About

The Ohio Council of Skin and Scuba Divers, Inc. (OCSSDI) began in 1959, shortly after the first diving clubs were formed in Ohio. Today, it is one of the oldest scuba diving organizations in the country, older than most certification agencies.

Over the years, the mission of the OCSSDI changed to meet the needs of its members. Originally formed to oversee training standards for scuba enthusiasts and to govern inter-club competitions, the OCSSDI refined its mission to include providing a unified voice for Ohio’s divers in legislative matters. The current Mission of the Ohio Council of Skin and Scuba Divers, Inc. is to be an advocate for Ohio divers in promotional, legal, research, safety, education and environmental matters.

Some projects the OCSSDI has been involved in include but are not limited to:

• Serving on the Governor’s Advisory Committee to the Submerged Lands law affecting Lake Erie’s shipwrecks.
• Sponsoring and participating in underwater clean-ups and kept apprised of water quality issues.
• Offering scholarship opportunities for members pursuing a degree in marine-related education.
• Providing avenues for communication between divers, dive clubs, dive agencies and dive related businesses.
• Working with legislators to make O2 available to Ohio divers, with appropriate training, without a prescription.
• Raising money for Divers Alert Network.
• Operating ScubaFest, a scuba convention, with nationally known speakers, vendor booths, photo competition, banquet, and entertainment.
• Providing letters of support for various grant and research proposals.

For our newest venture, we have created a steering committee to embark on the exciting process of looking at how we can best support the diving community as we head toward our 60th year as an organization.

As part of this endeavor, the committee would love to hear your creative ideas, wishes, and questions.  Nothing is too ‘out there’!  Please reach out to us at info@ocssdi.org, by using the email form below or through social media. We look forward to positioning the OCSSDI so it can transition strongly into the 21st century.