RJP - that's outstanding but I'm not sure anybody would care! Seriously though - unless they were DM candidates nobody would understand why
That was kinda my point.
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RJP - that's outstanding but I'm not sure anybody would care! Seriously though - unless they were DM candidates nobody would understand why
I am sure I will get a ton of negative feedback for this but.......
IMO, towing a diver is an applicable skill, but should probably be more a part of the rescue training that is required prior to becoming a DM rather than the DM course.
Swimming 800, or even 400, meters with no fins has little to nothing to do with a DM's responsibility to other divers. Saving his own azz maybe, although many dives are done so far from shore or another boat that those arbitrary distances are pretty worthless, but not saving someone else.
I don't think it deserves negative feedback but as per RJP above - constructive feedback, certainly.
The assumption is that dive professionals will keep themselves in shape as a matter of course - although clearly this is not always the case. As I've metioned many times previously, especially with regards to the Open Water swim - there is a big difference between comfort and fitness although anybody who can swim 200m or 400m is clearly going to be comfortable in the water - but then again, so is a divemaster candidate, otherwise they wouldn't be there.
In terms of usefulness - well it's nice to know somebody can swim but the 800m snorkel and 100m tired diver tow are actually quite relevant. I've had to tow a LOT of divers, however only twice in an actual emergency, and I've had to do a LOT of snorkelling - the worst example was a guy who swam from the dive boat, managed to drift into the beach about 800m away and then refused to get back in the water because he was too scared. I had to swim to the beach to get him, reassure him everything would be fine, fit him with a life jacket and then tow him back to the boat, fighting an incoming tide. It was hard work!
You're right that preparedness and judgement, calm and effective action are some of the best qualities a divemaster can exhibit, and there is a big difference between being fit and being fit to dive, but this is all part of the course and you do really need that extra bit of stamina sometimes.
Cheers
C.