As a PADI Professional, your scuba gear is exposed to heavy use – much more than the average recreational diver. Three or five dives a day teaching students or guiding certified divers will quickly leave their mark, and you’ll notice your diving equipment ageing much quicker than usual.

Of course, you can help to counteract this wear and tear with proper maintenance of your dive equipment, allowing you to get the best results from your gear despite the high strain.

Above all you shouldn’t forget that you always have a role model function as a PADI Pro, and your scuba gear in particular should always be exemplary: clean, well maintained and fully functional. This way you show your students and other divers that you’re a conscientious diving professional, and demonstrate the importance of well-maintained diving gear.

Here are 5 tips on properly caring for your scuba equipment:

#1 – Rinse your diving equipment thoroughly after every dive

It doesn’t matter if you’re diving in fresh or salt water; clean your scuba gear with clean water after every dive. This will help to remove dirt and other contaminants like micro-organisms or stinging particles from coral or jellyfish. It also helps to prevent the unwanted formation of salt crystal build-up after open water dives in the ocean.

#2 – Dry your diving equipment after every dive

Sure, it can difficult as a PADI Pro to do this if you use your diving equipment multiple times during the day. But in between your dives, try to dry out your gear as well as you can. When dive gear is kept damp (especially when stored), bacteria or fungi can quickly develop and spread, which not only damages your diving equipment but can also trigger infections and irritations to your skin.

To dry your scuba gear hang it up outside, ideally in a dry and breezy place but not directly in blazing sunshine. Sunlight can cause faster ageing of materials and can make neoprene and rubber parts brittle.

#3 – Check any moving parts regularly for dirt and defects

At least once a day, you should make sure that all moving parts on your diving equipment (such as buckles on your BCD, inflator buttons, regulator purge buttons etc.) are clean and working properly. That way you’ll be reassured that there are no dirt, sand or salt crystals stuck in your diving gear that might cause a malfunction during a dive.

#4 – Deep-clean and maintain your diving equipment on a regular basis

In addition to rinsing your kit with clean fresh water after each dive, you should also wash your gear thoroughly at least once a week with a special cleaner designed for dive equipment. This applies not only for neoprene suits, but also for your BCD.

#5 – Store your diving equipment properly

Between dives – and especially if you’re taking some time away from teaching – you should ensure that your gear is stored properly to avoid damage and deformation of the material. Make sure it’s completely dry before packing it away (see #2), don’t stand your fins on the blade-end (as they’ll bend out of shape), and ensure the glass in your diving mask is protected from being scratched.

In addition to these 5 tips, you should always be very careful when carrying and using your diving equipment. Strong impact can easily damage your gear, especially the small components in your BCD and regulator.

PADI’s Equipment Specialist Touch is a great tool to help refresh your memory on maintenance techniques, even as a PADI Professional. It’s also a valuable teaching aid to use with your students to help them learn the importance of caring for their scuba equipment.

This article was written by guest blogger, Christian Hubo. A PADI diving instructor, Christian has enjoyed over 4,000 dives whilst travelling around the world. Above the surface, he’s hiked thousands of kilometers across the natural world. Christian is a freelance web and media designer, underwater photographer, social media and marketing consultant and freelance author. His magazine articles and blog, Feel4Nature, inspires people to follow an independent, individual and eco-conscious lifestyle.

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PADI are delighted to announce that the PADI Dive Centre Family has grown in the last quarter in the Republic of Maldives.

Please help us to welcome following new PADI Dive Centers:

GuruVaa aaadiving on Dhoores Island in the Dhaalu Atoll

Scuba Dive K. Guraidhoo in the South Male Atoll

Ocean Junkies on Hulhumale

Azalea Cruises

Loama Resort on Maamigili in the Raa Atoll

 

Zala Divers at Liberty Guest House in the South Ari Atoll

Aquafantatics on Dhigu Anantara became a PADI Freediver Centre

We wish you the very best of success and are proud to welcome you all to the PADI family.

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The British artist Jason deCaires Taylor has created a sculpture museum at the bottom of the Atlantic off the coast of Lanzarote, one of Spain’s Canary Islands. Museo Atlántico is in 15 metres depths, so is accessible only to Divers, Freedivers and Snorkelers.

They Sculptures are waiting in the depths of the Atlantic and are going to be a fantastic attraction for Lanzarote and the Canary Islands in General.

The Museo Atlántico is the first underwater museum in Europe and should be at the end the new home for 300 sculptures on 200m². For now 35 sculptures were placed in 15 meters of depths in the ocean in front of Playa Blanca in Lanzarote.

Jason Taylor created around 300 life-sized sculptures, cast from real people and grouped in several installations that draw attention to issues such as climate change, conservation and migration. The largest installation is entitled The Rubicon and it comprises a group of 40 people walking towards a gateway. The figures aren’t paying attention to where they are going − some have their eyes closed, some are taking selfies, others are engrossed in their phones. Taylors work is about climate change and how mankind seems to be heading blindly towards a point of no return.

The complete project should be finished in the beginning of 2017 – but all the Dive Centres in the area are receiving enquiries every day from Divers all over the world who are interested to dive the Museo Atlántico.

The Museum opened its doors to the public on the 25^th of February 2016.

Click here for PADI Dive Centres in Lanzarote

This new attraction will bring the Canary Islands on top of the European Dive Destinations. Especially because the Canary Islands are an all year around diving destination and a very safe place in our crazy world!  

Minimum certification requirement: OPEN WATER DIVER with experience

Ecological thought

The artificial reefs facilitate the creation of new plants and animal species in the ocean. The Museo Atlántico should therefore not only be a sculpture park, but also serve to protect the sea. The sculptures are likely to lure dive tourists from areas where coral reefs are already highly vulnerable due to water sports activities. The underwater museum can therefore help to consolidate the very sensitive marine ecosystem.

Pictures: @ PADI Dive Centre –  Aquatis Diving Center Lanzarote

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Top certifying PADI Instructors will soon be receiving their 2016 Elite Instructor Award. This award celebrates the achievements of PADI Instructors who issued 50, 100, 150, 200 or 300+ certifications during 2015.

The Elite Instructor Award distinguishes PADI professionals by highlighting their experience as PADI Members and gives them the means to promote their elite status to student divers, potential students, prospective employers and others. Elite Instructor Award recipients receive an acknowledgement letter and recognition certificate (both signed by PADI President and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Drew Richardson), a decal to add to their instructor cards, and an e-badge they may use on emails, websites, blogs and social media pages. Elite award instructors may authorize PADI Dive Centres or Resorts with which they associate to display their Elite Instructor Award on the business’ digital site as well.

Check out the 2015 Global Elite Instructor Recipient List to see who earned an award for their 2015 certifications. Listed PADI Instructors can go to the “My Account” tab on this site to download their 2015 Elite Instructor e-badge, and should also be able to see their e-badge on their PADI Pro Chek results page.

Visit the PADI Elite Instructor information page to read about the 2016 program.

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PADI Business Academy (PBA) is the powerful, and hugely successful, business development tool only accessible to PADI members. If you’re looking to increase your business exposure, sales and bottom line profit you can’t afford not to become one of the thousands of successful international PADI Business Academy graduates.

But don’t take our word for it.  Take a look inside our Business Academy Brochure and click on the button to see “Testimonials” from Business Academy Graduates.

Join us for either the Leeds (4^th and 5^th April) or the London (18^th and 19^th April) Business Academy

The two day programme, conducted by expert Senior PADI Management, will inspire, equip and motivate you, helping you prepare your business for unprecedented growth.  And as a Business Academy Graduate you’ll be entitled to the exclusive Sales Promotion, helping you drive your digital business forward.

Send your completed registration form to Serena Scatteia.  Don’t delay as registration deadline is Monday 14^th March 2016.

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