Leatherboot69
Contributor
How come?
Why is becoming a DM considered not worth it?
- Thread starter Isa.nerwen
- Start date
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Let me be honest here. You are a noob and you don't have a ton of experience but I commend you for following the path you think is best. Most of the people who sh!t on being a DM are people who haven't gone through what you've gone through.
Being a DM isn't the end all, but there are things that you learn as a DM candidate and a DM that some folks will never learn.
I followed a path much like yours (I was a DM candidate with something like 40 dives IIRC) and things worked out. If I could go back and do it all again, I might not choose the same path - in a few years you may agree - but don't let the a$$hats here demoralize you.
The biggest thing I look for in a dive professional is a love of diving and and a desire to improve. You seem to have both. Hang in there!
Being a DM isn't the end all, but there are things that you learn as a DM candidate and a DM that some folks will never learn.
I followed a path much like yours (I was a DM candidate with something like 40 dives IIRC) and things worked out. If I could go back and do it all again, I might not choose the same path - in a few years you may agree - but don't let the a$$hats here demoralize you.
The biggest thing I look for in a dive professional is a love of diving and and a desire to improve. You seem to have both. Hang in there!
I'd like to add here that this thread has gone really toxic, and I think if @Isa.nerwen was a guy, she wouldn't be getting treated like this. . .
Some of my female friends have shared their stories with me, and I, as a grumpy old white male conservative American, want to say that it's not cool to **** (harder) on the ladies then we sh!t on each other, guys. Not cool at all. . .
@Isa.nerwen if you want to come to the states, your next course is on me. Hang in there.
Some of my female friends have shared their stories with me, and I, as a grumpy old white male conservative American, want to say that it's not cool to **** (harder) on the ladies then we sh!t on each other, guys. Not cool at all. . .
@Isa.nerwen if you want to come to the states, your next course is on me. Hang in there.
My personal view:
If you like to instruct and/or guide people go for it.
As a recreational instructor you will learn to execute all skilla perfectly. You will have lots of dives, but probably more easy ones with beginners. Its different from diving on your own.
To actually make money and a living from it, you first have to put work and money in, then you need to work quiet a lot of diving courses. But you have the freedom, lots of diving and people, different destinations, working in nature and so on. Depends on your life goals.
The other option of getting better in diving would be to pursue technical courses, find a technical dive buddy, with whom you practice frequently. In that case it woulf stay a hobby.
I think turning a hobby into a profession is difficult as the views, engagement and also dependence on it changes.
Third option would be to find a job that.combines both like marine research.
If you like to instruct and/or guide people go for it.
As a recreational instructor you will learn to execute all skilla perfectly. You will have lots of dives, but probably more easy ones with beginners. Its different from diving on your own.
To actually make money and a living from it, you first have to put work and money in, then you need to work quiet a lot of diving courses. But you have the freedom, lots of diving and people, different destinations, working in nature and so on. Depends on your life goals.
The other option of getting better in diving would be to pursue technical courses, find a technical dive buddy, with whom you practice frequently. In that case it woulf stay a hobby.
I think turning a hobby into a profession is difficult as the views, engagement and also dependence on it changes.
Third option would be to find a job that.combines both like marine research.
OP
Isa.nerwen
Contributor
How many dives did you do in total during your DM course?
OP
Isa.nerwen
Contributor
Thanks for the nice comment
Are you sure haha? My next course could very well be instructor in that case
Where are you based btw?
Leatherboot69
Contributor
I did 18 open water dives; perhaps 20 pool dives (I didn’t log them so I don’t know exactly); and probably another 15 open water fun dives to build experience and practice different skills. For most objectives I had one practice set of dives (some in the pool, eg DSD and reactivate) where I would observe or participate non-assessed (eg lead a guided dive or assist on a specialty course), and then one set of dives under assessment. I started DM on about 60 dives including cold water, zero visibility and limited wreck penetration as well as tropical/warm water conditions.
Leatherboot69
Contributor
What about you?
At least you were aware of what you were getting into.
You do realize nothing stops you from doing both? The DM course can indeed be a way to get in a lot of dives for a low per-dive cost, but that's probably the most favorable thing that can be said for it, as far as for the diver who has no intention of ever working professionally, that is.
Years ago, I spent a month on the island of Utila, Honduras, which is similar to Koh Tao in being known as a training mill. I took the Rescue course there, and then like many others who had just finished the Rescue course pondered whether to proceed on to the DM course, as our shop tried to coax us to do. Some others did, but I chose not to. Rather, I stayed a few more weeks and just dived dived dived. My cost per dive was reasonable, thanks to a friend who worked at one of the shops. If I hadn't gotten that friends-and-family deal, maybe I would have continued on as a DMT. I socialized with the DMTs all the same and had a great time for my remaining weeks there. But in hindsight, nothing would have improved my diving like an intensive skills-focused course or workshop, such as an intro-to-tech type course or Fundamentals. While the number of dives in Fundamentals was low in comparison to a DM course, the work we did on our skills during each of those fairly long, very shallow dives, was intense. I am not by nature a cocky person, but I will say I'm certain I emerged from that course a better diver than I would have been after the DM course.
You're welcome. I'm in New Mexico.Thanks for the nice comment
Are you sure haha? My next course could very well be instructor in that case
Where are you based btw?
For posterity's sake, I'm going to comment that my "you're a noob" comment was made in response to another pretty toxic post on this thread. With that quote deleted, it looks like I was being rude. In context, I don't think I was, but without the quote I kind of sound like an a$$. FWIW, I generally try to avoid name-calling on here.
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