Rescue Diver course in Monterey?

[davidbaraff]

I need to take a Rescue Diver course, and am considering doing it in Monterey (because it's closest to home; I'm in the Bay Area). Does anyone have recommendations for someone to take the course from? (If you have *dis*-recommendations, I'm happy to hear them too.)

I'm thinking of trying to do it in the next few months, though I'm wondering if winter weather might be likely to interfere with doing a Rescue Course in Monterey. (I did my open water there, so I'm a cold-water diver, and experienced with kelp. I also know that you can easily have 5-10' visibility and wondering how that works with exercises that require you to actually *find* something/someone under water...)

I used to beach dive Monterey often, but haven't for a few years because it's just gotten a bit cold for me. I imagine that won't be too much of an issue for a Rescue Diver course, as you'll be expending a fair amount of energy constantly, which will likely warm you up? (I.e. I don't expect the dives to be hour-long tranquil low-energy swimming events...)

Is Rescue Diver basically a two-day course, two dives per day?

Any tips/recommendations/advice appreciated. I'm also considering doing the course on Catalina, as a backup. O/W is taught pretty often; I don't know how often people get enough students to actually do a Rescue Diver course...

 

[int3]

Any tips/recommendations/advice appreciated. I'm also considering doing the course on Catalina, as a backup. O/W is taught pretty often; I don't know how often people get enough students to actually do a Rescue Diver course...

I've talked to the guys at Bamboo Reef's SF location about the next rescue class. I think they mentioned that they'd be doing one sometime in the first few months of the year. I've been watching here for the schedule, but no dice so far.

 

[dshorwich]

I did my rescue course in December several years ago, a WASI/NASE "Stress and Rescue" course. We did one day in the classroom (with some pool work in the afternoon), one day on the beach (Breakwater). We did just one dive, and it wasn't a very long dive, so cold wasn't an issue. Vis was 7-10' that day. I think having mediocre vis when you're doing a S&R dive is actually a good thing, it requires you & your team to have your search skills in order; and if you ever end up with a real situation to deal with, you certainly can't count on having good vis, so better to train under less-than-optimal conditions. So I wouldn't let the time of year deter you.

 

[Butch T. Cougar]

I would reccomend Scuba Fusion in San Mateo (Bay Area Scuba Diving Classes at Scuba Fusion - Bay Area Scuba Classes Learn to dive in the San Francisco Bay Area and save - We are a PADI dive center conveniently located in San Mateo.). They are a group of top-notch divers that really love teaching. Their next courses available are: February 21-23, May 9-11, November 7-6. Give them a call at 650-212-3483.