My new certification - PADI Rescue Diver

I am happy to say that with Aqua Hut's help, this spring I earned my PADI Rescue Diver certification. I feel really good about this achievement, for two reasons. First, I believe it has made me a better, more conscientious, confident diver. Second, I feel like I'm really participating in the SCUBA experience.

There were several steps to earning the certificate:
  1. study the text
  2. take a written exam
  3. do skills at the pool
  4. do the open water skills (this was @ Dutch Springs)
  5. take a class in First Aid/CPR and earn that certificate
It was all challenging and rewarding. Besides all the skills I learned, my biggest take-away was about preparedness BEFORE a rescue is even necessary. The idea of being able to spot and correct a small situation before it becomes a more urgent situation, really resonated with me.

If you're not ready for Rescue Training, I highly recommend everyone getting some First Aid/CPR training. You never know when you may need it.

So what's next? Well, I'm not sure. I could work towards a Master Scuba Diver, or I could head down the professional track with Divemaster. But I think my immediate next steps are just to get out there and have fun diving for a while. And maybe I'll earn some specialties along the way...


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posted by Jeff on Monday, January 26, 2015

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Getting Certified

Hello, Jeff here. Have you been thinking about getting certified in SCUBA? Did you know that the class and pool work can be completed in one weekend? My Lori just got her PADI Open Water Certification and we thought we’d share her experience. Maybe it will inspire you to take the plunge.


Jeff had been a diver for a long time and after hearing him talk about it I was always a bit intrigued. We had gone to Jamaica a couple years ago and he went on some dives while I did other things. Seeing him have such a fun relaxing time made me more curious about SCUBA. Then Jeff did his Advanced PADI certification at Dutch Springs last year and when I was there I was impressed by the wide range of divers – young, old, men, women, kids, experienced, and beginners. Maybe this was something I could do also?

I decided to do it. I got the PADI text book, studied hard and got prepared for class. Friday night was class work, and I got through that fine. Saturday was a mixed bag for me as I had some trouble equalizing my ears. But Rich is a wonderful instructor and provided the encouragement and empathy that I needed.



On Rich’s suggestion, Jeff and I went back to the pool on 2 additional Saturdays to practice equalizing and other skills and that was a big help. Rich then felt I was ready to do the check-out dives and so did I. Initially, we were thinking that we would do the check out dives in the Caribbean on a trip, but it just made more sense to go to Dutch Springs as Rich was aware of my particular needs as a student.

It was time to do my check out dives. We picked up our equipment on a Thursday and went up to Dutch Springs early Saturday morning. The weather at Dutch Springs was perfect and the water was warm in the upper 70's. We unpacked our gear with the rest of class and Rich provided an orientation of the facility.

We did three dives on Saturday, Underwater visibility was about 15 feet (good for Dutch Springs). The dives were at a comfortable pace that allowed us to think about what we were doing. Diving was followed by hamburgers, hot dogs and snacks. As tired as we were, I think we were energized by success of the day and actually made it out to Musikfest in downtown Bethlehem that evening.

After a good night’s sleep we were ready to do it again. Sunday was an overcast day but we got our final check-out dive in before the rain started. Due to the rain we skipped the grilling and we all went to a local diner to eat and fill in our log books. The people at Aqua Hut were just great. Rich, Sol, Beth, Tom, and Carla all made me feel safe and comfortable and had all kinds of great tips.

And so now I’m a certified SCUBA diver! I overcame my natural fears and I feel confident with the solid training that I received from Aqua Hut, and I’m excited about exploring life below the surface.

posted by Jeff on Tuesday, January 6, 2015

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