Search & Recovery Specialty Course
Master search patterns, underwater navigation, and lift bag skills while recovering objects safely through realistic, fun, and rewarding scenarios at Tayrona’s dive sites.
Price range: $ 1.095.000 through $ 1.185.000
Indicated price only applies to cash payments.
Important
Indicated price is our promotion price which only applies when paying in cash. For card payments, original price applies. To be eligible for the cash discount:
- Reserve your spot with a deposit online
- Upon arriving, pay with cash at the counter
VAT: Colombian residents +19% (not included in price). Foreign tourists are exempt. Cash discount available.
PADI 5 ★ IDC Resort
Professional teaching for all levels
6 languages
English, Spanish, German, Dutch, Italian & French
Small Groups
Personalised teaching with individual focus
Secure credit card payments with Bancolombia's Wompi
Overview
Lost underwater doesn’t necessarily mean gone.
The PADI Search & Recovery Diver Specialty Course in Taganga teaches you systematic techniques for locating objects underwater and safely bringing them back to the surface.
Across four training dives, you’ll combine underwater navigation, different search patterns, knots, lift-bag use and problem-solving into realistic search-and-recovery scenarios.
It’s a practical and rewarding specialty that significantly improves your underwater awareness and navigation skills.
Course Itinerary
Duration: 2 days – includes 4 Search & Recovery training dives.
Before Arrival – PADI eLearning
Complete your course theory before arriving whenever possible.
Four Search & Recovery Training Dives
Learn and practice:
- Planning underwater searches
- Compass and natural navigation
- Search patterns for small and larger objects
- Estimating distances underwater
- Working effectively with a buddy
- Tying useful knots underwater
- Attaching and controlling lift bags
- Safely recovering objects
- Combining techniques in realistic scenarios
Skills become progressively more challenging as the course develops.
Requirements
- PADI Advanced Open Water Diver, or
- PADI Open Water Diver plus the Underwater Navigation Adventure Dive, or qualifying equivalent
- Minimum age: 12 years
- Medically fit for diving
What’s Included
- PADI Search & Recovery eLearning & digital materials
- 4 open-water training dives
- Search lines and specialty training equipment
- Lift bags
- PADI Search & Recovery Diver certification
- Certified PADI Instructor
- Small-group, personalized instruction
- Personalized feedback throughout your training
- High-quality full scuba equipment throughout the course
- Boat transportation
- Tayrona National Park diving when available and appropriate
- Drinking water and fresh seasonal fruit
Add-Ons & Extras
Underwater Photographer – 110,000 COP/person: Professional, fully edited high-resolution photos and videos delivered via Google Drive. Group discounts available.
Underwater Camera Rental – 65,000 COP/day: All raw files delivered via Google Drive. Camera use is subject to instructor approval during skill-intensive training dives.
Daily Scuba Diving Insurance – 15,000 COP/day: Available for divers without active specialized scuba diving insurance. Coverage is subject to policy terms.
15L / 100 cu ft Large Tank Upgrade – 10,000 COP/tank: Provides additional gas capacity and may allow greater comfort for divers with higher air consumption. Subject to availability.
Dive & Stay: Combine your course with accommodation at our ocean-themed hostel right beside the dive center. Check out our current Dive & Stay packages here.
Flying & Altitude After Diving
Wait at least 18 hours after your final dive before flying or traveling to significant altitude after multiple dives.
Cancellation & Refund Policy
Online Deposit: Reserve your course with an online deposit and pay the balance at check-in.
PADI eLearning: Once your personal PADI materials are assigned, their cost is non-refundable.
Standard Cancellations: Cancellations 48 hours or more before your course may receive a refund of the remaining refundable deposit.
Late Cancellations / No-Shows: Cancellations within 48 hours, late arrivals preventing participation, no-shows and voluntarily stopping after training begins are non-refundable.
Ocean Lovers Cancellation: If diving must be cancelled due to unsafe conditions, official port closure or another safety concern, we’ll reschedule whenever possible. If the course cannot reasonably be completed, refundable payments will be returned excluding PADI materials.
Health & Fitness to Dive: Last-minute cancellations due to illness are normally non-refundable, but contact us immediately and we’ll help reschedule whenever possible.
Regular Environmental Park Closures – #RespiraTayrona
Courses continue during Tayrona’s annual conservation closures using appropriate dive sites around Taganga and outside the official park boundaries.
Why Book With Ocean Lovers Taganga?
Practical Training, Not Just Certification
Search & Recovery is a skill-intensive course. We focus on actually developing your navigation, communication, search and lift-bag skills.
Small Groups
More individual practice and direct feedback means you’ll finish the course understanding not only what to do, but why.
Varied Training Environment
Taganga’s Caribbean dive sites provide different underwater terrain for realistic navigation and search exercises.
PADI 5-Star IDC Dive Resort
Continue your training in an environment where recreational divers develop all the way through professional level.
Experienced Multilingual Instructors
Training is available in several languages, subject to instructor availability.
Dive & Stay
Stay right next to the dive center and easily combine your specialty with additional diving.
Find It. Plan It. Recover It.
Develop navigation, teamwork and underwater problem-solving skills you’ll use throughout your diving life.
Book your PADI Search & Recovery Diver Specialty in Taganga.
| Package Options | Course + Dives + Stay, Course + Dives |
|---|
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