Boston Scuba Examiner

[Mike D]

I am a local diver and I just started writing articles for Examiner.com as the Boston Scuba Examiner. I would like to use it as another outlet to help build our already robust diving community in New England. The first article is up, and now that I am finished going through their review process I will be publishing frequently. The first article can be found here: Boston Sea Rovers in transition

I look forward to your comments and ideas for articles.

 

[reefseal]

How about writing about Boy Scouts of America having a new Merit Badge for Scuba. It's the first new merit badge in 3 years. My hope is this stirs up interest in the sport with kids. How can divers help? they can get involved with scouting and sign up to be Scuba Merit Badge Counselors for local troops. Not all troops have parents that are certified divers. To be a MB Counselor, you need to be chartered with the boy scouts (pay a small fee, background check..) Most troops will cover the cost of this to get adult leaders to be affiliated with the troop.

Details on the SCUBA Merit badge are published Scuba BSA Also, BSA Scuba Policy which details age appropriate restrictions (e.g depth requirements) medical.. Aquatics Safety

 

[Mike D]

Funny you mention that. I was looking into it and had plans to get in touch with the council tomorrow. I am an Eagle Scout and a former employee of the council, and would like to get the kids involved in scuba.

 

[ScubaSarus]

Let me link you to my buddy's site:

Welcome to Expedition New England

He has appeared on TV and has produced over 73 shows of which is shown on some Boston public access stations.

His theme is that we don't need to travel to exotic places to see amazing wild life and we have taken quite a few underwater adventures to film underwater video.

We are also shown in Australia and we are the number one show locally there on Tuesdays I believe. The Australians are very interested in NE wildlife like we are theirs.

Contact him and see if there is anything you two can come up with for a theme of one of your articles.

Some interesting underwater themes he's done are:

Shark Diving
Tropical fish in New England
Fishways
Clam harvesting while cleaning the sea floor
Pollution
Some Wreck Diving
Invasive species
CT River Abyss
Night diving

We had a Boston reporter accompany us on 2 of our shark dives.

Shark’s in the water... Our shark! - BostonHerald.com

Maybe you can join us for an expedition in the spring.

 

[Mike D]

Excellent. Thanks for the suggestion. I will get in touch. I would love to join for a day diving with you.

 

[ScubaSarus]

Thanks Mike.

I talked to Scott today and said he would love to plan something in the spring. Who knows, maybe a Cape Anne adventure in your neck of the woods.

 

[Mike D]

Sounds good. I am away for a few days of diving but when I get back I will be in touch.

 

[W8less]

Adding some info to above thread.

Just did a SCUBA presentation at the (Aurora District, Chief Seattle Council) Roundtable meeting promoting the PADI/BSA "Bridging the Gap" partnership. Our idea was to present Discover SCUBA to the troops in conjunction with our LDS with the goal of leading into O/W certification and the BSA SCUBA merit badge. The skill set for the merit badge is the same as PADI O/W with the exception that the scout has to write a paper on career avenues through the experience. A very high % of scouts end up in an adult career that they were exposed to working on a merit badge.

The merit badge counselor must be registered with BSA but does not have to be an instructor. The instructor runs the Merit badge/certification as an adviser the BSA cards are signed off by both the adviser/instructor and the MB counselor.

I also am an Eagle Scout 1964

 

[reefseal]

Cool! Yes, to be a Scuba Merit Badge Counselor, you don't have to be instructor. I would encourage those that would be willing to help the Scouts to contact local Scout troops and offer being a Scuba Merit Badge Counselor. Not all scout troops have adult leaders that are familiar with Scuba and there will be boys interested in Scuba and the merit badge. It's not a big commitment of time.

The town I'm in, Merrimack, NH has a local dive shop that has been very supportive of scouting. I asked as a patrol activity to do a discover scuba. I was expecting one or two tanks set up and the boys could take turns. The LDS rigged gear for all the boys in the patrol which was beyond our expectations. (Aquatic Specialities) The boys had such a blast and it was a good bonding activity for the newly formed patrol. We're working with that shop to do the Scuba certification for the boys now.

 

[Mike D]

I think getting the scouts involved is awesome. It not only gets the kids involved in a new and exciting sport, but it also helps build the dive community.

New Examiner article. Scuba's alphabet soup