Beyond the Basics: How Rescue Diver Course Changed My Entire Approach to the Diving (and Life)

My Diving Journey: Part 2 of 4

New here? Catch up on my beginnings >> Read Part 1: From Non-Swimmer to Certified Diver

Stepping Beyond the Familiar

After earning my Open Water certification and discovering my passion for wrecks, my dive journey continued to evolve. While eager to gain more experience and see what else the underwater world had to offer as an “underwater tourist,” I still felt a deep inadequacy in my foundational skills. This desire for true competence and confidence, rather than just more dives, unknowingly laid the groundwork for a profound shift in my diving philosophy. It all culminated in a course that would fundamentally change my entire approach: Rescue Diver.

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Beyond Certification Cards: Learning on the Dives

A certification card is truly just a gateway; it doesn't make one a better diver. That comes only with practice and experience.

The year after my Open Water certification in 2017, Kevin and I embarked on a two-week dive trip to Sipadan, Malaysia, and Sangalaki, Indonesia, enticed by a combo tour discount from Scuba Junkie. I earned my Advanced Open Water (AOW) in Mabul. Honestly, it felt more like a series of fun dives than a well-structured course, in which the only theory is related to navigation theory. The class was in English, but I found myself translating between the instructor and my Chinese-speaking classmate, whom I met on the spot. To me, this certification primarily opened the door to deeper and night dives – I didn’t even learn how to deploy a Surface Marker Buoy (SMB). Based on my experience, I’d suggest future AOW enrollee prioritize specialties like Search & Recovery, Peak Performance Buoyancy, Night, or Drysuit (when appropriate) and definitely request SMB deployment training. 

That trip exposed me to diverse conditions: I experienced a moment coughing non-stop underwater while watching a black-and-white striped sea snake (a stark reminder to call a dive when unwell, and to manage scenarios calmly!). We navigated swift drift currents requiring reef hooks, where all of us were literally strung along by the dive guide’s hook. I also learned that nature is truly unpredictable (we saw ZERO mantas in a week at “Manta Ray Highway,” Sangalaki!). Afterwards, Nitrox became an essential class, mainly theory we completed locally, which for my engineering background was straightforward. It allowed us longer bottom times at 30 meters.

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The Turning Point: Rescue Diver & Cold Water Initiation

My Rescue Diver course in 2019 was truly my turning point. After a liveaboard in Thailand, we wanted to advance our learning, choosing a local class in Oregon to preserve vacation time and avoid rushing, despite having zero prior cold-water dive experience. 

At 50 dives, I felt it was perfect timing. The course was physically and mentally taxing – I even cried between sessions – but it was incredibly rewarding, making me stronger in life and diving. I learned my strengths and weaknesses, became more aware of others and the environment, and understood how to prevent or help in potential situations rather than panic within one’s limit. 

Completing it in a tougher environment, with chilling 2-ft visibility and muddy water (a stark contrast to my previous 3mm warm-water dives), dramatically increased my confidence and showed me how much environment and gear truly play a role. I gained immense respect for cold-water divers.

Rescue course fundamentally transformed my diving mindset; It’s less about rescuing others and more about complete situational awareness and self-sufficiency.

Then, COVID hit. But we decided life had to go on. We took our Drysuit class and began diving locally, as I was DONE with wetsuits in cold water after my Rescue class experience (that’s a story for another post!) Cold water was a whole new beast, demanding mastery of buoyancy, suit management, and navigating challenging visibility. For shore diving, we also shifted from blindly following professionals to meticulously planning our own dives.

>> Read more: I also shared some immediate reflections on this experience in a public post on Girls That Scuba Facebook Group, which is an incredibly supportive community.

>> Read more: My Pacific Northwest (PNW) diving began shortly after this course. For more on the unique challenges and rewards of cold-water diving, check out my other post:Cold, Miserable, but Lively: Cold Water Diving in the Pacific Northwest

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A Transformed Mindset

The Rescue Diver course, coupled with embracing cold-water drysuit diving locally by ourselves, marked a profound shift. It was no longer just about sightseeing underwater with a dive professional; it was about understanding, planning, and becoming a truly self-reliant and aware diver. It was also about building trust and resolving conflicts within the dive buddy team. This newfound confidence and systematic approach would prove invaluable as I considered my next ambitious step: technical diving.

Stay tuned for “Part 3: The Technical Ascent: My Unfiltered Journey into Cave Diving and Trimix (and Why I Almost Quit).“

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1. Image from https://blog.padi.com/padi-courses/ ↩︎

Editorial disclaimer

Please be aware that scuba diving is an inherently risky activity, even with certification and experience. The content on this blog reflects my personal opinions and experiences and should not be considered instructional. Always prioritize safety, seek guidance and certification from qualified diving professionals, and carefully consider the risks involved in any dives.