Boy Scout Scuba Diving Merit Badge: What You Need to Know

School's out and Boy Scouts are looking for ways to have fun and earn merit badges this summer. Will you be ready when a Scout Troop contacts your store?

The Scuba Merit Badge is fairly new, but it's generated a lot of interest. Boy's Life Magazine (circulation: 8.6 million) has Scuba Diving on its cover and diving will be featured prominently at the 2010 Boy Scout Jamboree - attended by over 40,000 Scouts from across the U.S.  

Join us this Thursday July 1st from 2-3pm Pacific Time for a teleconference.

• Hear from PADI retailers who have made Scouting a cornerstone of their business.
• Find out what to expect from a "round-table meeting."
• Learn more about the BSA's structure

The program is for PADI IRRA Members only; contact your sales rep or regional manager for information on how to sign up.

Please review our earlier article about the new SCUBA Merit Badge. There are six things a Scout must do to earn the badge (certification is step four). The article will also give you information on how to become a Scuba Merit Badge Counselor.

28% Off Member-Level Price On New PADI Products

We just sent out a promo to instructors: save up to 28% off member-level pricing on our new materials. The sale runs from now through the end of June 2010.  

View the June 2010 promo email.

To order, contact your PADI sales rep - the special pricing is not available online. The discount on most items is equivalent to buying level two.

Pasted below are some of the highlights: the best deals, the most useful, and a list of items that are $15 or less.

Most Useful Items

Instructor Slates
Now's a great time to get everything in your slate bag up to date.

All the slates for our core courses have been updated for 2010: DSD, open water, confined water, AOW, Rescue and Divemaster.  Each one is available ala carte at a discount. If you buy all of them, the total savings is about $51 versus regular price.

By popular request, here's a page that lists all the current revision dates for PADI's Instructor cue cards.

Enriched Air Materials - Dive Computer option
If you're ready to teach dive computers instead of tables in the Nitrox course, all the new materials are on sale.

View the promo or read more about the new Enriched Air materials.

The Best Deals

We've got both versions of the specialty manual on sale - pick up the most current version of all our specialty instructor guides and save $48 - $55. The new PLGs for Open Water and Enriched Air are also on sale. 

Specialty Instructor Manual digital version - save $55!
(part no. 70909MUL )
Member price: $197.85 / Sale Price: $142.50

Specialty Instructor Manual paper- save $48!
(part no. 70250)
Member price: $174 / Sale Price: $125.25

New Prescriptive Lesson Guides
Save $25 on the new PLGs for Enriched Air
Member price: $92.75 / Sale Price: $66.80

Save almost $30 on the new Open Water PLGs
Member Price: $104.90 / Sale Price: $75.55

View the promo.

$15 or Less
Bubblemaker Water Toy 50253 -  $3.25
PADI Pro logbook 70137 -  $9.25
Nylon logbook binder 79136 - $14.90
Dive Roster Slate 60227 -  $9.65
PADI Instructor hat (khaki) 82125 -  $12.55
PADI Visor 82184 -  $12.55
EFR hat (black) 80028 -  $12.65
Any Instructor Emblem (OWSI, MI, etc) - $5.65/each

View the promo.

Miscellaneous

We now have a digital version of the Guide to Teaching. The promo price saves you a little over $40 - a smart move if you're thinking about staffing an IDC any time soon. View the promo.

From last week's Instructor News dispatch: we've got special pricing right now on closeout items. These are not part of the sale I've described above, but there are good deals nonetheless.

The Oh-So-Fine-Print
Contact your PADI Sales Consultant to order. Sales and specials are not available from the online shopping cart.Offer expires 30 June 2010 – No other coupons can be applied to this offer.Normal shipping terms apply.

PADI eLearning Gift Pass FAQ

Now that summer's here, I've been getting quite a few calls and emails asking, "how do I buy eLearning for a student?" Below I will give you step-by-step instructions on how to do it.

What is an eLearning Gift Pass Good for?

• For independent instructors not affiliated with a store - this is the only way you can offer eLearning.
• For PADI Dive Centers, an eLearning Gift Pass allows you to seamlessly include eLearning as part of your regular course price (read some sample scenarios) and ensures that the customer affiliates with your store.

Anyone can buy an eLearning Gift Pass (aka Access Pass). As a PADI Member, it's important that you purchase through the new PADI Pros site (as opposed to regular padi.com). Here's how:

1. Logon to the PADI Pros site (the new one)
2. From the main menu click Online Services - then choose Access Zone from the drop-down menu
3. On the new page, click Purchase (left side of the screen)
4. If you've never purchased a code before, click Sign up for a New PADI On-Line Account. Otherwise, sign in and continue to Step 5.
   
   Creating a new PADI On-Line Account*
   
• Proceed through the registration. It may seem like you personally are signing up for eLearning but keep going.
• When it asks for your name, use the store name if you're a store
  (example: First Name “Scuba Steve's” Last Name: "Dive Center")
• Once you’ve created the account, click on the “Home” link to return to the page and click the Purchase button.
  
  
5. Choose how many eLearning classes you want and what kind. The codes can not be changed after you buy them, so pick carefully!
6. Hit Total and pay with a credit card.**

* To buy eLearning codes, you must create a login just for this site. The Access Zone login is separate from PADI Pros and eLearning.

** For now, the codes must be purchased through the website, we can't sell you eLearning credits like we can PIC online.


Ready to email codes to your students?
From the PADI Pros' Site, choose Access Zone, then click on the Manage Access Passes button (bottom right). After signing in, it will take you to a page where you can view and send out the codes to your students.

Later this summer we'll be offering consumers customizable options with themes and an option for the purchaser to write a personal message on the Gift Pass. Stay tuned to PADI Instructor News for updates.

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PADI Open Water Online Course with Dive Computers

Open Water eLearning Course Now Includes Dive Computer Info

New* Open Water eLearning students will complete a new module about dive computers. Students must complete both the eRDPML/table section and the computer module. The new, sixth module about computers is not a substitute for the dive planning module with table or eRDPML.

* Enrolled as a brand-new student on 8 June 2010or later

Many students will eventually purchase a dive computer, so the online program provides overview of common features, responsible use, and what to do in the event of computer failure. The new module is not an online version of How to Use and Choose Dive Computers, but it covers similar topics and includes a download link to the Dive Computer Simulator.

Our online program informs the student that the dive planning method for their open water dives will be determined by the dive center or instructor. See slide below for the exact wording:

(email subscribers - click through to view the image above)

Instructors are required to provide the student with one of the following: an RDP table, eRDPML or How to Use and Choose Dive Computers manual. PADI offers a bundle of all the required materials for your online student we call them: "eLearning enhancement paks."

Product No. 70823 - with eRDPML
Product No. 70824 - with table
Product No. 70821 - with computer manual

All of the above kits include a blue logbook, student record file, and one tool for dive planning (table, eRDPML, or computer book).


New Quick Quiz
New eLearning students (enrolled on or after 8 June 2010) must complete a new quick quiz which includes questions about dive computer purchase and use. The quick quiz is a free download from the PADI Pro's site. Here's where to find it:

1. Logon to the PADI Pro's Site.
2. From the main menu bar - click on Toolbox 
3. Choose eLearning from the drop down menu
4. Click the link "Teach PADI eLearning: Quick Reviews and More"

Students enrolled before 8 June complete the old 18 question quick quiz. The "old" students won't be aware of the new computer module. Any student who enrolled June 8 or after - please give them the new, 25 question quiz. Both quizzes are available in the same spot on our website (see directions above).

PADI Stores (and Instructors who've purchased an Access Pass) can preview any of our eLearning courses online. Here's how:

1. Visit elearning.padi.com
2. Click on User Maintanence
3. Next - click on Preview Course Sections
4. Choose Open Water with RDP and Dive Computers from the drop down menu
5. Click on Section Six (dive computer module)

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PADI Instructor News: Bigger and Wider, Yeah Baby!

When I logged on to the blog a couple days ago, there were some new design options. So I changed the color scheme, upped the font size and made the main column wider. The layout and navigation are the same.

Below is the same article (how to use PIC online) in the old new design. Email subscribers, please click through to view images. If you haven't visited the actual website in awhile, I'll hope you'll stop by and put in your two cents about the new design.

Here's the old site design:

Here's the new design:

PADI Product Bargain Bin

Score some great deals on our limited-edition and soon-to-be-discontinued products.

Pasted below are a few highlights. For the complete list, click the red Shop Online box on the PADI Pros Site and choose “While Supplies Last” from the menu at left.

Wyland Posters - $4.50/each
We have four limited-edition Wyland posters on close out. There are four different posters:

• Dolphins of the World
• Turtles of the World
• Whales of the World 
• Sharks of the World

The posters are available for $4.50 each or $15 for all four (product no. 82601).

Please reference the slideshow below to see each one. Email subscribers, click through to view the images.

Master Scuba Diver Mesh Bag - $3.50

The Master Scuba Diver bag we used for the Master Scuba Diver Challenge is now available for purchase.

Product number: 82266

Laptop Backpack - $20

This laptop backpack has a three-pocket design - perfect for transporting your computer, student files, slates and instructor guides. The largest pocket can accomodate a laptop computer up to 14" x 10.5" ( 35 cm x 28 cm).

Product number. 82213

Project AWARE Actions

For World Ocean Day (today, June 8th)
Join AWARE divers worldwide to Give Sharks a Fighting Chance.

(from projectaware.org)

During the March 2010 CITES meetings, governments ignored scientific evidence and advice, favouring short-term economic interests over long-term conservation benefits. Despite set-backs for eight critical shark species, Project AWARE advocates are helping even the score for sharks in places like Palau, Maldives and Europe.

Today, World Ocean Day, do one thing to help our Ocean Planet. Please support this the international effort to help bring sharks back from the brink. Sign the online petition (it takes less than a minute):

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By reader request: here is some information from Project AWARE about the oil spill in the gulf.

Oil Spill in the Gulf: How You Can Get Involved
On 20 April 2010 BP’s oil drilling disaster began. Now one month later it’s become the largest environmental disaster in United States history – estimated to now be 8 times larger than the Exxon Valdez, Alaska spill. BP is just beginning to contain only 2,000 barrels of the estimated 85,000 barrels of oil spilling per day. But a much greater volume continues to spill directly into deep water habitats of the gulf.

Photo credit: © Jeffery Tilghman Williams/Marine Photobank 

What can you do?

Make the Call: 
Call 1-866-557-1401 and leave a message to report oiled wildlife. Messages will be checked hourly. To discuss spill-related damage, please call 1-800-440-0858. To report oiled shoreline or to request volunteer information, please call 1-866-448-5816.

Volunteer: 
Help is needed along the shorelines of Louisiana, Mississippi, Florida and Alabama. Check out How You Can Volunteer to Cleanup the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill to find a listing of phone numbers and organizations currently seeking volunteers.

Stay Informed: 
For daily status updates visit National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)’s Office of Response and Restoration. To learn more, visit the Gulf of Mexico Sea Grant Programs. The Gulf of Mexico (GOM) oil spill website, hosted by the four GOM Sea Grant programs, provides visitors with access to a wealth of data concerning the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

Patagonia Pro Deals for PADI Instructors

Did you know that PADI Instructors get Pro Deals at patagonia.com? I stumbled across this a couple of weeks ago while surfing the interwebs:

PADI/Scuba Instructors

Individual and personal pro purchase accounts are available for PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer, IDC Staff Instructors, Master Instructors or Course Directors who are currently teaching diving. At this time, we only recognize PADI instructors and certifications.

A quick call to our marketing department confirmed: this is for real.

Email subscribers - please click through to PADI Instructor News if you can't see the images below.

I FAXed my paperwork to Patagonia and in less than a week I had a login code. I can't disclose what the exact deals are, but I got two pairs of shorts and a groovy North Coast  t-shirt for under $110. Plus, Patagonia is one of the leaders in environmental responsibility, so there's a warm and fuzzy feeling to the purchase.

Oh, one thing you should know - the pro deals are tied to your gender. So if you're a female, you only get discounts only on women's apparel.

Ready to get started? Apply for Patagonia Pro Deals online here.

They will ask you to submit the following documentation by FAX, mail or email:

• Completed on-line application (printed out or scanned)
• Current PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer, IDC Staff Instructors, Master Instructors or Course Director’s certification (a print out from Pro-Chek works well for this)
• A current company brochure, catalog or personal advertisement listing your name as a scuba instructor.
• Dive service business card
• Letter of reference from the dive service for whom you work
• Proof of personal liability insurance.

This yearly offer is for individual accounts and may not be available in certain regions of the country.

Related post:
Check out our other PADI Pro deal with Olympus.

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Chevy Chase - Our lack of attention is killing the oceans

Chevy Chase, yes that Chevy Chase, has an interesting Op-Ed piece on CNN.com today, "Our lack of attention is killing the oceans." It's a quick but interesting read.

If you have time to dig deeper: Chase links to Edith Widder's bioluminescence presentation from TED and the story of a woman who rowed across the Pacific Ocean. He ends the article with some suggestions on what the average person can do to promote ocean conservation and exploration.

The opinions expressed in the article linked above are solely those of Chevy and Jayni Chase.