From the very start of a diver’s education, it’s taught that the buddy system is paramount to all else – and that’s true, but in some situations, for some divers, it’s very useful to have the equipment and skills to be a self-reliant diver and be able to dive independently without a buddy.
If you’re an experienced diver who is at least 18 years old, certified to Advanced Open Water Diver level or above and have a minimum of 100 dives in your logbook, and want to further your skills you can complete the PADI Self Reliant Diver Specialty course. This course isn’t for everyone – you will need a commitment to learn and a high level of mental discipline to follow self-reliant diving techniques; those who complete the course though, not only gain the confidence and ability to dive alone but refine their skills and boost their confidence when diving as part of a group or in a buddy team.
How do you feel about PADI Self-Reliant Diver? Did you try it out?
Let us know by commenting below.
Before diving into the course, you’ll complete a skills check with your PADI Self-Reliant Diver Instructor to ensure you have the underlying skills needed before building on them. During the course you’ll get familiar with have a few bits of extra equipment including a second computer or timer device, slate, surface marker buoy and of course a stage/ pony bottle – essential if a diver is to self-rescue in an emergency situation. You’ll learn how to handle emergencies alone, without relying on a buddy and your training includes proper dive planning and calculating air consumption rates.
There are three training dives which focus on gathering information for the air consumption calculations, simulated emergency situations where a switch to a redundant air supply is needed, swimming without a mask, use of DSMB and navigating to various points. Once the practical sessions are complete there is a small final exam to complete prior to successful completion and certification.
If you’re up for the challenge and perhaps want to be able to focus on your photography while you dive, without the feeling of holding up a buddy who prefers to keep moving – learn how to dive independently, safely with your Euro-Divers Team.
Contact us for more information about the PADI Self-Reliant Diver
Everything started with my Open Water Course at Koh Tao, Thailand. I’m hooked with the first breath I took underwater – this magical and peaceful world with all these different colors and creatures made me forget about everything else. It felt like an addiction.
This time made me realize that I don’t want to keep diving only as a hobby. I wanted to become a Diving Instructor and make diving my profession.
I was working as an entertainer in one of the resorts in South Malé atoll. The first time I tried diving I absolutely fell in love with it, so every day off I would go diving.
I was lucky enough to meet people from Euro-Divers who helped me complete my instructor course and employment later on.
That trip changed everything. Since 2014, I visited more than 50 countries in three continents.
2019, 2020, 2021 – still in Maldives, enjoying what I love the most.
Im sonnigen Süden (Ägypten) lernte ich im Urlaub die unglaubliche Unterwasserwelt bei einem Schnuppertauchgang kennen und lieben.
Anfangs arbeitete ich im Tauchcenter im Büro, mir wurde jedoch schnell klar, dass ich die Gäste nicht nur über Wasser sondern auch unter Wasser begleiten wollte. Somit machte ich die Divemaster Ausbildung.
I studied Hotel management and ended up working for several years in different Hotels/Resorts around Italians seaside where I spend my days off diving and achieving the Dive Master rating.
I choose to stay in Oman because of its unspoiled dive site, beaches and many undiscovered dive places! We do not have mass tourism here and the country itself is spectacular besides being the safest place to live in.
Bored and burnt out of the stressful life in Holland, I quit my job as Manager Back Office & Finance and I went to Curacao for holiday. On this tropical island I took my first breaths under water with Instructor Marc, who is still my buddy in life.
Diving keeps me grounded, relaxed and connected with Mother Nature (myself). It supports me to let go, to put things into perspective and it helps me to stay focused and balanced in my position as a manager.
But diving was not at all my purpose of the journey, in fact I was not even a diver yet, I became a diver after I got passionate in freediving in Egypt in 2012 while freediving with dolphin in the wild, eager to become a snorkeling guide, I did my life guard licence and then my PADI open water!
I love freediving but scuba diving is an all other story for me, learning scuba diving make you discover part of yourself you didn’t know, you learn to control things that you would have never imagined possible, I regularly see many of my students discovering how calm they can be underwater when in life they tend to be hyperactive and then in the other hand I see calm or introverted persons becoming excited and move like a torpedo underwater 🙂 so diving might not be for everyone but it is definitely to discover!
I decided after my hospitality studies to enter this fascinating new world. I have started my career in Club Med as Guest Service and had the opportunity to travel some of the famous destinations for diving or snorkeling.
I am the perfect example of someone who was scared of diving, the only advice I could give is to believe in yourself.
But since I was young, I knew I wanted to travel the world, to go on adventures, have fun and meet people from everywhere. Unfortunately, those jobs didn’t give me the opportunity to do it so after 5 years I decided to move to Thailand.
Scuba Diving is a sport of passion.
During this time, I wanted to try something new, so I started scuba diving and I will never forget my first underwater experience. I felt nervous at first but at the same time a lot of excitement.
Some people might think that diving is a difficult sport, but there are many ways to enjoy safe diving for any age or gender.
