• The world-wide partnership will see diving products made available on Klook
• Klook is currently the only Online Travel Agency (OTA) in Asia Pacific collaborating with PADI
• PADI and Klook will give 33 lucky winners the opportunity to earn a scuba diving certification 

PADI® (Professional Association of Diving Instructors®) and Klook, Asia’s leading travel and experiences platform, today announced a world-wide partnership that will see PADI’s diving products globally integrated on Klook’s platform. Today, PADI has more than 7,200 diving products that span from certification courses, snorkeling, fun dives and more across the world. 

PADI is the world’s largest purpose-driven diving organization and Klook is currently the only OTA in Asia Pacific collaborating with the organization. Consumers can now book diving experiences in Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Japan, Korea, China and Singapore on the Klook platform, with more destinations to come online in the following months. 

Every year, about one million people go through the lengthy, detailed and technical process of planning a dive trip to get certified – from selecting the perfect dive site and haggling for dive packages to coordinating travel and no-fly times. The integration of diving products on Klook’s platform through API will help shorten a booking journey that could have taken days to just under 5 minutes. Consumers will be able to easily compare prices, check availability, read reviews, book and receive immediate confirmation – in a seamless way on one platform.

“Joining forces with Klook is set to simplify the journey to becoming a certified PADI Scuba Diver” says Manuel Kraemer, Vice President of Business Development for PADI Worldwide. “With 6,600 PADI Dive Centers and Resorts in 184 countries worldwide and with more than 7,200 products already bookable online on PADI.com, our collaboration is poised for an exciting expansion. As we progress, this extensive selection will become available for booking on Asia’s leading booking platform. Today, on Klook, you can seek adventure and save the ocean on nearly any holiday destination around the world”.

With a willingness to spend more on experiences, specifically nature and outdoor activities, young Asian travelers will want to make the most of their vacation and seek to include experiences like scuba diving into their plans. In 2023, China, Japan and Korea recorded the highest number of new PADI certified divers in Asia. In 2024,  the Asia Pacific diving tourism industry is set to not only fully recover but exceed the market size in 2019, and as demand continues to grow, the region’s revenue is expected to grow at a CAGR of 12.2% from 2022 – 2030.

Chuan Sheng (C.S.) Soong, VP, Corporate Development, Klook said, “We’re excited to announce this strategic partnership with PADI, and to bring greater access with a seamless booking experience to the diving community. There is tremendous enthusiasm and dedication for diving across Asia Pacific and we want to bring more joy to this community with our platform. At Klook, we continue to expand our offerings to create more exciting, unique and holistic experiences for our customers. This presents the perfect opportunity to inspire a completely new segment of travelers to the captivating beauty of the underwater world.”

In line with PADI’s mission to explore and protect the underwater world and Klook’s goal to bring the world closer together, PADI and Klook are launching UNIVER-SEA-TY, a pilot program to inspire newcomers to dive and give them the ‘fins’ to explore the magical underwater world. To kick start the program, 33 lucky winners will be given a chance to earn an Open Water Diver certification with PADI in their dive location of choice. 

There are three ways to enter the contest: 

• Via Tik Tok – Use the “Let’s Dive” scuba diving filter to take a video of yourself showing/telling us how much you want to dive 
• Via Instagram – Comment on Klook’s post and share why you want to dive and tag 3 friends
• Via Facebook – Comment on Klook’s post and share why you want to dive and tag 3 friends

Winners will be notified in December 2023 via the respective social media channels and receive an E-gift card to book their complimentary Open Water Dive Certification that they can redeem within the year. 

PADI Pros train with OceanShot partners for underwater coral reef panel at the Global Citizen Forum at COP28

PADI^®. is joining OceanShot co-founders for the historic underwater panel on positive ocean change at the Global Citizen Forum, which is taking place alongside COP28 in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE December 6-7 2023. The first-of-its-kind underwater panel will dive deep on the importance for coral reef protection to elevate the urgent need for ocean action.

PADI’s CEO and President Drew Richardson will join Dr. Brosnan and Mr. DeJoria at the Global Citizen Forum’s first-ever underwater panel to purposefully descend beneath the surface in the hopes of calling people around the globe to positive ocean action and inspiring them to both explore and save the ocean.

OceanShot is a coral reef ecosystem restoration project co-founded by globally-recognized marine scientist and climate risk expert Dr. Deborah Brosnan, and global philanthropist, environmentalist and entrepreneur John Paul DeJoria, launched in partnership with the Government of Antigua and Barbuda. The initiative uses technology that mimics the design and shape of natural reefs to restore coral and invite back marine life, as well as protect nearby coastal communities from storm surge and sea level rise.

Dr. Richardson is one of the most influential people in scuba diving and has transformed PADI’s mission to create a billion ocean Torchbearers^TM.  who are taking local action for global impact and united by a shared vision to achieve balance between humanity and the ocean.

OceanShot’s first living-lab hub, designed to be a place where innovators can test their technologies aimed at environmental protection, was deployed in Antigua and Barbuda. In June 2021, the Global Citizen Forum adopted OceanShot as one of its supported flagship initiatives. This year, OceanShot’s co-founders invited PADI as a partner in its world-class restoration model.

“Coral reefs are among the most ecologically and economically valuable ecosystems that drive our blue economy,” says Dr. Richardson. “Scuba divers can not only explore beneath the surface and fuel ocean change as Torchbearers, taking part in a range of meaningful diver citizen-science actions driving real results. As global citizens, we have the opportunity to be  changemakers that inspire more innovative and positive solutions for the health of coral reefs, the ocean and our shared blue planet.”

“We’re doing this work because our oceans need us and we need them,” says Dr. Brosnan. “Humans have mapped the human genome, landed astronauts on the moon, and in less than twelve months developed a viable vaccine to combat a global pandemic. It is time to focus the same attention on our oceans with bold, ambitious, and achievable initiatives.”

PADI recently conducted a special underwater training session with Dr. Richardson, Dr. Brosnan and Mr. DeJoria in preparation for the upcoming underwater panel in December where they will share their knowledge and passion for ocean conservation with the world.

To learn more about the first underwater panel at the Global Citizen Forum visit globalcitizenforum.org/ocean-shot/

OceanShot is managed and operated by Dr. Deborah Brosnan. For more information, visit https://www.deborahbrosnan.com/oceanshot.html

Reef-World has expanded its impact, welcomed new team members, and embraced growth while prioritising employee well-being

The Reef-World Foundation — the leading voice in sustainable marine tourism and the international coordinator of the UN Environment Programme’s Green Fins initiative —released its Impact Report for 2022 – 2023, outlining a year of significant achievements, innovative initiatives and groundbreaking collaboration.

In a year marked by global challenges, The Reef-World Foundation has been resilient and continued to excel in its mission to protect and conserve coral reefs and related ecosystems. The organisation has expanded its impact, welcomed new team members and embraced the opportunity for growth, all while remaining dedicated to the well-being of its employees.

Chair of The Reef-World Foundation, Vic Hancock Fell, said, “The past year has been both challenging and transformative. We’ve embraced new faces and a culture of care, further igniting our passion for safeguarding coral reefs and our natural world. We’ve redefined our strategic objectives to drive immediate, collective action in the marine tourism industry.”

Impact Report Highlights

• Our Programmes: Green Fins, Reef-World’s flagship program, continues to set environmental industry standards and has made significant strides in protecting coral reefs globally. The Green Fins network now covers over 60 countries, an expansion from 14 in the previous year! Through the Youth Ambassador Programme, 2,432 students in the Dominican Republic are educated about marine ecology, creating Youth Ambassadors for reef protection.
• Sustainability Targets: Reef-World diligently works toward achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with a particular focus on SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) and SDG 14 (Life Below Water). 
• Impactful Partnerships: In partnership with Reef-World, PADI established Eco Centers to recognise continuous conservation commitments. Reef-World’s supported survey, featuring partners like PADI, RAID, PSS, and ZuBlu, garnered 2,400 responses from April to June 2022, uncovering evolving travel trends and sustainability’s growing role in post-COVID-19 tourism.
• Expanding Communications: Reef-World’s refined approach amplifies its global message of sustainable marine tourism through increased social media engagement, press coverage, and a reformed communications strategy.
• Diversity and Inclusion: Reef-World’s commitment to diversity, equality and inclusion is reflected in its core values, culture of care and workforce capacity-building.

In the face of pressing climate change impacts, the need for immediate climate action is undeniable. The Reef-World Foundation has set the stage for a future where marine tourism will champion sustainable practices as the norm, offering solutions and hope for the world’s coral reefs.

Looking Forward

As Reef-World continues to grow and innovate, it remains committed to promoting environmental conservation and employee well-being. The organisation’s dedication to a Culture of Care and its efforts in fostering Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) set a shining example for the marine conservation sector and beyond.

“The launch of Green Fins Hub is positively a dream come true for us all, seeing the fruits of our labour over the years, and this is only the beginning. There is lots more work to be done, and now Reef-World has stronger foundations upon which to build, the only way is onwards and upwards,” said JJ Harvey, Operations Director at the Reef-World Foundation 

The Reef-World Foundation is immensely grateful for the continued support of its grant funders: UN Environment Programme, IDB Lab, The Matthew Good Foundation, Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority and GIZ (German development agency) in Jordan.

Reef-World would also like to express its gratitude to international partners whose vital support has resulted in significant tangible benefits for our work and mission: PADI; Professional SCUBA Schools International (PSS); Explorer Ventures; 1% for the Planet; ZuBlu; Snorkel Venture, GSTC; Dive O’Clock; WildSocks, Charitable Travel and Seven Dragons, without whom these achievements would not be possible. 

Find the full 2022–2023 Impact Report on Reef-World’s website.

Type 1 Diabetics face enormous challenges with daily life and routines as well as managing ever changing glucose levels which affect mood, wellbeing and ability.

I have met many diabetics over the years who have been nervous about diving, worried about under water hypos, physical challenges that scuba demand and rightly so concerns about general wellbeing under water.

Scuba is really a sport that anyone can access. It has and can be tailored to support the needs and requirements of its participants. The guys at Oyster Divers were keen to support Sam Stimpson through his Open Water PADI course to certify him and to prove that Diabetics can dive too.

https://oysterdiving.com

This dive school and travel centre supported planning pool and theory sessions and open water training to guide Sam onto his journey to dive safely. Offering tons of advice and guidance along the way, the centre made the process painless. 

Barriers arrived when the PADI medical form needed to be signed by a Doctor after a yes was marked down for a condition that may affect him on his course. The process of contacting Doctors was extremely difficult with medical professionals passing Sam around from GP to specialist and back to Diabetic clinics. A really challenging journey to go on to get a signature to be deemed medically fit to dive.

‘Previously I got signed off by my GP to do my Discover Scuba Dive with PADI. This time the policies had changed and my GP refused to sign. I was not referred to another person to complete the form. I had to go to my diabetic care team to ask for a favour as they didn’t have a procedure in place for this kind of request at this time, or one that was clear to me as a diabetic who manages his diabetes.’ Sam Stimpson

https://www.padi.com/sites/default/files/documents/padi-courses/2.1.5%20rstc%20medstate%20v201.pdf

The obvious response here is that of course not all people manage their Diabetes correctly or can have the condition and find it overwhelming and tricky to manage and at times or regularly out of their control. For this reason the importance of having the medical signed off by a specialist was not only crucial but understandable. It was a shame that it was so hard to find a person to sign it but the understanding of why it needed to be done made total sense.

https://forum.diabetes.org.uk/boards/threads/diving.73783/

https://www.ddrc.org/diving/can-i-dive/can-i-dive-diabetes/

Armed with a signed form the planning was underway with knowledge reviews to complete and E Learning to be studied. It was an exciting start after a long wait and Sam was eager to get going.

Sam was no stranger to the World of diving and had completed a Discover Scuba Dive some years before, the perfect entry level experience to taste the sport. He was also the son of a diver and had memories of wetsuits hanging in gardens post dive, equipment laying around the house and some very beautiful and well illustrated dive logs in his possession. It was envitable and important for Sam to get certified to connect with that part of his past and to break down the assumption that having a medical condition prevents you from doing the things you want.

https://www.thescubanews.com/2022/05/07/introducing-dive-force-marine-in-london/

The idea that an illness can stop you from learning to dive is a myth that most dive operators try to banish. Almost all dive professionals that I have met throughout my dive career have promoted scuba to everyone, an inclusive sport to explore a World that we should all have the right to adventure in.

The day arrived to start pool work and the location was in a beautiful school in Windsor. St Johns Beaumont is a stunning site with incredible grounds. The Oyster team were there and set up on our arrival. Tanks, kit, paperwork and staff prepared for the courses on the day. Sam’s Instructor Tom was welcoming, polite and funny and after meeting him several years before I was glad to get the pleasure of his company again. 

‘Tom was a great instructor. I felt relaxed in his company, supported with his teaching methods and offered room to practice and refine my skills. He was a really charismatic guy with a good sense of humour and his personality made me enjoy the day far more than I had expected. Our small group had a array of skills and ages and Tom brought us together to work as buddy teams and a group of new divers all with different questions and anxieties.’ Sam Stimpson.

Sam was lead through each confined dive with support and guidance and was no different to an other learner. His diabetes didn’t affect his ability to master or deliver skills and he was at no point unwell under water. As an individual who manages his condition well his response to this was…

‘I deliberately didn’t eat carbohydrates or sugars pre dive. I lowered my basel insulin by 10% a couple of days prior to my course at the advice of my diabetic team at St Barts in London. They walked me through the potential dangers and stresses of diving related problems for Diabetics. They sent me videos, spoke to me on the phone and kept in touch via email to answer my questions.’ Sam Stimpson.

The session lasted all afternoon and by the end Sam was signed off as a referral to go and complete his course in his chosen destination of Malta, all organised by the travel team at Oyster. The battle of best dates to go, time of year and budget was carefully managed by Samantha Davey, Travel Consultant at Oyster Diving Holidays. An incredibly patient and thorough woman. 

The course and this article was also heavily supported by Mark Murphy, Master Scuba Diver Trainer and Owner of Oyster who was receptive to us writing about Diabetic Type 1’s and scuba. A big thank you to him for his help.

In response to the devastating wildfires in Maui, Hawaii this week, PADI® is committed to supporting those in the scuba diving community whose livelihoods have been uprooted. 

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to all those who have been affected by this tragedy,” says Drew Richardson, CEO and President of PADI Worldwide. “United above and below the surface of our shared blue planet, we stand together with the dive community to provide strength and speed in recovery efforts.” 

To help the local diving community in Maui recover, PADI has teamed up with the Ako’ako’a Foundation, creating a relief fund to directly assist members in Maui get back on their feet and in the water as soon as possible. 

The Ako’ako’a Foundation is based in Kailua-Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii, whose passion and purpose is to unite the stakeholders of Hawaii’s nearshore marine environments and work together to create positive ocean change. 

Join PADI and the Ako’ako’a Foundation with your support of relief efforts for the diving community.  

100% of all donations to this relief fund will be distributed directly to dive professionals in Hawaii in need of recovery from the devastating fires. 

If you are an individual or business in Hawaii who wishes to extend or receive support, contact PADI Regional Manager Kyle Ingram at kyle.ingram@padi.com.

More information about Ako’ako’a Foundation Inc (the Akoakoa Foundation): 

Our mission is to bring stakeholders of Hawaii’s nearshore marine environment together to encourage sustainable interactions, support conservation efforts, further scientific understanding, and increase access to related education. We’re a new federally recognized non-profit organization and are working with PADI and the local dive community in Hawaii to support our dive industry family.

Following the popularity of the PADI Club trip to Belize at the end of July, a second “dive trip of a lifetime” has just been announced by PADI Club to Bonaire this  September 23-30, 2023.

Offered exclusively for PADI Club members as part of their yearly benefits, attendees will get to seek adventure while staying at the all-inclusive Buddy Dive Resort, one of PADI’s premier members on the island. Other PADI Members in Bonaire – including Toucan Divers, Divi Flamingo, Wanna Dive, Dive Friends and Scuba Do – will also be hosting various dive experiences throughout the week.

“Bonaire is a unique and beautiful gem in the Dutch Caribbean and we want to show our Club Members this little island looms large as a dive destination,” says Zach Pavkov, PADI Club Operations Manager. “This trip offers participants a chance to not only explore a world-class diving destination but do so through some of the very best PADI Operators.”

PADI Club members will receive a generous discount for this seven-day diving adventure, with packages starting at $1,739 per diver for double occupancy. Included in the package are:

• Social events that include hosted dinners, cocktail parties and live music
• Transportation in Buddy Dive Resort’s famous pick-up truck
• Daily shore diving and boat diving
• Accommodation, with the option to share a room with another solo diver or rent out one, two and three-bedroom apartments to host larger groups of divers
• Surface interval activities that include PADI Seminars and island excursions like hiking and bird-watching

“Because the water surrounding Bonaire has been an established marine park for 44 years, Bonaire is now a top-ranked destination with abundant marine life that includes scorpionfish, flounder and frogfish, moray eels, hawksbill turtles and eagle rays, ” continues Pavkov.

With limited spots available, the list of participants will be decided on a first-come, first-served basis. Those who are not yet PADI Club Members but are interested in joining the trip can sign-up, which will also give them access to:

• 20% of PADI eLearning® programs and PADI Gear
• A free ReActivate® online refresher
• A free DAN® Prepared Diver course
• A subscription to Scuba Diving® magazine
• Access to the PADI Club Celebrity Speaker Series webinars
• Brand partner benefits from GoPro, Uber, Salt Life and more

To further support ocean lovers to create positive ocean change, five percent of the PADI Club membership fee will go towards supporting conservation efforts around the globe.

“PADI Club benefits are designed not just to empower divers to explore the ocean, but also enable them to play a pivotal role in saving the ocean too,” says Pavkov. “This year’s additional expedition to Bonaire gives our community the chance to come together and explore our shared blue planet in a truly meaningful and connected way.”

Click here to sign up for PADI Club and reserve your spot here to join the Bonaire dive trip.

After adding more than 300 new Dive Centers and Resorts over the last year to its ranks, nearly half of which joined PADI® in 2023, PADI Retail and Resort Membership continues to grow.

These new members amplify PADI’s vast global presence in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia Pacific and the Americas. As new PADI Retail and Resort Members – many of whom are now exclusively aligned with PADI — they join the world’s largest purpose-driven training organization committed to empowering people around the world to experience, explore and take meaningful action to protect our shared blue planet.

Key drivers for numerous business owners’ decision to align with PADI include the desire to future-proof their operations in line with the growing demand of training more divers and instructors. This alignment provides them with PADI’s superior business support, enhanced training products and a globally-respected brand that engages with new audiences – all offered through the direct assistance of a designated PADI Reginal Team.

“PADI Dive Centers and Resorts are the critical hubs that create and drive the world’s largest diver community, leading the charge by nurturing the next generation’s shared passion for underwater adventure and hands-on ocean conservation,” says Kristin Valette Wirth, Chief Brand and Membership Officer for PADI Worldwide.

“PADI supports its entire global membership by heavily investing in ongoing diver acquisition and retention initiatives including public relations outreach with world-class media, the #LiveUnfiltered campaign, ongoing business consultations and tools, world-class marketing materials, unparalleled educational programs and materials, and effective programs and policies to create positive ocean change.”

With the real challenges that business owners face, PADI is committed to helping members tackle issues with various problem-solving techniques. Some recent success stories and problems that were solved for newly acquired PADI Members include:

1. Filling a Cost-Effective Pipeline of Customers:

PADI worked with Mars Scuba and Steel City Scuba in Pennsylvania, USA to customize a plan that would allow the operator to crossover without disrupting their business model, as they were looking to shift their membership during the global pandemic.

“When we were forced to shut down because of the pandemic, PADI shined with weekly seminars, training and collaborating,” says Chris Lobozzo, owner of Mars Scuba and Steel City Scuba. “We knew we had a real team behind us. They helped us with Facebook advertising and marketing campaigns.  As a result, even during Covid, our business grew overall.”

Now operating as PADI Five Star IDC Dive Center, both Mars Scuba and Steel City Scuba are able to fulfill customer demand.

“Both our centers are working well, systems are easy to use, and we’ve maintained a steady increase in new customers who find us through PADI.com or another PADI vehicle, with referral traffic to our website tripled compared to our previous training agency,” continues Lobozzo.  “You need to account for the incredible marketing and training services layered into the e-learning cost.  Naturally, we’re willing to pay a bit more to have PADI backing us.”

 2. Enticing Customers to Instructor Courses: 

PADI worked with Dive36 in Kuwait to support the growth of their Instructor Development Course. “Marketing the instructor course was not easy, but when we switched to PADI, they helped with advertising and preparing a student to enter the Instructor Development Course,” says Faisal Albayan, owner of Dive36.

Since switching to PADI and becoming a Five Star IDC Dive Center, Dive36 has seen the power of the PADI brand in helping their business acquire new IDC candidates and putting them on track to break previous records and exceed business plan expectations.

 “PADI’s reputation regarding the Instructor Development Course is amazing, with registrations for the IDC requiring minimum effort from us,” continues Albayan. “PADI is the easiest training organization to work with, especially at the pro levels as their curriculum of courses supports the students’ professional development.” 

3. Building a Stronger International Business Strategy:

PADI Dive Resort High Gili Dive Gili Gede in Indonesia streamlined its business strategy to better serve the diverse set of consumer needs, as 90% of their customer base are international holidaymakers looking for unique dive experiences.

“One of the main benefits of PADI is we can offer training materials in many different languages,” explains Neil Barrow, owner of High Gili Dive Gili Gede.  “PADI helps us offer a superior learning experience to our customers no matter what nationality they are. We also gained an increase in our visibility via PADI’s various marketing opportunities like the listing on the PADI travel website, features in their magazines, and promotion on social media. Most importantly we are introducing more people to the wonders of the ocean and sustaining our environment for future generations.”

 “As our organization continues to elevate the demand for diver certifications around the globe, there has never been a more opportune time to be a PADI Retail and Resort Member,” continues Valette Wirth. “These industry-leading dive operations have joined the global membership of 6,600 PADI Dive Centers and Resorts in 184 countries that empower more divers worldwide to seek adventure and save the ocean.”

To learn more about the benefits of PADI Membership and join the world’s largest purpose-driven diving organization contact your PADI Regional Office.

PADI® (The Professional Association of Diving Instructors®) and Swiss prestige watchmaker,  Blancpain are combining resources to work towards saving 30% of the ocean by 2030 – with the two organizations teaming up to create the Vulnerable Marine Species Program. Blancpain’s support will be key in funding the Global Shark & Ray Census, a new citizen science initiative that is slated to launch Earth Day 2024 and is designed to help protect vulnerable marine species around the globe from extinction.

PADI and Blancpain have been kindred spirits in Ocean conservation starting over two decades ago with a whale shark identification project.  This latest evolution comes one year after both organizations announced an expanded commitment to partner and increase the number of marine protected areas (MPAs) around the globe.  As a founding partner of PADI’s Blueprint for Ocean Action, Blancpain accelerated the creation of PADI’s MPA Program and its flagship citizen science program Adopt the Blue–    Millions of recreational divers now have the direct ability to choose to be Ocean Torchbearers and directly engage in meaningful marine conservation activities while exploring the Ocean.

“Blancpain has long been committed to real engagement in Ocean Conservation issues. Working together, will be a force multiplier in achieving our shared Ocean Conservation goals” says Dr. Drew Richardson, CEO of PADI Worldwide and Chairman of PADI AWARE Foundation. “Blancpain’s expanded support of PADI’s Vulnerable Marine Species Program forges a juggernaut combining the Blancpain Ocean Commitment with the PADI Blueprint for Ocean Action  in advancing  positive ocean change.”

Now, with the generous support from Blancpain, PADI and global non-profit partner PADI AWARE Foundation^TM will build and deploy the largest underwater citizen science program designed to protect sharks and rays from extinction. In addition, PADI AWARE Foundation’s Mission Hub Community Grant Program will include support for both MPA and Vulnerable Marine Species Grantees internationally and at a local level. These grants support critical conservation initiatives in local communities all around the world.

PADI AWARE Foundation is among the world’s most successful shark and ray conservation organizations, with a 30-year track record of groundbreaking conservation measures for the oceanic whitetip shark, great hammerhead, giant manta ray, whale shark, and mako sharks – along with  many other vulnerable species. Last year at CITES (the Convention on Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) in Panama City. PADI was invited to CITES and asked to provide specialist advice and research to all attending government representatives. This helped secure support for a critical vote to double the amount of protected shark and ray species. To date, the PADI AWARE Foundation and PADI have helped secure protection measures for over 105 species of sharks and rays.

“With a growing base of divers interested in shark conservation, the Global Shark and Ray Census enables divers to function as diving citizen scientists in order to collect high-quality data and information on vulnerable shark species. Engaged divers across the planet who choose to participate will directly help accelerate national and global protection measures where they are needed most,” continues Richardson.

If you would like to personally support the  PADI AWARE Foundation and Blancpain in creating positive ocean change, donations can be made to the PADI AWARE Shark Appeal. Blancpain has generously agreed to match donations 1:1, which will go towards supporting the development of the Vulnerable Species Program.

About Blancpain

​​Founded in 1735 by Jehan-Jacques Blancpain in the Swiss Jura, Blancpain is known as the world’s oldest watch brand. Loyal to its tradition of innovation and confirmed by countless horological complications invented over the years, the Manufacture is constantly pushing the boundaries of watchmaking to take this art to places where it has never been before. Blancpain’s Ocean Commitment program pays homage to the brand’s significant historical links with the ocean, having launched the world’s first modern diving watch, the Fifty Fathoms, in 1953. This milestone moment in Blancpain’s near 300-year history marked the starting point of its collaborations with the ocean community, which have typified the 70 years since, as has its support for ocean conservation initiatives.  www.blancpain.com

About PADI 

PADI^® (Professional Association of Diving Instructors^®) is the largest purpose-driven diving organization with a global network of 6,600 dive centers and resorts, 128,000 professional members and more than 29 million certified divers to date. Committed to our blue planet, PADI makes the wonder of the underwater world accessible to all, empowering people around the world to experience, explore and take meaningful action, as Ocean Torchbearers^TM, to protect the world beneath the surface. For over 50 years, PADI is undeniably The Way the World Learns to Dive^®, setting the standard for the highest quality dive training, underwater safety and conservation initiatives while evolving the sport of diving into a passionate lifestyle. For divers by divers, PADI is obsessed with transforming lives and, with its global foundation, PADI AWARE^TM, creating positive ocean change. Seek Adventure. Save the Ocean.^SM  www.padi.com

Dive enthusiasts worldwide are in for a treat as DiveShop360, a leading online platform for scuba diving education and equipment, has just announced a groundbreaking integration with the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI). This new partnership aims to revolutionize the certification process, making it more accessible and streamlined for aspiring divers.

DiveShop360, known for its commitment to providing comprehensive diving solutions, has been at the forefront of the industry for years. With their latest collaboration with PADI, a globally recognized leader in diver training, the diving community can now experience a seamless and efficient certification process like never before.

The integration will allow DiveShop360 users to access PADI’s renowned certification programs directly through the platform. By offering PADI courses and certifications, DiveShop360 becomes a one-stop-shop for diving enthusiasts, providing them with the necessary training and credentials to explore the underwater world safely.

Ken Colbert, General Manager, Dive Shop 360, expressed his excitement about the partnership, stating, “We are thrilled to join forces with PADI, a prestigious organization with a long-standing reputation for excellence in diver education. This integration will enable us to enhance our users’ experience by offering them direct access to PADI’s world-class training programs.”

With DiveShop360’s user-friendly interface and PADI’s expertise in diver training, aspiring divers will be able to navigate the certification process effortlessly. The integration aims to eliminate barriers to entry for newcomers while maintaining the highest standards of safety and professionalism.

Kristin Valette Wirth, Chief Brand and Membership Officer for PADI Worldwide, also commented on the collaboration, stating, “We are delighted to partner with DiveShop360 in this exciting venture. This integration reflects our shared commitment to making scuba diving accessible to all and promoting safe diving practices worldwide. By combining our resources and expertise, we are confident that we can reach a broader audience and inspire more people to explore the wonders of the ocean.”

The partnership between DiveShop360 and PADI marks a significant milestone in the diving industry. It not only simplifies the certification process but also fosters collaboration between two influential organizations dedicated to the growth and development of scuba diving.

DiveShop360 users can now visit their website (https://diveshop360.com/padi-certification-integrated-into-dive-shop-360/) to explore the newly integrated PADI certification programs and take a step closer to their underwater adventures. With this game-changing partnership, the world of scuba diving has become more accessible, exciting, and safe for all diving enthusiasts.

Divers around the globe care about the environment and protecting marine life. They are looking for centers that are environmentally friendly, are actively part of the solution to marine pollution and protecting coral reefs and marine life. We focus on doing all we can to preserve the 27 km or coastline we have in the Gulf of Aqaba, a beautiful part of the Red Sea.

We are proud to announce that we have met the three criteria as a PADI Operator to quality as a PADI Eco Center:

• Participation in the PADI AWARE Adopt the Blue program
• Be an active Green Fins Member
• Demonstrate an exemplary level of environmental performance, through the above programs

Deep Blue Dive Center has been actively involved in PADI Aware for several years. We have adopted Yellowstone Reef as part of the PADI Adopt the Blue program and have reporting the debris since September 1, 2020. During the pandemic we accelerated our efforts to reduce marine debris and removed 1230 kilos in 6 months. And we continue to be involved in dive cleanups and our staff make every effort to make every dive a survey dive.

Last year DBDC became a Green Fins digital member. All our staff were trained in the Green Fins Code of Conduct, and we began educating our guests about the initiative during boat briefings. Green Fins helped us improve our business by reducing single use plastics and finding practical ways to be more eco-minded.

We began working hard to meet all the thresholds of environmental performance when we learned about PADI starting the Eco Dive Center credential. Because we were already involved in Green Fins, PADI Aware, and we were already committed to leading the way in protecting our marine environment, we are honored to be awarded this prestigious credential. When you dive or snorkel with us, you can be assured we are committed to running an environmentally sustainable business. If you’re looking for an eco-conscious dive center, then contact us to book a day on the boat or a dive course.

Learn more about Deep Blue at: https://www.deepbluedivecenter.com

Ever since I started scuba diving way back when I was fascinated by the Hammerhead Shark, but my luck at actually diving with these amazing predators did not eventuate until early last year when I took a trip to The Bahamas for the sole purpose of fulfilling my dream of getting up close and personal with the Great Hammerhead.

The idea of combining the PADI IDC and a dive trip to The Bahamas was born sitting in the local bar at the marina discussing the concept with an instructor friend of mine I used to work with in Australia. So here it is:

• Limited numbers
• Once a year only at the end of November, early December 2023
• Instructor Exam pass guarantee
• Training for 5 specialty instructor ratings including my own authored Shark Specialty Instructor rating
• Marine life knowledge course
• AND 4 days 3 nights in The Bahamas diving with Hammerheads over two days.

To get the full information pack of this amazing Hammerhead + IDC package please visit the dedicated website we created for this event at www.diveinstructor.pro

There you can leave your name and email address so that we can forward you the information pack for you to see if this is right for you.

It does not cost anything to look and if you want to take it further I am always available for a chat to answer any questions you might have.

Hope to see you at one of our IDC programs real soon.

Kai Steinbeck is a PADI Platinum Course Director with over 30 years in the dive industry. Kai conducts PADI IDC programs in Australia as well as in the Caribbean.

Visit https://www.diveinstructor.pro for more details

Save the Date: JULY 16, 2023
Brockville, Ontario

Join us for a fun day a clean-up dive, and an extra fun dive if interested.

Open to freedivers, advanced mermaids and scuba divers.

Contact me to confirm for details, meeting time and place.

And for those interested, the PADI Dive Against Debris Specialty will be available:

In this specialty you’ll learn how to:

• Identify which objects should and shouldn’t be removed from the water
• Conduct a survey: sort, record, and report the marine debris you collect
• Contribute to PADI AWARE Foundation’s global database

Learn more at: https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=10167546751595055&set=a.10152184745945055

A PADI 5 Star IDC Centre based at Ye Olde Plough House Hotel in Upminster, Diverse Scuba has been operating for over 20 years and has ceased operations due to circumstances beyond their control, according to a statement released on social media channels.

It is with a heavy heart and for reasons beyond our control we have to say goodbye after 20 years of diving.

We would like to say a huge thank you to all our loyal customers over the years and you will all be sorely missed as you have all become friends. We do hope that you stay in contact and have many scuba diving adventures in the future.

Diverse Scuba Facebook Page

In addition to teaching, Diverse Scuba operated a fully stocked shop, workshop and their own on-site heated pool.

At the time of the writing, the Diverse Scuba website is still operational.

This Friday, April 14, San Francisco City Hall will be “lit blue” to salute the 20th Annual International Ocean Film Festival . The Festival runs April 13 – 16 at San Francisco’s Cowell Theatre at Fort Mason and San Rafael’s Smith Theatre. 

“Thank you San Francisco,” said Ana Blanco, Executive Director for the Festival. “We are greatly honored to have San Francisco’s iconic City Hall lit blue in honor of our 20th anniversary. This Friday, we encourage everyone to capture the moment, and post your photos online, using the hashtags #ioff20 and #oceanfilmfest. This Friday, remember to ‘look up’ at the SF City Hall dome!”

This year’s 20th Annual International Ocean Film Festival is marked with four days of ocean-focused, independent films. In addition, the Festival will host lively Q&A panels with film directors, marine scientists, and industry experts, as they discuss the films and share insights into ocean conservation, preservation, and legislation.   

The Festival accepts films of all genres that focus on any of the varied aspects of our big, blue ocean. Subject matter ranges from, but is not limited to, marine wildlife, conservation efforts, ocean environments, coastal cultures, ocean sports and exploration, ocean heroes, and innovative technology designed to help protect the ocean. Films can be documentaries, narratives, shorts, animation, and full-length films from around the world. A number of finalists from the main film festival program will be selected to participate in the world-renowned International Ocean Film Festival Traveling Program. This year’s film categories include Environmental, Marine Sciences/Wildlife, Exploration & Ocean Sports, Coastal Island Culture. Animation, Conservation, Diversity Equity & Inclusion, Shorts and Female Directors.

Sponsors for this year’s festival include RingCentral, Jenga Ocean, Hapag Lloyd, RBC Wealth Management, PADI, PADI Club, The Philippine Office of Tourism, Thor Hope Foundation, Dynamico Space and the Consul General of Canada in San Francisco. 

Since its launch in 2004, the San Francisco-based International Ocean Film Festival has attracted thousands of spectators of all ages from around the world, including film enthusiasts, sea athletes, educators, and environmental supporters. Since then, the Festival has presented over 815 films from 40 different countries and featured post-film Q&A sessions with visiting filmmakers, special panel discussions with content experts, and the Annual Free Student Education Program. It was the first event of its kind in North America, inspired by the well-established ocean festival in Toulon, France, which has continued to draw large audiences for more than 40 years.

Below is the full list (in alphabetical order by title, followed by director, country of origin and running time) for this year’s 20th Anniversary Festival. 

• And yet, I remain, Rick Wall (South Africa) 8 min
• The Arctic Halocline, Amy Lauren (USA) 21 min
• Big Wave Guardians, Luke Stirtz (USA) 90 min
• Blue Carbon, Paul Nicklen (USA) 3 min
• Bottle Cap, Marie Hyon & Marco Spier (USA) 5 min
• Changing Seas: Vanishing Whales, Alexa Elliott (USA) 27 min
• Cold Refuge, Judy Irving (USA) 79 min
• Collision, Philip Hamilton (London, UK) 80 min
• Deep Look: Barnacles Go to Unbelievable Lengths to Hook Up, Josh Cassidy (USA) 4 min
• Deep Look: Skeleton Shrimp Use 18 Appendages to Feed, Fight and… Frolic, Mike Seely (USA) 5 min
• Deep Rising, Matthieu Rytz (USA) 98 min
• Fishing Into the Future: A San Diego Story, Lindsay Bauman & Andrea Sanchez Davidson (USA) 5 min
• Gender Outlaw, A Bodysurfing Story, Peter Williams (USA) 16 min
• The Gift of Bathsheba, Zach Hellmuth (USA) 4 min
• Havana Libre, Corey McLean (USA) 85 min
• Horseshoe Crabs: Survival of a Living Dinosaur, Andrea Kramar (USA) 6 min
• Huff, David Mangum (USA) 7 min
• Hypnotise, Ste Everington (Australia) 4 min
• I Want Sun, Manlio David Martinez (Honduras) 30 min
• The Impossible Wave, Jessica Frankovelgia Johnson & Jay Johnson (USA) 40 min 2023 Female Filmmaker Award
• Inseparable: Ava, Andrew Harrison Brown (USA) 11 min
• Mediterranean LIFE UNDER SIEGE, Fred Fougea (France) 91 min
• Molokai and the Frog, José Gerardo Flores Ruiz (Mexico) 19 min
• New Boats, Lansana Mansaray (Sierra Leone) 50 min
• Patrick and the Whale, Mark Fletcher (Austria) 72 min
• Planting Coral Forests, Johann Vorster (Kenya) 27 min
• PLSTC, Laen Sanches (France) 2 min
• Restoring the Farallon Islands: A Critical Conservation Opportunity, Brandon Schilling (USA) 4 min
• Rise of the Clambassador, Alexander Davidowski (USA) 8 min
• Robots in the Deep, Leo Richards (UK) 13 min
• SAGRES, José Eduardo Zuzarte (Portugal) 44 min
• SB2508: A Death Threat to Everglades Restoration, Noah Alexander Miller (USA) 30 min
• Seagrass for Sea Change, Whitney Beer-Kerr (Australia) 12 min
• The Shark with a Thousand Names, Hendrik Sebastian Schmitt (Germany) 18 min
• The Storm Chaser, Jack Pirie (UK) 7 min
• Tangled in the Tides, Henk Ekermans & Barend van der Watt (South Africa) 50 min
• Truluck, Matt Cannon & Jake Smallwood (UK) 20 min
• Washed Ashore, Ley Heimgartner & Cameron Nielsen (USA) 16 min
• Windshipped, Jon Bowermaster (USA) 39 min
• VR Film: 360 Sea Plastic, Narrated by Tim Robbins (USA) 7 min
• VR FIlm: Dive into Sipidan (Malaysia) 7 min
• VR Film: Roots to Reef 360 (Singapore) 16 min

Learn more in our Event Calendar or at: https://www.intloceanfilmfest.org 

I enjoyed reading Kai Steinbeck’s recent piece in The Scuba News explaining which agency offers the best opportunities to a diver who wishes to become a dive instructor and then: “travel the world and teach scuba diving.” His point of view was interesting and got me thinking. And so, here are some of those thoughts. It’s important to understand, this is not a rebuttal, nor is it a criticism. You might think of it as Part 2 following on from his editorial, but by another writer. Alternatively, this is just another dive professional’s point of view informed by a different experience. Your choice.

But before that and following Kai’s example of providing a disclaimer, the “bit of housekeeping” with which he began his article, let’s start here with mine.

By way of full disclosure, I was an active technical instructor-trainer, IT examiner, member of the training advisory board, and a staff member for TDI when Bret Gilliam opened that agency in the early 1990s. I am now a partner in Dive RAID International. I retired from teaching a couple of years back, and essentially only dive for fun now… mostly in caves. But as Vice-president Marketing for RAID, I feel comfortable putting forward a quite different perspective on the state of the industry: specifically, the pathway to becoming a professional dive instructor. I believe Kai’s article, as detailed as it was, missed a few salient points and outlining those gaps here now may help anyone cuddling up to the notion of travelling the world and teaching scuba diving.

While it is true that in theory all the major recreational training agencies—specifically the so-called Big Seven—follow industry-wide course standards and shared goals designed to deliver similar results for the student, there are loopholes. One of the biggest is how an agency polices it’s professional membership whose job it is to apply those general standards when working with students, and how each agency’s goals (part of its business model) affect that process.  

Let’s start with Kai’s statement: “… by the time you have completed the open water, advanced, rescue and divemaster course you should possess the theoretical knowledge and have the diving skills to be comfortable in your instructor development course.”

Once again, the theory is rock-solid. Every instructor candidate should possess the required skills, values, and experience, but the reality is very different. At the core of that difference is a divergence in the professional development pathway created by each agency. 

The different approaches detailing how an agency makes sure its leaders follow standards, is worth checking into. Does dive agency ABCD ask every student to give feedback before issuing the cert or is the QA process more or less ad-hoc? This is critical knowledge for an instructor.

There is a common diving aphorism that it’s the instructor and not the agency that matters. This is an awful oversimplification. While it’s true that there needs to be good chemistry between instructor and student at every level, at the base of that equation is the original choice the certifying instructor made about which agency to partner with when starting their career. Part was a pure business decision but he or she also had to consider the agency’s beliefs, its ideology, principles, and reputation: and there’s more to that than market share. Most importantly, if one’s goal is to made scuba instruction a job or even just a part-time side hustle, reputation management has to be a consideration if the business is to be truly successful and a happy place to work in. 

Something to think about, if you’re thinking about becoming a dive pro in my opinion.

By the way, and for the record, at last count there are around 120 scuba certification agencies. And a good guess is that some are easier than others for an instructor to work with. Wouldn’t it be great to have a crib sheet detailing that sort of thing to hand to anyone thinking about signing up for instructor training? Can you imagine how long that list of pros and cons would be. But as Kai pointed out, research the practical options. You will almost inevitably end with a list narrowed down to the aforementioned Big Seven whose focus is on recreational instruction (BSAC, CMAS, NAUI, PADI, RAID, SDI, and SSI**). Between them, these companies reportedly own about 94 percent of the market and certify that percentage or better of the divers who go on to become scuba and freediving instructors.

This group of companies are certainly not the same. They are all for-profit companies, so that’s something they have in common. Outside of that, each has different challenges when it comes to reputation management and what a prospective instructor should think about when considering which of them to partner with. 

For example, at least one of them has a business model that fast-tracks the process of taking a punter off the street, getting them into a brief zero-to-hero open water course, and directing them into an instructor program in the shortest time possible. They make money, a lot of it, from the annual subscription fees collected from their instructors. Whether those professionals are actively teaching or not is essentially secondary. For this agency, it’s a numbers game and those numbers include an active and relentless churn-rate of open water scuba instructors.

This approach to instructor development has damaged the scuba industry, and thinned, diluted the average capacity of a “dive professional” to manage student needs. Empathy, wisdom, a willingness to listen and process an individual’s strengths and weaknesses, are not encouraged if one follows this model. The capacity to teach has been replaced by the need to throw more bodies into the meat grinder. A pessimistic view perhaps… a little out of touch with the reality of doing business? 

Anyone who has been reading posts on one of the many active scuba chat groups has seen the posts that go something like: “I’ve just learned to dive; I want to be an instructor; can I log the prerequisite dives in the quarry next weekend?” In my opinion, this is a travesty. Let’s encourage the enthusiasm with vigour but let’s promote common-sense and a more prudent mindset. Most urgently, let’s get away from overpopulating the industry with ill-prepared and poorly experienced leadership. 

Dear wanna-be instructor, give this serious thought, please.

My practice—perhaps over-wrought and too old-school—was always asking students who wanted to become an instructor what they had to contribute to the scuba diving zeitgeist. So, for me at least, rather than simplifying the recruitment message and boiling it down to where one can get a job, with whom, and via which flavour of certifying agency, as Kai did, there is something more important to consider. 

John Kennedy famously said: “Ask not what your country can do for you: ask what you can do for your country!” I don’t think it’s disingenuous to suggest we give a similar consideration to the dive industry when we want to join it. For example, when running instructor programs, one of the workshops I included focused on the extra value, the experience, the life skills as well as teaching and diving skills, instructor candidates brought to the table. And specifically, how their students would benefit? 

Answers from instructor candidates in those workshops ranged from having an advanced degree in phycology, holding an Olympic medal in downhill skiing, and speaking a handful of languages (including one candidate who spoke English, Hindi, Tamal, French, Portuguese, and Arabic), all the way along the skills spectrum to holding a master mariner’s certification, and being an experienced marine-diesel mechanic. Those skills added value to the instructor candidates… and helped to keep the person delivering the IDP—the author—humble. 

Yes, by all means strive to teach scuba, but what are you bringing to the table? What is going to set you apart from the others?

Another proviso that anyone reading Kai’s article should not overlook, is that being an instructor “overseas” (that is, holding a passport from a different country to the one where one wants to work), requires a chat with a bureaucrat… perhaps several… and if things work out, carrying a work-permit. (And even then there is not an absolute guarantee of safe passage!)

Anyhow, it’s time to wrap this up, but I do want to thank Kai for taking the trouble to put his article together. It certainly got me thinking, I hope is did the same for you too.

Most of all, I do not want to discourage anyone with aspirations of traveling the world and turning on crowds of tourists and visiting backpackers to the joys of diving. Far from it. DO IT! This industry needs new blood and a new outlook. And for the record, teaching scuba is one of the most interesting and engaging jobs for anyone who is even remotely interested in people watching or who wants to find out more about the human condition and this planet of ours (more than 70 percent of which is covered in water don’t forget.) Being a dive leader is the most rewarding experience. It’s just that the process requires a little more thought than a casual reader of Kai’s article may have given it. 

Remember what the late president Kennedy said. Oh, and one skill you should consider developing BEFORE you sign up for instructor training is herding cats.

*RAID uses the term IDP (Instructor Development Program) rather than IDC but that semantics and rather unimportant. I just wanted to add footnotes.

**And incidentally, Kia mentioned GUE in his article and I left that agency off the list for a couple of reasons: they are a not-for-profit training agency closely allied to a for-profit equipment manufacturing company, which is a rather unique business model; but also their focus is not primarily on recreational certifications. 

N.B. The views expressed in this thought paper are those of the author, Steve Lewis, and do not necessarily represent those of Dive RAID International, its leadership team or its representatives around the world.

Are you finding it difficult to take two to three weeks off to complete your PADI IDC? We have come up with an answer for that.

Dive Instructor Academy is run by PADI Platinum Course Director Kai Steinbeck and we break the IDC up into two manageable chunks.

First, we have to cover the academic section of the PADI Instructor Development Course. That’s the part of the program that is traditionally conducted in a classroom environment. We have the technology to run the academic portion with you face to face via live online training. IMPORTANT!  This is not eLearning. This is your PADI Course Director presenting the curriculum to you live, face to face, via online platforms to you in your home or office or wherever you want to be, where you will interact, ask questions and even present what you learn.

But hang on I hear you say. I heard that there is eLearning. You are 100% correct. There is a PADI eLearning session that you have to do. You need to complete this whether you are doing a traditional PADI IDC, or if you are doing our version.

We will create a schedule for you to spend 3 hours per day for 8 days to cover everything we need to cover. During these presentations we will use digital whiteboards and other tools to get all the information taught, just as if you were in a classroom setting.

With that out of the way, you’re ready for your in-water training. This will be done at our PADI 5 star IDC centre located in the Dominican Republic. It is here that we will conduct confined water and openwater training and presentations. 

We will have plenty of time to practice rescue training as well as the Emergency First Aid Instructor Course which is part of your PADI IDC program.

What are the benefits?

• If you are short of time and can’t get away for 2 and a half to 3 weeks, then our PADI IDC is ideal for you.
• We can arrange the program for you in a way that the live online training precedes the in-water training so that you are fresh for your Instructor Examination.
• We have more time to focus on actual in-water training.

What else is included?

• Instructor Exam Pass guarantee! Yep, really! If you fail your IE we will pay for your resit and give you extra training. That’s how confident we are that our training is second to none.
• Training for 5 specialty instructor ratings (Nitrox, Deep, Wreck, O2 and Boat)
• Introduction to free diving
• Marine life knowledge course

So, drop everything that you are doing and send us an email at kai@diveinstructor.net or sign up right here https://www.diveinstructor.net/plans-pricing

For all the information check out the website at https://www.diveinstructor.net

Aotearoa, New Zealand has revealed a magical world beneath the ocean’s surface for International Mermaid Day, in partnership with PADI® (Professional Association of Diving Instructors®), the world’s largest purpose-driven diving organization.

Mesmerising underwater footage released today showcases official PADI Mermaid team members from around the world exploring renowned international dive site, the Poor Knights Islands Marine Reserve, in the country’s Northland region.

Combining elements of freediving with wearing a ‘monofin’ or mermaid tail, the art of ‘mermaiding’ is making waves worldwide as an accessible and captivating way to connect with and explore beneath the surface.

PADI’s Mermaid Program launched globally in 2021 and has since built a strong wave of momentum capturing the imagination and curiosity of all ages and genders. Anyone over the age of six can start their mermaid journey, and learn to breath-hold, swim with a tail, read ocean conditions, and respect and protect marine life.

Certified PADI Mermaids have a unique passion for ocean advocacy, along with a deep care and connection to the ocean and all life that calls it home.

With expansive coastlines, marine reserves*, abundant wildlife, and hundreds of offshore islands, Aotearoa New Zealand boasts a plentiful paradise for inquisitive travelers looking to immerse themselves in the natural environment.

“The waters of Aotearoa are a special place for me personally, having had the privilege to explore above and beneath the surface as both an adventure seeker and a diver,” says Drew Richardson, PADI President and CEO. “I’ll never forget the first time I experienced the Poor Knights Islands–the crown jewel of the Tutukākā coastline. From the dramatic topography to the thick kelp forests teeming with the unique combination of cold and subtropical marine species brought in by the Eastern Australian Current, not many dive sites have ever rivaled this one for me.

Imagine what our shared blue planet would be like if we had 10,000 more success stories** like the Poor Knights Islands Marine Reserve?

”The unique geography of the South Pacific destination creates a diverse underwater playground to explore from twinkling, sub-tropical waters and islands of the far north, to wild and wonder in the fiords of the deep south. “It’s no secret our natural environment is part of what makes us an extraordinary destination to explore. But there is more here than meets the eye; our unique geography and climate create wondrous worlds above and below the surface for those travelers curious to discover all that Aotearoa, New Zealand has to offer,” says René de Monchy, Tourism New Zealand Chief Executive.

“We are proud to team up with Tourism New Zealand this International Mermaid Day. TNZ is a like-minded partner devoted to the Tiaki Promise–the commitment to care for the people, place and culture of Aotearoa,” says Drew Richardson, PADI President and CEO.

For more information about New Zealand’s unique marine tourism opportunities and underwater-inspired experiences and travel inspiration, visit www.newzealand.com. For more information about PADI and the PADI Mermaid Program, visit www.padi.com/mermaid-centers

*New Zealand has 44 marine reserves, which are protected areas of ocean within which it is prohibited to fish, remove, or disturb any marine life in order to preserve our species and habitat.*

PADI is on a mission to protect 30% of the ocean by 2030 through its Adopt the Blue program, which is the world’s largest network of underwater sites that the organization, alongside Ocean Torchbearers, is rallying to turn into marine protected areas

PADI has awarded Jo Armitage, Course Director at The Go Pro Family in Mexico, Platinum status for her contributions to professional training and educational excellence during 2022.  This year marks the tenth consecutive year she has achieved this status.

This milestone comes just a year after The Go Pro Family’s other Course Director, Angel Navarro, received his 15^th consecutive Platinum award. 

Jo, originally from the UK, says “Time really does fly when you’re having fun.  I can’t believe it’s been ten years since my first Platinum Course Director award.  Training future PADI dive instructors is such a fulfilling job and every IDC brings something new.”

Jo adds “Currently only around 15% of PADI Course Directors are female, so I am stoked to receive this award and I hope to encourage other women divers to become PADI Pros and to be Course Directors themselves one day.”

Jo currently conducts IDC in three locations in Mexico, which she says helps her to keep her training fresh and relevant.  “It’s great to be able to experience new dive locations and work with some great teams at our affiliate dive centers.” said Jo

The Go Pro Family is Course Directors Angel Navarro (from Spain) and Jo Armitage (from the UK), and their team of pros.  Together, they have personally trained over 900 PADI Instructors, and have issued over 4000 professional-level certifications.  Based in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, The Go Pro Family offers professional-level scuba training as well as technical, cave diving and freediving.  They also conduct PADI Instructor Development Courses in Mahahual and Huatulco.

For more information about their IDCs or other training options, visit https://thegoprofamily.com/en/

First a bit of housekeeping, the views are mine (Kai Steinbeck) and do not represent anyone else and for full disclosure I am a PADI Course Director offering PADI IDC programs in Australia, the Caribbean (Dominican Republic) and South East Asia and yes I would love for you to do your IDC with me. Check my programs out here 

With that out of the way let’s have a look at the different training agencies…

To start off with I believe that all training agencies have their advantages and disadvantages, but most importantly there are good instructors from training agency “A” as well as bad instructors. The agency gives the instructor a recognized training system which the instructor must follow and the training agency issues the recognized certification cards so that your students receive proof of training which will allow them to go scuba diving.

At some of the dive companies I have worked at, there is a quality control system in place to ensure that the staff are following all instructional standards and delivering a quality scuba diving course.

I am not going to comment if one training agency’s educational system for recreational divers is better than another, as this is a very subjective. Suffice it to say that by the time you have completed the openwater, advanced, rescue and Divemaster course you should possess the theoretical knowledge and have the diving skills to be comfortable in your instructor development course. During the instructor course you will be taught how to teach, how to find the relevant information on the courses and how to apply the training agencies standards.

So which training agency is better to become a dive instructor? I have listed some of the larger training agencies below (you can click on their names to get you to that training agencies website) This is NOT an extensive list and it would get rather tedious listing them all.

• PADI – Professional Association of Diving Instructors
• SSI – Scuba Schools International
• CMAS – Confederation Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques
• SDI – Scuba Diving International
• NAUI – National Association of Underwater Instructors
• GUE – Globa Underwater Explorers
• BSAC – British Sub Aqua Club

 …. And yes there are others not mentioned here. Didn’t mean to offend anyone….

All of the training agencies have a similar model in the progression of diver education. There is an entry level certification which is then built upon over three or four other courses to reach the first professional level of diver training before going onto becoming a scuba dive instructor. The structure looks something like this:

Entry level (openwater) => Advanced => Rescue => Divemaster / Dive leader => Scuba Dive Instructor

I am writing this article from the view point of being able to find work as a dive instructor in the industry world wide. Whilst there are other training agencies that are emerging and I am sure they have their benefits, there are really only two that can claim a large enough market share that will allow you to easily find work as a scuba dive instructor. These are: 

1. PADI: Professional Association of Dive Instructors
2. SSI: Scuba Schools International.

I know I am probably offending some of the supporters of other organizations and that is not the intent. But purely from a mainstream “I want to travel the world and teach scuba diving” point of view the others just lack the global reach these two training agencies have.

Professional Association of Diving Instructors – PADI

Starting off with the largest and arguably most recognized training agency there is; PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) This agency is by far the largest with the biggest marketing reach and possibly budget. There would be more PADI dive shops world wide in comparison to all other training agencies, which in turn creates a larger demand for PADI dive instructors in comparison to other agencies.

The PADI instructor is able to teach independently, meaning he / she does not have to be tied to a dive shop. You, as a PADI dive instructor, can roll into town and if you can find access to confined water, openwater and dive gear you can teach courses in your own name. This is not the case with some other training agencies… more on that later.

The marketing that PADI does is very good to the point where we see on a regular basis customers coming into dive shops asking: “I want to do my PADI”, rather than asking to do their scuba dive course. PADI’s promotional videos are great and you can see them here on the PADI you tube channel.

The PADI educational system is well put together, easy to follow and a proven system. There is a very good and thorough quality assurance system in place that monitors diver education activity and acts on breaches to the system.

The support to its members is good with regional managers in place world wide which are active in visiting all member dive shops but more importantly are there to assist PADI individual members such as PADI Openwater Scuba Instructors as well. Have a training question? They are there to help you. Have a certifying or administrative question? Again, they are there to help you. Not just the dive school, but you as the individual PADI member.

Scuba Schools International – SSI

As far as recreational scuba diving is concerned they are probably the second largest or popular training agency in the world. The diving course structure is very similar to the PADI one in the sense that the student starts off with an entry level certification, followed by an advanced certification, stress and rescue and then Divemaster

As a SSI instructor you are restricted in the sense that the instructor is not able to teach independently. All training must be conducted through a dive shop. What does that mean? As a SSI instructor I can not roll into town and use the local pool and start teaching scuba courses. All training must go through a dive shop.

Many instructors are dual certified, in the sense that they may hold a PADI instructor certification as well as a SSI one. If this is something you want to do then here is some good advise that will save you $$$. As a PADI instructor you can enrol into a SSI crossover course whereby you do not need to do the whole SSI instructor course again. This is not the case the other way around. If you are a SSI instructor and want to become a PADI instructor you will have to do the whole Openwater Scuba Instructor portion of the IDC including the instructor examinations. There are benefits to holding both ratings in that it opens your employment opportunities more. You have more dive shops to choose from. But remember…. If you want to go down that track, then do your PADI IDC first and then do the cross over to SSI. This will save you considerable money.

Does one agency make better divers than the other. The quick answer to that, in my opinion, is no. All training agencies that I have come across produce good divers and bad divers. Repeating myself from the top now, there are good dive instructors and bad scuba instructors in any training agency. The instructor really makes the course!!!

From a recreational level it does not matter who the diver is certified with. If you want to dive with a PADI dive shop and were certified by a SSI instructor, they will take you diving. 

Just like there is no issue with swapping training agencies throughout the training. A diver can start off with an entry level certification of one agency, followed by and advanced with another, the rescue with yet another and their Divemaster with yet another and then enrol into the PADI IDC. This just goes to show that all the training agencies recognize each other and offer very similar scuba courses throughout their curriculum. 

Kai Steinbeck is a Platinum PADI Course Director offering PADI instructor development courses in Australia, the Caribbean (Dominican Republic) and South East Asia in English, Spanish or German. It’s all here at www.diveinstructor.info

The PADI Wheel was this incredible feat of engineering that allowed us to extend our bottom time. I believe it came onto he market in and around the early 90’s when dive computers were still very expensive and a luxury to have. Yes, in those days, most of dived on tables and we had to plan our dives and remember what that plan was.

The revolutionary thing about the PADI wheel was that it allowed us to plan multilevel dives rather than just one dive to a certain depth. When planning a dive with the dive tables for instance to 30 meters, the tables give us a no decompression limit of 20 minutes. Meaning that we are allowed to stay at 30 meters for 20 minutes. The restriction of the RDP however was that it could not cope with the fact that we didn’t stay at 30 meters for 20 minutes. A dive profile might have been to 30 meters for 15 minutes and then we would ascend to 20 meters and remain there for some time and then ascend to 10 meters. The PADI recreational dive planner (RDP) could not account for the fact that we would be absorbing less nitrogen at 20 meters and at 10 and therefore allowing us to stay for longer. Nope!!!! The RDP assumed that we remained at 30 meters for the entire dive.

Can you imagine how excited we got when this new device came out that would allow us to plan dives so that we could do multilevel? It was the best thing since split fins…. (Split fins, that is another story for a different blog)

LET’S GET INTO HOW THE PADI WHEEL WORKS:

How did this marvel of technology work? For starters we had to make sure that the wheel was calibrated. See the dots and the small circle? You had to rotate the wheel and the arm to ensure that the dots would line up with the circle. If it did not then the PADI wheel was out of calibration.

Next we would set the wheel to our first dive depth. For this example we will plan a dive to 30 meters to start off with and then ascend to some shallower depths during the dive.

In order to set the first depth turn the main wheel so that it lines up with 30 meters in the window.

So good so far….

The next step is to find out what the no decompression limit is for a dive to 30 meters.

If you have a PADI RDP table version handy you can easily see that the NDL for 30 meters is 20 minutes.

On the PADI wheel, moving the yellow tab along the 30 meter curved line to where the red NDL area start you will see that the NDL for 30 meters is 20 minutes. This is exactly the same NDL as if you were working with the tables. Both are using the same algorithm to work our no decompression limits.

Now…. this is where the wheel comes into its element. Let us assume that you only spend 15 minted at 30 meters and then move onto a shallower depth.

Moving the yellow tab along the bottom time indicators, set it to rest over 15 minutes. Looking at the 30meter curved line you will see that the letter “I” touches the 30 meter line, but the letter “J” pierces the line. The letter that pierces the 30 meter line is the pressure group that the diver would be if they had done a dive to 30 meters for 15 minutes.

Next we must see to what level or depth we can ascend to.

In order to do so look at the centre of the wheel and see where the 30 meter curved line originated from. You can see that the 30 meter curved line originates from a yellow box with a 20.

You can also see that the 28 meter curve originates from the same 20 meter yellow box. This means that the deepest next depth if your first depth was 30 or 28 meters must be no deeper than 20 meters. The next level can be less than 20 meters, but not deeper than 20 meters. Simple… right?

Let’s assume that our next depth is 20 meters. Remember from above that the pressure group after 15 minutes at 30 meter was pressure group “J” ?

Now it is going to get really funky. Find the 20 meter curved line and rotate the white marker so that pressure group “J” touches the 20 meter line. Rotate the yellow indicator to find out the maximum allowable time or your (NDL – No decompression limit) to be spent at this depth.

Note the yellow ML shaded area above the red NDL shaded area. To find the Multi Level (ML) no decompression limit use the yellow line. From the image you can see that the maximum allowable time is 15 minutes.

Already the total allowable dive time is 30 minutes, when originally if diving on simple tables the maximum dive time for a dive to 30 meters would have restricted the diver to 20 minutes.

If I have not lost you yet and you are still with me let’s do another level….

Let’s assume that instead of spending 15 minutes at 20 meters we only spent 10 minutes there.

Looking on the 20 meter curved line you can see that the letter “O” touches the line but “P” pierces the line. This means that after 10 minutes the next pressure group the diver finds themselves in is pressure group “P”

Also note that the 20 meter curved line originated out of the yellow 12 meter box. This means that the next level can not be deeper than 12 meters.

Let’s plan the next depth to 12 meter and see how long you can stay there.

Just like in the above example where we moved from 30 meters to 20 meters, we must use the white pressure group indicator to line up with the new depth. This time remembering that the divers pressure group is “P” after spending 10 minutes at 20 meters. Aligning the white “P” with the 12 meter line and then moving the yellow indicator to the yellow multi level no decompression limit. Note that the diver can remain at 12 meters for a further 60 minutes.

If the divers air supply would last, the dive to 30 meters ascending to 20 meters after 15 minutes and then ascending to 12 meters after 10 minutes would allow you to remain at 12 meters for a further 60 minutes. A total of an hour and 25 minute dive. What made the PADI wheel so amazing was that a diver who didn’t have a dive computer and dived on the PADI RDP tables, the wheel extended the bottom time from 20 minutes for a 30 meter dive to one hour and 25 minutes.

Learn more at: https://www.diveinstructor.com.au

The PADI buddy check

From the first day your learned to scuba dive you were told about the buddy check. But how do you remember what to check for. Well, that is where the acronym of BWRAF comes into play.

The official PADI acronym is:

Begin With Review And Friend, (BWRAF)

This stands for checking the BCD, Weights, Releases, Air and Final Check.

Different versions of the acronym are:

• Burgers With Relish And Fries
• Burgers With Really Awesome Fries
• Buddy Will Rip Away Facemask
• Breathing Water Really Ain’t Fun
• Bruce Willis Ruins All Films… or you can replace ruins with rocks
• Big White Rabbits Are Fluffy
• Beer, Whiskey, Rum And Friends
• Babies With Rashes Are Fussy
• Barf Will Really Attract Fish
• Barry White Records Are Funky
• Beans With Rice and Fish
• Because We Really Aren’t Fish
• Big Whales Really Are Fun
• Because We Really Are Friends
• Bunnies Will Run Away Fast
• Being Wary Reduces All Failures
• Blue Whales Really Are Fat

There are many more versions of this acronym which are not so politically correct. In order to keep with the professional in the PROFESSIONAL Association of Dive Instructors. To tease you somewhat they involve baby wipes, women, Bangkok and rattlesnakes

Most dive accidents can be avoided and with the use of a quick buddy check you will prevent issues to happen. Here is what it stands for:

B – Check your buddy’s B.C.D (Buoyancy Control Device) Check that the low-pressure inflator hose is connected and that it inflates and deflates.

W – Check your buddy has their weight belt on, right hand release and that the weights are evenly distributed or make yourself familiar with their integrated weights in the BCD

R – Check your buddy’s releases on their BCD. Are they all done up and placed correctly? Check the release on the back of the scuba tank to ensure the tank is securely fastened.

A – Check your buddy’s air… Is the tank full, does the needle move when your buddy is breathing from the regulator? If so, the scuba tank may not be opened all the way. Familiarize yourself with and recognize the location of your buddy’s alternate air source

F – The final check, have all your equipment ready, such as mask, snorkel and fins, perhaps you are taking an underwater camera? Are you and your buddy ready for the dive, mentally and physically?

Learn more at: https://www.diveinstructor.net/

Reef Oasis Dive Club welcomes PADI platinum course director Kai Steinbeck to head the PADI Instructor Development Programs in the Caribbean on the island of the Dominican Republic.

We are excited to work together and develop the Instructor Development Courses out of our PADI 5 star IDC centre located on the South East Coast in Bayahibe.

Over 30 years as a PADI Pro

Kai Steinbeck has been a PADI Pro since 1992 working as an instructor, trip director, operations manager, marketing manager and course director in some of the most sought after destinations of the world such as Australia, Indonesia, the Pacific Islands, Costa Rica, Mexico and the Dominican Republic.

Most of his diving career has been spent on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. Having worked in one of the biggest dive schools in the world, where we used to run 13 learn to dive courses per week, as well as in small operations with only one other instructor has given me the experience to prepare my candidates for the real world of being a dive instructor.

I still teach Openwater courses and love it. I think it’s important to keep your fins in the game and expose yourself to the challenges the candidates face every day, teaching the full spectrum of PADI courses.

The PADI IDC programs include

We run a 14 day IDC program which includes an unparalleled IE pass guarantee, the training for Nitrox, Deep, Wreck, Boat and Oxygen provider specialty instructor ratings. We have developed our own dive theory eLearning platform which candidates can log into to prepare themselves for the IDC as well as a marine life knowledge courses which every IDC candidate has access to.

GO PRO with platinum course director Kai Steinbeck

Visit our website at www.diveinstructor.net to find out all about the PADI IDC programs in the Caribbean on the island of the Dominican Republic, or email Kai direct at kai@diveinstructor.net or WhatsApp on +61419172910

With six Best Actress awards, three prizes for Best Screenplay and two honours for Best Director, you’d be forgiven for assuming that Anca Vaida wouldn’t have time for recreational pursuits. On top of her creative endeavours, she also holds down a 9-5 job as a Consultant Psychiatrist for Britain’s National Health Service. 

Whilst the majority of her days are indeed spent in the clinic or the rehearsal room, 2022 marked a decade of scuba diving for the Romanian renaissance woman, who earned her PADI Open Water Certification in 2012 and has never looked back. 

“I’ve always been drawn to the water. One of my favourite places to go when growing up in Târgu-Mureș was a swimming complex called ‘Weekend’. It’s still there and I visit anytime I’m back in Romania.”

“Even at university, numerous summers were spent working as a life guard at the waterparks in Wisconsin Dells, USA.”

Considering her evident tendency to give her all to anything she puts her mind to, it is perhaps unsurprising that Anca decided to progress from treading water and take the scuba diving plunge when she received an impromptu phone call from a friend.

“My friend called me up saying she’d booked a scuba diving holiday in Egypt and would I like to come. She asked me if I had a PADI Open Water license. I said ‘What’s that?’ and she explained.”

“I quickly set about learning the theory, booking the pool assessment and scheduling my open water exam- it’s one of the best things I’ve ever done. Once I’d completed the course, I made the trip to Sharm El Sheik. I’ve been back to Egypt twice since then, diving at Hurghada and Dahab”

Since becoming qualified, scuba diving has broadened her perspective when choosing the places she wishes to visit. If there’s a coastline, it likely influences her decision.

“It became an opportunity to visit countries I maybe hadn’t considered before. If there was a diving spot, I wanted to go there and that’s exactly what I did.”

“I’ve dived in Cape Verde, Greece’s Lefkada and even in Iceland’s Silfra in Thingvellir National Park. I’ve managed to convince friends to pass their PADI Open Water exams so they can come and join me!”

For somebody that bases their vacations around diving spots, it became clear that only something truly special would be appropriate to celebrate ten years of diving. The location was seemingly chosen for her, however, after Anca rounded off the year by winning Best Actress at the Miami Web Fest in the United States.

“I wasn’t complaining! 28°C (82.4°F) of November sunshine in Florida? You’d never get that in the UK. I could attend the festival and go diving in my spare time. I dived off the coast of Key West and then explored the wreckage of the SS Copenhagen just off Lauderdale-by-the-Sea”

“The award was a pleasant surprise. To win Best Actress at the festival was the perfect way to round off the trip! We (the Psyched! cast and crew) flew home the next day. I couldn’t stop smiling!”

The adventure is unlikely to stop there, however. Even though she has enjoyed trips to Europe, Africa and North America, her bucket list still includes visiting dive sites in Asia, South America and Oceania.

“I thought to myself, why not? I want to go to Thailand in 2023 and would love to visit Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. Maybe even the Fernando de Noronha Marine Park in Brazil, who knows?”

The success of Anca’s TV Series Psyched! shows no sign of stopping, either, with a festival nomination at the World Independent Cinema Awards (WICA), to be held in Edinburgh, Scotland, this February. The medical drama has been put up for awards in no fewer than six categories with Anca personally being up for Best Short Film and Best Director. 

“I’m very excited. It will be a great way to start the year and I will of course be looking at dives in Scotland. I don’t want to miss the chance to see baby seals! I will also be going to LA’s Believe Psychology Film Festival but that will be a little more relaxed as I’ll be one of the judges. The only stress I will have now is how I’m going to fit in all of my excursions!”

Anca Vaida: Anca is a Romanian actress, director, writer and producer. Anca trained in acting at East 15 Drama school, London, graduating in 2016. She has won numerous awards at a variety of international film festivals for playing the role of Dr Alex Ionescu in the TV series ‘Psyched!’, which she also wrote, directed and produced.

Some of Anca’s most notable projects include ‘Crossing continents’ on BBC radio, the film ‘Can We Order First?’ which premiered at the Berlin Short Film Festival, ‘Sorry, My Compassion is on the Blink’ at the Pleasance Theatre, and the play ‘Fine and Dandy’ at the King’s Head Theatre.

Article kindly submitted by By Andrew Phipps

We are delighted to welcome our new PADI Course Director as the leader of Pro Dive International’s Career Development Center, Instructor Development Center, GoPro & TecRec Academy, as well as the Quality Department.

His name is Walter, Walter G. Schmit.

Over 20 years of pro diving experience 

The passion for diving has led Walter’s life since 2001, when he became a diver in his native land of Puerto Madryn, Patagonia, Argentina.

Walter started his pro career in Spain and the Canary Islands, where he got his first taste of technical diving and rebreather diving. Wanting to live the dream life that diving instructors can supposedly have, he explored the world as a PADI MSDT, gaining experience in the Caribbean, Dominican Republic and Honduras on the island of Roatan, moving after to Thailand, Indonesia, Maldives, the Philippines, Greece and most recently India over the last 12 years, certifying divers in recreational and technical diving and achieving the PADI Gold Course Director rating for 4 consecutive years. 

Walter staffed some of the most talented Course Directors to become himself one in 2019. He trained in technical diving with record-holding divers and attained his Tec Instructor Trainer rating, and continued learning with a mCCR rebreather and mCCR Trimix course this year. His passion for learning about diving equals his love of sharing his knowledge. 

Mexico is one of the top diving destinations in the world for diving, and according to Walter one of the best training locations. He is thrilled to be joining the team at Pro Dive and bringing his knowledge of teaching and diving to the company’s award winning PADI CDC.

With close to 10,000 dives, over 2,000 students spread over all continents, Walter has worked in the Maldives, on liveaboards in Thailand, in Lombok’s Gili islands, with the Thresher Sharks of the Philippines’ Malapascua, and will be sure to share anecdotes of his experiences if you are curious and ask him. 

His friendly smile and joyful personality will make you feel right at ease, to relax, enjoy, and learn about diving. Now is the time for him to teach about Pro Dive’s diving, and he will offer professional diving courses like DMC, assistant instructor, OWSI, staff instructor, and a wide range of specialties, technical diving and technical instructors options.

Walter’s Philosophy 

“Make it real”, says Walter with a big, determined smile on his face. “I teach instructors to be ready for real life situations, using my comprehensive experience as an active dive instructor for over fifteen years to train my candidates and prepare them for their own students. Having worked on four different continents and in different oceans, exposed to the most diverse scenarios, means that my mind is full of examples that wait to be shared with my students. I believe that sharing those stories will help my candidates understand what can happen and prepare them for their own future students and how to use the standards.”

Walter offers packages and instructor development within Pro Dive’s GoPro IDC Mexico, and teaches in English and Spanish, and French and German assisted by his wife Dorianne. He’s looking forward to sharing his passion, experience and knowledge with you, and to turning you into a world-class Divemaster or Instructor.

Go Pro with Pro Dive in Mexico! Get in touch with PADI Course Director Walter and reserve your spot today at  their website (needs updating)!

Scuba divers rally to protect an unprecedented 60 threatened species

PADI^® (Professional Association of Diving Instructors^®) is celebrating a major win today in their fight to save sharks. At the 19^th meeting of CITES (the Convention on Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) in Panama City, government representatives agreed to restrict international trade for all requiem sharks, one of the biggest family of species, all hammerhead sharks, and all guitar sharks adding an extra 60 species to the list of shark species protected by CITES on Appendix II.

This positive outcome follows PADI being asked by the host nation of Panama to provide specialist advice and research to all attending government representatives to help secure support for a critical vote to double the amount of protected shark and ray species.  In the lead-up to this important vote, PADI actively mobilized their global community of 128,000 PADI Professionals, 6,600 PADI Dive Centers and Resorts, and the over 29 million certified PADI Divers to take part by urging their own local governments to take action at CITES – and asking all ocean torchbearers (whether a diver or not) who are passionately committed to creating positive ocean change to sign the petition that urged governments to vote “YES”.

“Today’s decision to restrict the unsustainable global trade in some of the most threatened species on the planet provides us all with a hope and optimism that we are not too late to end the dramatic declines in the ocean’s most iconic, and critical, animals,” said Ian Campbell, Associate Director of Policy and Campaigns for the PADI AWARE Foundation^TM, which is PADI’s global non-profit. 

“The listing of requiem sharks, an iconic group of species that includes diver favorites such as the blacktip reef shark, bull shark and grey reef shark sends a strong signal that healthy populations of these animals are economically important far more than just the trade in their harvested fins, meat and organs.”

Shark tourism generates hundreds of millions of dollars globally, contributing to the economies of countries around the world and supporting hundreds of thousands of jobs. Previous studies of the tourism sector indicate shark-based tourism is on track to generate over three-quarters of a billion dollars a year over the next decade.

With the global pandemic having a significant impact on the economies of island nations such as Fiji, the Maldives and the Bahamas, the growth in shark tourism is likely to play a significant role in the financial recovery of countries with healthy shark populations around the world.

“This result, to limit the international trade in shark species that are found at the world’s most popular dive spots, will bring a huge economic boost to communities across the globe,” says Julio Salvatori, the South America Regional Manager for PADI and technical adviser to the Panamanian government. “The prospect of diving with sharks in their natural environment is a major attraction for the recreational dive sector, many of which made their concerns known to the decision-makers. We are optimistic that this can be a turning point for shark populations worldwide.”

Recent studies have indicated that sharks – and their close relatives the rays – are one of the most threatened groups of animals on the planet. Over a third of all species are classed as facing an increased risk of extinction, mainly due to overfishing, habitat loss and unsustainable trade.

“We commend the strong leadership and commitment to conservation shown by the government of Panama, supported by many others, to secure this much-needed trade restriction,” continues Campbell. We also realize that this decision is only the start of the recovery for many shark species, and the revenue-generating recreational diving sector is primed to play its role in implementing the commitments made today.”

Protecting sharks is a core component of PADI’s Blueprint for Ocean Action, with the established goal of reducing the number of sharks and rays facing extinction by 25% in the next decade. To date, PADI has already helped secure protection measures for 51 species of sharks and rays, with today’s vote more than doubling that number to a total of 105 species. 

To learn more about how to support PADI’s continued conservation efforts to save vulnerable marine species like sharks, visit https://www.padi.com/aware

Dive Shop Grand Opening Weekend!

The moment we’ve been working hard for the last few weeks and months is finally arriving: Our Grand Opening!

Dates

Friday, Nov 4th, 9am to 9pm
Saturday, Nov 5th, 9am to 5pm
Sunday, Nov 6th, 9am to 5pm

Come visit us at the Portsmouth Olympic Harbour Marina building, 53 Yonge Street Kingston Ontario. Our main entrance is on the south side of the building, facing the water.

Some great prizes to be won. Get one participation ticket for every $100 spent over the weekend.

We hope to see you there!

Neptune Salacia Diving offers scuba diving charters in Kingston, Ontario. We also offer PADI courses, from beginner to Divemaster, and specialties. We are the first Authorized PADI Boat in Canada.

Learn more at: https://www.facebook.com/events/3336628663258240?ref=newsfeed

We’re thrilled to announce a new flexible way of completing your PADI IDC with KAI by incorporating the very exciting and innovative online platform offered by SCUBA DIVE ONLINE.

The PADI Instructor Development Program usually takes about 2 weeks to complete and if you ad travel time it is quite normal for candidates to have to take up to 3 weeks off work to complete the program.

This is where SCUBA DIVE ONLINE comes in, by giving live lectures, (not pre-recorded videos) at a time and schedule that suits you via an online classroom. There are seven, 3 hour online sessions, where one of the SCUBA DIVE ONLINE course directors goes through the material that you would normally complete in a classroom session with me. Additionally, there is a day where you cover the Emergency First Aid instructor knowledge review.

What does this mean for your IDC? It means that you can cut the time away from home and the required time to be physically present at the dive centre to complete your IDC to about half. This is a new and exciting option for those candidates that are short on time and can’t afford to be away from home for longer periods.

Yes, we still will offer our original programs where all the training is done onsite for those who prefer this option 

Is the training just as good? Yes it is, the online training is conducted by one of four very experienced PADI Course Directors covering all the same material I would in a traditional classroom session:

For more information about our traditional IDC programs or the SCUBA DIVE ONLINE version please visit www.diveinstructor.com.au 

The new Green Fins Hub offers enhanced and global membership for participating dive and snorkel operators to conserve the marine environment.

Sustainable marine tourism is receiving a major boost with the launch of the Green Fins Hub, a global digital platform for diving and snorkelling operators worldwide. The industry-backed digital platform is expected to scale up reach from about 700 operators across 14 countries today to a potential 30,000 worldwide, thus increasing coral protection and conservation worldwide. 

The Green Fins Hub is the first-ever global marine tourism industry platform, helping operators to make simple, cost-efficient changes to their daily practices by utilising tried and tested solutions, keep track of their annual improvements and communicate with their communities and customers. The tool has been developed by The Reef-World Foundation in partnership with the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) to overcome the biggest sustainability challenges in the marine conservation tourism industry. 

“Coral reefs, home to at least 25 per cent of marine life, are the mecca for marine-related tourism, contributing up to 40 per cent or more of the gross domestic product in some island nations. However, they are a most vulnerable ecosystem, especially to climate change with the difference between a global temperature rise of 1.5 or 2 degrees Celsius being existential for reefs,” said Leticia Carvalho, Principal Coordinator, Marine and Freshwater at UNEP. “Increasing accessibility of best practice, knowledge and citizen science through this global digital hub can be a game changer in ensuring a future for coral reefs and other fragile marine ecosystems.”

The Green Fins Hub is the latest development by The Reef-World Foundation to meet a growing industry demand for environmentally-friendly underwater sports. The foundation recently surveyed over 2,400 dive tourists and professionals, of whom 83 per cent said they are looking for further sustainability education on their holiday, 75 per cent said they would pay more for it, but 85 per cent said that they find it difficult to see if an operator is sustainable.

The Green Fins Hub is intended to catalyse a seismic shift towards sustainability in the marine tourism sector, by hosting two types of Green Fins membership:

• Digital membership that will be available to dive, snorkel and liveaboard operations globally. Throughout every year of membership, operators will receive environmental scores based on a detailed online self-evaluation and progress made on their action plans.
• Green Fins Certified Members will continue to be assessed annually and trained in person at their operation. The assessment process will continue to be based on set criteria using a scoring system (0-330 point system, with a low score implying low impact of a business on coral reefs). As part of the Green Fins Hub, there will now be a minimum threshold (>200 of a maximum environmental impact score) for becoming a Green Fins Certified Member and a ranking of bronze, silver or gold certified members according to performance.

Additional features on the Hub include: 

• The Green Fins Community Forum for operators around the world to raise industry needs, discuss environmental issues and share lessons and ideas with like-minded industry leaders, NGOs and governments. For example, dive centres experiencing outbreaks of invasive species like the Crown-of-Thorns Seastar (COTS) at their dive sites can use the forum to gain the resources and expertise to take immediate conservation action.
• The Green Fins Solutions Library gives access to over 100 proven environmental solutions to common daily operational challenges, tried and tested by the Green Fins network for over two decades. 
• The Action Plan: Members will receive an annual sustainability action plan with set goals. An advanced user interface now allows them to track their progress over time.

The Green Fins Hub has been co-created with key industry partners from around the world, to ensure it meets the needs of our stakeholders. Diver training agency, PADI, and its network have pioneered and financially backed this project from its inception. In addition, industry leaders including training agencies PSS, RAID, diver insurance company DAN, dive holiday booking platforms such as ZuBlu and PADI Travel, and a series of Green Fins Members from around the world have helped shape the platform throughout development.

Katie Thompson Global Director of Corporate Social Responsibility at PADI said, “As the world’s leading initiative dedicated to environmental guidelines that promote a sustainable diving and snorkelling industry, we knew that to reduce the global environmental footprint of scuba diving, we had to work closely with Reef-World’s Green Fins initiative. Since the beginning of our partnership in 2018, it’s been a major priority for us to make sure that all 6,600+ PADI Members across the globe have access to the low-cost and practical support that Green Fins membership provides. That’s why we have worked together to conceptualise and refine Green Fins Hub; now every one of our amazing PADI Members can join a community committed to positive change, and work towards a more sustainable future one step at a time.”

The development of the Green Fins Hub has been supported by numerous partners, another indication of the need for such a sustainability tool. Significant support was received from the Inter-American Development Bank through the Beyond Tourism Challenge, UNEP, the Matthew Good Foundation and Conservation X Labs. 

“The Green Fins Hub is the solution the scuba diving industry needs to push sustainability efforts forward,” said Adam Broadbent, founder of ZuBlu, a leading dive travel booking platform “By digitalising environmental goal tracking, centralising countless sustainability resources, and encouraging collaboration between operators, the Hub is empowering us all to create a greener future for the big blue we all love.”

“We are very excited about this new development from Green Fins,” says Anais Lefrere, Business Development Manager at DUNE United, an international network of Liveaboards and Dive Centres. “The self-evaluation model on the Green Fins Hub will help us to identify environmental challenges within each of our partner operations and provide step by step support in addressing these. This will ultimately help us  to mainstream environmental considerations across our whole brand and help us to demonstrate our commitment to sustainability.”

What do you get when you have Drs Alessandro Marroni, Óscar Camacho and Simon Mitchell in the same room?

Undoubtedly an incredible amount of knowledge in research, diving physiology and hyperbaric medicine. If you are a Diver, you know the value of such a debate.

If there are topics that serious divers are really concerned about, we are sure they will be addressed in this debate. The Panel has enough time to discuss many important related issues, and we count on the attendees’ participation to make it even more interesting.

PADI, SDI and SSI in the same room, discussing the future of teaching in diving.

Imagine having PADI, SDI and SSI in the same room to discuss the future of teaching in diving. This would be an exciting debate, wouldn’t it? Knowing the divers representing these organizations in this debate – Jean-Claude Monachon, Mark Caney and Mark Powell – there’s no doubt it will be an incredible event.

Jean-Claude Monachon joined SSI after climbing the stairs of a prominent diving organization and being a CEO for over 20 years, where he continued to dedicate his passion to helping SSI – Scuba Schools International to change the approach and move completely to a digital version of the programs, which certainly helped to change the approach of the diving education. Mark Caney is the President of the European Underwater Federation, is President of the Rebreather Training Council and continues to serve in senior positions in leading diving industry bodies such as the World Recreational Scuba Training Council. He is also the chairman of PADI AWARE Foundation for Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Mark is a TDI Instructor Trainer and a member of TDI’s Global Training Advisor Panel. He is a regular contributor to a number of diving magazines and a regular speaker at Diving conferences around the world. Mark represents TDI on the British Diving Safety Group and the HSE Recreational Diving Industry Committee, as well as being a member of the Diver Training and Breathing Apparatus committees at the British Standards Institute.

They ensure it is worth heading to Portugal for the October 7 to 9 weekend. It is the unmissable diving event of the year!

Attending the DIVING talks at the Tróia Peninsula is the way to meet the world’s leading divers and some heroes: to watch their Talks and talk with them face-to-face. No webinars, no zoom conferences. You and divers like Armando Ribeiro, Bill Stone, Dália Faria, Dan Orr, Ellen Cuylaerts, Gareth Lock, Kirk Krack, Leigh Bishop, Manthos Marras, Nuno Vasco Rodrigues, Simon Mitchel, Tomasz Stachura and others.

Learn more at: https://www.divingtalks.com

Reef-World released a report informed by divers to help the diving industry bounce back from the pandemic without compromising on sustainability

The Reef-World Foundation released a new report summarising the results from an online survey conducted from April to June 2022, which received over 2,400 responses from various demographics. The study reveals new travel trends and how important sustainability is regarded in this new era of tourism as the industry recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic. Reef-World hopes for the report to assist in this rehabilitation process and aid marine tourism businesses, local governments and communities to not only bounce back better but also prepare themselves for a bright future of travel, all whilst protecting the ocean.

“This survey has highlighted some really encouraging trends,” said Chloe Harvey, Director at The Reef-World Foundation. “The Gen Z and Millennials, those with the biggest buying power today and tomorrow, are seeking out experiences that align with their sustainability values. They are willing to pay more for sustainable offerings and are wanting to educate themselves and be involved in meaningful environmental activities while on holiday. This is so positive for both the industry and the environment upon which it is built. It’s given us a sneak peek into the future of marine tourism; one where sustainability is no longer a competitive edge, but a minimum requirement. We’re proud that the Green Fins approach and tools remain at the cutting edge, delivering on the needs of the industry and the consumer as we move into this new era of tourism.” 

The report has identified some of the key narratives that will drive the market in the future and insights to help businesses take advantage of these trends for the future sustainability of their business and the environment it is built on. One main highlight from the report is that the demands from dive tourists have shifted since the pandemic.

Emerging from a travel hiatus, they now want more sustainable holiday options and more transparency around options coined as environmentally friendly during their dive trips. While 75% of dive tourists are willing to pay more for sustainability, they fear spending more on their holidays due to the risk of contributing money towards “greenwashing”. The tourism industry needs a brand-conscious, transparent, and effective global green label to address that.

The industry professionals (guides, instructors, business owners) have also spoken. The data clearly suggests they seek more environmental education and tools to raise environmental awareness, both for themselves and their customers. From their perspective, the fact that these are lacking represents the single biggest challenge for them on achieving their sustainability goals in their workplace. An overwhelming majority of dive professionals think dive operators, including the operations they work in, should do more to protect the environment. Dive tourists are also calling on marine tourism operators to do better. They believe these businesses profit from tourism and therefore have a responsibility to protect the environment and surrounding ecosystems they work in and should be held accountable for their actions.

The Reef-World Foundation leads the global implementation of the UN Environment Programme’s Green Fins initiative, which focuses on driving environmentally friendly scuba diving and snorkelling practices across the industry globally. Green Fins offers the world’s first independent certificate to stop the environmental impact from marine-based tourism. It is a proven conservation management approach that leads to a measurable reduction in the negative environmental impacts of marine tourism.

The survey, conducted with the support of Reef-World’s partners, PADI, RAID, PSS and ZuBlu, proves that tourists will be increasingly voting with their wallets and selecting businesses and brands that align with their values for sustainability and preservation of our incredible ocean ecosystems. 

To learn how the key findings from the survey can help marine tourism businesses to bounce back from the pandemic while keeping sustainability at the forefront, download the full report.

PADI Women’s Dive Day Brings Communities Together for Global Celebration

PADI® Women’s Dive Day has grown to become the most celebrated diving day on the planet, transforming lives and opening doors to the underwater world. For the past eight years, the dive community has banded together to encourage divers of all genders, ages, races, backgrounds, and abilities to confidently explore and protect the ocean.

Since the inception of PADI Women’s Dive Day, events around the world have addressed the connections between diversity, inclusion, and environmentalism. The diving community around the world demonstrates their continued commitment to turning their passion into purpose for the ocean and choosing to be part of the solution.

PADI® (Professional Association of Diving Instructors®) is the world’s largest ocean exploration and diver organization, with a global network of more than 6,600 dive centres and resorts and over 128,000 professional members. With over 29 million certifications issued to date, PADI enables people all over the world to seek adventure and save the ocean through underwater education, life-changing experiences, and travel.

PADI has been undeniably The Way the World Learns to Dive® for over 50 years, upholding its high standards for dive training, safety, and customer service, which are monitored for worldwide consistency and quality. PADI, which has a long history of environmental conservation, is paving the way for millions of people to actively explore, steward, and protect the ocean through its course offerings and partnerships with like-minded, mission-driven organizations.

With its mission to create a billion torchbearers to explore and protect the ocean, PADI embodies a global commitment to ocean health.

Learn more at: https://www.padi.com/women

PADI^® is thrilled to announce an exceptional PADI AmbassaDiver: Indian actress, singer and PADI Advanced Open Water Diver Parineeti Chopra.

“A PADI AmbassaDiver is someone who is passionate about using their force for good to encourage others to protect our blue planet,” says Kristin Valette Wirth, Chief Brand and Membership Officer. “We could not have found a more respected and authentic partner as Ms. Chopra, a long time ocean lover, to advance our shared mission of saving the ocean. She is unmatched as a shining example of how to protect what you love – and inspire others to do the same.” 

Chopra, who has always loved the ocean, experienced the magic beneath the surface in 2013 when she took her first breath underwater in Bali. As soon as she surfaced from that dive, she was hooked – and protecting the ocean became very personal for her, receiving her PADI Open Water Diver certification later that year in Palau. Since then she has inspired others around the world–from her family and friends to fans in India– to try scuba diving so they can join her in seeking adventure and saving the ocean.  

“The first time I came up to the surface after diving, I was crying because it was such a life-changing experience,” says Ms. Chopra. “It is now something I can’t live without. I make sure I do a diving trip every three months despite my work schedule because it is my form of meditation. And it is the place I am immensely passionate about protecting.”

“We are all equal underwater and all speak the same language. Over the years I have seen the changes that have taken place beneath the surface. During my time as a brand ambassador for Tourism Australia, I witnessed the bleaching and damage that has occurred to the Great Barrier Reef.  I was so sad to see this and am now committed to being a diver with a purpose. I have also seen first-hand how marine reserves, like the ones in Sipadan, Malaysia and Palau, prove how valuable marine protected areas are. As a PADI Diver, I want to make sure that our entire blue planet gets the protection it deserves.” continues Ms. Chopra.

With over 67 million social media followers and having recently starred in the Netflix movie The Girl on the Train, Chopra joins an elite group of celebrity influencers determined to take personal action and create real change for healthier oceans. Spending nearly all her free time diving around the world, Chopra shares her love for the ocean with her fans, as diving is an important part of her life that allows her to return to nature and reset. She will work with PADI to encourage others to experience the beautiful world underwater as PADI Divers and join her in helping to achieve balance between humanity and the ocean. 

“PADI created the AmbassaDiver program to support extraordinary divers who dedicate their lives to illuminating the path that leads from curiosity, exploration, and discovery to understanding, stewardship and action. Ms. Chopra is playing a very important role in ocean conservation, lighting the way for others to become divers themselves and mobilizing communities worldwide to seek adventure and save the ocean with her,” continues Valette Wirth. 

Ms. Chopra has big plans for 2022 – including becoming a real-life PADI Mermaid and taking part in citizen science projects during her dive trips around the world!

Follow Chopra’s dive adventures, projects and hands-on conservation efforts with PADI on her Instagram, Facebook and Twitter

To learn more about Chopra and the rest of the PADI AmbassaDiver team visit www.padi.com/ambassadivers

In celebration of Euro-Divers’ 50 Years of Diving with Friends in the Maldives, we are very excited to announce the latest addition of a PADI 5 Star Dive Center at Alila Kothaifaru Maldives to the Euro-Divers family.

Alila Kothaifaru Maldives retreat lies at the northern edge of the Maldives in the tranquil Raa Atoll, reachedvia a panoramic 45-minute seaplane voyage from Male. The island has 80 all-pool-villas, 36 of which are over water with a private pool for your enjoyment and 44 beachfront villas designed seamlessly to immerse guests in the natural surroundings. In support of sustainable tourism, Alila hotels adopt Earth Check operating standards, integrating their environments’ natural, physical, and cultural elements.

Raa Atoll is well-known for the excellent scuba diving it offers. The underwater landscape of Raa Atoll is characterized by a high number of Thilas scattered inside the lagoons. These underwater coral mountains are magnets for marine life including huge schools of tropical reef fish, a generous splash of colour, iconic bucket-list-must-see marine creatures including sharks, mantas (appearing during the entire year), turtles,and uncrowded dive sites—a perfect diver’s heaven for beginners and experienced divers. We offer a fullrange of PADI courses for different levels. From November till March, the Manta cleaning station is located 15 minutes away by boat.

Beyond our stunning house reef, guests can enjoy a snorkeling trip to the famous Hanifaru Bay UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve, where seasonal gatherings of hundreds of manta rays and periodically even whale sharks have made this site world famous in recent years, attracting tourists and marine biologists from across the planet to immerse themselves in the equatorial waters amongst a feeding frenzy of these gentle giants. Seasonal from May to November.

Learn more about Euro-Divers at: https://www.euro-divers.com

Why Do We Attend Diving Talks 2022?

Is it the Speakers? The Talks? The Exhibition and Equipment Trials? Or is it the venue – Tróia?

All those reasons impact one’s decision, but it is pretty evident that one of the main reasons is the Talks, the content each Speaker will share.

However, this year DIVING talks Organisation wants to go a bit further. The program will feature a different type of Panel.

Imagine having PADI, SDI and SSI in the same room to discuss the future of teaching in diving? This would be an exciting debate, wouldn’t it?

Imagine no more. Suppose you are an Instructor or simply a curious diver. In that case, this will be the right spot to listen to Mark Caney, Mark Powell and Jean Claude Monachon talking about diving through the perspective of the three biggest agencies: PADI, SDI and SSI.

Mark Caney, PADI – Professional Association of Diving Instructors’ Industry Relations and Training Executive, is President of the European Underwater Federation, President of the Rebreather Training Council and President of the World Recreational Scuba Training Council.

Mark Powell is the SDI – Scuba Diving International Director of Global Development 

Jean Claude Monachon is SSI – Scuba Schools International Vice-President, International Business Development & Marketing.

Learn more about Diving Talks 2022 at: https://www.divingtalks.com

If ever there was a unique job description it’s a professional mermaid. At the upcoming Scuba Show 2022 at the Long Beach Convention Center, May 14-15, kids can pose for selfies with a real mermaid appearing courtesy of Cape Cali, a mermaid-themed dive and swimwear brand based in Laguna Beach, California. 

Entry into Scuba Show is free for children ages 13 and under. Parents will receive a free guide to kid-friendly activities upon entry into the show. 

The finned spokesmermaid is just one of the many attractions at Scuba Show 2022, the largest dive-specific consumer exposition in the U.S. 

Kids can help paint a mural and create sea-themed stickers with artist Doreen Hann, pose in a real shark cage, and take selfies with costumed sea characters. 

The Aquarium of the Pacific, located a few blocks from the Long Beach Convention Center, will exhibit educational materials about ocean conservation and feature a live video feed of the Honda Blue Cavern, one of its popular exhibits.

TV personality Jaclyn Friedlander, author of the Friends with Fins children’s book series, in a seminar will introduce children ages five to 12 to pre-scuba diving activities they can participate in until they are old enough to become certified. She’ll also explain how families can work together to participate in ocean conservation efforts.

Kid-friendly Learn to Dive Programs

Kids take to snorkeling and scuba like, well, a fish to water. There will be numerous programs represented at Scuba Show 2022 designed to get the family’s youngest minnows blowing bubbles underwater. 

The Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) will be there with information about its Bubblemakers and Seal Team learn-to-dive programs for ages eight and up. 

NAUI, the National Association of Underwater Instructors, will provide details on its Junior Skin Diver certification class for eight-year-olds and older; even kids as young as age five can enjoy a “Snorkeling for Kids of All Ages” non-certification class.

Kids Sea Camp will be on hand to explain how it personally selects highly qualified family-friendly PADI 5-Star scuba diving resorts to co-create special family event trips that are 100% focused on family time, family activities, and family dive training. 

For youth between the ages of 10 and 17, three $500 dive training grants will be given away through an essay contest, courtesy of Kids Sea Camp. In the essays, entrants are asked to explain who or what inspired their interest in diving and how they would give back to the ocean.   

The essay winners can enroll in approved diving courses/programs at a PADI dive store located closest to the home of the recipient. Funds will be paid directly to the dive store. Winners will also receive a SCUBAPRO mask, fins & snorkel set.

To enter the essay contest: https://tinyurl.com/PADIEssayContest

Scuba Schools of America will provide details on its Scuba Rangers program, one of the world’s best-developed scuba and snorkeling programs for children – a diving school designed for children aged eight to 12. 

Scuba Educators International will explain its program specifically designed to introduce individuals and families to the sport of snorkeling, especially families planning a vacation in warm, tropical water. 

Learn more about the show and how to get tickets at: https://www.scubashow.com

Two of the world’s most respected marine-focused organizations – PADI® and SeaLegacy – have joined forces to accelerate much-needed ocean protection. The first initiative of this multi-year collaboration kicks off this month, with a grassroots campaign developed to spark immediate and meaningful change for our blue planet.

The Role of 30×30 in Advancing Ocean Conservation

Scientific research indicates that protecting at least 30% of the global ocean by 2030 (i.e. 30×30) is critical to restore the health of the ocean, reverse existing adverse impacts, increase resilience to climate change, and sustain ecosystem services to humanity. But despite the clear need for increased protection, less than 5% of the global ocean is fully protected in no-take reserves.

The ocean is facing growing challenges triggering a global advocacy movement urging immediate and lasting change to protect it for current and future generations. Illustrating the power of partnerships to amplify exponential change, PADI and SeaLegacy are harnessing one another’s strengths–leveraging the power of media, storytelling, and advocacy to compel ocean activists across the planet to take action and urge world leaders to step up to protect at least 30% of the ocean by 2030. 

“PADI is fueling a movement of one billion torchbearers to create ocean change, and we are thrilled to partner with like-minded organizations to scale this critical mission,” says Drew Richardson, CEO of PADI Worldwide. “Working with SeaLegacy not only allows us to rapidly grow the global torchbearer community, but also empower us allwith meaningful ways to take real, positive action to protect our blue planet – and all life that calls it home.”

Global Petition to Inspire Action Amongst World Leaders

This April, PADI and SeaLegacy will launch a joint 30×30 campaign designed to generate immediate action from a combined global audience that includes millions of ocean enthusiasts, divers, snorkelers and conservationists looking for means to protect what they love.  

The goal of the PADI and SeaLegacy 30×30 campaign is to urge world leaders to adopt the 30X30 target, calling for conservation of “at least 30% of sea areas globally through effective, equitably managed, ecologically representative and well-connected systems of protected areas.” PADI and SeaLegacy will be pushing for an agreement to be reached at the UN Biodiversity COP15 in the third quarter of 2022 in Kunming, China.

“In a time when so many people around the world are concerned about climate change, biodiversity loss, sea level rise, and so much more, we need to channel that anxiety into action,” says Cristina Mittermeier, president of SeaLegacy. “People everywhere are looking for hope and opportunities to have real impact, and one great way to get involved is to sign our petition to have the 30×30 target adopted at the Convention of Biodiversity.”

Long-Term Partnership Goals 

With their shared 30×30 goal, SeaLegacy and PADI will work to increase meaningful marine protection around the world, including the creation and effective management of marine protected areas (MPAs) and biodiversity conservation, while collaborating with local communities and leaders on the frontlines of the climate crisis.

“The ocean offers so many of the critical climate solutions we need, and MPAs are a major piece of that. MPAs not only protect local species and ecosystems, but sequester carbon, increase coastal resilience, and revitalize local economies. We know that change is possible in this decade, and this kind of action will help us make major strides toward healing our ocean and saving our planet,” says Mittermeier.

To sign the petition, visit only.one/ocean30. To learn more about the SeaLegacy and PADI partnership, and ways to get involved, visit padi.com/conservation.

PADI has awarded Angel Navarro, PADI Course Director at The Go Pro Family in Mexico, Platinum status for his contributions to professional training and educational excellence during 2021. This year marks the fifteenth consecutive year he has achieved this status.

Besides being a PADI Course Director for the past fifteen years, Angel is also a PADI TecRec Instructor Trainer, Full Cave Instructor Trainer, and Instructor Trainer for Disabled Divers’ International.  
In reminiscing about his career, Angel, originally from Spain, says “Fifteen years as a Platinum Course Director is something that I never envisaged when I started my career as a PADI Pro. Training future PADI dive instructors is both a great honor and responsibility and I feel lucky to be in this position.” Having worked as an instructor around the globe, Angel credits his success to variety and continual development. “We are always striving to improve our courses and programs, and we never stop learning new things. I am fortunate to have a great team of passionate professionals around me, and our students benefit from our diverse backgrounds and strengths.” 

Angel is looking forward to another successful year teaching PADI professionals. “The last couple of years has been a wild ride for the scuba industry but I’m happy to see that the world still has an appetite for scuba diving and now more than ever there is a demand for new PADI Instructors.” said Angel.

The Go Pro Family is Course Directors Angel Navarro (from Spain) and Jo Armitage (from the UK), and their team of pros. Together, they have personally trained almost 900 PADI Instructors, and have issued over 4000 professional-level certifications. Currently celebrating their tenth year based in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, The Go Pro Family offers professional-level scuba training as well as technical, cave diving and freediving. They also conduct PADI Instructor Development Courses in Mahahual and Huatulco.

For more information about their IDCs or other training options, visit https://thegoprofamily.com/en/

Blue Ocean Diving wants to say thank you to all those who have worked so hard to keep us all safe.

You’ve all done the hard work. Now that the world is opening up it’s time to relax and have some fun!

Blue Ocean Diving is offering key workers and frontline workers the opportunity to learn to scuba dive for less with 50% off a Discover Scuba Diving Experience Try Dive PLUS a further 25% off the cost of their full PADI Open Water Course!

Blue Light Cardholders, Defence Discount Holders, and teachers and education workers are eligible for our Blue Light Discounts.

As a thank you for their support throughout the pandemic and to help our local area, we have also decided to extend this generous blue light discount to members of Kent County Council and Medway Council.

Learn to Scuba Dive for Less with Blue Ocean Diving’s Blue Light Discounts!

Get 50% off a Try Dive Experience (Normal Price: £35. Discounted Price for Eligible Customers: £17.50)

Decide you love scuba diving?

Not only will we deduct your Try Dive fee from your PADI Open Water Course cost, but we will ALSO give you an additional 25% off your full Open Water course too!

Simply state you are eligible for our Blue Light Discounts at time of booking. You must show proof of eligibility when you attend.

Learn more about Blue Ocean Diving at: https://www.blueoceandiving.co.uk

Have you always wanted to explore the historic wrecks of the Fathom Five National Marine Park?
Then the PADI Wreck Diver course is for you! Come join us below the waves and dive your first wreck this summer. Because this summer deserves to be remembered forever!

Courses start June 7, 2022.

Divers Den

In 2014, Mike and Kelly took over the operations of Divers Den with the goal of building a strong team focused on the development of the good diver. What they didn’t expect was the surge in tourism to Tobermory in 2015, which brought with it not only more divers, but also the average adventurer looking to snorkel the Shipwrecks of Tobermory.

With the 2021 season behind them, they are already preparing for a busy 2022 season. Mike and Kelly anticipate seeing not only their Canadian groups return in full force, but also American and European visitors.

3 Bay Street

Tobermory, ON, N0H 2R0

519-596-2363

Contact Divers Den for more information on the PADI Wreck Diving Course at: https://www.diversden.ca

Emperor Divers is restarting its Instructor Development Courses in Egypt – and for some they could prove life changing.

The opening of Emperor’s new Sharm el Sheikh dive centre earlier this year has provided the opportunity to once again become a PADI 5 Star Career Development Centre – the highest possible award rating – and means we can offer high-quality training under the guidance of course director Chris Azab, with the goal to kick-start new careers in the dive industry.

All IDC candidates are guaranteed a four-week internship directly after the exam to develop their instructor skills further under the guidance of our team, and a limited few will be able to take up a further four-week internship on our liveaboard fleets in the Red Sea, Maldives or Indonesia. Incredible opportunities to dive some of the best destinations on Earth while building your skills for a future in diving.

It could really be the opportunity for someone to turn their passion into their profession.

Emperor’s Red Sea general manager Luke Atkinson said: “As we celebrate 30 years in business, it’s time for Emperor to re-focus on one of our biggest successes of that time, creating professional divers. 

“Many of our current, and historical, diving team did their IDC with Emperor and, for the next few years at least as travel recovers from the pandemic, we expect there will be opportunities for the best new instructors to join our team or start their diving career elsewhere. We’ll ensure every candidate is given the best training possible.”

PADI course director Chris Azab added: “I’m very excited to be part of Team Emperor. 

“I’ve taught many IDCs at various different locations but the facilities at Emperor’s Sharm base are second to none; a perfect housereef to train on is a few steps away and, for the days we use the boat, the jetty is next door. With everything so convenient, we can focus our time on developing your skills, having fun and enjoying some of the best weeks of your life.”

Emperor will be running two IDCs in 2022 with first taking place between July 10-17 and the second between November 27 and December 4 with the tuition available in English, German, Dutch or Arabic.

To find out more about our Sharm el Sheik base visit https://www.emperordivers.com

We are delighted to introduce Laura Hudson as Diveworld`s PADI Freedive and PADI Mermaid instructor (PADI # 517364).

Diveworld can now offer a regular and extensive range of PADI Freediving and PADI Mermaid courses and experiences.

Laura is an experienced, expert Freediver both PADI and AIDA, and a founder member of the professional Aquatic Mermaid group (aka Mermaid Twinkle).

Reaching the pinnacle of Mermaid achievement as the 1^st Miss Ocean World Europe, Miss Mermaid UK and recently appointed as a PADI Freedive and Mermaid Ambassador, one of only five in the world.

Mermaiding especially is catching on like wildfire and requests from as far afield as South Africa have landed in the Diveworld in-box.

The Diveworld team have gone to great lengths to provide a safe, supportive and comfortable environment for all women to reach their potential and influence in the sport, Laura is at the spearhead of this.

For details or to book a Freedive or Mermaid course get in touch with us at Diveworld www.learn2dive.co.uk

The Professional Association of Diving Instructors^®(PADI^®), the world’s largest dive training organization, and Swiss prestige watchmaker, Blancpain are joining forces with the aim to fundamentally increase the number of marine protected areas (MPAs) around the globe over the coming decade.

The organizations unveiled their collaborative partnership at the 9^th Annual World Ocean Summit, the flagship event of the Economist Impact’s World Ocean Initiative, attended by the world’s top thought leaders from business, science, governmental and non-profit sectors – to tackle the greatest issues facing our blue planet. 

“Blancpain and PADI have rich histories rooted in exploration and ocean conservation, inspiring both organizations to become powerful catalysts of planetary change,” says Drew Richardson, President and Chief Executive Officer of PADI Worldwide. “Protecting our oceans is not only core to our ethos, but critical for our very survival. The world must pull together to stem the urgent crisis in our ocean and we have an immense opportunity to bring about change. We’re proud to work alongside such a prominent partner who shares our optimistic outlook on the future and a deep commitment to further empowering our global community to seek adventure and save the ocean.”

Together, PADI and Blancpain will work with local communities across the globe to expedite the establishment of MPAs. At the heart of the multi-year, multi-million-dollar initiative is the flagship citizen science program, Adopt the Blue in which 6,600 registered PADI dive centers and resorts will be activated to develop the largest network of marine protected areas on the planet, enabling millions of PADI recreational divers to proactively engage in marine conservation at every opportunity.

Another keystone of the partnership is the formation of the Blancpain/PADI Community Grant, which funds critical conservation efforts in local communities. These grants will drive both ocean preservation as well as indigenous community support, serving as a force for good for both humanity and ocean.

“With our almost 70-year legacy of the Fifty Fathoms diving watch, Blancpain has developed not only a passion – but a deep commitment to our oceans,” says Marc A. Hayek, President & CEO of Blancpain. “We’re extremely proud of the role we’ve played in advancing global marine protection efforts and we are thrilled to be collaborating with PADI – and its community of divers – to bring about even more positive change.”

The successful implementation of marine protected areas is critical to the health of the world’s largest and most important ecosystem and has been proven to restore biodiversity, build resilience to climate change and re-establish vulnerable species’ populations. 

“It will take a unified, dedicated effort to improve the state of the oceans. Together, we are directing the power of our organizations towards one of the most important – and urgent missions on the planet,” states Richardson.

About PADI

PADI® (Professional Association of Diving Instructors®) is the world’s largest and most popular diver organization with a global network of 6,600 dive centers and resorts and more than 128,000 professional members worldwide. Issuing more than 29 million certifications to date, PADI enables people around the world to seek adventure and save the ocean through underwater education, life-changing experiences and travel. For over 50 years, PADI is undeniably The Way the World Learns to Dive®, maintaining its high standards for dive training, safety and customer service, monitored for worldwide consistency and quality. With a longstanding commitment to environmental conservation, PADI is leading the way for millions of people to actively explore, steward and protect the ocean through its course offerings and partnerships with like-minded, mission-driven organizations. PADI embodies a global commitment to ocean health with its mission to create a billion torchbearers to explore and protect the ocean. Seek Adventure. Save the Ocean.^SM  www.padi.com

About Blancpain 

Founded in 1735 by Jehan-Jacques Blancpain in the Swiss Jura, Blancpain is known as the world’s oldest watch brand. Loyal to its tradition of innovation and confirmed by countless horological complications invented over the years, the Manufacture is constantly pushing the boundaries of watchmaking to take this art to places where it has never been before.

Exploration and preservation of the world’s oceans is at the core to Blancpain. With its legacy of the Fifty Fathoms – the first modern diver’s watch – extending over almost 70 years, Blancpain has become close to the explorers, photographers, scientists and environmentalists who treasure the precious underwaterresource. With that affinity has come a determination to support important activities and initiatives dedicated to the oceans. 

To date, Blancpain has co-financed 21 major scientific expeditions, celebrated its role in significantly extending the surface area of marine protected areas around the world, and presented several award-winning documentary films, underwater photography exhibitions and publications. This dedication to supporting ocean exploration and preservation is called Blancpain Ocean Commitment. 

www.blancpain.com

As part of my university degree, I had the opportunity to undertake a year in industry. Having travelled with Global Vision International (GVI) previously I took this as an opportunity to use my ambassador credits to get back into the field of conservation. I decided to investigate the marine conservation projects as it was something I hadn’t done before and so signed up to a 6-month Divemaster program in Mexico. I then worried that I wouldn’t like scuba diving and so I decided to complete my Open Water course in the UK before heading to the GVI project.

In 2017, in a cold quarry in Leicestershire, with visibility less than 5 meters I took my first breaths underwater and with that I was hooked on the feeling. I knew from that moment on that I would love 6-months of diving in tropical waters.

When I arrived in Mexico in 2019, I was anxious to see the coral reefs and begin learning its inhabitants. I was thrilled to be able to progress in diving while also having the ability to collect vital data on reef populations and reef health. It was a great feeling to give back to an environment we know so little about, but we have affected so negatively over the last few decades. From collecting beach clean data to assisting the coral microfragmentation and restoration projects I loved every moment of my 6 months. At the end of it I went back home to finish my animal science degree and longed to return to Mexico which I did later than planned in 2021 once the project reopened after COVID.

The ocean is a magical world with all sorts of amazing creatures living there. We as scuba divers have a unique opportunity to be a part of this world and witness wonderful things. One dive that will always stick out in my memory from last year. I was training two volunteers a monitoring technique that involved swimming very slowly in a U-shaped pattern. I was behind the volunteers hunting for invertebrates in the corals and anemones. I had just spotted a Pederson cleaner shrimp nestled in a corkscrew anemone and I was watching it as it waved its arms towards me. I was so distracted looking at it’s translucent and pale blue body that when one of the volunteers tapped me on the shoulder and pointed to the right of me, I almost jumped out of my skin. A manatee, 2 meters long, was less than an arm’s length away from me. I could have reached out and felt the algae growing on its grey skin.

After 5 months of working unpaid on the GVI project I started to think about progressing again in the diving world. I looked back on my instructors who had taught me up to my Divemaster. My Open Water course instructor managed to make a cold, murky dive enjoyable. My Advanced Open Water course instructor made me always remember the importance of laughing at your own mishaps having informed my class that “navigation helps you to navigate”. My Rescue course instructor taught me to always put my own safety above others while also trusting my training to prevent accident. And finally, my Divemaster instructor taught me that no matter how many times you get knocked down to always stand up and fight for your dreams. As I looked at the amazing people who had got me to where I was, I decided I wanted to have the same impact on other people and inspire them to love the ocean as much as I do. In January this year I few to Honduras to complete my Instructor Development Course and Instructor Exam.

Diving in Honduras was amazing, although it is the same reef system as Mexico it was a very different experience. There was so much megafauna that seeing a turtle became a daily occurrence. Again, I got involved in the marine conservation that was happening on the island, surveying and treating Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease and out planting coral fragments.

I am now working as a PADI Instructor for GVI in the Seychelles. Here I can inspire divers and learn about a different reef system. I am excited to get involved with the science projects here whenever I am not teaching courses. I hope in the future to be able to continue to mould a new generation of divers who are not only diving conscious of their environment but who are actively pushing for marine conservation and change to how we are affecting a world we know so little about.

Learn more about GVI at: https://www.gvi.co.uk

Article kindly submitted by Rose Little.

Chris Foisey works as a Scuba Instructor for Dan’s Dive Shop in St Catherine’s, Ontario, Canada. Chris is a Cave Diver and Technical Decompression Diver with over ten years of experience educating divers as well as maintaining and selling scuba equipment. His adventures have taken him all over the world, including deep cold-water lakes in Canada to see 200-year-old shipwrecks, warm tropical waters in Egypt, and descending into the dark depths of underwater caves in Florida. Chris’s travels have also taken him to Mexico, Micronesia, the Dominican Republic, Cuba, The Bahamas, and various locations throughout the United States of America.

During the pandemic, he created “Modern Diver” on TikTok which showcases dive informative videos on his love of diving, highlight new tips and equipment. Modern Diver became an instant hit with a following of over 170,000 follows. The Scuba News Canada is pleased to present these videos.

Chris was invited to apply to become a PADI Ambassadiver in December 2021 and was told he was accepted. He travelled west to Ocean Quest Dive Center in Burnaby, British Columbia, to begin his PADI Tec instructor training.

Chris is the only PADI Ambassadiver living and working in Canada right now. According to him, there are a couple of other Canadian Ambassadivers, but they live and work in tropical locations.

Chris will be a featured speaker at this years Niagara Divers Shipwrecks streaming event coming in April 2022.

Follow Chris on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube & Modern Diver

Follow Chris on Facebook

Blue Ocean Diving, whose Scubaholics Dive Club is the largest diving club in the South-East with more than 7,500 members, has been running UK and worldwide dive holidays for almost 20 years.

Like many other businesses worldwide, they are welcoming the lifting of the COVID travel restrictions that have impacted the dive industry significantly.

Travel and tourism has been one of the worst affected sectors struck by the COVID-19 pandemic. So devastating has the impact been, that the annual Economic Impact Report from the World Travel & Tourism Council’s states that the UK’s travel and tourism GDP has fallen by 62%, from £238 billion in 2019 to £90 billion within the space of 12 months.

 The scuba diving industry has been hit particularly hard with businesses being affected by various country lockdowns, continuously changing travel restrictions and COVID testing requirements.

Blue Ocean Diving, based in Maidstone, Kent, has recently celebrated its 19^th anniversary. As it moves towards its 20^th birthday, Blue Ocean Diving is looking forward to re-establishing its popular and much-loved dive trips for both new and experienced divers to enjoy.

For almost two decades the dive centre and its associated Scubaholics Dive Club has provided premier training for students at every level of diving, from beginner to Technical Master Instructor. Blue Ocean Diving’s consistently high standards of teaching has earned it the prestigious achievement as a PADI 5-star Instructor Development Centre, with an exceptional and greatly respected reputation all over the world.

Whilst looking forward to putting the pandemic behind them, Blue Ocean Diving has been fortunate to have weathered the COVID storm. Despite the obvious restrictions and limitations placed upon the travel industry over the last two years, Blue Ocean Diving was determined to continue running successful international dive trips worldwide.

As of 4am on February 11^, holiday makers that are fully vaccinated will no longer be required to take any COVID-19 tests for return to the UK, and Day 2 tests will not be necessary.

 Blue Ocean Diving is now revealing the details of its dive trips for 2022. Both new and qualified scuba divers can explore a range of diving opportunities and experiences including diving with seals in the Farnes, exploring the wreck of the Zenobia off the coast of Cyprus, to taking their very first scuba diving qualification while exploring the warm waters of the Red Sea and its glorious wildlife.  

Blue Ocean Diving founder and one of the first PADI Course Directors to be awarded the prestigious platinum rating in 2006, Ryby Stonehouse, has welcomed the lifting of the UK’s travel restrictions.

 “We wanted to prove to our members and customers that although travel was, without a doubt, more difficult, it was by no means impossible. By showing that we could not only to continue to run and enjoy our scuba diving holidays, we could also deal with any adaptations or changes to requirements at any short notice.

 “Throughout the pandemic and with all its disruption, not a single customer has lost a single penny due to enforced cancellation or rescheduling.”

 With this assurance and confidence in their past handling of the pandemic, Blue Ocean Diving is excited about the future, especially now that restrictions worldwide are gradually lifting.

 “To be able to once again introduce and encourage people’s love of scuba diving in warmer climates is life-changing in so many ways.

 “Not only do you have the opportunity to discover a whole new underwater world, but the social togetherness and support of the diving community creates another family network for people.

 “After the levels of isolation many of us have experienced, we look forward to bringing our dive family back together again and travelling together once more.”

Learn more at: https://www.blueoceandiving.co.uk

After nearly three years of collaborative campaigns from ocean advocates around the world, the 51 countries and the European Union have agreed to place an immediate two-year ban on catching and retaining Atlantic shortfin mako sharks at the most recent meeting of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT).  

“The recent critical protection measures coming out of the ICCAT annual meeting are a direct result of a global, collective effort by numerous organizations and individuals all working toward the common goal of protecting mako sharks in the Atlantic,” says Ian Campbell, Associate Director, Policy and Campaigns of PADI AWARE Foundation. 

“Mako sharks, classified as endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species, are particularly vulnerable to overfishing, especially in the North Atlantic, where we have witnessed populations decline severely. This ban is monumental and marks an important turning point for both the health of the mako shark population and, ultimately, the health of the ocean. We hope it will be the foundation for a much-needed recovery plan.” 

Since 2018, PADI AWARE Foundation has been collaborating with the Shark League NGO coalition to push countries to support the science to ban the retention of makos in the Atlantic, largely focusing on mobilizing PADI® Dive Centers, Resorts and Professionals in the key countries of Brazil and South Africa, as well as supporting efforts across the European Union and the US. Campaign efforts included the global #Divers4Makos petition that earned nearly 30,000 signatures and the launch of the PADI AWARE Shark Conservation course, enabling PADI Members to build local support in their communities for the global protection of mako sharks in their local waters. 

The main goal of these campaigns was to create a tidal wave of support from the public calling upon their governments to back the mako shark fishing ban, as well as illustrating the importance of a healthy ocean for marine tourism operators. By empowering PADI Dive Centers, Resorts and Professionals, the PADI AWARE Foundation was able to help create a powerful groundswell of letters, emails and social media movements directed at the respective governments in target countries. Efforts in Brazil and South Africa were particularly effective with locally-based operators able to advocate for mako shark conservation directly to their government representatives.  

“Not only did we shift people’s perceptions of sharks and the important role they play in the ocean, we were also able to get mako sharks the urgent protection they need, providing hope for their – and our oceans’ – futures,” says Campbell. 

In total, there were over 400 participants in the PADI AWARE Shark Conservation course, which resulted in over 500 photos of divers taking action, who also contacted their government to demand immediate action to protect makos.

“The effort and level of support shown by the diving industry exceeded our expectations, and the recent mako shark fishing ban in the Atlantic was directly affected by everyone who took part, and demonstrates how local action really can create global impact. The positive outcome of these efforts further fuels our drive to protect more endangered and vulnerable marine species,” says Campbell. 

PADI AWARE Foundation has a comprehensive portfolio of programs that support the PADI Blueprint for Ocean Action and are currently working to reduce the number of shark and ray species threatened with extinction by 25% by deploying more localized conservation campaigns.

Learn more about PADI AWARE Foundation at: https://www.padiaware.org

PADI^® and National Geographic Pristine Seas have partnered together with the goal to protect at least 30 percent of the ocean by 2030 through the creation of new marine protected areas (MPAs).

In 2020, Enric Sala, founder of Pristine Seas and National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence, approached PADI with the idea to join forces to protect the ocean, combining his vision and proven track record of successfully creating MPAs with the global footprint and extensive reach of the PADI community around the globe. PADI Dive Centers and Resorts are critical stakeholders in their local economies and their leadership, together with the influence and expertise of Sala and his team at National Geographic Pristine Seas, can be a catalyst for lasting change for a return to a healthy ocean and balanced marine ecosystem.

“Ocean conservation benefits everyone, especially the diving sector. We are excited to partner with PADI and all their dive centers worldwide to foster the protection of popular dive sites all around the world,” said Enric Sala.

Initiating this partnership is a global Dive Industry Economic Evaluation Survey to measure the economic benefits of the dive industry on local communities, using data from PADI Dive Centers and Resorts in 186 countries. In cooperation withresearchers at Scripps Institution of Oceanography and Simon Fraser University, this analysis will be used to inform governments how the creation of MPAs can create jobs and produce important economic outputs locally.   

PADI will engage its Mission Hubs, the 6,600 Dive Centers and Resorts who are the heart of the organization’s save the ocean mission, in a survey to provide the data necessary to complete this study. The information gathered through PADI Mission Hub participation in the survey will be an integral component of the study that will be used to influence local and national governments to establish marine protected areas and protect marine environments for divers and other stakeholders.

“PADI Mission Hubs play a critical role in our Blueprint for Ocean Action and are key stakeholders in the push for increased protection measures for the underwater world,” says Drew Richardson, President and CEO of PADI Worldwide. “Each PADI operator brings unique insights, local expertise, community leadership and passion for our ocean. By coming together as a unified force, the PADI community in partnership with National Geographic Pristine Seas will provide an unprecedented global voice to influence long-term ocean protections.” 

Over the last 12 years, Pristine Seas has completed 32 expeditions around the world and helped inspire the creation of 24 marine reserves, protecting over 6.5 million square kilometers of ocean — an area more than twice the size of India. They work with local communities and governments to survey their environments, identify their goals and protect vital ocean areas.

The Dive Industry Economic Evaluation Survey will be available to PADI Dive Centers and Resorts through the remainder of the year. To learn more about PADI’s Blueprint for Ocean Action and other ways you can join the community of PADI Torchbearers in protecting the ocean, visit padi.com/conservation

About PADI  

PADI^® (Professional Association of Diving Instructors^®) is the world’s largest ocean exploration and diver organization, operating in 186 countries and territories, with a global network of more than 6,600 dive centers and resorts and over 128,000 professional members worldwide. Issuing more than 1 million certifications each year, and with over 28 million certifications to date, PADI enables people around the world to seek adventure and save the ocean through underwater education, life-changing experiences and travel. For over 50 years, PADI is undeniably The Way the World Learns to Dive^®, maintaining its high standards for dive training, safety and customer service, monitored for worldwide consistency and quality. With a longstanding commitment to environmental conservation, PADI is leading the way for millions of people to actively explore, steward and protect the ocean through its course offerings and partnerships with like-minded, mission-driven organizations. PADI embodies a global commitment to ocean health with its mission to create a billion torchbearers to explore and protect the ocean. Seek Adventure. Save the Ocean.^SM   

www.padi.com

About National Geographic Pristine Seas

​​National Geographic Pristine Seas is an exploration, research and media project founded and led by National Geographic Explorer in Residence Enric Sala. The Pristine Seas team is comprised of determined scientists, policy experts and filmmakers who work to inspire the creation of protected areas where marine life can thrive—while ensuring effective management for years to come. Pristine Seas has helped to inspire the creation of 24 marine reserves, an area totalling over 6.5M square kilometers. Learn more at nationalgeographic.org/pristineseas.

PADI^® Members around the world are helping veterans heal, both physically and mentally, through the techniques learned in the PADI Adaptive Support Diver and Adaptive Techniques Specialty courses. This week the PADI organization honors active-duty military personnel and veterans across the globe, along with the many PADI Members who offer dive programs to support them. In addition to the confidence building and life changing aspects training as a PADI diver offers, diving can also heal.

“We are committed to increasing access to the underwater world for everyone and believe that the transformational power of learning to dive can benefit the emotional and physical well-being of all humanity,” says Kristin Valette Wirth, Chief Brand and Membership Officer of PADI Worldwide.  “Promoting health and wellness through diving is a key focus area of PADI’s People and Humanity Pillar of Change, with the primary objective to remove barriers and increase access to diving for all.” 

According to the World Health Organization, there are around one billion people on the planet who are living with some sort of disability—mental or physical. PADI’s courses have always allowed and encouraged adaptive techniques, but with the launch of PADI’s Adaptive Techniques Specialty Course in 2018, the inherent flexibility of PADI courses for people with disabilities was better highlighted. This has helped instructors learn how a simple technique change can allow more divers to meet performance requirements and earn a PADI certification. Instructors learn how to implement techniques to leverage the strengths of their students and help each one overcome their unique challenges, thereby providing greater access to diving for all.

This summer, PADI teamed up with Patriots for Disabled Divers, a non-profit organization founded by Jeff and Merial Currer, who own PADI Five Star Instructor Development Center Patriot Scuba in Virginia, USA, to certify retired U.S. Army SGT Bryan Anderson as a PADI Open Water Diver. Anderson completed his course in Catalina Island, California on the 20^th anniversary of his deployment to Iraq, where he was injured by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) that resulted in the loss of both legs and his left hand. Bryan received rehabilitation for a period of 13 months at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and is one of the few triple amputees to have survived his injuries in Iraq. Anderson was awarded the Purple Heart because of his injuries.

It was Robert ‘Bob’ Taradash, Bryan’s former Battalion Commander in Iraq, that first introduced the idea to Bryan and was instrumental in helping Bryan become a certified diver, serving as both an instructor and dive buddy throughout Bryan’s certification journey. Now an active PADI IDC Staff Instructor and the Executive Director of Patriots for Disabled Divers, Bob wanted to recruit Bryan into diving because he knew that showing the world that Bryan could dive would be a powerful motivator for many people. 

“Our relationship, that camaraderie, that desire to be there for each other is what brought us together to dive in Catalina,” explains Taradash. “Just by the fact of him doing this, it might inspire others – disabled or not – to put on a tank, take their first breath underwater, and enjoy the undersea world. I think Bryan’s story, in his adventure to breathe underwater, is going to be part of the lasting legacy in Bryan’s journey to inspire others.”

“You always have that thought in the back of your head, ‘Well, maybe you’re not going to get there. Maybe something will limit you,’” says Anderson. “But I worked through it, didn’t panic, and being a triple amputee, I completed everything that I needed to become a certified PADI Open Water Diver. If you’ve had the thought like you might want to try diving and you’re stopping yourself because your mind is stopping you and you think you can’t, I want to show you that you can.”

Anderson’s recent journey with Patriots for Disabled Divers is just one of many around the world, with PADI Dive Centers and Resorts increasingly training their instructors with the PADI Adaptive Techniques Specialty Course and offering the PADI Adaptive Support Diver Course to those in the dive community. 

“Scuba diving can have a tremendous impact on individuals diagnosed with PTSD. I see this transformation on a daily basis.  Many of our PADI Pros have PTSD and there is a noticeable difference in them when they are actively diving.   They have told me that when they get underwater, all the noise in their head is quieted.  They are happier and more social when they get out.  Scuba diving is also very freeing for our students who spend a good bit of time in a wheelchair. They get underwater and experience a feeling of freedom they haven’t felt in a long time and in some cases, ever,” says Merial Currer. “For us working with people who never thought they could dive due to a disability, has been incredibly rewarding.”

Read more about other PADI Members who are champion adaptive diver training on the PADI Pros Blog.

“Through the continued work of PADI Members supporting veterans through adaptive diving, their heroic journeys to become divers inspire us all. They prove that anyone can overcome barriers and try something with the power to transform their life,” says Valette Wirth. 

Triple Amputee, Bryan Anderson is committed to sharing his story in order to help others overcome personal limitations and live their best life. By becoming a PADI Open Water Diver, Bryan hopes to inspire others to follow his example and experience the underwater world. “If you’ve had that thought like you might want to go dive and you’re stopping yourself because your mind is stopping you and you think you can’t, I want to show you that you can.”

What better prescription to rid one of their fear of sharks than diving right into a shark tank. Do you dare? With bull shark season just around the corner in the Riviera Maya in Mexico, there’s a perfect playground to boost your confidence and perspective of sharks. We have summarized ten of our favorite, less commonly known facts about bull sharks.

How many of those ten are new to you?

1. With up to 1,350psi (pounds per square inch) the average bite strength of Bull Sharks ranks among the top 10 of the most powerful bites among animals. In comparison, a Nile Crocodile can bite at 5,000psi, a Great White Shark at 4,000psi, a Hippo at 1,800psi, a Jaguar at 1,500psi, a Gorilla at 1,300psi and a Polar Bear at 1,200psi.

How about a human, do you wonder? Entire 62psi! Although the human record is held by Richard Hofmann from Florida, USA, who achieved a bite strength of 975 psi, which is that of a Grizzly Bear!

2. Bull Sharks are incredibly agile in the water, reaching speeds of up to 25 mph/ 40 kph. Humans on the other hand can swim at an average of 2 mph/ 3 kph. An Olympic champion like Caeleb Dressel who recently broke Michael Phelps’ world record can reach up to 9 mph/ 14.6 kph. 

3. Bull Sharks can grow to a length of up to 11 ft/ 3.3 m and, depending on their age, weigh between 198 and 570 lbs/ 90 and 259 kg. This is about 60 times as heavy as a domestic cat.

4. Bull Sharks’ testosterone levels are believed to be the highest in the animal kingdom. With 358 ng/ml (nanograms per milliliter) one shark tested even higher than a male African Elephant in heat with 64.4 gn/ml.

But can one Bull Shark speak for them all? Are unfathomable high testosterone levels the reason for aggressive behavior? In reality, their blood contains levels almost a hundred times lower, between 2 to 10 ng/ml. In comparison, a male Rainbow Trout’s average sits at 300 ng/ml and a male human adult’s at 2.50 to 9.50 ng/ml.

5. Bull Sharks get their name from their overall appearance: Broad flat snout, large stout body, darker coloration on the back, unpredictable.

6. Young Bull Sharks can be recognized by their dark spots on their fins, which will disappear as they grow older.

7. One of their main characteristics, which differentiates Bull Sharks from all other types of sharks, is their unusual ability to adapt their organs to freshwater. This incredible animal evolved in such a way that its kidneys, liver and rectal gland can gradually adjust to the salinity of the water in which they are found.

When they change their environment, their kidneys remove less salt and more urea from the bloodstream through urine, allowing them to move where no other shark species can. Tell us! If that’s not adaptation and evolutionary perfection, what is it!? 

8. Bull Sharks can reproduce at any time of the year and are viviparous, so they give birth to live, fully developed offspring. Just like us humans.

9. Bull Sharks are so intense that competition for life begins even before they are born; it has been proven that intrauterine cannibalism occurs during gestation. As you can hear, the strongest and most developed offspring also feed on their littermates, even inside the womb! 

10. When giving birth, the female produces up to 13 embryos per litter, measuring between 56 and 81 cm/ 22 – 32 inches. Newborns are euryhaline, i.e. they are able to live in waters with a wide range of salt concentrations, e.g. in a river upstream and near the mouth, without their metabolism being affected. This makes perfect sense if you consider that these sharks give birth in estuaries and rivers, where the young can grow up protected from other predators to a larger size and go out to sea.

What fact is your favorite? Bull Sharks are fascinating creatures, and yet there is still so much more to learn about those apex predators that we are lucky to observe every winter in the tropical Mexican Caribbean waters in front of Playa del Carmen on the Riviera Maya.  

How to start your Bull Shark Adventure

1. Join Pro Dive International’s Bull Shark Excursion to Shark Point as a certified diver.
2. Be lucky and spot them during one of your regular local dives in front of Playa del Carmen.
3. Sign up for the PADI Bull Shark Diving in Playa del Carmen Distinctive Specialty to enhance your experience.
4. Contact us for guidance.

Learn more at: http://www.prodiveinternational.com