Background

SCUBAnauts International (SNI) (previously SCUBA Scouts USA) was founded by CAPT David Olson in Palm Harbor, Florida, in May of 2001 in an effort to introduce young men and women, ages 12-18, to informal science education through underwater exploration. Due to the scientific rather than recreational nature of SNI, SCUBAnauts soon created their own identity.

The first class of six young SCUBAnauts (Andrew, Brynn, Jennifer, Julie, Ryan, and Alex) were certified BASIC Open Water SCUBA divers by YMCA SCUBA Instructor Jeff Paine in May 2001.  As part of CAPT Olson’s quest for these recently certified SCUBAnauts to use SCUBA to learn more about the marine environment, several local marine scientists were contacted in hope of their being enlisted to support and assist in this endeavor.

CAPT Olson’s search for local marine research scientists led to the esteemed marine research scientist, Walter Jaap, of the Florida Fish & Wildlife Research Institute (FWRI), which is located in St. Petersburg, Florida.  Walter enthusiastically embraced the SNI program and, in the summer of 2001, facilitated the introduction of SNI to Gulfstream Natural Gas Systems (GNGS), a Houston -based company that was establishing artificial reefs in Tampa Bay and Gulf of Mexico as part of a major underwater natural gas pipeline construction project.  Coral colonies, sponges, and other benthic (bottom dwelling) organisms were salvaged and relocated from areas impacted by the pipeline construction and reattached to 5,000 tons of Florida limestone boulders covering six mitigation sites located in and about Tampa Bay.

GNGS embraced the idea of involving SNI, under the tutelage of Walter Jaap, to conduct the underwater monitoring of these modules by using scientific methods for surveying and data collection, analysis, and management.  Since 2001, thanks to GNGS’s annual grants of funding, the SCUBAnauts have conducted hundreds of underwater science research dives utilizing modern coral reef monitoring and data collection techniques and procedures.  These research and data collection dives continue to this day.  Each dive is planned and led by the SCUBAnauts themselves, and includes the collection of data parameters, habitat surveys, fish counts, and use of underwater photography and video skills.

SNI Diving Control Board (DCB) was created in 2006 to oversee and ensure SNI SCUBA diving missions comply with AAUS safe science research diving standards and practice.  The DCB is comprised of volunteer diving safety experts from government, educational and private agencies and institutions.  Walter Jaap is SNI’s Diving Safety Officer (DSO) and Dr. Chris Moses is the DCB Chairman.

In May 2007, NASA awarded a three year federal grant ($341,000) to SNI to facilitate continued research, promote direct interaction with scientists, and establish new SNI Chapters around the nation. Dr. Chris Moses is the Program Manager.

In coordination with NASA, in June 2007, SNI began working with the Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) organization to support the exchange of SNI data to a global audience of scientists, teachers, and students.

In October, 2007, SNI and Wild Life Productions, in partnership with the Explorer’s Club, the Hawaii Undersea Research Laboratory (HURL), NOAA, NASA, GLOBE, University of Hawaii at Manoa (SOEST), the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), USN and USAF, commenced a 3-phase expedition named OPERATION: DEEP CLIMB (ODC).  The mission of ODC was to inspire a new generation of 21st Century explorers and promote a better scientific understanding of the universe and marine environment while achieving a genuine “first” for youth exploration.

SNI, America’s next generation of explorers, embarked on a 10-day expedition to Hawaii involving a 1,800-ft descent in a Pisces deep sea submersible that included the exploration of a Japanese midget submarine, the first vessel sunk on December 7, 1941, a mountain climb of 13,786 feet to the summit of the tallest mountain on earth "from base to peak," Mauna Kea, and the unfurling of the ODC mission banner on the Space Shuttle, Endeavor (STS-123) , by mission commander, Dominic Gorie, in March 2008.  The ODC mission was filmed by Wild Life Productions for a potential “pilot” documentary film production for National Geographic or Discovery Channel.  It is planned and anticipated that a 13-part series of one hour shows, entitled “SCUBAnauts,: America’s Next Generation of Explorers” will follow.

SNI has grown considerably in the Tampa Bay area, has received favorable notoriety nationally, and has been very successful in preparing and assisting participating youth to meet leadership opportunities that will ultimately produce our best hope for successful citizens and leaders of tomorrow. 

SNI looks forward to the challenge of increasing the opportunity for young explorers and leaders of tomorrow by enlisting new members, recruiting top notch mentors, and establishing new SNI Chapters internationally.