What to do next.......

[Tabascocat]

A little introduction about my diving background. I got certified in 1988(am now 44) and have dove quite a bit, mostly in the Caribbean. Have been underwater well past 500 dives ranging from drift, deep, cave and shipwrecks. I consider myself a well-advanced diver but only have the basic OW along with nitrox.

I feel most comfortable drift diving off boats, love the adrenaline. Also, going deep is a blast as well. The deepest I have gone is 192 at Maracaibo(Cozumel) and the best drift diving I have seen was off Barracuda(also Cozumel).

My buoyancy control is pretty solid, rarely have a problem with that unless using new equipment. I have dove in a few caves off the Yucatan peninsula. The dive shop knows my(and buddies) skills and lets us dive wherever we want, have been diving with them for years. On occasion, if our DM wasn't feeling well, he would let us lead the group on simpler dives, mainly the shallow ones.

I am known for sucking air though and don't know why, it just is what it is....so I always go to the steel 100 tank to hang around longer. Many times, my DM would throw me an extra tank in the water to carry around for when I was low and just throw that reg in my mouth when needed.

In short, I have seen and done most all of it and am now looking to move up the certification chain.

A few questions arise:

1. I stopped logging dives long ago, might have 30 in there. Is that a problem going forward or can I forge(vaguely recall some) and add them to the book?

2. Is the AOW class a must or is there a way to go forward to rescue with my experience?

3. I have heard that rescue diver isn't needed anymore to go to DM as long as some certification class is taken(forgot name of it) and pass a physical, is this true?

4. Finally, which way to go...DM or MSD, leaning towards DM because I like to teach and give some of the knowledge and experiences that I have had. I am not looking to make a living from this, just love being in the water and sharing what I have learned.


So, as I understand it, I need the following to start divemaster:

1. OW
2. AOW
3. First Aid & CPR training (preferably with automated external defibrillator (AED) training)

4. Physical
5. 50 logged dives

I swear a dive shop told me that rescue diver was no longer needed, just the AOW, which seems mundane to me but if I have to take it, I will.

Any thoughts and/or recommendations welcomed

 

[scubadiver888]

I had to show my log book when I applied for DM. The certifying shop needs to say they checked. A lot of my dives where in the Caribbean but I became a DM in Canada. If you have a dive computer and it has 50 dives in its log, you can use that for proof of 50 logged dives. My computer kept the last 50. So that was sufficient for becoming a DM.

Why do you want to get your DM? This is a professional certification intended for people who wanted to work in the dive industry. I got DM certification so I could work for the shop certifying me.

You will need to get your Rescue Diver as well. A good Rescue Diver course will push you to your limits. By the end of my open water day I was totally exhausted.

If you don't want to get hired then you might want to re-think getting your DM certification. If you get your DM you are a dive professional. Things like the Good Samaritan law might not apply to you. If you are diving on vacation it is important that everyone understand you are there as a recreational diver and not as a dive professional. If something goes wrong on a recreational dive and someone sues the lawyer will probably go after anyone they can... including off-duty DMs.

If all you are looking for is training which will grow your skill level then just get your Rescue Diver. There is Master Scuba Diver but this is really a card you get for $50 which says you have a whack load of experience. I had the experience and saved $50 by not getting the card.

 

[Tabascocat]

I had to show my log book when I applied for DM. The certifying shop needs to say they checked. A lot of my dives where in the Caribbean but I became a DM in Canada. If you have a dive computer and it has 50 dives in its log, you can use that for proof of 50 logged dives. My computer kept the last 50. So that was sufficient for becoming a DM.

Why do you want to get your DM? This is a professional certification intended for people who wanted to work in the dive industry. I got DM certification so I could work for the shop certifying me.

Good idea about my dive computer. As for being a DM, I want to work for a dive shop on the side teaching and assisting with new students. I do not need to make much money from this(have the wife for that ), just want to get more involved. If all goes well, want to look into becoming an instructor and having my own place someday.

As for the dive boats(if/when I become a professional diver), the highest card I would show is rescue, don't want any liability coming my way on vacation. This is not to say that I wouldn't help someone if in need, have before.

I get satisfaction from helping new divers get adjusted, giving tips and such, makes me feel better at the end of the day that I contributed something......diving wise.

 

[scubadiver888]

As for the dive boats(if/when I become a professional diver), the highest card I would show is rescue, don't want any liability coming my way on vacation. This is not to say that I wouldn't help someone if in need, have before.

This is an on-going debate. Some people feel you shouldn't show your DM card when you are diving as a recreational diver. My instructor told me she ALWAYS showed her highest certification card. It could go badly if you are on a boat, things go wrong and a lawyer finds out you are a DM but showed your Rescue Diver card. It is almost as if you are hiding something. My instructor taught me to show my DM card but make it VERY clear I was not there in my professional capacity.

How to handle myself was something my instructor talked to us at length about.

 

[oly5050user]

If going PADI you need to do advance ow. No way around it. Then a CPR/first aid course with rescue. Onto divemaster .

 

[Tabascocat]

If going PADI you need to do advance ow. No way around it. Then a CPR/first aid course with rescue. Onto divemaster .

Thanks, was hoping I could skip by one of them

 

[iztok]

Thanks, was hoping I could skip by one of them

No go there.

OW -> AOW -> Rescue (needs CPR/FA) -> DM (if going pro) or MSD (just means you have 5 specialties done + 50 dives + $ to PADI, no special course there)

Catalog is here: http://www.padi.com/scuba-diving/padi-courses/course-catalog/

 

[TSandM]

Before you sign up for professional level training, look up one of the Texas GUE folks and do a dive with them. Then decide whether Fundamentals or professional training is the next step.

 

[iztok]

Before you sign up for professional level training, look up one of the Texas GUE folks and do a dive with them. Then decide whether Fundamentals or professional training is the next step.

I would say, go with Fundies first even if you decide to go on being a PADI pro. (coming from someone who is not GUE trained :/

 

[String]

1. I stopped logging dives long ago, might have 30 in there. Is that a problem going forward or can I forge(vaguely recall some) and add them to the book?

Speak to the instructor - ultimately its their discretion. They have to be satisfied you've got the number of dives so talk to him and maybe then write some IF hes ok with it.

2. Is the AOW class a must or is there a way to go forward to rescue with my experience?

Unfortunately with PADI standards, yes it's needed. You can make life a bit easier for yourself by doing the search and recovery module which comes in handy on the DM workshop although you still cant skip it later. You'll also do EFR (BLS and first aid) during this course which is (i) useful and (ii) required to get onto the DM course

3. I have heard that rescue diver isn't needed anymore to go to DM as long as some certification class is taken(forgot name of it) and pass a physical, is this true?

You need it. It's a good course and a lot of the stuff there has to be demonstrated again at DM level so the training is worth it.

4. Finally, which way to go...DM or MSD, leaning towards DM because I like to teach and give some of the knowledge and experiences that I have had. I am not looking to make a living from this, just love being in the water and sharing what I have learned.

If you want to teach or assist other divers then do the DM course. The DM is pretty much nothing about your own diving and everything geared towards someone elses. MSD is the opposite - its all about you but wont allow you to actually get involved with training. Personally i'd never recommend MSD to anyone as its not a course as such - just do the specs if any you're interested in and save money by not doing ones that don't just to get a shiny card.

For MSD you need to be PADI Rescue, 5 PADI specs and 50 dives. It's not a course.
For DM, you need OW/AOW/Rescue, 60 dives minimum and the DM course.

They're totally different animals.