Ever lost something, most of us have at some time or another, the frustration and inconvenience let alone the expense of replacement. Imagine now that you posses the necessary skills and knowledge to effectively search and recover those elusive lost objects, perhaps a member of the dive party has dropped their torch or the strap securing their camera broke and in a moment its gone!

Learn to search methodically and effectively even in relatively low visibility, earn the respect and gratitude of your fellow divers by demonstrating your skills in organising and leading the search to recover the missing object. Take the PADI Search and Recovery Speciality and find out how!

This course consists of both independent academic study, classroom video presentation and Instructor led discussion as well as four Open Water dives. The focus of this course is on the Knowledge and Skills required enabling you to conduct Safe Search and Recovery Procedures in Open Water situations! It consists of four open water training dives, with a recommended training dive depths of 6 12 meters for each dive. The course normally runs over two days, dependant upon the dive site location and logistics. At the discretion of the instructor additional confined water training sessions may be required, prior to participants going to open water.

The pre-dive video, presentations and discussions will cover the following topics -

• Equipment requirements.
• The Recreational Search and Recovery Diver.
• Two types of Search and Recovery Diving.
• Search and Recovery Environments.
• Potential Hazards of Search and Recovery Diving.
• Planning Search and Recovery Dives.
• Pinpointing lost objects at the surface.
• Underwater Searches.
• Object Recovery Procedures.
• General Open Water Considerations.

The Open Water dives will require participants to take part in diving scenarios where they will participate in the search and recovery of a variety of object over a variety of search areas, including lifting objects from the bottom to the surface using an appropriate lifting device. Participants will be required to demonstrate effective and safe rigging of such objects and lifting devices whilst underwater.

When you sign up for this course you will receive your speciality course manual, which you should be prepared to read and complete the knowledge reviews prior to the starting date of your course.

Day 1 - Upon arrival at Simply Scuba you will receive a safety briefing and orientation to the dive centre. This will be followed by an introduction to the course and an overview of what to expect and whats expected of you. This is followed by a video presentation and Instructor led discussion covering the key points of Search and Recovery Protocols and the checks and responsibilities involved in this highly challenging aspect of scuba diving. Students will then prepare for the days diving activities, checking and preparing equipment, before leaving the dive centre for the pool or chosen dive site. At the end of the day participants return to Simply Scuba or appropriate dive base for de-kitting followed by a debriefing of the days activities.

<Day 2 -  The second day starts with all course participants meeting at the pre arranged time and place, preparation of the equipment follows, then off to the dive site for the final dives of the course. At the end of the days diving, all participants return to the dive centre at Simply Scuba to assist with de-kitting and storage of the equipment followed by a course debriefing and completion of certification administration.

Participants must hold a minimum diver certification of PADI Advanced Open Water Diver, or an equivalent rating. With a minimum of twenty logged dives with experience of both deep diving and Underwater Navigation. Or be qualified at PADI Open Water Diver level and hold the Underwater Navigator Speciality Certification.

Minimum age is 12 years*.

Hire of diving equipment.
Dive site entrance fees, and PADI Certification fees.

Transportation from Simply Scuba dive centre to the selected dive site venue.

2 passport sized photographs.

Your log book and proof of your current level of diving certification.

Swim Wear and Towel.

Packed lunches.

*Participants under 16 years must be accompanied on the course by a suitably qualified parent or legal guardian.

Like all training courses where certain levels of performance are required to pass it is important to realize that you must reach the required levels of proficiency for each aspect of the course in order for the instructor to certify you, (just like on a driving test). If you fail to achieve the required standards we will endeavor to give you the opportunity for further training, however this would incur additional cost.

The PADI Search And Recover Specialty Course is part of the PADI Diver Continuing Education Program, designed to encourage divers to further their Knowledge and Skills under the safe supervision of professional instructors. It combines well with other such courses such as the PADI Multilevel Diver Specialty Course, or the Wreck Diver Specialty Course.