Rescue Cert, is it truly a must have cert, or not?

[tursiops]

Solo is a two day "event" in which you must have demonstrable skills to a level that shows your solo diver credentials. There's no time to learn and perfect significant new skills. Given that diving solo relies upon your skills, that means you've already got them as a pre-requisite to the course.

Thus it's a workshop, not a course.

Nonsense.

Good to know, I wasn't aware of the structure or requirements of the course. So it's more of a "bring your skills with you, we'll certify that you're okay to dive solo, that you know the standards and procedures, and we'll give you a card."

Nonsense.

Solo is a real course, with real learning possible, and a real opportunity to not pass.
Any good solo instructor can always teach something new to even the most accomplished student, if they are willing to learn.

 

[Subcooled]

I see, deep, AN/DP, extended range, wreck and advanced wreck with penetration, in my progression [...] I just have no desire to take the Rescue course.

You want to do dives with mandatory decompression stops and penetration dives in wrecks without even basic training in buddy rescue?

The rescue diver course does not make you a rescue god, but you'll learn some basic techniques and IF your instructor is good, you'll learn something about anticipation too. The mental part of this is really really important! Rescue is easy until the situation snowballs out of control. I have been rescued. It was a simple thing, just attaching a hose, but it required awareness from my buddy.

 

[MarkA]

Yeah do CPR, it should be compulsory as soon as families become pregnant
Oxygen provider cobble some gear together to oxygenate on the way home

View attachment 760487

If you go diving enough, you will rescue yourself plenty to not need a course

Heath Robinson has nothing on a Aussie firing on one cylinder.

 

[Wibble]

Nonsense.

Nonsense.

Solo is a real course, with real learning possible, and a real opportunity to not pass.
Any good solo instructor can always teach something new to even the most accomplished student, if they are willing to learn.

Two days to teach critical skills and assess that person to a safe standard. Must be an amazing instructor.

 

[Alaskan Scuba Dude]

Old man of the sea @tursiops.

You talk like a young man but you're not. To rescue someone in real danger takes courage, skills and stamina. Retrieving a lifeless body from the sea floor doesn't involve any of the characteristic traits I mentioned. The original post asked whether it was necessary to be a recue diver at such a late stage in one's life. My answer is no. Most people don't have the acquired skills to subdue a panicky diver. Rescue Courses don't work in real situations because the victim is already deceased.

 

[tursiops]

Old man of the sea @tursiops.

You talk like a young man but you're not. To rescue someone in real danger takes courage, skills and stamina. Retrieving a lifeless body from the sea floor doesn't involve any of the characteristic traits I mentioned. The original post asked whether it was necessary to be a recue diver at such a late stage in one's life. My answer is no. Most people don't have the acquired skills to subdue a panicky diver. Rescue Courses don't work in real situations because the victim is already deceased.

OP, ignore this post too.

 

[MichaelMc]

A large part of rescue is learning how to recognize and head off incidents in the water. Seeing the diver that is nervous, keeping an extra eye on them. Noticing you are feeling off, thinking hard if you should hive today. etc.

You do not become a rescue god, bounding into collapsing wrecks to save whole dive classes. You do learn more of what to look out for in you, your buddy and others.

Yes, that is the dive ops job. But more people in the water that know what to look for, and some simple steps to help, if they so decide to at the time, is better for everyone. It really is a civic duty kind of a thing.

Take rescue from a good instructor. Yes, it really is a "everyone should take this fairly soon".

ETA: As mentioned, the NAUI book is a very good one and in $15 used or $30 new on Amazon.

 

[Jaan]

Very rewarding course. Can be great fun if you have a good instructor. Ours had everyone in the dive boat pitching in and pretending to die in different ways in and out of the water. We were exhausted after the dives ….

I did it with my wife and dive buddy, mostly to have more confidence to take up shore diving together and to be more self sufficient / independent should anything happen to either one of us

I still remember the day of the course. 5-6 footers and dark clouds. We were sure he would postpone but he had a big smile when we showed up and said it was the perfect weather for a rescue course.

Still makes me smile and I think he was right. We had over a hundred dives and he knew our capabilities and pushed us just enough to make it challenging and fun. Grateful for this

 

[Hojo in SC]

I know there's a dive in Guam that will only allow divers to go with Rescue certification.

 

[TMHeimer]

You want to do dives with mandatory decompression stops and penetration dives in wrecks without even basic training in buddy rescue?

The rescue diver course does not make you a rescue god, but you'll learn some basic techniques and IF your instructor is good, you'll learn something about anticipation too. The mental part of this is really really important! Rescue is easy until the situation snowballs out of control. I have been rescued. It was a simple thing, just attaching a hose, but it required awareness from my buddy.

Agree. And if you dive solo mostly and have no buddy to practice with once you have taken Recsue, you can always still study the material-- same as I suggested with EFR/CPR. Better than nothing and better than taking Rescue or CPR once (or more) and not reviewing it. Well, unless one is Sheldon Cooper with an eidetic memory (yes, I had to check that spelling).