PADI Search and Recovery Diver

Retrieve lost items that have fallen overboard or over a dock. The PADI Search and Recovery course teaches you effective swimming patterns and how to use a lift bag for heavy objects.

It happens: People accidentally drop things from docks, off boats or even while scuba diving. If you’ve ever lost something in the water and wanted to go find it, then the PADI Search and Recovery Diver Specialty course is for you. There are effective ways to search for objects underwater that increase your chances of success. And there are good and better methods to bring up small, large or just awkward items. Search and recovery can be challenging, but a whole lot of fun.

PADI (Junior) Advanced Open Water Divers who are at least 12 years old can enrol in the Search and Recover Diver course. PADI (Junior) Open Water Divers with a PADI Underwater Navigator certification also qualify.

Gathering information and resources, then carefully planning a search are the first important steps you learn. During four scuba dives you’ll practice:

• Swimming search patterns using your compass and natural navigation.
• Locating large and small objects using various search patterns.
• Using a lift bag for large or heavy objects, plus other recovery methods.
• Planning a search operation based on facts gathered about a lost object prior to the dive.

Number of dives: 4

Duration: 2 days

Cost: €325