Welcome to the Scuba Diving Merit Badge:  Thi merit badge, the first new one in three years, will officially be released on Dec. 1 when it will be available in Scout Shops and online at scoutstuff.org.

It’s the result of a newly announced partnership between the BSA and PADI, the Professional Association of Diving Instructors. Officials at the BSA determined that 84 percent of PADI IDC Scouts were interested in the merit badge, and so it was fast-tracked for adoption.

It’s one of five merit badges being released in the next 12 months. The other four are Inventing (first quarter 2010), Geocaching (second quarter 2010), Scouting Heritage (second quarter 2010), and Robotics (fourth quarter 2010).

But Scuba will arrive first, and so the BSA has established some key facts that Scouters should know about the merit badge:

* Completing the Scuba Diving merit badge will result in the boy achieving an open-water certification, enabling him to dive around the world with the appropriate supervision, based on his age.
* There are two important roles for this merit badge: the merit badge counselor and a certified dive instructor. Sometimes this may be the same person, but more likely, the counselor will be an existing BSA adult member.
* The instructor will be one certified by one of a number of instructional agencies, but he or she does not have to be a BSA member.
* Earning the Scuba Diving merit badge is open to all Boy Scout-age youth. There are, however, limitations based on age with respect to how deep and with whom a boy can dive. These limitations vary by certifying organization.
* Completion of the Swimming merit badge is a requirement of the merit badge and must be completed prior to entering into scuba training portion of the requirements.

* Boys with a current open water certification will not have to recertify in order to earn the merit badge. They will, however, have to have completed the Swimming merit badge, present their certification to the merit badge counselor and complete all the other requirements.

* There are three important pieces of information which must be fully reviewed by the merit badge counselor prior to approving any Scout for the merit badge: the merit badge requirements, the notes to counselor and the scuba policy of the Guide to Safe Scouting.

Dive Planner, Multilevel version (eRDPML). Developed by Diving Science and Technology (DSAT) and distributed by PADI, the new product makes planning single depth and multilevel dives easier than ever.

The eRDPML is not a dive computer, but an electronic dive table that allows you to plan single depth and multilevel dives. While the first generation eRDP provided the same information as the Recreational Dive Planner (RDP) Table version, the eRDPML provides the same information as PADI’s multilevel dive planner, The Wheel®, only in an electronic format.

“The eRDPML is the best thing since sliced bread, indoor plumbing, thinking-outside-the-box, Got Milk? and any other cliché you can mindlessly rattle off,” says Karl Shreeves, DSAT Technical Development Executive. “From a diving point of view, I love it because it gives you dive table dependability with calculator simplicity. For new divers, and even some experienced ones, mastering dive planning is now quick and easy. And, for PADI Instructors, this translates into more practical time in the water and less time reviewing tables in the classroom.”

The eRDPML includes some great, new features:

* the ability to plan single depth and multilevel dives
* a new flip cover design with the General Guidelines clearly displayed inside
* a user-friendly interface with large keys and a wide display window
* a compact user manual positioned under the device
* operates in imperial or metric

Whether you’re a seasoned dive professional or someone who just loves diving, you’ll find the eRDPML is easier to use than conventional dive tables and can increase bottom time by allowing dive planning in two meter/five foot increments.

Start planning your multilevel dives the easy way, with the new eRDPML. PADI Members may order the new eRDPML today by contacting their regional manager or sales consultant at their local PADI Office. To find out how you can take advantage of all PADI’s innovative products and services, contact Jeff Nadler , PADI Americas International Resort and Retailers Associations manager at +1 949 858 7234, ext. 2660.

Others promise…PADI delivers.

The awards recognise excellence and innovation in the Dive Industry and are considered very prestigious.

A panel of key PADI stakeholders met to judge the finalist in each category and the winners will be announced at the PADI Pavilion (Stand J01 & K02) at ADEX 2008 at Suntec, Singapore on Friday 18th April at 5pm along with drinks and canapés.

PADI would like to thank all those who provided fantastic nomination overviews.

Congratulations to each of the Finalists, listed in alphabetical order:

Diver Training Award:

This award is to recognise the outstanding achievements and professionalism in relation to raising the standards in the field of Diver Training.

Crystal Dive Resort, Thailand
Pro Dive Cairns, Australia
Remote Area Dive, Australia

Instructor Development Award:

This award is to celebrate outstanding achievements and commitment to PADI’s Instructor Development.

Crystal Dive Resort, Thailand
Diving Plaza, Australia
Mermaids Dive Center, Thailand

Young Achiever in Diving Award

This award recognises a young achiever’s contribution to the development of a vibrant diving industry through their local Dive Centre/Resort.

Bradley Davis, Australia
Patrick Ewbank, Indonesia
Rhyanne Davis, Australia

Project AWARE Environmental Award:

This award aims to recognise outstanding ecological achievements with a focus on fostering environmental and cultural understanding, appreciation and conservation.

Crystal Dive Resort, Thailand
Kon-Tiki Thailand, Thailand
Sea Explorer’s Siquijor, Philippines

Tourism Award:

This category recognises excellence in the planning of tourism infrastructure and/or services with a focus on entrepreneurial vision and integration with the environment.

Clement Lee, Malaysia
Dive! Tutukaka, New Zealand
Rod Punshon, Australia

Diving for Tomorrow Innovation Award:

The purpose of the Diving for Tomorrow Innovation Award is to recognise and celebrate innovation within the diving industry, whether large or small, and to inspire others.

Abyss Scuba Diving, Australia
Dive! Tutukaka, New Zealand
Sunrise Diving, Thailand

Outstanding (Dive Centre/Resort) Business Award:

This award is to recognise outstanding business performance, initiatives and achievements across all areas of business operation.

Aquatic Adventures Glen Iris, Australia
Mermaids Dive Center, Thailand
Pro Dive Cairns, Australia

At ScubaHerald we accept technology, hey, this is an online media… so in theory we are supposed to be tech junkies… that’s why we decided to go the painful way, we decided to visit PADI IDC virtual Island.

First Step: download Secondlife game – go to the kitchen and have a long cup of tea…. yes my friends, that is the first step. To download a long and heavy game that in theory you should not have in your PC unless you are an online reality freak. … so you download the game, you install it and you get ready to join a virtual world where it is easy to get confused or find where to go or what do to. But hey, who cares? This is the world of PADI Virtual Island… where everything is so easy….

First thing create your Character….

NAME: ScubaMaster LAST NAME: Rosca

After over 30 minutes of misses and tries, we finally find our way around this virtual messy universe, where a teletransport system (obviously! Tele transport, how did we missed this before!) will take us anywhere in the Second Life universe.

Ok, so we type PADI and here we begin the PADI world downfall. First surprise: PADI Isand is not the first result provided…. ohh… no, it seems users with the name PADI are hundreds, so finding the PADI island keeps getting a harder per minute.

But, it is not time to fail, let’s keep trying….

P…A…. D … I … we try to find a place called PADI Island…

(so after a few minutes … we finally find the Island… ) and like any virtual diver the Teletransporter will take us flying to the PADI Virtual HQ (Mmm what happens if you virtually fly after a virtual dive?? ).

So as soon as we arrive our journalist ScubaMaster Rosca, gets ambushed by marketing signs everywhere. Why Dive? Go Pro! Continuing Education etc..
The place looks great I have to confess, very clean, very “AT PADI WE DO THINGS BIG” , very organized… and also very empty.

OK yes my PADI members and PADI fanatics out there, I have to be honest, this is my second time in this Second Life messy place, and I still don’t find any virtual soul here, no one to chat to… no one to tell me about how great diving with PADI is.

Where are all the guys from PADI???

Where are all the young models from the Open water Video? Where is Jessica Alba? Mmm I’m confused. I feel alone. Alone on a virtual diving island, with no dive sites to dive, with no virtual divers to do safety checks, with no virtual PADI dive centers to take me virtually diving … (did I mention Virtual enough times?)

So what is the point of this new marketing strategy? Where are all my virtual buddies? Where are all the divers talking about their diving experiences? Maybe in the virtual PADI tavern (Is there something like that in Second Life?)?

ScubaMaster Roca hung around 20 minutes in the building, and the idea is quite cool for the first 2 minutes, (and only if you achieve to find the place) , but then whole virtual experience becomes virtually stupid. Ok, don’t crucify me yet if you are a hardcore virtual addict, but… what is the whole idea? I know… to reach new markets… to reach the generation X that all the dive industry is trying to reach…. but the funny thing is : there is no-one out there….!
There is not one soul.,.. non even a virtual ghost…. the place seems like a virtual mental hospital…too plain… too plastic… too dam boring… even the videos that are supposed to attract you, seem like standard publicity of your local BANK.

So PADI Virtual Island was virtually a pain…. so far the island hasn’t attracted more than 400 virtual visitors since its creation.., and it seems amazing that PADI want’s to resell marketing in this virtual desert to other dive centers (Join now! Reach thousands of members! – is that the slogan?).

So from my little corner I wonder today: Aren’t divers people that enjoy the outdoors? Or are divers silicon valley rat labs? How many of you out there have a second life in a virtual game??? Well, if you are a Second Life addict, may be you want to sell your dive gear and buy some virtual scuba tanks and go as deep as you can, because this is Second Life.

You can’t virtually bend … but you can always pay some extra dollars to PADI, in the real world, or in the strange world of Virtual stupidity.

So stop reading this, run away from the temptation of downloading this time wasting game, turn off your PC, call your friends, book a dive holiday today, and forget about any second lifes, there are no second chances, you only have one life, and it is short… dive more… waste less time… live better…

Until recently, operation of these devices was left to observation, trial and error, or applied learning was derived from object recovery and lift bag use. Now you can teach divers to safely and competently operate a (delayed) SMB using a new Distinctive Specialty developed by PADI: SMB Diver.

The popularity of SMB use is particularly apparent in areas with heavy boat traffic, or where divers may be drifting in a current. It may also be best practice in your local area. Delayed or DSMBs are also popular where divers are unable to return to the shot line to ascend, or where divers may not have a visual reference once they end the dive.

The SMB Diver distinctive specialty course teaches entry-level or higher certified divers the knowledge and skills required for the safe use of SMBs and delayed SMBs over two Open Water dives. During open water training your students will practise skills such as stowage of SMB and reel, stationary deployment, towing of an SMB during a tour and DSMB reel ascents and safety stops.

To be eligible to teach this specialty, you must be in current, renewed teaching status, a PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor or higher level member, have issued at least 25 diver certifications and have experienced at least 20 dives using delayed or traditional Surface Marker Buoys.

Check now Surface Markets at http://www.surfacemarker.com/