National Geographic ACCREDITATION

PADI National Geographic Diver is Now Both an Entry-level Course and a Specialty Course with Links to Adventures in Diving and Master Scuba Diver.

The following copy is courtesy of PADI's Training Bulletin - Q4 2005 that will be out soon: Since its introduction, the PADI National Geographic Diver programme has allowed new divers to start with a special certification. This close connection to PADI's Open Water Diver course has resulted in some resistance by already certified divers who want to step up their ratings rather than earn another entry-level card. PADI Members have requested a programme shift that makes the PADI National Geographic Diver programme more marketable to all current divers, yet still leaves it attractive to potential divers. Accordingly, the PADI National Geographic Diver programme now has two practical and exciting pathways to earn the PADI National Geographic Diver certification, effective immediately.

The first pathway is the PADI National Geographic Diver entry-level programme as we know it, which will continue to exist, but with these important changes: The course must include a minimum of five dives (instead of four) to complete all PADI Open Water Diver course and PADI National Geographic Diver programme requirements. Divers achieving PADI National Geographic Diver Open Water certification in this five-dive programme may credit their experience toward Adventures in Diving (as an Adventure Dive) and Master Scuba Diver (as a Specialty Course). Though it may require more than five dives in total to complete both the Open Water Diver course and the PADI National Geographic Diver programme requirements, a minimum of five total dives are required, and PADI National Geographic Diver skills may be combined with skills on Open Water Diver course Dives 3 and 4.

The second pathway is the new PADI Specialty Diver course with a minimum of two dives based on the requirements for what was the PADI National Geographic Portal. Certified divers will complete all of the PADI National Geographic Diver programme skills to earn a PADI Specialty Diver certification, as well as getting credit toward PADI Adventures in Diving programme and the PADI Master Scuba Diver rating. As before, the PADI National Geographic Open Water Diver and the new PADI National Geographic Specialty Diver programmes may only be conducted at a PADI National Geographic Dive Centre.

Because PADI National Geographic Divers must demonstrate proficiency while hovering, navigating, observing and studying the underwater world and complete theory assignments with the National Geographic Diver DVD and Almanac, the programme content is robust enough to support a specialty diver certification, and likewise credit toward Adventures in Diving and Master Scuba Diver. With this change, the PADI National Geographic Diver programme can easily be easily promoted both to entry level divers in a five-dive programme and to certified divers who want to take part in PADI National Geographic Diver activities and earn a specialty rating. The first dive of the programme may be credited as an Adventure Dive toward either a PADI Adventure Diver or Advanced Open Water Diver certification.

PADI National Geographic Dive Centres that are successfully promoting the National Geographic programme as an entry-level course will still use the crew pak (prod. 60323 Imperial/61323 Metric), which remains the same.

PADI National Geographic Divers certified prior to this change who wish to upgrade to the specialty certification, must provide documentation (log book) of at least one additional dive beyond open water certification.