Talking Scuba with Ship 100

My buddy Jim Chaplin and I where asked by Boatswain Kayleigh of Ship 100 out of Gainesville to talk to the Ship about Scuba Diving.

Sea Scouts are part of the Boy Scouts of America, like Venturing Crew they are co-ed, but base learning leadership and having fun around nautical skills. 

Ship 100 wanted Jim and I to talk about the programs and options available through BSA.  We covered Snorkeling BSA, Scuba BSA and Scuba Diving and what is involved with each. Then we told them about BSA's High Adventure Camp, Sea Base, in the Florida Keys as well as other options and opportunities once they become certified divers.

I want to thank their Boatswain for inviting us to speak this evening and look forward to seeing them in the water diving soon.  

Tonight was also Ship 100's first anniversary as a unit. Congratulations!  

May you have fair winds and following seas. 

Scouting Discover Scuba Lake Rawlings

This weekend I met up with Troop 295 for a Discover Scuba Saturday. We had six scout and adults that wanted to Discover Scuba.  We chose Lake Rawling because they were camping and the water is warm and clear this time of year.  

Broke them into two groups. We started out on the shallow platform. Once we completed all the skills we went for a  dive cross the quarry to the bus.  Found the computers, rocking horses, the stove and B Ball court. One the hoop is looking kinda sad. Found the bus the odd chacater that was driving it. Then dove our way back to the shallow platform.

Did the same trip with the second group but the scouts wanted to see the hubcap tree and since we had plenty of air, why not.

All in it was a good day if though it rain most the time we didn't mind we were already wet.

Thinking about trying Scuba Diving, this is a great place to start.

New Video from ScubaJam Virginia 2011

Just finished the ScubaJam Virginia 2011 video. We are sharing it everywhere. ScubaJam Virginia 3 will be Labor Day weekend 2012.  

ScubaJam 2011 Video

Boy Scouts Release a Scuba Merit Badge

From article posted on divewire.com

Written by Scouting Magazine

Tuesday, 17 November 2009 16:29

(Scouting Magazine.org) - Looking for the perfect stocking stuffer for your water-loving Boy Scout? Here's one: the Scuba Diving merit badge pamphlet, hot off the presses. The merit badge, the first new one in three years, will officially be released on Dec. 1 when it will be available in Scout Shops and online at scoutstuff.org. It's the result of a newly announced partnership between the BSA and PADI, the Professional Association of Diving Instructors. Officials at the BSA determined that 84 percent of Scouts were interested in the merit badge, and so it was fast-tracked for adoption. It's one of five merit badges being released in the next 12 months. The other four are Inventing (first quarter 2010), Geocaching (second quarter 2010), Scouting Heritage (second quarter 2010), and Robotics (fourth quarter 2010). But Scuba will arrive first, and so the BSA has established some key facts that Scouters should know about the merit badge: Completing the Scuba Diving merit badge will result in the boy achieving an open-water certification, enabling him to dive around the world with the appropriate supervision, based on his age. There are two important roles for this merit badge: the merit badge counselor and a certified dive instructor. Sometimes this may be the same person, but more likely, the counselor will be an existing BSA adult member. The instructor will be one certified by one of a number of instructional agencies, but he or she does not have to be a BSA member. Earning the Scuba Diving merit badge is open to all Boy Scout-age youth. There are, however, limitations based on age with respect to how deep and with whom a boy can dive. These limitations vary by certifying organization. Completion of the Swimming merit badge is a requirement of the merit badge and must be completed prior to entering into scuba training portion of the requirements. Boys with a current open water certification will not have to recertify in order to earn the merit badge. They will, however, have to have completed the Swimming merit badge, present their certification to the merit badge counselor and complete all the other requirements. There are three important pieces of information which must be fully reviewed by the merit badge counselor prior to approving any Scout for the merit badge: the merit badge requirements, the notes to counselor and the scuba policy of the Guide to Safe Scouting. For more details, visit www.ScoutingMagazine.org