One Month Left for Society’s Member Card Photo Contest

Society’s Member Card Photo Contest is On!

Calling all photographers (amateurs, professionals and students alike), submit your best underwater or dive lifestyle photo in the PADI Diving Society Member Card Photo Contest and your image could become the next Society card.

Last year, more than 8100 PADI Instructors and Divers voted for the 2012 PADI Diving Society member card and chose Darin Dow Sakdatorn's black and white image of the Emily Flying Boat wreck in Micronesia's Chuuk Lagoon. Who's next?

Submit your best photo(s) by September 21, 2012 and your image may wind up in the hands of Society members worldwide.

Don’t forget to take the PADI Digital Underwater Photographer Specialty course or the online PADI eLearning Digital Underwater Photographer course to learn the art of underwater photography! You don’t have to take the course to enter, but if you do, you’ll have plenty of time to start collecting photos and submit them for the contest.

Could the winning image be yours? Submit your photo today. Visit padi.com/societyphotocontest for details.

A Day in the Life of a Divemaster: Ding Jiayan

What's it like to be a PADI Divemaster? After getting certified two years ago, Ding Jiayan began her journey to become a Divemaster at PADI Five Star IDC Big Blue in Shanghai, China. She traveled to the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia and Maldives, logging scores of dives and making friends. Now she's excited about her new career!

PADI Diving Society Departs for the Philippines

From 15-22 February 2014, PADI Diving Society members are headed for an adventure in the Philippines to experience and explore the warm water, white sandy beaches and a rich and diverse culture and history.

Be the Next Finathon™ Champ

A FINtastic thank you to Langley Diving, BC, Canada, for completing their second indoor pool Finathon. Les Newman, PADI Course Director and Finathon team of 12 just raised $1,200 by swimming to help end finning. “I love sharks. I’ve been in the water with them on every continent from Great Whites in Cape Town, to Thailand, the Caribbean, the Red Sea, Australia, the South Pacific, Florida and California! I would rather dive with sharks than people,” says Les.

The Swimming Dead

PADI Instructor Woody Tinsley of Vernon, Connecticut, decided it was time to prepare divers for the siege with a PADI Zombie Apocalypse Diver Distinctive Specialty certification — complete with certification card and 28-page survival manual. Don't get caught unprepared underwater when zombies attack.

Join the Race & Get Swimming to End Finning

The clock’s ticking for vanishing shark species. Project AWARE is looking for 100 Finathon™ champions to join the race to protect them. If you’re FINatical about sharks, join the Finathon today and fundraise for their protection. How many people can you get swimming to end finning? What is the Finathon™? Like a walkathon, fun run or marathon – the Finathon is a great way to bring the community together, raise awareness and challenge funds to support this unique cause. You can help Project AWARE:

Help Protect Sharks & Rays!

In a matter of days, officials from countries around the world will have a historic opportunity to protect a record number of sharks and rays – including oceanic whitetip sharks, hammerheads and manta rays – from the unsustainable international trade that threatens their survival.

And the Winner Is…

Last November, numerous PADI Instructors, Divers and PADI Facebook Fans voted for their favorites in the 2013 PADI Diving Society Member Card Contest. The winner is...

A Day in the Life of a Divemaster: Denea Buckingham

Ever wonder what it’s like to be a PADI Divemaster? Denea Buckingham may be a "cold-water wuss," but she talks about why she loves her job in Australia. Read more here…

Are We Doing Enough for Sharks?

New research reveals alarming declines in catch rates for blue, mako, and oceanic whitetip sharks, as well as declining average sizes of oceanic whitetip and silky sharks.