Search and Recovery Training
NAUI Search & Recovery Diver is a specialty course for certified divers who want practical skills for locating and recovering lost items underwater. The official NAUI page says the course provides the skills and knowledge needed for underwater tasks commonly required by experienced recreational divers while minimizing risk during search and recovery activities. The course is about organized patterns, safe object handling, lift planning, communication, and knowing when a recovery task is beyond recreational limits.
This course suits NAUI Scuba Divers or equivalent divers who already have basic control and want to become more useful in real dive-site situations. NAUI lists a minimum age of 15 by the water phase, with junior certification allowed for ages 10 to 14, and requires instructor verification of adequate knowledge and capability before open-water training. Students should be comfortable with buoyancy and buddy contact because search tasks can quickly add workload.
Training normally includes search patterns, navigation, rigging concepts, light recovery procedures, and open-water practice using appropriate equipment. In High Springs, Florida, Search & Recovery Diver can be useful for spring sites, training areas, and divers who want a more methodical approach to lost-item situations. The expected outcome is a diver who plans the search before descending, communicates clearly, protects the environment, and manages recovery tasks conservatively.
