Rescue Diver 

Un curso fundamental para mantener la seguridad en el mar. 

Con el afán de seguir aprendiendo y creciendo como buceadora, un día decidí dejar de ser una buceadora avanzada para ser una Rescue Diver, creo que los buceadores de rescate son mucho más seguros en el agua, ya que, nos entrenan en base a la prevención de accidentes. 

Hoy quiero hablaros sobre este curso y mi experiencia como alumna en aquel entonces. 

Sin duda, fue el curso más divertido, desafiante y satisfactorio de todos los que he hecho. Éramos un grupo de 6 alumnos, todos trabajábamos, por lo que las clases eran una vez a la semana, cada sábado.  

Podría decirse que es un curso “duro” pero no sería justo, en realidad lo que se busca es que cada uno dé el 100% dentro de sus posibilidades físicas para socorrer a una persona que lo necesite y para ello nos enseñaron diferentes técnicas.  

En la etapa de Teoría, tratábamos un accidente real en cada una de las clases, veíamos cómo se produjo, qué lo causó, qué se hizo, qué falló y qué se debería haber hecho. Nos enseñaban a aplicar lógica, criterios y técnica. El material digital de PADI que usamos para el curso integra textos con imágenes y vídeos, haciendo el aprendizaje muy fácil, entretenido y dinámico. 

Nuestro instructor llamado Bigo era un ex buceador del ejército y la marina. Él, a pesar de todas sus exigencias, hacía que amaras el mar cada vez un poquito más. De todos los instructores que había tenido hasta ese momento, fue el más estricto, el más duro, pero visto en la distancia, agradezco su firmeza, su modo de transmitir toda su experiencia arriba y abajo del mar. Agradezco todas las enseñanzas que recibí de él y que me acompañaron y me acompañan en cada buceo. Sin dudas uno de mis mejores referentes. 

También teníamos entrenamiento en la piscina, donde simulábamos escenarios reales de rescate. En mi caso, podría decirse que empecé con el pie izquierdo y en vez de rescatar a mi compañero en el simulacro, terminaron por rescatarme a mí. Y no, no se trataba de un simulacro, lamentablemente. Recuerdo que había tenido un día muy largo en el trabajo, prácticamente no había comido y el vapor de la piscina climatizada terminó por hacer lo suyo. En medio del ejercicio me desmayé. ¿Pueden creerlo? Pues yo no.  Abro los ojos y ya no estaba en el agua, me habían tumbado en el borde de la piscina y tenía alrededor a mis instructores tratando de despertarme. Afortunadamente, me recompuse, seguí con el entrenamiento y resultó ser uno de mis mejores días. 

Para aquel ejercicio habían puesto una lancha neumática inflable en medio de la piscina y la práctica consistía en como subir a una persona inconsciente a la barca, sin ningún tipo de ayuda. Fue toda una destreza. 

Una vez concluidas las sesiones teóricas y todos los exámenes aprobados, llegaba el momento de poner en práctica un rescate en el mar. La segunda etapa ya estaba en marcha y los últimos detalles del viaje listos. 

El destino elegido fue Ibiza, viajamos todos juntos como si fuera un viaje de fin de curso. Disfruté mucho al compartir con instructores y divemasters sus divertidas anécdotas mientras compartíamos unos mates y experiencias de vida. 

Llegamos a Ibiza, la operadora SCUBA IBIZA, ya nos esperaba con todos los equipos listos para nuestro primer buceo grupal. Impresionada tanto por la embarcación como por los equipos, con últimos modelos en perfectas condiciones. Los instructores eran muy amables y estaban en todos los detalles, hacían que te sientas como en casa. 

Nuestro hotel estaba tan cerquita de la playa que accedíamos al mar con tal solo unos pasos. Realmente un paraíso. 

Esa noche cenamos y tempranito nos fuimos a descansar. A la mañana siguiente, y después de un rico desayuno, nos fuimos caminando hasta Scuba Ibiza. Este centro de buceo también tiene a su favor su ubicación, ya que se encuentra en un lugar estratégico para quienes llegan en avión, Ferry o en embarcaciones privadas. 

Una vez en el centro, nos dividimos de acuerdo con cada nivel. Los que iban a rendir aguas abiertas del PADI Open Water Diver, los que participaban en el curso PADI Advanced Open Water Diver, los que sólo iban a bucear y nosotros, los futuros PADI Rescue Divers. 

Si mi memoria no me falla creo que el nombre del lugar de buceo era el islote Malvin Sur, un islote caracterizado por su tranquilidad, situado dentro de la reserva marina del Freus de Ibiza, justo delante de la Playa den Bossa, una playa muy solicitada en la noche de Ibiza. El islote, en el punto de fondeo, tiene muy poca profundidad que va aumentando a medida que seguimos su pared. El fondo está cubierto, principalmente, de Posidonia oceanica, lo que le da el aspecto de un enorme jardín. El hecho de ser un islote resguardado de vientos y oleaje lo convierte en el sitio perfecto para realizar todas las destrezas y ejercicios de rescate. Estábamos expectantes con la actividad que nos habrían preparado para ese día. 

Allí estábamos, los 6 nerviosos buceadores, listos para ser “examinados”. Volvimos a hacer todos los ejercicios que habíamos practicado en la piscina. Recuerdo muy bien uno de ellos. Se trataba de extraer a un buceador inconsciente y llevarlo fuera del agua. Este ejercicio consistía en primero confirmar y asegurar que el buceador estaba inconsciente, para ello teníamos que salpicarlo con el agua y llamar su atención. Luego girarlo boca arriba para invertir su posición y estabilizar su flotabilidad, para esta maniobra teníamos que quitarle el cinturón lastre e hincharle el chaleco, mientras pedíamos ayuda. Después debíamos quitarle la máscara y el regulador, y pasar a abrirle las vías aéreas para comprobar su respiración, unos 10 segundos, poniendo la cara cerca de la nariz y, al mismo tiempo, observando el pecho del buceador. Acto seguido comenzábamos con la respiración artificial y al mismo tiempo íbamos quitándole el equipo mientras lo extraíamos por completo hasta meterlo en el barco, con la ayuda de los demás compañeros de curso. Una vez terminado el repaso de los ejercicios, nos pusimos a practicar con los simulacros.  

En mi práctica, tuve que rescatar a Boti, mi instructor preferido, un hombre de 78 años, que su vida sana, completamente activa y en armonía con el azul profundo, convierte su apariencia en un hombre de 60. Mis ejercicios salieron perfectos y recibí muchas felicitaciones. Así terminó la jornada, con la satisfacción de haberlo logrado. Por la noche fuimos todos a cenar y a brindar por habernos convertido en PADI Rescue Divers. 

Aprendí que el “secreto” de este curso consiste en poder ver un accidente antes de que éste ocurra y así poder evitarlo. Pero si no puede ser evitado, aprendes a hacer un rescate efectivo, seguro y rápido con las técnicas idóneas de rescate y sin mayores problemas.  

Pasaron muchos años después de esta anécdota y hoy soy yo quien imparte este curso junto con el de primeros auxilios. Tal vez, por ser tan conservadora, responsable y llevar la seguridad al extremo, no he tenido ningún accidente. Tampoco he tenido que rescatar a alguien más allá de las demostraciones del curso. Pero es verdad que hay que estar muy atentos todo el tiempo. 

Recuerdo que, en una ocasión, estábamos con un grupo de personas procedentes de India. Les cuento que, en su mayoría no saben nadar, pero si tienen mucha valentía porque se animan a hacer cosas nuevas y a desafiar nuevos retos, como bucear. La primera de este grupo fue una chica muy simpática que, para mi sorpresa, iba bastante bien en el agua. Hicimos el bautismo de buceo, estuvimos unos 30 minutos bajo el agua y todo fue perfecto. Terminada la inmersión, la dejé en la escalera del barco, donde un compañero la recibiría y la ayudaría a quitarse el equipo. En menos de un segundo, el tiempo que tardé en acomodar mi máscara de buceo, escuché a mi compañero que gritaba porque alguien tenía problemas… Como podía ser ¿? Todo pasó en un instante. Vi como la chica se quitó la máscara, el regulador y desinfló su chaleco. ¿Porque lo hizo? No lo sabemos. Tal vez se agobió, tal vez fue un exceso de confianza, no lo sé, ella tampoco supo explicarlo. Allí estaba, hundiéndose ante mis ojos. Gracias a mi buen entrenamiento, a mis conocimientos, al estar todo el equipo pendiente, no pasó a mayores. Con solo acerarme a ella e inflar su BCD fue suficiente en este caso. 

Debido a esta experiencia vivida, que siempre la comparto para que, si tienes la oportunidad, no dudes en apuntarte a un curso de rescate PADI Rescue Diver. Estoy segura de que te dará muchas satisfacciones y además cambiará tu forma de ver el agua y la seguridad en ella. 

Te enseñará a tener buen juicio, por ejemplo, a rechazar planificaciones de inmersiones fuera de los límites de tu entrenamiento. El buceo está pensado para que sea una actividad divertida, no para jugarse la vida. Por eso los beneficios al realizar el curso serán: mejorar tus habilidades en el buceo, optimizar tu autogestión cuando bucees, podrás velar por la seguridad de otros y anticiparte a posibles problemas y, sin duda, serás un mejor compañero de buceo. Además, en este Curso PADI Rescue Diver, notarás que tu nivel como buceador aumenta considerablemente y, porque no, podría ser un paso más hacia tu carrera como buceador profesional. En las manos de los experimentados profesionales de SCUBA IBIZA, tu satisfacción estará garantizada. 

Entre curso y curso… entre buceo y buceo  … 

Observa los océanos, fija tu mirada en el mar, siéntelo, respira… ellos nos proporcionan la mitad del oxígeno que respiramos… donde las leyendas cobran vida y la realidad se convierte en fábula. Desconocidos mundos, desconocidas historias, solo custodiadas por un furioso e indefenso mar. 

Carla Villari 

The Rescue Diver course

A fundamental course to maintain safety at sea. 

With the desire to continue learning and growing as a diver, one day I decided to stop being an advanced diver to be a Rescue Diver, I believe that rescue divers are much safer in the water, since they teach us based on prevention of accidents. 

Today I want to tell you about this course and my experience as a student at that time. 

Without a doubt, it was the most fun, challenging and satisfying course I have ever done. We were a group of 6 students, we all worked, so the classes were once a week, every Saturday. 

It could be said that it is a “hard” course, but it would not be fair, in fact, what is sought is that each one gives 100% within their physical possibilities to help a person who needs it and for this they taught us different techniques. 

In the theory stage, we dealt with a real accident in each of the lessons, we saw how it happened, what caused it, what was done, what failed and what should have been done. They taught us to apply logic, criteria, and technique. The PADI digital material that we use for the course integrates texts with images and videos, making learning very easy, entertaining, and dynamic. 

Our instructor named Bigo was a former army and navy diver. He, despite all his demands, made you love the sea a little more and more. Of all the instructors he had had up to that moment, he was the strictest, the toughest, but seen from a distance, I appreciate his commitment, his way of transmitting his entire experience up and down the sea. I appreciate all the teachings that I received from him and that they accompanied me and accompany me on each dive. Without a doubt one of my best references. 

We also had training in the pool, where we simulated real rescue scenarios. In my case, it could be said that I started on the wrong foot and instead of rescuing my partner in the drill, they ended up rescuing me. And no, it wasn’t a drill, sadly. I remember that I had had a very long day at work, hardly eaten and the steam from the heated pool ended up doing its thing. In the middle of the exercise, I blacked out. Can you believe it? Well, not me. I open my eyes and I was no longer in the water; I had been lying on the edge of the pool and I had my instructors around me trying to wake me up. Fortunately, I pulled myself together, continued training and it turned out to be one of my best days. 

For that exercise they had put an inflatable boat in the middle of the pool and the practice consisted of how to raise an unconscious person into the boat, without any help. It was quite a skill. 

Once the theoretical sessions and all the passed exams had concluded, it was time to implement a rescue at sea. The second stage was already underway, and the last details of the trip were ready. 

The chosen destination was Ibiza, we all traveled together as if it were an end-of-year trip. I really enjoyed sharing with instructors and divemasters their funny anecdotes while we shared some math and life experiences. 

We arrived in Ibiza; the SCUBA IBIZA operator was already waiting for us with all the equipment ready for our first group dive. Impressed by both the boat and the equipment, with latest models in perfect condition. The instructors were very friendly and were in all the details, they made you feel at home. 

Our hotel was so close to the beach that we accessed the sea with just a few steps. Really a paradise. 

That night we had dinner and early we went to rest. The next morning, and after a rich breakfast, we walked to Scuba Ibiza. This diving center also has its location in its favor, since it is in a strategic place for those who arrive by plane, ferry, or private boats. 

Once in the center, we divide according to each level. Those who were going to perform open water of the PADI Open Water Diver course, those who participated in the PADI Advanced Open Water Diver course, those who were only going to dive and us, the future PADI Rescue Divers. 

If my memory serves, I believe that the name of the dive site was the Malvin Sur islet, an islet characterized by its tranquility, located within the Freus de Ibiza marine reserve, right in front of Playa den Bossa, a highly sought-after beach in the night of Ibiza. The islet, at the anchor point, has very shallow depth that increases as we follow its wall. The bottom is mainly covered with Posidonia oceanica, which gives it the appearance of a huge garden. The fact of being an islet sheltered from winds and waves makes it the perfect place to carry out all the skills and rescue exercises. We were looking forward to the activity that they would have prepared for us for that day. 

There we were, the 6 nervous divers, ready to be “tested”. We went back to doing all the exercises we had practiced in the pool. I remember one of them very well. It involved extracting an unconscious diver and carrying him out of the water. This exercise consisted of first confirming and ensuring that the diver was unconscious, for this we had to splash him with the water and get his attention. Then turn him face up to reverse his position and stabilize his buoyancy, for this maneuver we had to remove the weight belt and inflate his vest, while asking for help. Then we had to remove the mask and regulator and go on to open the airways to check his breathing, for about 10 seconds, putting our face close to the victim’s nose and, at the same time, observing the diver’s chest. Then we began with rescue breaths and at the same time we were taking off the equipment while we removed it completely until we put the victim on the boat, with the help of the other classmates. After reviewing the exercises, we began to practice with the drills. 

In my practice, I had to rescue Boti, my favorite instructor, a 78-year-old man, whose healthy life, fully active and in harmony with deep blue, turns his appearance into a 60-year-old man. My exercises came out perfect and I received congratulations. Thus ended the day, with the satisfaction of having achieved it. In the evening we all went to dinner and toasting for having become PADI Rescue Divers. 

I learned that the “secret” of this course is to be able to see an accident before it happens and thus be able to avoid it. But if it cannot be avoided, you learn to make an effective, safe, and fast rescue with the ideal rescue techniques and without major problems. 

Many years passed after this anecdote and today I am the one who teaches this course along with the first aid course. Perhaps, being so conservative, responsible, and taking safety to the extreme, I have not had any accidents. Nor have I had to rescue anyone beyond the course demonstrations. But it is true that you must be very attentive all the time. 

I remember that, on one occasion, we were with a group of people from India. I tell them that most of them do not know how to swim, but they do have a lot of courage because they are encouraged to do new things and to challenge new challenges, such as diving. The first of this group was a very nice girl who, to my surprise, was doing quite well in the water. We did the Try dive, we were underwater for about 30 minutes, and everything was perfect. After the dive, I left her on the boat’s ladder, where a colleague would meet her and help her remove her equipment. In less than a second, the time it took to adjust my diving mask, I heard my partner screaming because someone had problems … How could it be? Everything happened in an instant. I watched as the girl took off her mask, regulator and deflated her vest. Why did she do it? We do not know. Maybe, she was overwhelmed, maybe it was overconfidence, I don’t know, she didn’t know how to explain it either. There she was, sinking in front of my eyes. Thanks to my good training, to my knowledge, as the whole team was pending, nothing has happened. Just getting close to her and inflating her BCD was enough in this case. 

Due to this experience, which I always share so that, if you have the opportunity, do not hesitate to sign up for a PADI Rescue Diver course. I am sure it will give you a lot of satisfaction and it will also change the way you see water and safety in it. 

It will teach you to use good judgment, for example, to reject dive plans outside the limits of your training. Diving is designed to be a fun activity, not to risk your life. That is why the benefits of taking the course will be: improve your diving skills, optimize your self-management when diving, you will be able to ensure the safety of others and anticipate possible problems and, without a doubt, you will be a better diving companion. In addition, in this PADI Rescue Diver Course, you will notice that your level as a diver increases considerably and, why not, it could be one more step towards your career as a professional diver. In the hands of the experienced professionals at SCUBA IBIZA, your satisfaction will be guaranteed. 

Between course and course … between diving and diving … 

Observe the oceans, fix your gaze on the sea, feel it, breathe … they provide us with half the oxygen we breathe … where legends come to life and reality becomes a fable. Unknown worlds, unknown stories, only guarded by a raging and defenseless sea. 

Carla Villari 

The Rescue Diver course

A fundamental course to maintain safety at sea. 

With the desire to continue learning and growing as a diver, one day I decided to stop being an advanced diver to be a Rescue Diver, I believe that rescue divers are much safer in the water, since they teach us based on prevention of accidents. 

Today I want to tell you about this course and my experience as a student at that time. 

Without a doubt, it was the most fun, challenging and satisfying course I have ever done. We were a group of 6 students, we all worked, so the classes were once a week, every Saturday. 

It could be said that it is a “hard” course, but it would not be fair, in fact, what is sought is that each one gives 100% within their physical possibilities to help a person who needs it and for this they taught us different techniques. 

In the theory stage, we dealt with a real accident in each of the lessons, we saw how it happened, what caused it, what was done, what failed and what should have been done. They taught us to apply logic, criteria, and technique. The PADI digital material that we use for the course integrates texts with images and videos, making learning very easy, entertaining, and dynamic. 

Our instructor named Bigo was a former army and navy diver. He, despite all his demands, made you love the sea a little more and more. Of all the instructors he had had up to that moment, he was the strictest, the toughest, but seen from a distance, I appreciate his commitment, his way of transmitting his entire experience up and down the sea. I appreciate all the teachings that I received from him and that they accompanied me and accompany me on each dive. Without a doubt one of my best references. 

We also had training in the pool, where we simulated real rescue scenarios. In my case, it could be said that I started on the wrong foot and instead of rescuing my partner in the drill, they ended up rescuing me. And no, it wasn’t a drill, sadly. I remember that I had had a very long day at work, hardly eaten and the steam from the heated pool ended up doing its thing. In the middle of the exercise, I blacked out. Can you believe it? Well, not me. I open my eyes and I was no longer in the water; I had been lying on the edge of the pool and I had my instructors around me trying to wake me up. Fortunately, I pulled myself together, continued training and it turned out to be one of my best days. 

For that exercise they had put an inflatable boat in the middle of the pool and the practice consisted of how to raise an unconscious person into the boat, without any help. It was quite a skill. 

Once the theoretical sessions and all the passed exams had concluded, it was time to implement a rescue at sea. The second stage was already underway, and the last details of the trip were ready. 

The chosen destination was Ibiza, we all traveled together as if it were an end-of-year trip. I really enjoyed sharing with instructors and divemasters their funny anecdotes while we shared some math and life experiences. 

We arrived in Ibiza; the SCUBA IBIZA operator was already waiting for us with all the equipment ready for our first group dive. Impressed by both the boat and the equipment, with latest models in perfect condition. The instructors were very friendly and were in all the details, they made you feel at home. 

Our hotel was so close to the beach that we accessed the sea with just a few steps. Really a paradise. 

That night we had dinner and early we went to rest. The next morning, and after a rich breakfast, we walked to Scuba Ibiza. This diving center also has its location in its favor, since it is in a strategic place for those who arrive by plane, ferry, or private boats. 

Once in the center, we divide according to each level. Those who were going to perform open water of the PADI Open Water Diver course, those who participated in the PADI Advanced Open Water Diver course, those who were only going to dive and us, the future PADI Rescue Divers. 

If my memory serves, I believe that the name of the dive site was the Malvin Sur islet, an islet characterized by its tranquility, located within the Freus de Ibiza marine reserve, right in front of Playa den Bossa, a highly sought-after beach in the night of Ibiza. The islet, at the anchor point, has very shallow depth that increases as we follow its wall. The bottom is mainly covered with Posidonia oceanica, which gives it the appearance of a huge garden. The fact of being an islet sheltered from winds and waves makes it the perfect place to carry out all the skills and rescue exercises. We were looking forward to the activity that they would have prepared for us for that day. 

There we were, the 6 nervous divers, ready to be “tested”. We went back to doing all the exercises we had practiced in the pool. I remember one of them very well. It involved extracting an unconscious diver and carrying him out of the water. This exercise consisted of first confirming and ensuring that the diver was unconscious, for this we had to splash him with the water and get his attention. Then turn him face up to reverse his position and stabilize his buoyancy, for this maneuver we had to remove the weight belt and inflate his vest, while asking for help. Then we had to remove the mask and regulator and go on to open the airways to check his breathing, for about 10 seconds, putting our face close to the victim’s nose and, at the same time, observing the diver’s chest. Then we began with rescue breaths and at the same time we were taking off the equipment while we removed it completely until we put the victim on the boat, with the help of the other classmates. After reviewing the exercises, we began to practice with the drills. 

In my practice, I had to rescue Boti, my favorite instructor, a 78-year-old man, whose healthy life, fully active and in harmony with deep blue, turns his appearance into a 60-year-old man. My exercises came out perfect and I received congratulations. Thus ended the day, with the satisfaction of having achieved it. In the evening we all went to dinner and toasting for having become PADI Rescue Divers. 

I learned that the “secret” of this course is to be able to see an accident before it happens and thus be able to avoid it. But if it cannot be avoided, you learn to make an effective, safe, and fast rescue with the ideal rescue techniques and without major problems. 

Many years passed after this anecdote and today I am the one who teaches this course along with the first aid course. Perhaps, being so conservative, responsible, and taking safety to the extreme, I have not had any accidents. Nor have I had to rescue anyone beyond the course demonstrations. But it is true that you must be very attentive all the time. 

I remember that, on one occasion, we were with a group of people from India. I tell them that most of them do not know how to swim, but they do have a lot of courage because they are encouraged to do new things and to challenge new challenges, such as diving. The first of this group was a very nice girl who, to my surprise, was doing quite well in the water. We did the Try dive, we were underwater for about 30 minutes, and everything was perfect. After the dive, I left her on the boat’s ladder, where a colleague would meet her and help her remove her equipment. In less than a second, the time it took to adjust my diving mask, I heard my partner screaming because someone had problems … How could it be? Everything happened in an instant. I watched as the girl took off her mask, regulator and deflated her vest. Why did she do it? We do not know. Maybe, she was overwhelmed, maybe it was overconfidence, I don’t know, she didn’t know how to explain it either. There she was, sinking in front of my eyes. Thanks to my good training, to my knowledge, as the whole team was pending, nothing has happened. Just getting close to her and inflating her BCD was enough in this case. 

Due to this experience, which I always share so that, if you have the opportunity, do not hesitate to sign up for a PADI Rescue Diver course. I am sure it will give you a lot of satisfaction and it will also change the way you see water and safety in it. 

It will teach you to use good judgment, for example, to reject dive plans outside the limits of your training. Diving is designed to be a fun activity, not to risk your life. That is why the benefits of taking the course will be: improve your diving skills, optimize your self-management when diving, you will be able to ensure the safety of others and anticipate possible problems and, without a doubt, you will be a better diving companion. In addition, in this PADI Rescue Diver Course, you will notice that your level as a diver increases considerably and, why not, it could be one more step towards your career as a professional diver. In the hands of the experienced professionals at SCUBA IBIZA, your satisfaction will be guaranteed. 

Between course and course … between diving and diving … 

Observe the oceans, fix your gaze on the sea, feel it, breathe … they provide us with half the oxygen we breathe … where legends come to life and reality becomes a fable. Unknown worlds, unknown stories, only guarded by a raging and defenseless sea. 

Carla Villari 

The Rescue Diver course

A fundamental course to maintain safety at sea. 

With the desire to continue learning and growing as a diver, one day I decided to stop being an advanced diver to be a Rescue Diver, I believe that rescue divers are much safer in the water, since they teach us based on prevention of accidents. 

Today I want to tell you about this course and my experience as a student at that time. 

Without a doubt, it was the most fun, challenging and satisfying course I have ever done. We were a group of 6 students, we all worked, so the classes were once a week, every Saturday. 

It could be said that it is a “hard” course, but it would not be fair, in fact, what is sought is that each one gives 100% within their physical possibilities to help a person who needs it and for this they taught us different techniques. 

In the theory stage, we dealt with a real accident in each of the lessons, we saw how it happened, what caused it, what was done, what failed and what should have been done. They taught us to apply logic, criteria, and technique. The PADI digital material that we use for the course integrates texts with images and videos, making learning very easy, entertaining, and dynamic. 

Our instructor named Bigo was a former army and navy diver. He, despite all his demands, made you love the sea a little more and more. Of all the instructors he had had up to that moment, he was the strictest, the toughest, but seen from a distance, I appreciate his commitment, his way of transmitting his entire experience up and down the sea. I appreciate all the teachings that I received from him and that they accompanied me and accompany me on each dive. Without a doubt one of my best references. 

We also had training in the pool, where we simulated real rescue scenarios. In my case, it could be said that I started on the wrong foot and instead of rescuing my partner in the drill, they ended up rescuing me. And no, it wasn’t a drill, sadly. I remember that I had had a very long day at work, hardly eaten and the steam from the heated pool ended up doing its thing. In the middle of the exercise, I blacked out. Can you believe it? Well, not me. I open my eyes and I was no longer in the water; I had been lying on the edge of the pool and I had my instructors around me trying to wake me up. Fortunately, I pulled myself together, continued training and it turned out to be one of my best days. 

For that exercise they had put an inflatable boat in the middle of the pool and the practice consisted of how to raise an unconscious person into the boat, without any help. It was quite a skill. 

Once the theoretical sessions and all the passed exams had concluded, it was time to implement a rescue at sea. The second stage was already underway, and the last details of the trip were ready. 

The chosen destination was Ibiza, we all traveled together as if it were an end-of-year trip. I really enjoyed sharing with instructors and divemasters their funny anecdotes while we shared some math and life experiences. 

We arrived in Ibiza; the SCUBA IBIZA operator was already waiting for us with all the equipment ready for our first group dive. Impressed by both the boat and the equipment, with latest models in perfect condition. The instructors were very friendly and were in all the details, they made you feel at home. 

Our hotel was so close to the beach that we accessed the sea with just a few steps. Really a paradise. 

That night we had dinner and early we went to rest. The next morning, and after a rich breakfast, we walked to Scuba Ibiza. This diving center also has its location in its favor, since it is in a strategic place for those who arrive by plane, ferry, or private boats. 

Once in the center, we divide according to each level. Those who were going to perform open water of the PADI Open Water Diver course, those who participated in the PADI Advanced Open Water Diver course, those who were only going to dive and us, the future PADI Rescue Divers. 

If my memory serves, I believe that the name of the dive site was the Malvin Sur islet, an islet characterized by its tranquility, located within the Freus de Ibiza marine reserve, right in front of Playa den Bossa, a highly sought-after beach in the night of Ibiza. The islet, at the anchor point, has very shallow depth that increases as we follow its wall. The bottom is mainly covered with Posidonia oceanica, which gives it the appearance of a huge garden. The fact of being an islet sheltered from winds and waves makes it the perfect place to carry out all the skills and rescue exercises. We were looking forward to the activity that they would have prepared for us for that day. 

There we were, the 6 nervous divers, ready to be “tested”. We went back to doing all the exercises we had practiced in the pool. I remember one of them very well. It involved extracting an unconscious diver and carrying him out of the water. This exercise consisted of first confirming and ensuring that the diver was unconscious, for this we had to splash him with the water and get his attention. Then turn him face up to reverse his position and stabilize his buoyancy, for this maneuver we had to remove the weight belt and inflate his vest, while asking for help. Then we had to remove the mask and regulator and go on to open the airways to check his breathing, for about 10 seconds, putting our face close to the victim’s nose and, at the same time, observing the diver’s chest. Then we began with rescue breaths and at the same time we were taking off the equipment while we removed it completely until we put the victim on the boat, with the help of the other classmates. After reviewing the exercises, we began to practice with the drills. 

In my practice, I had to rescue Boti, my favorite instructor, a 78-year-old man, whose healthy life, fully active and in harmony with deep blue, turns his appearance into a 60-year-old man. My exercises came out perfect and I received congratulations. Thus ended the day, with the satisfaction of having achieved it. In the evening we all went to dinner and toasting for having become PADI Rescue Divers. 

I learned that the “secret” of this course is to be able to see an accident before it happens and thus be able to avoid it. But if it cannot be avoided, you learn to make an effective, safe, and fast rescue with the ideal rescue techniques and without major problems. 

Many years passed after this anecdote and today I am the one who teaches this course along with the first aid course. Perhaps, being so conservative, responsible, and taking safety to the extreme, I have not had any accidents. Nor have I had to rescue anyone beyond the course demonstrations. But it is true that you must be very attentive all the time. 

I remember that, on one occasion, we were with a group of people from India. I tell them that most of them do not know how to swim, but they do have a lot of courage because they are encouraged to do new things and to challenge new challenges, such as diving. The first of this group was a very nice girl who, to my surprise, was doing quite well in the water. We did the Try dive, we were underwater for about 30 minutes, and everything was perfect. After the dive, I left her on the boat’s ladder, where a colleague would meet her and help her remove her equipment. In less than a second, the time it took to adjust my diving mask, I heard my partner screaming because someone had problems … How could it be? Everything happened in an instant. I watched as the girl took off her mask, regulator and deflated her vest. Why did she do it? We do not know. Maybe, she was overwhelmed, maybe it was overconfidence, I don’t know, she didn’t know how to explain it either. There she was, sinking in front of my eyes. Thanks to my good training, to my knowledge, as the whole team was pending, nothing has happened. Just getting close to her and inflating her BCD was enough in this case. 

Due to this experience, which I always share so that, if you have the opportunity, do not hesitate to sign up for a PADI Rescue Diver course. I am sure it will give you a lot of satisfaction and it will also change the way you see water and safety in it. 

It will teach you to use good judgment, for example, to reject dive plans outside the limits of your training. Diving is designed to be a fun activity, not to risk your life. That is why the benefits of taking the course will be: improve your diving skills, optimize your self-management when diving, you will be able to ensure the safety of others and anticipate possible problems and, without a doubt, you will be a better diving companion. In addition, in this PADI Rescue Diver Course, you will notice that your level as a diver increases considerably and, why not, it could be one more step towards your career as a professional diver. In the hands of the experienced professionals at SCUBA IBIZA, your satisfaction will be guaranteed. 

Between course and course … between diving and diving … 

Observe the oceans, fix your gaze on the sea, feel it, breathe … they provide us with half the oxygen we breathe … where legends come to life and reality becomes a fable. Unknown worlds, unknown stories, only guarded by a raging and defenseless sea. 

Carla Villari 

The Rescue Diver course

A fundamental course to maintain safety at sea. 

With the desire to continue learning and growing as a diver, one day I decided to stop being an advanced diver to be a Rescue Diver, I believe that rescue divers are much safer in the water, since they teach us based on prevention of accidents. 

Today I want to tell you about this course and my experience as a student at that time. 

Without a doubt, it was the most fun, challenging and satisfying course I have ever done. We were a group of 6 students, we all worked, so the classes were once a week, every Saturday. 

It could be said that it is a “hard” course, but it would not be fair, in fact, what is sought is that each one gives 100% within their physical possibilities to help a person who needs it and for this they taught us different techniques. 

In the theory stage, we dealt with a real accident in each of the lessons, we saw how it happened, what caused it, what was done, what failed and what should have been done. They taught us to apply logic, criteria, and technique. The PADI digital material that we use for the course integrates texts with images and videos, making learning very easy, entertaining, and dynamic. 

Our instructor named Bigo was a former army and navy diver. He, despite all his demands, made you love the sea a little more and more. Of all the instructors he had had up to that moment, he was the strictest, the toughest, but seen from a distance, I appreciate his commitment, his way of transmitting his entire experience up and down the sea. I appreciate all the teachings that I received from him and that they accompanied me and accompany me on each dive. Without a doubt one of my best references. 

We also had training in the pool, where we simulated real rescue scenarios. In my case, it could be said that I started on the wrong foot and instead of rescuing my partner in the drill, they ended up rescuing me. And no, it wasn’t a drill, sadly. I remember that I had had a very long day at work, hardly eaten and the steam from the heated pool ended up doing its thing. In the middle of the exercise, I blacked out. Can you believe it? Well, not me. I open my eyes and I was no longer in the water; I had been lying on the edge of the pool and I had my instructors around me trying to wake me up. Fortunately, I pulled myself together, continued training and it turned out to be one of my best days. 

For that exercise they had put an inflatable boat in the middle of the pool and the practice consisted of how to raise an unconscious person into the boat, without any help. It was quite a skill. 

Once the theoretical sessions and all the passed exams had concluded, it was time to implement a rescue at sea. The second stage was already underway, and the last details of the trip were ready. 

The chosen destination was Ibiza, we all traveled together as if it were an end-of-year trip. I really enjoyed sharing with instructors and divemasters their funny anecdotes while we shared some math and life experiences. 

We arrived in Ibiza; the SCUBA IBIZA operator was already waiting for us with all the equipment ready for our first group dive. Impressed by both the boat and the equipment, with latest models in perfect condition. The instructors were very friendly and were in all the details, they made you feel at home. 

Our hotel was so close to the beach that we accessed the sea with just a few steps. Really a paradise. 

That night we had dinner and early we went to rest. The next morning, and after a rich breakfast, we walked to Scuba Ibiza. This diving center also has its location in its favor, since it is in a strategic place for those who arrive by plane, ferry, or private boats. 

Once in the center, we divide according to each level. Those who were going to perform open water of the PADI Open Water Diver course, those who participated in the PADI Advanced Open Water Diver course, those who were only going to dive and us, the future PADI Rescue Divers. 

If my memory serves, I believe that the name of the dive site was the Malvin Sur islet, an islet characterized by its tranquility, located within the Freus de Ibiza marine reserve, right in front of Playa den Bossa, a highly sought-after beach in the night of Ibiza. The islet, at the anchor point, has very shallow depth that increases as we follow its wall. The bottom is mainly covered with Posidonia oceanica, which gives it the appearance of a huge garden. The fact of being an islet sheltered from winds and waves makes it the perfect place to carry out all the skills and rescue exercises. We were looking forward to the activity that they would have prepared for us for that day. 

There we were, the 6 nervous divers, ready to be “tested”. We went back to doing all the exercises we had practiced in the pool. I remember one of them very well. It involved extracting an unconscious diver and carrying him out of the water. This exercise consisted of first confirming and ensuring that the diver was unconscious, for this we had to splash him with the water and get his attention. Then turn him face up to reverse his position and stabilize his buoyancy, for this maneuver we had to remove the weight belt and inflate his vest, while asking for help. Then we had to remove the mask and regulator and go on to open the airways to check his breathing, for about 10 seconds, putting our face close to the victim’s nose and, at the same time, observing the diver’s chest. Then we began with rescue breaths and at the same time we were taking off the equipment while we removed it completely until we put the victim on the boat, with the help of the other classmates. After reviewing the exercises, we began to practice with the drills. 

In my practice, I had to rescue Boti, my favorite instructor, a 78-year-old man, whose healthy life, fully active and in harmony with deep blue, turns his appearance into a 60-year-old man. My exercises came out perfect and I received congratulations. Thus ended the day, with the satisfaction of having achieved it. In the evening we all went to dinner and toasting for having become PADI Rescue Divers. 

I learned that the “secret” of this course is to be able to see an accident before it happens and thus be able to avoid it. But if it cannot be avoided, you learn to make an effective, safe, and fast rescue with the ideal rescue techniques and without major problems. 

Many years passed after this anecdote and today I am the one who teaches this course along with the first aid course. Perhaps, being so conservative, responsible, and taking safety to the extreme, I have not had any accidents. Nor have I had to rescue anyone beyond the course demonstrations. But it is true that you must be very attentive all the time. 

I remember that, on one occasion, we were with a group of people from India. I tell them that most of them do not know how to swim, but they do have a lot of courage because they are encouraged to do new things and to challenge new challenges, such as diving. The first of this group was a very nice girl who, to my surprise, was doing quite well in the water. We did the Try dive, we were underwater for about 30 minutes, and everything was perfect. After the dive, I left her on the boat’s ladder, where a colleague would meet her and help her remove her equipment. In less than a second, the time it took to adjust my diving mask, I heard my partner screaming because someone had problems … How could it be? Everything happened in an instant. I watched as the girl took off her mask, regulator and deflated her vest. Why did she do it? We do not know. Maybe, she was overwhelmed, maybe it was overconfidence, I don’t know, she didn’t know how to explain it either. There she was, sinking in front of my eyes. Thanks to my good training, to my knowledge, as the whole team was pending, nothing has happened. Just getting close to her and inflating her BCD was enough in this case. 

Due to this experience, which I always share so that, if you have the opportunity, do not hesitate to sign up for a PADI Rescue Diver course. I am sure it will give you a lot of satisfaction and it will also change the way you see water and safety in it. 

It will teach you to use good judgment, for example, to reject dive plans outside the limits of your training. Diving is designed to be a fun activity, not to risk your life. That is why the benefits of taking the course will be: improve your diving skills, optimize your self-management when diving, you will be able to ensure the safety of others and anticipate possible problems and, without a doubt, you will be a better diving companion. In addition, in this PADI Rescue Diver Course, you will notice that your level as a diver increases considerably and, why not, it could be one more step towards your career as a professional diver. In the hands of the experienced professionals at SCUBA IBIZA, your satisfaction will be guaranteed. 

Between course and course … between diving and diving … 

Observe the oceans, fix your gaze on the sea, feel it, breathe … they provide us with half the oxygen we breathe … where legends come to life and reality becomes a fable. Unknown worlds, unknown stories, only guarded by a raging and defenseless sea. 

Carla Villari 

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