It’s no secret that divers like to talk diving.

I recently spent most of a flight chatting with a fellow passenger and PADI Diver named Lee — someone I had just met. It always amazes me how many PADI divers are out there. Equally amazing is what an equalizer our sport is: Though we came from very different corporate environments, Lee and I chatted as if we were old friends, sharing stories about our diving adventures.

I told Lee about Total Submersion, one of my favorite PADI Diving Society events (and adventures), hosted at Sunset House in Grand Cayman. Soon to celebrate its 15th anniversary, Total Sub is more like a family reunion than a dive event. The PADI and Sunset Divers staffs work together like a well-oiled machine, and many of the guests have become close friends over the years. There’s something very comforting about attending, and hosting, such a familiar event. Perhaps too comforting — for the past few years, I’ve had a growing desire to shake things up a bit. Total Submersion presents an opportunity to take divers to greater depths (no pun intended) by improving their dive skills and knowledge. I can think of no better way than by offering Rescue Diver workshops.

This year’s Total Sub attendees who are already PADI Rescue Divers will have the opportunity to brush up on their rescue skills, and those who are not yet rescue certified can join the action, and experience firsthand what rescue is all about. You might be thinking that the last thing you want to do on vacation is practice the tired-diver tow for a week, but participation is completely optional. And I promise that this will be fun, as well as an opportunity to enhance your dive skills while learning something new in the process.

Here’s the plan: In the afternoon, Total Sub divers can participate in a series of rescue workshops, both in water Courtesy Andrew Sa llmon/PADI and topside. Working with Sunset Divers and PADI staff, in-water training will take place in the pool and ocean with participants learning how to identify a diver in distress; offer assistance; and practice rescue breathing, removing gear in-water, egress and more. Topside, working with DAN and PADI staff, divers will learn how to conduct primary- and secondary-care evaluations, activate EMS, administer oxygen and more. Participating divers will have the opportunity to be both rescuers and distressed divers. While there isn’t time to earn a PADI Rescue Diver certification during the week, we hope nonrescue divers will feel inspired enough to get rescue certified when they return home. Individuals and top-performing rescue teams will also win great prizes.

Come dive with us!

Total Submersion
June 14-22
Celebrate Total Sub’s 15th anniversary in Grand Cayman. Hosted at Sunset House, and sponsored by Sport Diver, Aqua Lung, Divers Alert Network, Caybrew and Cayman Islands Tourism. For reservations, contact PADI Travel Network at 800-729 7234 (U.S. and Canada) or 949-858-7234, ext. 2539 or email [email protected].