Father and son adventure

[Sam Miller III]

@Kevin L. Waldroup

Kevin,
~~~ https://www.scubaboard.com/community/attachments/naui-sourcesmag2018q3p18-19-pdf.477571/ ~~~

K MAG YO YO

SDM

 

[Kevin L. Waldroup]

Welcome to the board and to a slightly addictive hobby!

Scout leader my whole adult life up here in Canada, currently working with Venturers and Rovers (14-18, 18-23). You may want to look into your local dive shops/clubs for a Scouting program. A local dive shop (in cooperation with Scouts Canada) offers a scuba scouting discovery program at the pool for cubs and older and it looks very interesting. For the older kids they even have a full OW + merit badge program. I'm having my Rovers look into it to organise an activity for the Cubs and Scouts in early 2019. I'm guessing they must have something similar with the BSA in your neck of the woods.

Pat

Thanks Pat, here in the U.S. our BSA Guide to Safe Scouting prohibits any Cub Scouts (5-11) from Scuba activities. Yes, at our Scout (11-18) level they have a Scuba BSA award that is just a little beyond an into to scuba class, and also a scuba merit badge that has as one of it's requirements earning an open water certification. The merit badge was created in 2009 so wasn't an option in my day, but in scouting is where I did my intro course as a youth.

 

[Pat.D]

It's too bad the cubs can't even pool dive with the bubble maker program, but rules are rules.

Over here they have completely revamped the Scouting program with a new badge system called the "Canadian Path" a few years ago and many of the badges are the same from the youngest beavers to oldest rovers but have multiple stages according to your age/section. The interesting thing is that though the stages are recommended for certain age/section groups, a youth who can achieve a higher stage is encouraged to do so.

Pertinent to this thread, here is the new "Aquatic Skills" badge: Aquatic Skills - Scouts Canada Wiki

Sadly we didn't have any diving options in the program when I was a youth...

Pat

 

[Kevin L. Waldroup]

Small update, I finished up my pool sessions this past week, so now down to the checkout dives next month.

 

[Addicted2H2O]

Small update, I finished up my pool sessions this past week, so now down to the checkout dives next month.

Congrats on getting your pool sessions done! You're almost there!

As for your son, if he's done the Bubblemaker dive, maybe consider signing him up for the PADI Seal Team. It's basically the open water pool sessions you just completed. They will teach him essentially the bascis of scuba in confined water so when it comes time for him to get certified he'll be a little more comfortable with performing those skills (mask clearing, reg recovery, fin pivot, etc.) and be a step ahead of the game. And if he enjoys that, then he can do the Master Seal missions, which will introduce him to things like wreck dives, night dives (they turn all the lights out in the pool and give them a flash light), search & recovery....there are 10 missions total that he can do one at a time. My son will be 10 in September and he's already counting on getting his OW cert for his birthday. He did the Seal Team missions over the summer and absolutely loved them! He actually did better with mask clearing the first time than I did when I tried it my first time. And it gave me a chance to see how he conducts himself underwater with respects to how to handle things like a flooding mask or having to find his reg. It really showed me how comfortable he is in the water and how well he can comprehend the concepts of scuba. Obviously not as well as an adult, but at least enough to where he can safely operate a scuba kit under supervision. And I think getting him certified early in life will make him a better diver later on. Kids are enthusiastic about things. They get excited. I've decided that if I ever decide to become an instructor I'd want to teach kids for that very reason.

So maybe consider getting him in the Seal Team program. If he liked the Bubblemaker dive he'll LOVE that!

 

[Sam Miller III]

Several years prior to entering med school son Sam IV organized the second BSA SCUBA troop in the US -- a group in Florida beat him by several weeks,

He approached a local large dive retailer friendly to scouting and they supplied 24 sets of equipment and all the air for the troop-- all free ! Every Saturday AM they dove or had some sort of a meaningful experience related to diving.

He also coordinated with the local Sea Scouts for trips to Catalina -- The sea Scouts sailed then over to Catalina -- it was a win -win event. Sea Scouts sailed and the divers dove Catalina.

Sam IV is now well into his 50s and involved with his three daughters .

I wish you success in your scouting adventure

Sam III

 

[Kevin L. Waldroup]

Congrats on getting your pool sessions done! You're almost there!

As for your son, if he's done the Bubblemaker dive, maybe consider signing him up for the PADI Seal Team. It's basically the open water pool sessions you just completed. They will teach him essentially the bascis of scuba in confined water so when it comes time for him to get certified he'll be a little more comfortable with performing those skills (mask clearing, reg recovery, fin pivot, etc.) and be a step ahead of the game. And if he enjoys that, then he can do the Master Seal missions, which will introduce him to things like wreck dives, night dives (they turn all the lights out in the pool and give them a flash light), search & recovery....there are 10 missions total that he can do one at a time. My son will be 10 in September and he's already counting on getting his OW cert for his birthday. He did the Seal Team missions over the summer and absolutely loved them! He actually did better with mask clearing the first time than I did when I tried it my first time. And it gave me a chance to see how he conducts himself underwater with respects to how to handle things like a flooding mask or having to find his reg. It really showed me how comfortable he is in the water and how well he can comprehend the concepts of scuba. Obviously not as well as an adult, but at least enough to where he can safely operate a scuba kit under supervision. And I think getting him certified early in life will make him a better diver later on. Kids are enthusiastic about things. They get excited. I've decided that if I ever decide to become an instructor I'd want to teach kids for that very reason.

So maybe consider getting him in the Seal Team program. If he liked the Bubblemaker dive he'll LOVE that!

Thanks, he is signed up to do missions in April and May (4 different Saturdays). I will be there for 2 of them, the other 2 I will be in Wood Badge Staff Development sessions so my wife will take him. He is super excited.

 

[Rob9876]

So much awesome in this thread! My son just turned 14 last week, and we both got certified last summer and are enjoying diving together. He's also a Boy Scout, and is looking into how to get his OW (and now has AOW also) counted for a merit badge and/or award. Seems we don't have any instructors in our area who are also BSA-qualified to sign off on this.

 

[scubadada]

Hi @Kevin L. Waldroup

I enjoy nothing more that diving with my son, daughter, and wife. Both my kids were certified at 12. I've been diving with my son for 21 years, and my daughter and wife for 17 years. Dived with my son in December, heading to Bonaire with my wife in April. Haven't dived with my daughter for 2 years, going to fix that this year.

Very best and good diving, Craig

 

[Kevin L. Waldroup]

So much awesome in this thread! My son just turned 14 last week, and we both got certified last summer and are enjoying diving together. He's also a Boy Scout, and is looking into how to get his OW (and now has AOW also) counted for a merit badge and/or award. Seems we don't have any instructors in our area who are also BSA-qualified to sign off on this.

Have you asked your scuba instructor if they would register as a merit badge counselor? It doesn't cost anything and could point more families to their business.