Orca Scuba Diving Academy pulled out all the stops to provide 1,235 Scuba experiences over eight days for scouts and their leaders. Scouts from every corner of the globe donned scuba gear for the first time as they visited the World Scout Jamboree in Chelmsford. Throughout the Jamboree there was a constant stream of participants visiting an area set aside for diving. Every participant was fully briefed before trying scuba in one of three pools specially provided for the event.
Scouts Jamboree Discover Scuba Diving in essex
In addition to the diving area set up as part of the Jamboree activity zones, Project AWARE also had a tent attracting well over 30,000 visitors. The scouts were invited to design a poster to highlight environmental pressures on the world’s oceans resulting in some highly imaginative approaches.
Scout Jamboree Discover Scuba Diving in essex
The International Scouting Jamboree was the 21st World event and celebrated the 100th Anniversary of the first ever Jamboree run by Baden Powell. Scouting organisers had been working on the Jamboree for over five years and the result was the largest event of its kind with over 40,000 scouts camping at Hylands Park, Chelmsford. In addition to those camping there were another 10,000 daily visitors to the site.
Scout Jamboree Discover Scuba Diving in essex
Orca Scuba Diving Academy only started operating in July as a result of four Instructors forming the company with a view to providing high quality dive training. The driving force behind the pool dives was Gary Aldridge (IDC Staff Instructor) who had worked closely with the Jamboree organiser Isla Forward and PADI International Ltd for two years to get the event set up.

It seemed natural for both Gary and the new five-star Academy to get involved because both work very closely with the Scouts and Gary has been running a dedicated weekly pool session for children for some time.

Gary controlled the logistics which meant arranging for the swimming pools and tents for the event, although the biggest challenge was getting these filled. Gary also managed to get other dive centres and individuals involved from across Essex. Planet Scuba supplied diving equipment and personnel, Diverse Scuba supplied enough staff to cover one complete day and a number of independent Instructors also helped out.

Gul provided 250 wetsuits for the event and a mobile compressor was borrowed to ensure cylinders could be pumped on site.

Organisation and co-operation were the keys to success as all the participants needed briefing as well as clear instruction as many were not English speaking. The result was a fantastic advert for diving and for PADI with plenty of visitors returning home with a new found desire to learn to dive.

Read PADI's Around the world page on the event - click here