of everything at Sea Dwellers. Whether she's teaching scuba classes, guiding dives, helping on deck, assisting customers in the shop, or creating content for social media, she's always finding ways to share her love for the underwater world.

Although she grew up far from the ocean, Jasmine was drawn to the water from an early age. After trying scuba diving in college, she was hooked from her very first breath underwater. That experience inspired her to become a dive professional and help others discover the same sense of adventure and wonder.

Before moving to Key Largo, Jasmine built her diving career in cold-water environments surrounded by kelp forests. Today, she enjoys exploring the Florida Keys' vibrant coral reefs and introducing divers to everything this unique underwater ecosystem has to offer. She is passionate about education, safety, and helping divers continue their journey, whether they're earning their first certification or working toward professional-level training.

When she's not diving, Jasmine loves creating art—especially pieces inspired by nature and the ocean life she encounters beneath the surface.

For Jeremy, scuba diving was more than just a hobby—it was a life-changing experience. That impact inspired him to pursue a career in diving and dedicate himself to helping others discover the same sense of adventure, confidence, and connection to the underwater world.

As an SSI Instructor Trainer and PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer, Jeremy enjoys teaching divers at all levels and helping future dive professionals grow in their careers. Whether he's leading dives, training instructors, assisting guests with reservations, or helping out on deck, his goal is always the same: creating safe, fun, and memorable experiences.

One of Jeremy's favorite things about diving in the Florida Keys is the incredible variety of marine life. From colorful reef fish to unexpected encounters with larger ocean visitors, every dive offers something different. Looking ahead, he hopes to continue advancing professionally and earn the distinction of becoming an Instructor Certifier.

When he's not underwater, Jeremy loves spending time outdoors. Whether he's exploring the ocean or heading into the mountains, he believes nature always has something new to teach.

Sebastian believes that the best education doesn't feel like education at all. His goal is to make every dive course engaging, memorable, and tailored to the individual diver. Whether you're taking your first steps into the underwater world or building on your existing skills, he focuses on creating experiences that fit your goals—not a one-size-fits-all lesson plan.

As an instructor, guide, first mate, and guest service agent, Sebastian enjoys helping people discover what lies beneath the surface. He loves meeting divers from all walks of life and sharing the excitement of exploring the other 70% of our planet that most people never get to see firsthand.

If you're ready to master the art of water, Sebastian is happy to show you the way. And if you catch a few unexpected pop-culture references along the way, consider it part of the experience.

Fun fact: When he's not diving, Sebastian is a hyper-dedicated Minecraft speedrunner, always looking for ways to improve his time—whether underwater or in the Overworld.

Originally from southern Germany, Emily discovered scuba diving right after high school and immediately knew she had found her calling. Since then, diving has taken her around the world, including working in several countries across Africa before eventually finding her home in Key Largo.

As a PADI IDC Staff Instructor, Emily loves helping divers of all experience levels grow their skills and confidence underwater. Whether she's teaching a first-time diver, guiding a fun reef dive, or mentoring future dive professionals, her favorite part of the job is watching people discover what they're capable of beneath the surface. She firmly believes that diving is for everyone and enjoys helping others become comfortable and confident in the underwater world.

Now based in the Florida Keys, Emily continues to pursue her professional goals with the ambition of becoming the youngest Course Director in Key Largo while inspiring the next generation of divers along the way.

Fun fact: Emily can switch from professional instructor mode to impressively bad boat karaoke with almost no warning.

Erica made the jump from a corporate life on land to a very different kind of office—one with reefs, wrecks, and plenty of ocean life. After years spent in the mountains of New Hampshire and Vermont, she traded snow for saltwater and hasn’t looked back since.

As a PADI IDC Staff Instructor and Director of Dive Center Operations, Erica teaches, mentors, and helps keep everything running smoothly behind the scenes. She’s especially passionate about marine life and wreck diving, and still gets excited every time she drops onto a new site—especially if there’s a chance of seeing something big and unexpected. She’s also a strong believer that diving should be fun, approachable, and full of personality, whether you’re a first-time diver or working toward professional-level training.

Currently working toward her Master Instructor certification, Erica has her sights set on becoming a PADI Course Director in the near future—and she brings a lot of energy (and snacks) along for the ride.

Fun fact: Erica loves sharks, wrecks, and deep dives... but has an extremely specific fear of latex balloons. No questions asked.

Kate grew up on the coast of Virginia, where most of her early memories involve saltwater, beaches, and spending time around boats. That early connection to the ocean eventually shaped both her career and her lifestyle.

After graduating from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy with a degree in Marine and Environmental Science, Kate spent years at sea serving in leadership roles across the Caribbean, Pacific, and North Atlantic. Her time in the Coast Guard included search and rescue, law enforcement, and long stretches on the water that only deepened her skills as a mariner and her respect for the ocean.

While stationed in Key West, she rediscovered scuba diving and eventually transitioned into the dive industry, where she’s now been working professionally for over eight years. Today, she combines her background in seamanship and diving as a captain, instructor, and guide, focused on running safe, smooth, and enjoyable trips for every guest who comes aboard.

Outside of diving, Kate is just as comfortable pushing endurance goals on land, including multiple half marathons and triathlons.

Fun fact: she’s spent about half her life behind the helm of something—from small boats to massive ships—but still gets excited every time she gets back out on the water.

Leslie’s path into diving started with a snorkeling trip in Hawaii that turned into a Try Scuba experience—and that was it. She was hooked. Not long after, she found herself back in the water, this time working toward becoming a dive professional.

She’s now a Master Scuba Diver Trainer across PADI and SSI, teaching a wide range of specialties and helping divers build confidence, comfort, and awareness underwater. From buoyancy and navigation to marine ecology and rescue skills, Leslie enjoys meeting divers where they are and helping them grow at their own pace.

The Florida Keys hold a special place in her story, as it’s where she did her first ocean dives. She loves that no two days underwater are ever the same, and she’s always excited to share that sense of discovery with guests.

Outside of diving, Leslie plays drums—bringing the same rhythm and energy above the surface that she brings to the ocean.

Merlin has always been drawn to exploration and life at sea. For him, diving is exactly that—an opportunity to step outside the familiar and into a world that constantly surprises, from wrecks and reefs to encounters with marine life in their natural environment.

As a PADI MSDT Instructor and licensed 100-ton captain, Merlin spends his time teaching, guiding dives, running boats, and keeping the behind-the-scenes systems of the shop running smoothly. He enjoys sharing the experience of diving with others, whether it’s their first descent or another step in a long diving journey.

Having traveled widely in pursuit of diving, he considers Key Largo one of the most complete dive destinations anywhere. The variety is what keeps him here—shallow reefs, deep wrecks, and everything in between, all in one place and always full of life.

Fun fact: Merlin has crossed Alaska by dog team—three different times. And he still thinks that might have been the easy part compared to some dive days.