Lead the Boat: ISA Diver Coxswain Certificate in Fahamore, County Kerry

On the tip of a low rocky peninsula in Fahamore, County Kerry, the ISA Diver Coxswain Certificate course teaches the practical skills needed to run a powerboat that deploys and recovers divers. Over two full days based from Harbour House B&B — the same building that houses Waterworld Diving centre — the program blends classroom briefings with hands-on water sessions that follow the tide. The coastline here is open Atlantic: short steep cliffs, rocky reefs and shingle bays where kelp fronds and gulls mark productive feeding grounds. Training scenarios cover boat handling, passage planning, coastal navigation, weather assessment, and dive-specific tasks such as laying shot lines, deploying lazy lines and supervising decompression stops. Instructors emphasise safe diver recovery, radio procedure and the “rules of the road,” with wreck-finding techniques and practical launch and recovery drills tied to local tidal patterns. Participants meet at 9am both days and typically finish around 5pm. Groups are kept small (maximum six), so candidates get repeated time at the helm and focused feedback. The course assumes a basic comfort on boats; holding a first-aid certificate and the Short Range Certificate (SRC) for VHF is strongly recommended but not mandatory. Minor classroom theory alternates with on-water practice, and the itinerary flexes with tides and sea state to prioritise realistic learning. Why book this with the Fahamore team? The course is rooted in local coastal knowledge: instructors operate from familiar waters that include narrow channels and off-shore reef patches that test planning and boat handling in real conditions. Harbour House B&B provides a practical staging point steps from the tender slip, letting students start each day without long transfers. Small group size, direct access to dive sites and the option for own-boat tuition make the offering especially useful for dive-skippers who want quick, applied progression. Practical notes: minimum age is 16; the course runs two consecutive days and offers a full refund if cancelled up to one week before the start date. Bring layered waterproof clothing, a small waterproof bag for personal items, and any required medication. Expect brisk wind, shifting tides and hands-on instruction — a fast route from confident crew to competent dive coxswain. Whether you are an experienced diver preparing to skipper a club boat or a crew member stepping up, the ISA Diver Coxswain Certificate at Fahamore condenses coastal seamanship into practical modules you can use immediately. Instructors stress judgement in changing conditions, efficient deck drills for diver recovery and sensible passage-making along rocky headlands. Because sessions follow local tides, students leave with hands-on experience launching and recovering divers, planning safe passages and using basic navigational tools — outcomes that make this course an investment for anyone responsible for others at sea.