At the beginning of the year, I found a post on Facebook that said we should try and do something big and new every month of the year. One of my ideas was to do my Rescue Divers course and become a qualified Rescue Diver.
Once the seed had been planted, it was only a matter of time before I was itching to get it done. After having done my Advanced Divers course in Durban, South Africa at the end of November '14, I was still very much in love with being underwater. I also had an amazing instructor, who just so happened to also relocate to Oman at the beginning of this year. After many discussions on when would be a good time to get to the dive school where he worked, we made plans; and, at the end of July I was off to Dubai, to get a lift to Dibba, a little town at the very top of Oman. It can get a little confusing to explain, so I have added a link in, so that you can see where the dive school is exactly, as it borders the UAE.
The trip from Dubai to Dibba is 2 hours by car. Not too bad at all. The dive school is called Nomad Ocean Adventures. What a place! Check out their website: Nomad Ocean Adventures
Its a beautiful spot that makes you feel at home instantly. Above is a picture of the view from the school (the sea is so close!) and of the pool in the distance and where all the kits get organised for the dives. More pictures on their website! The people behind the scenes as well as the dive instructors are the best I have dealt with. Extremely professional and knowledgeable in all their descriptions and explanations. They run all courses at their school, which is a PADI affiliated school. They serve amazing food for lunch and dinners, so meal times are always eagerly anticipated. And if you are lucky, one of the instructors may even put together something real special, from his chef days! Also, while you are there you get to meet other divers who will be sharing their experiences with you when you travel to the dive sites. Many a laugh was shared with people who share the same passions as you do!
The Rescue Divers course itself is quite the challenge. Nothing like what you learn as an Open Water or Advanced Diver. In this course you learn to take care of others in an emergency. Its a serious course that requires focus, attention, practice, patience and utmost respect. All of which, you learn as you spend your days with the instructors. I did all my theory work as an e-learning student. You buy your pack online and go through all the sections as you would normally do on other courses. Much nicer to do it this way as you can do it in your own time and redo sections should you want to. Its exceptionally easy to use and all sections have videos that you can watch any number of times. The practical side thereafter is run at a school of your choice, of which mine was Nomad. You run through a number of scenarios numerous times until you feel confident about performing tasks in a real-life situation.
As for the actual diving offered in this area: the water is beautiful and 90% of the time, you have crystal clear waters in addition to many fish at your fingertips. Also, the Arabian Sea is home to 5 of the 7 turtle species as well as whale sharks and black tip reef sharks. Well worth the visit.
Needless to say, that if you are a diver already and you are debating to which level to train up to, go to Rescue. It instills a confidence in you like no other course. You can help in any situation and potentially save a persons life. It is an absolute no brainer. If you are in the Middle East and you want a holiday as well as a course, go to Nomad. If you can travel there from further away, it will be a great trip. Take the plunge!
