Port Douglas PADI Rescue Diver Course

Our Port Douglas PADI Rescue Diver Course will transform your diving experience for the better. As a PADI Rescue Diver, you’ll become an exceptional dive buddy, gaining heightened awareness of your surroundings and fellow divers. You’ll be equipped to handle and even prevent minor issues. Once certified, you’ll be eligible to enrol in the PADI Divemaster Course, the first professional level rating.

This course shifts your focus from yourself to other divers. Through the eLearning or Manual, you’ll explore many aspects of diving that you may have encountered but not fully recognised. During pool sessions, we review essential scuba skills and introduce new ones specifically designed for assisting others. It’s a fascinating and challenging process that builds a high level of confidence, enabling you to effectively help others.

The 2 day open water sessions allow you to apply the skills learned in the pool to real-world environments, culminating in rescue scenarios that mimic actual diving experiences. Whether you choose eLearning or the Manual, the course spans 4 days, 2 days at the pool and classroom facility, followed by 2 days in open water. By the end of the course, you’ll be confident and attentive to the needs of other divers. You’ll also be invited to assist in teaching PADI Open Water Diver courses as a “Rescue Assistant,” where you’ll see your training in action at its most fundamental level.

Online learning makes it easy to fit the Port Douglas PADI Rescue Diver course into your busy schedule and complete the knowledge development sections whenever, wherever it is convenient for you.  Work at your own pace, online or offline, using a computer or mobile device. At our pool and class facility, we review your eLearning results and then spend the time practicing the rescue techniques in the pool until we are comfortable. We also practice all the scuba skills, and there are 24 of them, some of them are “self-rescue skills”

eLearning Time Commitment: 8 – 12 hours.

For those who prefer a more traditional learning approach, our pool and Port Douglas classroom facility is the perfect setting. Here, we review your eLearning results and dedicate ample time to practicing rescue techniques in the pool until you’re confident and comfortable. We also practice all 24 scuba skills, including several essential “self-rescue skills.”

Minimum Age: 12 years

Port Douglas PADI Rescue Divers certified between the ages of 12 and 14 earn a PADI Junior Rescue Diver certification. After the diver’s 15th birthday, any replacement card or eCard purchased will automatically reflect a PADI Rescue Diver certification, rather than Junior Rescue Diver.

Course Prerequisites:

• Any diver with an Open Water (or Junior Open Water) Diver certification can enrol in the Port Douglas PADI Rescue Diver course, complete Rescue Diver eLearning, and participate in Rescue Exercises in confined water.
• To participate in open water Rescue Exercises and be certified as a PADI Rescue Diver, the student must complete the Underwater Navigation Adventure Dive and hold the PADI Junior Adventure Diver certification. A PADI (or other qualifying) Advanced Open Water Diver certification also meets this prerequisite.
• Certification also requires CPR and First Aid training completed within the past 24 months. If you haven’t completed this training, you can enrol in our Emergency First Response (EFR) Primary Care (CPR) and Secondary Care (First Aid) course, available at our pool and class facility.

Rescue scuba diving requires a minimum level of health and fitness. Chronic health conditions, certain medications and/or recent surgery may necessitate written approval from a physician before you can dive. To avoid disappointment, please review the “Diver Medical Form” to determine if you need a physician’s approval before enrolling in our Port Douglas Rescue Diver course. Dive Instructors are not physicians and cannot provide medical advice.

We suggest seeing a doctor before enrolling in the Port Douglas PADI Rescue Diver Course and obtaining a medical statement declaring you “fit to dive”. By taking this step, you’ll be ready to fully enjoy your diving experience with confidence and peace of mind.

During the pool/class sessions, you will need to provide your own lunch. However, lunch will be provided on the two open water days.

Personal Equipment:

• Each student needs to have their own mask, fins and snorkel. Some snorkeling equipment may be suitable for scuba diving.
• If you don’t have these items, you can purchase them from our specialist Port Douglas Dive Store which stocks a great range of equipment.

Scuba Equipment:

• All necessary scuba equipment can be provided for $60 per day for the pool dives and open water dives, totaling $240 for the course.

Learning to dive at a PADI 5 Star Instructor Development Centre ensures you receive top-quality instruction and facilities for your Port Douglas PADI Rescue Diver course. Once certified, you will receive a prestigious “Gold” certification card.

We maintain small class sizes, allowing you to receive almost individual attention from our experienced instructors. Our instructors are fluent and relaxed in teaching scuba diving, ensuring a comfortable and supportive learning environment.

The PADI Rescue Diver course is performance-based, meaning both you and your instructor need to feel confident in your diving skills before progressing to the next stage. This approach ensures that you have ample time to develop into a confident and competent diver.

Your enjoyment is essential for a couple of reasons: it increases the likelihood that you will dive again and encourages you to become an advocate for the marine environment. Your enthusiasm and love for diving can inspire others and contribute to the protection and preservation of our precious marine ecosystems.

As a certified PADI Rescue Diver, you can:

• Buy or rent scuba equipment.
• Plan no-decompression dives with a buddy to a maximum depth of 30 meters.
• Deal with and even prevent minor issues.
• Enrol in continuing education courses to explore special interests.

One exciting option is the Port Douglas PADI Divemaster course (eLearning available). This is the world’s most popular and recognised professional scuba certification. PADI Divemasters enjoy numerous career opportunities, getting paid to scuba dive while sharing their passion for the ocean. In the Divemaster course, you’ll learn how to lead underwater tours.

The Port Douglas PADI Master Scuba Diver is the highest non-instructional rating in scuba diving. It signifies a diver with extensive experience and a broad understanding of diving knowledge and theory. Achieving this certification is a significant accomplishment, demonstrating that you have logged over 50 dives, are a PADI Rescue Diver and are certified in five or more specialty areas.

If you’re up for this challenge, we can create a personalised plan to help you reach this outstanding certification level. As a proud PADI Master Scuba Diver myself, I would be thrilled to have you as a “Rescue Assistant,” helping teach a class of PADI Open Water Divers. Your presence would be invaluable to the students. For inquiries or questions, please contact our PADI course Director Wayne Abraham.