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Being Alert: A Subtle Lesson in the Rescue Diver Course

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Rescue Diver

“I queried those at the back of the boat about whether Al had gone into the water on purpose, fallen in by accident or something else. No one could say. Confusion threatened to overtake the situation.”

Bill Powers, a San Diego SCUBA instructor, described the above brief moment on a liveaboard in a recent article he wrote regarding a dive accident where a diver entered the water without his dive buddy, became unconscious and immediately sank to 84 feet (25.6 meters). Were it not for a few attentive divers and quick thinking to help the victim, this dive accident could have turned into a tragedy. Lucky for ‘Al’ he lived to dive another day.

Before I was SCUBA certified I had a conversation with an assistant DM who told me about how important being rescue certified was.  After hearing her describe a few scenarios where her rescue certification came into use, I was determined to complete the rescue course as soon as possible. Most divers that I’ve talked with about the rescue diver course agree that it is one of the most fun and rewarding courses to take. Some divers felt that after taking the course, their confidence level skyrocketed and they became better divers because the knowledge they received helped them navigate through scenarios which they previously found daunting. Others were simply happy for the knowledge given during the CPR portion of the class. In the end, the rescue diver course could easily be the most valuable course one can take.

By the time I took the rescue course, I had already spent a lot of time in the ocean and had logged more than 80 dives. I was comfortable in the water and confident in my skills as a diver but still nervous about the class itinerary. Dragging people across the sand? Giving rescue breaths through the surf zone? Am I going to die doing this? My nervousness increased when I realized I was the smallest person in the class with the least amount of body weight and not a lot of upper body strength. I had to get through it! And of course, I did.

But, for me the most important lesson was not learning how to take someone’s BCD off and give him or her rescue breaths at the same time; though I appreciate the knowledge and enjoyed the challenge of it. And despite finding it extremely useful to learn how to protect someone’s airway while bringing them through the surf, I was more nervous about the constant but accidental salt-water sinus flushes when playing the victim (everyone finally did get it right in the end). My arms and legs ached for a few days after dragging a victim across the sand but at least we laughed between the strenuous groaning while accompanied by cheers of “you can do it!” And now I know I can.

At the end of the day, the most significant piece I took away from the course was learning to be alert. We were all told from the start of the course that we should be watching other divers for signs of stress and for improperly assembled gear. One of my favorite classes was when I was instructed to become a stressed diver before we got in the water (mimicking the kinds of stress behavior a diver may exhibit before a dive). I was normally conversational and interacted with fellow student divers, but this time I casually slipped away and sat on the edge of the pool. I wasn’t myself and though it took a while, someone (one of my dive buddies!) finally noticed that I was acting odd.  Another favorite class was when I was asked to strap my tank improperly and my dive buddy had to figure out what was amiss. On another day, we all had something wrong with our gear and had to find and correct it on each other. These moments were for me the moments that changed my perception of my dive environment.

Why was that change in perception important to me? In the open water certification class we learned that a chain of small, seemingly unimportant events may lead to a dive accident. For example, first smashing your toe with your tank, then having to use a borrowed piece of equipment because you forgot yours, added with a new environment and maybe a leaky mask could put you into a panic resulting in a rapid ascent and a trip to the hospital. An attentive dive buddy or group of divers may be able to recognize signs of stress and know how to put their fellow diver at ease, hopefully putting a halt to the sequence before it goes too far. Or you may recognize your own chain of events beginning and do what’s needed to either complete a successful, safe dive or call it if you’re too stressed. It’s important to take note of what you and other divers around you are experiencing and equally important to adhere to buddy checks before each dive. How are the divers around you acting? Where are they at mentally? Were they distracted while gearing up? Are they having trouble with seasickness or are they uncomfortable in waves? What’s going on around you? Are you prepared to exercise the skills you learned in your rescue certification class at any given moment?

Even though I can’t stress enough the importance of practicing underwater skills, through my rescue certification I’ve also learned that it’s equally important to be observant before your dive and practice being alert to what’s going on around you. It’s easy to become preoccupied with the social aspect of the pre-dive that we forget that there are things to look for above and beyond the usual gearing up routine. I think back to Bill Powers and what happened during his liveaboard trip. The divers who remained calm and were alert to a situation that quickly went bad may have prevented a death. That scenario reinforces my belief that it’s smart to keep one eye on your buddy and another on those around you. And while chatting with fellow divers, keep an ear out for sounds that could cause concern. Without the rescue course, I may not have known to be aware of these things, and so much more! I’m baffled at divers who have yet to take the rescue diver course; it is inarguably the best class I’ve taken and I have no doubt that those who have yet to take the class would feel the same way.

For more from Lora, visit www.TranquilDeep.com.

Lora is an avid freediver and scuba diver. Follow her blog where she chronicles her scuba and freediving love affair with the ocean: www.TranquilDeep.com

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Four opportunities to go pro in 2024 with Dive Friends Bonaire

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idc

Dive Friends teaches the Instructor Development Course (IDC) several times a year to students who are eager to share their passion for diving with the world.

Dive Friends is known for the personal approach throughout the course. Their in-house course director will lead the students through every essential step, mentoring them to achieve their fullest potential as a dive instructor.

Applications for the following IDC start dates are now open:

  • 12 April
  • 5 July,
  • 20 September
  • 29 November

Partnership with Casita Palma

If the student opts for the IDC-Deluxe or IDC-Supreme package, their accommodation will be arranged for them at Casita Palma. This small and quiet resort is within walking distance from Dive Friends Bonaire’s main dive shop location and has everything you need to relax after an intense day of IDC training. Breakfast is included, so the student will always be fuelled and ready for their day.

Contact Dive Friends Bonaire’s Course Director Eddy for more information: coursedirector@divefriendsbonaire.com.

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Scubility: Achieving Success through Adaptability

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scubility

Introduction to Scubility

Being a scuba diving professional, I am always fascinated by the beauty of the underwater world, filled with colorful coral and a variety of marine species. Every dive site around the world has something unique to offer, attracting the diving community to immerse themselves time and time again. The feeling of being underwater is a unique experience, akin to being in space, where you can escape Earth’s gravity to enjoy the freedom of movement. However, water sports are often believed to be accessible only to those with good physical strength, leaving others to only dream of being there.

The Genesis of Scubility

Scubility was developed as a way to help people with disabilities experience the magic of scuba diving or snorkeling. A few years back we became involved in the SDI Scubility program as a way to use our diving experience and knowledge to bring disabled people beneath the ocean. To empower them with a feeling where they can forget their disability and limitations. The image of a Wheelchair Hero from the movie ‘AVATAR’, who could walk and run only in dreams, was the first seed of the idea for a local Scubility program.

scubility

Launching the Scubility Course

Since 2014, my friend has dedicated himself to helping disabled people. Knowing that I am an SDI/TDI Instructor Trainer, he called upon me to help bring them into the world of scuba diving. Captivated by this idea, I decided to offer a special diving course adapted for disabled people: the SDI Scubility Course. The sole purpose was to bring happiness and a feeling of belonging back to our precious disabled students, by giving them an immersive experience under the sea. Perhaps, the mother ocean has a way of treating us all equally, to rebuild confidence and give hope of being alive.

scubility

Adapting Diving for All Abilities

Initially, most Scubility divers in our programs were wheelchair users. The main challenge was to design a unique technique suitable for each Scubility diver, based on their limitations. To do so, we set up a protocol keeping in mind all the scenarios that could arise during diving, starting from boarding the boat, to diving, and the communication signals during the dive. Training was also provided to volunteer participants, mostly instructors and assistant divers.

scubility

The Scubility Program in Action

In the last four events, we have enrolled many Scubility divers in the program. We also have a team of trained instructors and assistants; without them, this wouldn’t be possible. The main objective was to make safe and comfortable diving experiences for Scubility students. In fact, in the last Scubility program, which concluded in March 2023, we included a blind diver along with six other Scubility divers. We also had 8 instructors and more than 10 assistant participants to make this possible.

scubility

The main challenge for blind divers is to set up a communication signal. So, I designed a unique ‘touch signal’ for blind students where they just need to touch an arm to convey a message. For example, when an instructor touches your arm twice, it means he is asking, “Are you okay?”. In case of any emergency during the dive, the blind diver just needs to squeeze the arm of the instructor to get his attention to solve the problem. For each Scubility diver, there were at least two personnel, an instructor, and an assistant, assigned.

Impact and Emotions of Scubility

The most satisfying experience of this program was to see Scubility divers happy, with emotional, teary eyes. I could imagine that probably for the first time, or perhaps the only time, some of them could walk, stand, and move again underwater without a wheelchair, feeling alive again. Seeing a courageous Scubility diver overcoming all challenges and obstacles to make it possible definitely inspires me to organize more events like this.

scubility

“Scuba Diving for All” Event

The biggest local Scubility program, named “Scuba Diving for All,” was organized in Khao Lak, Phang-nga Province, south of Thailand, from October 30 to November 5, 2018. We invited international Scubility participant divers for this event. Leading up to this program, we put in lots of effort, preparing hotels and resorts in a friendly design, making sure of choosing good dive sites, and above all, to bring a smile to our precious Scubility students.

scubility

I hope that this endeavor will serve as an inspiration for people worldwide to achieve what may seem impossible, while also raising awareness about the importance of charity and kindness in our society. I look forward to welcoming you soon to our joyful underwater realm.

As an SDI TDI & Scubility IT, Dan Phutthakhun Prungkananon, owner of All Star Diving Academy located in Thailand, has a deep-rooted passion for ensuring safety and fun in the water. Keep up with Dan and the All Star Diving Academy via Instagram  or Facebook and by checking out their Dive Center Facebook.

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