As your passion for scuba diving grows, it’s important to broaden your skills and knowledge so you can experience more challenging dive sites some of which maybe remotely located.

If you work on a yacht, there is a good chance you will get to experience magnificent destinations as you travel through the Caribbean, Red Sea or crossing the Pacific.  

All the more reason to be prepared for the unexpected and well versed on how to handle various diving scenarios that go beyond an entry level Openwater and even Advanced Openwater certification.  For example, an injured diver and appropriate first aid response and assistance , or what to do with a tired diver or how to handle an unconscious diver recovery.

The skills you learn in a Rescue Diver course will provide invaluable knowledge which can be extended to general yacht watersport activity supervision.  Free diving for example is gaining rapidly in popularity and requires some basic rules to conduct safely.  A rare opportunity is available next month in Mallorca with Ondine, how to learn and train freediving techniques with a freediving world champion which will incorporate basic elements of Rescue Diver training.

So what kind of scenarios should you be ready to handle:

• Decompression sickness (The Bends) and lung injuries.  There are a couple very simple and straight forward rules when diving which is taught at the Open Water entry level certification….don’t hold your breath, ascend from a dive slowly with a controlled rate and dive within your limits and training.  Accidents can still happen despite following the best laid plans and following the rules.
• Assisting a tired or overexerted diver
• Unconscious diver recovery on the surface or underwater
• Organising a search for a lost diver both above and below the surface 
• Marine life injuries such as jellyfish or fire coral stings – Being knowledgeable about interacting with marine life is important.  Underwater you have the opportunity of interacting with wild marine life on a very intimate and up close and personal basis.  It’s important to respect their home and not aggressively molest an animal or its habitat.  The simple rule is, respect marine life and keep your distance and the animals will leave you alone.  An animal that is attacked will return the favour in the name of defence even if it’s a case of accidental contact.
• Knowledge of first aid procedures and equipment in dealing with dive related injuries.

Ask yourself the question: Are you prepared to handle any of the above scenarios? If not than the Rescue Diver Course is for you .

The Rescue Diver course is designed to sharpen your skills and prepare you for the unprepared as well as provide an excellent team building experience and is the stepping stone to a Divemaster rating. 

For more info contact Brad or Nick at Yacht Scuba Safety with Ondine Diving – the crew dive training specialists

Nick Stael von Holstein, info@ondineescape.com