PADI EXPERIENCES: Francesca's PADI Rescue Diver course
My PADI Rescue Diver Divercourse
37.4 nautical miles is the distance that separates my city‚ Palermo‚ from Ustica. On days with good visibility‚ it is possible to see the island on the horizon from the coast of Palermo and you can feel its proximity and presence.
Known as "the black pearl of the Mediterranean"‚ this little oasis in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea is a real magnet for divers. With a circumference of 12 km‚ Ustica has more than 20 dive sites‚ some of which are considered a natural heritage with few equals. Thanks to the marine protected area‚ the underwater world of Ustica is an absolute rare treasure in our seas that are now at risk: all kinds of caves‚ canyons‚ arches and passages‚ big schools of barracuda‚ the dusky grouper (the queen of the seabed)‚ amberjacks‚ many corals and much‚ much more.
My personal experience on the island of Ustica and everything below the surface of its marine protected area started in July. I had often heard about the pristine underwater beauty of Ustica but seeing it with my own eyes and experiencing it for real opened up a world for me and I thought: I would come back many‚ many times to know more‚ to discover more ‚ to enjoy more of this spectacular world that is a stone';;;;;s throw from my home.
That';;;;;s how I accidentally ended up at Evasioni Blu Diving: a safe haven‚ where everything was carefully prepared and organized and on which I could rely 100% and let myself go completely in the pure enjoyment of the underwater beauty of Ustica.
After quitting diving for a few years‚ I was worried that I had lost confidence in diving in the sea and the use of all that diving equipment. However‚ it was enough to get to know Rino and Esther‚ get on board their zodiac dive boat‚ put on a wetsuit‚ fins‚ mask‚ set up the air tank‚ BCD and regulator‚ dive into the water and go down! Accompanied by their experience‚ I regained self-confidence without even thinking about it and‚ moreover‚ I rediscovered my passion for diving. That confidence and passion are now stronger than ever before!
I decided to expand and enrich my diving knowledge‚ dviving skills and my level of diving experience by setting a new and important goal: to follow the PADI Rescue Diver diving course. So in September I got back on the hydrofoil to Ustica!
My experience of the PADI Rescue Diver course and the Emergency First Response course
Becoming a PADI Rescue Diver is a very important step for a diver as it guarantees your own safety and that of other dive buddies. A PADI Rescue Diver must be able to identify and resolve emergencies during all phases of the dive‚ understand them‚ try to prevent them and‚ in the worst case‚ act if the emergency has already occurred.
The adventure of the PADI Rescue Diver course was nothing short of interesting‚ full of emotions and (certainly not missing) fun.
The rescue team during my PADI Rescue Diver course‚ consisting of Lorenza‚ Andrea (both also PADI Rescue Diver students) and myself‚ added value to the experience; our teamwork united us strongly and made learning and scenarios much more fun!
In addition‚ the atmosphere was nothing short of super nice‚ where Rino and Esther‚ our PADI instructors not only taught us a lot‚ but also became part of the PADI Rescue Diver friend team. We followed the theory lessons on the terrace of Evasioni Blu Diving with a stunning view over the Mediterranean Sea‚ while we discussed rescues at sea and the practice took place at several beautiful dive sites of the marine protected area of Ustica!
Many divers had already described the PADI Rescue Diver course to me as a challenging dive course‚ full of satisfaction and I can fully agree with them now!
The PADI Rescue course prepares you to consciously deal with an emergency without acting instinctively to avoid mistakes. The first lesson was to learn‚ but especially to understand how an emergency arises; Especially the different causes of stress in a diver‚ which I found to be one of the most interesting aspects of the diving course.
Since a PADI Rescue Diver intervention requires a clear and prepared mind‚ during the theoretical lessons we deepened the psychological aspects of a rescue and the systems that allow you to understand and identify a stressful condition in a diver.
We have had the opportunity to study the various "alarm bells" and distinguish between the visible‚ physical “alarm bells” (for example‚ a tremor) and the psychological "alarm bells"‚ which are more difficult to recognize (excessive talking or silence). Alarm bells that‚ if not identified‚ could cause an emergency. Therefore‚ a PADI Rescue Diver must be a careful observer and must know how to scan and decipher others and then find the most appropriate way to help and act depending on the situation.
From this point of view‚ the PADI Rescue Diver diving course has opened the doors to a whole new world for me; a different way of seeing and experiencing diving‚ in which I pay more attention to detail‚ am more aware of the conditions and no doubt a more responsible and safer diver.
Practice was very focused on scenarios‚ in which we learned during watersession training how to rescue a diver in difficulty and how to behave at every stage of the rescue‚ always taking the environment into account.From self-rescue techniques‚ recognition‚ treatment and rescue of diver in panic‚ conscious and unconscious divers on the surface or underwater to lifesaving breathing techniques in the water. And these are just a few of the many diving lessons from the PADI Rescue Diver course that we have learned.
The practical part was undoubtedly the aspect of the course that mainly tested my skills. To be able to act properly during an emergency you need a cool head‚ knowledge and experience to come up with a good action plan. In order to be able to implement this plan properly‚ you must also be agile in the water; these dive skills improve a lot during the diving course and almost unnoticed‚ because you are so busy with your rescue! I realized how important this type of training is for a diver.
The path to becoming a PADI Rescue Diver also includes acquiring life-saving skills by taking a first aid course; the Emergency First Response (EFR) Primary and Secondary Care. The EFR Primary and Secondary Care course teaches you to act in life-threatening emergencies that may arise during diving activities‚ but also in non-diving situations. It is therefore a course that everyone‚ not just divers‚ can and‚ in my opinion‚ should take!
Knowing how to perform CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation)‚ how to use an AED (automated external defibrillator)‚ how to apply the barriers (pocket mask)‚ how to administer oxygen‚ how to behave in an emergency to act preventively and minimize further damage can make the difference between life and death.
During the training we simulated different emergency situations and each of us was able to apply our knowledge using the necessary equipment (dummy doll‚ barriers‚ pocket mask‚ AED). The EFR Primary and Secondary Care was definitely a useful and interesting course; fundamental to being able to provide care to those who need it! It was definitely a rewarding course and it greatly increased my confidence in myself and my abilities.
Of course I can only offer a personal reflection on what I have lived and learned thanks to my PADI Rescue Diver course and EFR Primary and Secondary Care course with Evasioni Blu Diving!
Meeting my fellow adventurers‚ Lorenza and Andrea certainly made the experience absolute super fun and exciting. We even have the reunification of our super PADI Rescue Diver team already planned in our agenda’s for next year at Ustica!
Not to mention‚ I was delighted to have Rino and Esther as my PADI Instructors and guides during the dive course. Not only because of the preparation they both have (level of experience‚ confidence they radiate‚ knowledge of the sea‚ passion‚ seriousness when necessary)‚ but also in terms of their personalities that make the course stimulating. Once I crossed the threshold of Evasioni Blu Diving‚ I immediately felt welcome in a friendly and confidential atmosphere‚ where in addition to a great activity like diving‚ much more is shared!
On September 24th I was back on the hydrofoil‚ but this time towards Palermo. Through the window I looked at Ustica and while I saw the island slowly getting smaller‚ I thought: How many days until next summer?
Francesca Marino
28 years
Social Worker
Palermo‚ Italy
