PADI Search & Recovery Diver
Develop the procedures and operational techniques required to safely locate, recover, and manage underwater objects in recreational diving environments
Duration
2 days, 4 dives
Max Depth
30 metres / 100 feet
Level
Continuing Education Speciality Course
Overview
The PADI Search & Recovery Diver speciality course develops the procedures and operational discipline required to safely locate, recover, and manage underwater objects during recreational dives.
This programme focuses on:
- underwater search patterns,
- navigation,
- lift-bag procedures,
- recovery techniques,
- and team coordination during task-loaded diving operations.
Training emphasises:
- situational awareness,
- buoyancy control,
- problem-solving,
- and controlled operational procedures while managing underwater recovery tasks.
At N9BO℠, Search & Recovery training develops capable and disciplined divers prepared to conduct structured underwater search and recovery operations in real-world diving environments.
Course Facts
- Course name: PADI Search & Recovery Diver
- Level: Continuing Education Speciality Course
- Minimum prerequisites: Minimum age 12, Certified as PADI Advanced Open Water Diver (or equivalent)
- Ratio: Maximum of 4 students per instructor (small groups recommended for quality training)
- Configuration: Standard recreational scuba equipment plus search and recovery equipment, including reels and lines, lift bags, marker buoys, underwater slates, compasses, and object-recovery equipment appropriate to training activities
- Depth / environment: 30 metres / 100 feet, Open water recreational dive sites, Shore-diving environments, Boat-diving environments, Search-pattern training environments
- Format: Knowledge development + search-pattern workshops + lift-bag procedures + open water search and recovery dives
- Duration: Typically completed in 2 days
What You’ll Learn
- Apply underwater search-pattern and object-location procedures
- Refine navigation, buoyancy, and situational awareness during task-loaded dives
- Manage reels, lift bags, and controlled object-recovery procedures
- Improve team coordination, problem-solving, and operational discipline underwater
- Develop practical search and recovery capability for recreational diving environments
Prerequisites
- Be at least 12 years old
- Certified as PADI Advanced Open Water Diver (or equivalent)
- Be medically fit for diving
FAQ
Search and recovery diving involves:
- locating,
- identifying,
- and recovering underwater objects using structured operational procedures.
Training may include:
- circular searches,
- U-patterns,
- expanding square patterns,
- and compass-navigation search procedures.
Yes.
Training includes:
- lift-bag setup,
- controlled lifting procedures,
- and underwater object-management techniques.
Yes.
Search and recovery procedures are highly valuable within:
- Rescue Diver,
- Divemaster,
- public safety diving,
- technical diving,
- and expedition-style operational pathways.
Many divers continue into:
- Rescue Diver,
- Self-Reliant Diver,
- Divemaster,
- ERDI programmes,
- or advanced operational diving pathways.
Ready to Develop Real-World Recovery Skills?
Whether you want to improve underwater problem-solving, strengthen operational awareness, or develop structured recovery capability, our team will help you build safe and disciplined search and recovery procedures for real-world diving environments.
Go Pro with the PADI Speciality Instructor Training Programme
Expand your professional teaching capability through speciality instructor development programmes delivered by experienced PADI Course Directors at N9BO℠. Build the instructional versatility, real-world teaching confidence, and continuing-education capability required to teach a broader range of diver-training programmes and progress further within the recreational diving industry.
