Start Your Underwater Journey Here

Let One Ocean Scuba introduce you to the adventure that awaits beneath the waves! Our on-staff merit badge counselor will walk you through the entire process to earn scuba and snorkeling patches, badge, and complete service projects. We can even get your troop ready for Seabase.

Our staff has been conducting youth scuba programs for more than 20 years, and all our instructors and training staff have completed YPT. 

One Ocean Scuba offers course and gear discounts to scout troops. The possibilities are endless, so call or email us to schedule your adventure.

Seabase Preparation

Participating in Seabase adventures? Scouts and leaders can complete the PADI Open Water Scuba Diver course with us and be ready to dive at camp. See the PADI Open Water Scuba Diver course description below for details.

Earn patches and badges, or complete service projects

• BSA Snorkeling Patch: Participants will learn about snorkeling gear, breathing through and clearing a snorkel, swimming with fins, pike dives to recover objects from the bottom of the pool, equalization techniques, the snorkeling buddy system. This course includes in-water games to practice the skills learned. This BSA patch can be completed in a 2-hour pool session.
• BSA Scuba Patch: This is an exciting opportunity for scouts and leaders to try scuba diving in the safety of a pool. Participants will learn introductory scuba skills, gear assembly, and equalization techniques. Participants will also participate in some underwater games. This is an excellent activity for scouts who are considering working on the Scuba Diving Merit Badge. This BSA patch can be completed in approximately 2.5 hours.
• Scuba Diving Merit Badge: We have a merit badge counselor on staff to manage the entire process for you. Scouts must be certified Scuba Divers to earn this merit badge. (See PADI Open Water Diver for details)
• Oceanography Merit Badge: Do you wonder what’s beneath the waves? Do you want to learn more about our aquatic world? Explore with us as we take a deep dive into the different branches of oceanography. We’ll cover topics ranging from ocean topography, water chemistry, and—of course—aquatic life! No need to complete prerequisites beforehand, we will take you start to finish through the requirements. This is a 4-hour course that can be scheduled for one or two sessions.
• Dive Against Debris Service Project: The fun only beginning for those you have earned their Open Water Certification. Dive Against Debris is a PADI Specialty Course where divers learn how to combat the problem of marine debris by actually pulling debris out of the water. It is estimated that up to 70% of debris that makes its way to our waters sinks to the bottom. For many people, that trash is out of sight and out of mind. Scuba divers are in a unique position to make a difference by collecting, weighing, sorting, disposing of, and reporting the data from these dives. We would love to arrange this event for your group. Participating certified divers will earn a PADI Specialty and make a difference to the marine environment. One Ocean Scuba has adopted several dive sites where we conduct monthly Dive Against Debris events.
• Project Aware Service Project: Perfect for Non-Divers, too!The aquatic world needs on land and underwater heroes. You can be one of them by championing the causes of the world’s most fragile and important aquatic ecosystems. In this service project, we will discuss the most pressing problems in the marine environment including the ocean coastal zone issues, fisheries challenges and sustainability, and the coral reef environment and its inhabitants. Learn about your role and then we will help you make a plan so your everyday actions will make a difference. After the presentation, One Ocean Scuba will supply participants with gloves and bags and lead a cleanup of the area. Debris collected on land is prevented from making its way to our waters. Participants also receive a PADI Specialty Certification for this work.

PADI Open Water Scuba Diver

This course will prepare you for Seabase and is part of the completion of your Scuba Diving Merit Badge.

Do you want to explore the water that covers 75% of the earth’s surface? With just 10 hours of eLearning, 8 hours in the pool, and 1 weekend at the lake, you’ll earn your Scuba Diving Merit Badge, be ready for Seabase and earn a lifetime of adventure with your PADI Open Water Scuba Diver certification. No prior experience with scuba diving or snorkeling is required.

The PADI Open Water Diver course consists of 2 parts.

Part 1. Skills Training Pool Sessions and referral (optional)

Complete your knowledge development and confined water pool sessions in preparation for the open water dives. Learn at your own pace and when it's convenient for you with eLearning. Master the required scuba skills in a pool under direct instructor supervision. As you learn new skills, you’ll gain the abilities and confidence needed for diving in open water. This typically is completed in two pool sessions, but class completion is based on your skill mastery, not a time requirement – so if you need more time or finish more quickly that’s fine. Call for special BSA pricing.

There are three steps to completing the referral course:

• STEP 1: Complete your eLearning Course.
  Complete the academic portion of the course with eLearning. This step takes about 10 hours, and you complete it at your own pace. Our instructors will log in and see your progress and help answer any questions you have as you move through the online material.
   
• STEP 2: Come into One Ocean Scuba to take your required in-person eLearning Quick Review, complete the Scuba Merit Badge requirements, and get fitted for your scuba gear.
   
• STEP 3: Attend your pool sessions.
  Complete your confined water sessions at the pool. This typically takes about 8 hours of in-water time, but we allow for extra underwater skill practice. The more comfortable you are in the pool, the more you will enjoy scuba diving. We split this up into 2 or 3 sessions, depending on your group’s schedule.

Part 2. Open Water Dives

Join One Ocean Scuba for a weekend at the lake weekend to complete the four Open Water Certification Dives required to earn the lifetime certification. We use dive training facilities in VA and PA. Call for special BSA pricing. 

Or take your referral from the pool sessions to any PADI dive shop in the world to complete your open water dives to complete your certification.