When you achieve a significant level of experience, you deserve recognition. That is why, in 1992, Scuba Schools International created the first cards in the industry to recognise divers for their experience. We like to think of Century Divers (level 5 with 100 recorded dives),

Gold 500 Divers (level 9 Diver with 500 recorded dives) and

Platinum 1000 Divers (level 10 and the 1,000 dive mark). And the highest honor, the Platinum Pro 5000 Diver, is reserved for divers that have reached the pro level and surpassed 5,000 dives.

A small, but very special group of divers around the world have the privilege to carry the SSI Platinum Pro 5000 Diver Card--the highest recognition level in the diving industry. This group is comprised of the "who's who" of the diving world; the most renowned scientists, manufacturers, instructors, retailers and resort operators--diving's ambassadors.

The idea behind the award is simple; give credit and recognition to water explorers around the world for their life's work in exploring the marine environment. In order to receive the award, a water explorer must meet one of the two criteria listed below:

• A minimum of 5,000 SCUBA dives or snorkel excursions.
• A minimum of 2,500 dives, plus a significant contribution to the goal of water exploration.

In short, the Platinum Pro 5000 Award winners, or "platinum pros", are the most experienced water explorers on our planet. There are more than 1200 Platinum Pros around the world.