BSA Scuba Diving Merit Badge – Baltimore Scouts | Summer 2026
The water’s warming up. Summer is getting closer. And for a lot of Scouts, places like Sea Base are starting to sound very, very good right about now.
If scuba has been on your radar, this is a great time to turn that curiosity into something real.
Dive With Frank is a registered BSA Scuba Diving Merit Badge Counselor, which means Scouts in the Baltimore area, across Maryland, and throughout the greater DC and Northern Virginia (DMV) region have a local, straightforward path to one of the coolest badges in the program.
Not just as a checkbox. Not just as a requirement. But as a real adventure built on skill, confidence, safety, and a little bit of underwater magic.
Why This Is a Great Time 
- Summer is on the horizon: That means more time in the water, more training opportunities, and more reasons to finally get started.
- Big adventures start somewhere: Whether Sea Base is on your list or you just want to try something unforgettable, scuba is a pretty incredible place to begin.
- Local help makes it easier: Serving Scouts across Baltimore, Maryland, and the greater DC and Northern Virginia area, I can help you understand the path, the requirements, and the best way to approach the badge.
Heads-Up: You Don’t Need to Be Certified with Me
If you want to complete your Open Water Diver certification somewhere else, that’s completely fine.
Many Scouts earn their certification through agencies like PADI, SSI, or NAUI, then come to me afterward to complete the merit badge requirements.
If you already have the certification, great. If you’re still figuring it out, that’s fine too. I can help you make sense of what comes next.
Important Prerequisite: Swimming Merit Badge Required
Before moving into the core scuba requirements, Scouts must already have the Swimming merit badge.
This is a firm requirement, and it makes sense. Before you go underwater with scuba gear, you should already feel comfortable and capable in the water.
What You’ll Actually Work Through
- Safety & First Aid Knowledge
Learn how to recognize and respond to diving-related issues like hypothermia, nitrogen narcosis, decompression sickness, motion sickness, overexertion, and aquatic injuries. You will also understand when and how CPR fits into emergency response. - Swimming Merit Badge
This must be completed before continuing with the remaining requirements. - Scuba Diver’s Code
Cover the fundamentals of safe diving, buddy awareness, buoyancy, good judgment, and respect for the underwater world. - Open Water Diver Certification
Earned through a BSA-recognized agency such as PADI, SSI, or NAUI. - Aquatic Ecosystems
Learn what an ecosystem is and explore the kinds of underwater environments divers may experience. - Scuba Careers Exploration
Research real-world diving careers and take a closer look at one that interests you.
Want to Work with Me?
- Planning ahead for summer? If you are in Baltimore, Maryland, or the surrounding DC and Northern Virginia area, now is the time to start asking questions and building your plan.
- Already certified? Perfect. I can help you complete the remaining badge requirements in a way that is clear, practical, and supportive.
- Just curious? You do not need to have it all figured out. Reach out and we will take it step by step.
Final Thoughts
Some Scouts will spend the summer near the water.
A few will go under it.
If that sounds like your kind of adventure, this might be the year to make it happen.
Let’s do it the right way, build real confidence, and make the Scuba Diving merit badge something you’ll remember for a long time.
