Achieving master diver recognition

[Laffy]

You will likely receive a lot of responses telling you that the "Master Diver" recognition isn't worth worrying about. As you gain more experience diving, you'll appreciate why.

Rescue plus a lot of experience is arguably the most important combination. Take specialties if you're interested in the subject, not to chase the MD recognition.

Thank you for the advice. I will surely work to get more experience
To me, the card acts like a milestone or goal? Whichever the case, more diving = becoming a better diver. Cheers!

 

[yle]

From the PADI Instructor Manual:

Certified as a PADI Advanced Open Water Diver,

a PADI Rescue Diver,

and certification in five PADI Specialty or TecRec courses.

Note: Specialty diver or TecRec certifications must be PADI – no other
certifications qualify.

So to get that "Master Diver" card from PADI, you'll have to do all your specialties and your AOW with PADI. The irony of doing all this is that by the time you get done, you'll have so many plastic cards that you'll realize there isn't much "recognition" to be had from having... one more plastic card.

My point in my earlier post is twofold:

1. You should take specialty courses because they interest you, not because they are an arbitrary requirement to get another plastic card. (Even if the card does say "master!" on it.)

2. Diving outside of a course is at least as important, but arguably more important, to developing your skills as a diver as is getting more training.

Several years ago we had a guy come into the shop to sign his kid up for an OW course. This guy insisted he was the ultimate authority on all things diving because he had an AOW card... and he had completed nine dives. Of course he was the epitome of that guy that has multiple cards and has convinced himself the cards are irrefutable evidence of his awesomeness. But the sad fact was that he had never dived without an instructor there to hold his hand.

Don't be that guy, that's not the kind of recognition anyone should want.

 

[Diving Dubai]

I agree with the post above.

I never felt the need nor the worth in MSD, but I was lucky to be club diving and getting a lot more knowledge and experience than I would from specialties.

That said I would never dissuade anyone from taking courses or aiming for certifications cards that interest them

I think the only time you'll get recognition for a certification is when you achieve Course Director, however there is nothing stopping you from being inwardly proud of your achievements, whether its Passing Divemaster, IDC, Openwater or your first DSD etc. Every course is a personal milestone and one you should be proud of regardless of what others say.

What does earn recognition is when your peers see that your a competent diver - you don't need to be an expert just competent for your certification and experience. Over time you'll gain more experience and be able to pass that along to other divers in a helpful way (rather than the boastful look and me see what I've done kinda way)

Over the years I've had some very helpful and patient mentors who have taught me many things - now its my turn to pass that knowledge together with things I've learnt by my own mistakes to other divers.

I personally don't seek recognition, I get satisfaction from seeing someone benefit from advice or help given however small. Hopefully in the future the'll pass that knowledge to other divers and so on

 

[tursiops]

From the PADI Instructor Manual:

Certified as a PADI Advanced Open Water Diver,

a PADI Rescue Diver,

and certification in five PADI Specialty or TecRec courses.

Note: Specialty diver or TecRec certifications must be PADI – no other
certifications qualify.

So to get that "Master Diver" card from PADI, you'll have to do all your specialties and your AOW with PADI.

No, not quite. The five specialties must indeed be from PADI, but the OW and the AOW and the Rescue can be the equivalents from other organizations. See the Master Scuba Diver Application, attached. OW agency is in fact not even asked for.

It's fine to be a snob about "just another card" and "gives you nothing extra" but it is a recognition that the diver has put in some time and effort, and has probably learned a bunch of useful stuff. The card may get the diver a little better seat on a dive boat and a better insta-buddy.

i give the card away to any students who have completed their requirements with me....which usually means the fifth specialty, or the 50th dive, or the Rescue cert. No one has laughed at it or refused it yet, and I see them using it afterwards.

 

[Bert van den Berg]

My LDS just sent away for my wreck and MSD certs. It didn't cost any more to get the MSD.

The specialty courses I took to get here were Deep, Enriched Air (Nitrox), Self Reliant (Solo), Dry Suit, Emergency Oxygen Provider and Wreck. Each made me a better diver and helped keep up my interest in diving.

Maybe some people will roll their eyes when you mention the MSD cert but I would rather dive with someone who has that cert. At least you then know that person has done the AOW and Rescue.

 

[Diving Dubai]

[QUOTE="Bert van den Berg, post: 8029397, member: 424547" At least you then know that person has done the AOW and Rescue.[/QUOTE]

Only if the person has kept their Rescue and EFR upto date and practised. When I took my DM it was less than a year post rescue - I was rusty as heck.

I don't care who I dive with - unless they think they know best when clearly they don't (normally when they're under or over weighted) I've met some really competent divers who were only AoW and had knowledge way above that. They just didn't see the need to get a further cert.

Never judge a diver solely by their cert card...

 

[yle]

No, not quite. The five specialties must indeed be from PADI, but the OW and the AOW and the Rescue can be the equivalents from other organizations. See the Master Scuba Diver Application, attached. OW agency is in fact not even asked for.

Yep, you're right, the application does show the equivalent of Rescue and AOW can be taken with any agency. I was simply copying and pasting from the IM... which (now I know) doesn't always give full disclosure.

I have no problem with people wanting a "Master Scuba Diver" card. But I stand by my belief that experience outside of a class (i.e. without an instructor to fall back on) is at least as important to becoming a competent diver as any training, and the primary motivation for taking specialty courses should be an interest in the subject... not a quest to add another card to the inevitable stack.

This debate over the "MSD" designation will never end. But I am firmly in the camp that would like to see more emphasis on divers becoming truly proficient with their basic skills, both in and out of the water, through investing a lot of time and effort in their diving, to promote diving as a safe, inclusive and rewarding experience... instead of the emphasis on the "recognition" that comes with a plastic card that has their name and photo on one side and an impressive sounding title on the other.

 

[yle]

The specialty courses I took to get here were Deep, Enriched Air (Nitrox), Self Reliant (Solo), Dry Suit, Emergency Oxygen Provider and Wreck. Each made me a better diver and helped keep up my interest in diving.

That is a nice group of specialties... in fact, the MSD cert would probably benefit from having certain specialties required, just as a deep and navigation dive are required for AOW, with the remaining three electives.

If the Deep, Self Reliant and O2 Prov specialties were required for the MSD and the remaining two were electives... then we'd be on to something.

 

[mockney]

That is a nice group of specialties... in fact, the MSD cert would probably benefit from having certain specialties required, just as a deep and navigation dive are required for AOW, with the remaining three electives.

If the Deep, Self Reliant and O2 Prov specialties were required for the MSD and the remaining two were electives... then we'd be on to something.

Yes I agree, I believe some specialties should be mandatory in order to obtain your MSD. The only issue with your choices is for my Self Reliant course I needed to have over 100 logged dives (and my LDS checked beforehand), For the MSD card you only need 50.

 

[yle]

Yes I agree, I believe some specialties should be mandatory in order to obtain your MSD. The only issue with your choices is for my Self Reliant course I needed to have over 100 logged dives (and my LDS checked beforehand), For the MSD card you only need 50.

True. There's no way Self Reliant would ever become required. Maybe just Deep and Nav specialties could be required... so the MSD would become a more serious version of AOW (i.e. with Rescue and full specialty courses.)