Too inexperienced for Rescue Diver?

[ShinyD]

Some recent posts on this site describing various incidents have set me thinking. I'm not really comfortable diving with only basic knowledge as I'm worried about what should happen if an incident occurred where I'm the only person able to assist.

I can think of no worse nightmare than of being in a position to help, but incapable of doing so...

I passed my OW a little under a month ago, have 9 dives so far and am looking at doing AOW in mid July.

I'd like to go on and do Rescue Diver a month after that, but what's the general opinion? Am I pushing things too much?

I realise that I'd have theory but not much in the way of experience to back it up...

As a side note to those that have posted incident reports you should be praised! It's as a direct consequence of those that I want to do this earlier rather than later...

[Phoenix]

I'd say do it, whilst you might get more out of the course with more experience you can always arrange a "refresher" later on with someone like Mark Powell if you like. Anything that helps increase your in water confidence and ability to assist others can't be bad.

Ian

[Gav]

Agree with Phoenix, if you treat RD as what it is, a course to give you a set of skills to help you in situations then IMO it can't be wrong to do the course. It will then be useful to consolidate your own diving and take a refresher or further training later on.

[B]

I totally agree.. you are never too inexperienced to do RD - ever.... it is an amazing course which will develop your diving skills and the way you see diving... but.... that is not just it, keep practicing... that way your diving will grow with your knowledge and you will be more confident and proficient...

My advice... go for it... enjoy it....

B x

[Ian@1904]

I did my RD after about 50 dives. At that time I felt very at ease with my kit in the water. For some people on the course I did, they had never dived without an instructor present, which I fund a little odd. Personally I would get some dives and experience by diving with more experienced buddies, and then do the course.
BTW It is a very good course.

[Waskey]

Saying that though, you do have to be comfortable enough with your general skills so you can actually concentrate on the new stuff rather than the diving itself.
What I would say is do your AOW, get a few dives and then you should be more than ready to get it done when you want to.
IMHO, rescue skills are the most useful set of skills that you can ever learn but there's no cure better than prevention!

[JamesW]

Originally Posted by B

I totally agree.. you are never too inexperienced to do RD - ever.... it is an amazing course which will develop your diving skills and the way you see diving... but.... that is not just it, keep practicing... that way your diving will grow with your knowledge and you will be more confident and proficient...

My advice... go for it... enjoy it....

B x

Hi Dave I agree with B you can allways get more experience after you have done the RD course.

[Northern Barry]

Do the course....enjoy it, keep going through "what if's " in your head, its not about number of dives... but confidence in and out of the water, good buoyancy skill and discipline. If your 8 dives were in the UK sea theyre worth 80 warm water dives, with perfect viz and calm seas.

[RogerViking]

sorry guys i dont agree, while i doing the rescue soon after getting your ow qual is good . i think that you should get used to diving first and gathering experience from watching others ,and then doing the rescue course.
it will stand to you .learn about 02 and how to put the reg and cyl togeather then worriy about lifts and the rest later.

i dont think 10 or 20 dives makes you "advanced" no matter what agency your with.
just my 2p

[RogerViking]

Originally Posted by JamesW

Hi Dave I agree with B you can allways get more experience after you have done the RD course.

in other words your not experienced then to be qualified as a rescue diver himm?