Before you trust someone with your first breath underwater, you want to know who they are. If you are looking up Elbert Greer PADI instructor credentials before booking, this page sets out what we can show you: his qualifications, the shop he runs, and what his students have written about him in their own words.
It is written for travelers comparing dive shops on Ambergris Caye, for parents choosing an instructor for a teenager, and for nervous or lapsed divers who want a patient teacher. It is also for readers of the Birds of Ambergris Caye column who want to meet the man behind Bubba.
Who is Elbert Greer, the PADI instructor behind White Sands Dive Shop?
Quick answer: Elbert Greer is a PADI IDC Staff Instructor who owns and operates White Sands Dive Shop, a 5 Star PADI Dive Facility on the beach in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye. The shop is a PADI International Resort Association member, licensed by the Belize Tourism Board. He also writes the Birds of Ambergris Caye column, narrated by his Labrador, Bubba.
Who Elbert Greer is
Elbert owns and operates White Sands Dive Shop, the business behind SCUBA Lessons Belize. The shop sits on the beach in San Pedro, the town on Ambergris Caye that overlooks the largest barrier reef in this hemisphere. It offers daily diving, SCUBA instruction and snorkeling.
An older profile on our birds pages tells how he got here. He left a career as a vocational educator, spent about a year looking for the right Caribbean island, and settled on Ambergris Caye with his Labrador, Bubba. Teaching scuba diving became his new vocation, and you can read the whole story in the history of Elbert Greer and Bubba’s friendship.
Credentials at a glance
Some credentials belong to Elbert personally and some to the shop. The table separates them and suggests a question worth asking any instructor, including us.
| Credential | Held by | A good question to ask before you book |
|---|---|---|
| PADI IDC Staff Instructor | Elbert Greer | Who will teach my course and lead my dives? |
| 5 Star PADI Dive Facility | White Sands Dive Shop | Which PADI courses can you run on my travel dates? |
| PADI International Resort Association member | White Sands Dive Shop | Can I finish my eLearning or referral dives with you? |
| Licensed by the Belize Tourism Board | White Sands Dive Shop | Do you pick up from my hotel dock? |
| Author of the Birds of Ambergris Caye column | Elbert Greer, with Bubba | Which birds might I see around the island? |
IDC stands for Instructor Development Course, the PADI course that trains new instructors, and it appears in our course list. For every course, its length and its current price, see the full PADI course list and prices on our Water Sports page.
What students say about Elbert
We don’t use star ratings. Instead we keep the letters students have sent Elbert, printed as they wrote them. These short extracts are quoted word for word, and you can read every one in full in our letters and reviews from Elbert’s dive students.
For nervous and returning divers
Minette Layne of Seattle came for a refresher after time away from diving. She wrote: “If it hadn’t been for you and your caring teaching style, I most certainly would have given up and I would have missed out on some of the richest memories of my trip.” If that sounds like you, our scuba refresher course on Ambergris Caye is the place to start.
For families and first-timers
Bryan Nelson’s group included Sam, who did his certification dives with Elbert. Joan had insisted that Bryan be along on all the dives, but “After her first meeting with you she waived that requirement, realizing that Sam was in the best possible hands.”
Susan, who completed her certification with Elbert, wrote: “You truly put me at ease and made the whole experience fun.” Beginners can compare their options in our guide to learning to dive on Ambergris Caye, or go straight to the PADI Open Water course on Ambergris Caye.
On safety
Vivake K. Bhalla summed up the balance many students describe. He called Elbert “very friendly and fun, but equally very strict about safety.”
How to choose a dive instructor, wherever you book
A good instructor matters more than the dive site. Whether you book with us or another shop, these checks help you choose well.
- Ask who will actually teach you and lead your dives, and what rating they hold.
- Tell them your worries, such as fear of deep water or trouble clearing your ears, and notice whether they take them seriously.
- Read reviews written by named students, not just star scores.
- Ask how the course is split between pool or shallow water practice and open water dives.
- Check the practical details: pickup, departure times and what gear is included.
Not ready to dive at all? Elbert’s shop also runs reef trips for non-divers, described in our guide to Hol Chan, Shark Ray Alley and Mexico Rocks snorkeling.
Birds of Ambergris Caye, with Bubba
Out of the water, Elbert is a bird watcher and writer. His column, Birds of Ambergris Caye, ran in the San Pedro Sun, and many of its articles are reprinted on our Birds of Ambergris Caye column pages. The island hosts around 260 bird species during the year, a large number for a barrier reef island.
The column has a co-author of sorts. Bubba, Elbert’s Labrador, narrates many of the stories as Elbert’s loyal and sometimes confused bird dog friend. He contributes mild metaphors about island life, and he wisely stays home when the trip involves crocodiles.
The stories were collected into a book, Bird Watching with Bubba, excerpted on our birds pages. The San Pedro Sun covered its release in its 2002 report on Elbert Greer’s first book, describing him as a well-known San Pedro resident, dive instructor and bird “expert”.
Diving with White Sands Dive Shop
Our local dive and snorkel trips leave at 9:00, and we pick you up at the dock of your hotel. Beyond the local reef, the shop runs full-day trips such as the Great Blue Hole and Lighthouse Reef dive day. If you have started your course online, PADI eLearning can be finished with us; ask Elbert about referral dives when you write.
When you write, tell us your certification level and when you last dived, the dates you are on the island and the name of your hotel. If anyone in your group is anxious about the water, say so up front. It is much easier to plan around a worry before the boat leaves the dock than to discover it on the reef.
Elbert Greer, PADI instructor: your questions answered
Who owns White Sands Dive Shop?
White Sands Dive Shop, legally SCUBA Lessons Belize Ltd., is owned and operated by PADI IDC Staff Instructor Elbert Greer.
Is Elbert Greer a PADI instructor?
Yes. Elbert Greer is a PADI IDC Staff Instructor, and his shop is a 5 Star PADI Dive Facility in San Pedro on Ambergris Caye.
Where can I read reviews of SCUBA Lessons Belize?
Our Letters page reprints notes from Elbert’s students word for word, with their names. We do not use star ratings.
Who is Bubba?
Bubba is Elbert’s Labrador. He narrates many of the Birds of Ambergris Caye columns as a well-meaning bird dog, and he is not a member of the dive staff.
Talk to Elbert before you book
The best way to judge an instructor is to talk to him. Tell Elbert your dates, your experience and any worries, and he will tell you honestly what fits. Email elbertgreer@fastmail.fm or call the dive shop on 011 (501) 226 2405.