We hope Santa filled your Catch Bags with lots of new Dive Gear and Accessories.  Our Christchurch Dive Shop has certainly been buzzing with excitement, not just for the holidays, but of course for the warmer weather and great diving conditions.  Here’s a quick list of things to help you enjoy a great summer of diving.

1. Make sure your Regs, BCDs and Tanks have all been serviced.  Andy, our service technician is here to help with your servicing needs these holidays.

Not long until we change to the Baby Blue Tags…Is your tank due for a HYRDO or a VISUAL?

2. Use a Dive Flag!  It is for your own safety and the responsibility of both the skipper and the divers.  New Zealand Maritime website has more information.

3. Explore more of Canterbury’s Dive Sites.  Here at Dive HQ Christchurch, we love hearing from all our customers about their favourite sites, and it always encourages us to explore more places.   We have mapped a few of our sites for you on our Dive HQ Christchurch website.

Wainui Shore

4. Get the kids set up with some snorkel gear!  We have a flippers for very small feet available here at the Dive Shop.

5. Lastly we haven’t forgotten the little ones…and suggest you make them a SCUBA outfit and Play Dive!

Happy Holidays to you all!

Our Holiday Hours – Come and see us and Cash in those Gift Certificates!

25th Dec Christmas Day : Closed
26th Dec Boxing Day: Closed
27th Dec Boxing Day: Closed
28th Dec Monday  OPEN! 9am – 5pm
29th Dec Tuesday OPEN!  9am – 5pm
30th Dec Wednesday OPEN 9am- 5pm
31st Dec Thursday OPEN 9am – 5pm
1st Dec New Years Day:  Closed
2nd Dec Sat:  Closed
3rd Dec Sun: Closed
4th Dec Monday – Open 9pm- 5pm

Dive HQ Christchurch
101 Durham St
Sydenham
Christchurch
0800 DIVEHQ
www.diveskiworld.co.nz

How would you react if…

Another diver was stressed and panicking? 
You or another diver were very low in air?
Or if you found an unresponsive diver? 

There are many important skills to know and practice in order to best manage dive emergencies.  This course could help you save your own or another diver’s life!

Why do a Rescue Course?

Practicing a rescue of an unresponsive diver

The PADI Rescue Diver course is aimed at divers who are looking to build confidence in their diving by developing the skills to prevent and respond to diver emergencies in the water. By learning and practicing problem solving skills you will become a better buddy and have the ability and self assurance to assist with arising issues. The course is run over two days (usually consecutive) and is often referred to by divers as the most challenging, yet most rewarding course that they’ve ever taken.

What do you learn during the Rescue Course?

The Rescue Diver course prepares you to deal with dive emergencies, minor and major, using a range of techniques. Knowledge developments and rescue exercises give you the knowledge of what to look for and how to respond. Rescue Scenarios then give you the opportunity to put into practice and apply the skills and techniques learnt. The subject is serious but the course is fun! The main topics include self rescue, recognizing and managing stress in other divers, emergency management and equipment, rescuing panicked divers and rescuing unresponsive divers.

Who can enrol in the PADI Rescue Diver Course?
To enrol in the PADI Rescue Diver Course there are a small number of pre-requisites. You must be at least 12 years old and have a certificate in Workplace First Aid and CPR or equivalent. Finally you must also have completed the Underwater Navigation adventure dive or equivalent from another training organisation.

How is the Course Structured?

The Outline of the course is very straight forward and synchronised. When you enrol you will be issued with your own rescue diver Manuel. Throughout the book there are a number of chapters, each with its own knowledge review questionnaire required to be filled out before the course commences, these will be discussed and reviewed as a group. Once in the water, on day one you will practice individual skills and responses to situations, so that they become second nature. On day two the in water skills will be revised before taking part in rescue scenarios. This is where you bring the knowledge and skills learnt together to effectively respond to a range of different settings. Taking the lead in the response and also assisting another responder in scenarios offers an experience that will build your confidence and approach to diver safety.

What are the course costs?

The cost of the course is $599. This includes manuals, certification, rescue slates, complimentary transport, dive cylinders and air, four open water dives. Additional materials that individuals are required to have for the course include a safety sausage and pocket mask.

Diver Safety is Important

We make sure that the course being taught is the most up to date and revised available. Diver safety is of the upmost importance and therefore the PADI materials used and techniques taught are current and provide the best rescue education.

Become a Rescue Diver!

Enroll today to complete this very rewarding course, in which you will gain skills that will stay with your diving adventures for life.  The team at Dive HQ Christchurch Dive Shop, are happy to let you know more about the course, just pop into the shop or get in touch with us at:

Dive HQ Christchurch
103 Durham St South
Sydenham
Christchurch 8023
Ph 03 379 5804
www.diveskiworld.co.nz

Over the winter dive courses have been steady with good numbers of students. The main problem we have faced is the weather and southerly winds over the weekends.

If we planned our PADI dive courses to complete sea dives during the week we would be fine as the diving conditions have been good with people who can make the most of it.

Normally over the winter months we only run our Kaikoura open water course, so what has happened over the last two months is that we have had to drive to Picton to complete the sea dives.

This has enabled students to experience some great diving even when it has been snowing here in Christchurch.

As you can see from the pictures we had 14 students and 3 dive instructors having a great time off the boat and from the shore. Congratulations to you all who gained your PADI Open Water and Advanced Open Water certifications with us.

Now Spring is here, it’s a great time to sign up for your next course with Dive HQ Christchurch.
0800 DIVEHQ