Best programs and locations for a DMT for rec. purposes?

[ChristianF]

Hello,

I wanted to ask some advice regarding a Dive Master Training I’m a rec diver with ~50 dives and was considering doing a DMT. However, I don’t want to pursue a dive career, I’m mostly looking to do a DMT for recreational purposes so I can have many dives in a period of 1-2 months in a beautiful location, even if that means hauling tanks, leading dives and doing all the work.

I’m looking for an awesome location (e.g. South East Asia or Caribbean) and program (e.g. recommended schools) that has a great culture, allow you to do dozens-if-not-hundreds of dives in a ~2 months period and with great and varied dives sites.
I would ideally want to do it around december-january

I’ve dived mostly in Koh Tao, Nusa Lembongan, Komodo and in my home country Peru.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Cheers!

Chris

 

[NorCalDM]

If you’re not going to work as a DM I would spend the time diving. DMT is going teach you how to work with classes and guide not improve your skills. I’ve been an active DM for over 13 years and honestly I’ve improved my skills more by diving in different environments and with different divers than I did in my DMT. Also some of the resort DMT programs are more about the free labor than the learning so be careful if you chose that route.

 

[TMHeimer]

I shouldn't reply because I have no experience with the DMT "internship" deals. But of course, I will.
It seems you just want to get in a lot of diving without any cost. You would pay for it in labour.
I took the "normal" course. Lots of pool time, especially getting your (24?) skills listed up to demonstration quality. A lot of other "components" as they are called--like mapping a dive site, stamina tests, equipmemt exchange test, written tests on theory, equipment, physics, physiology, etc. A lot of stuff that gears you toward assisting with Open Water courses. Some, but not all that much on teaching you how to lead dives from a charter boat (or shore), which is what you mentioned.

Seems like a ton of work for not that much diving in return. But, internships may be quite a different story from the "normal" DM course. Either way, I would thoroughly check out any place you may go to-- and get some of the important stuff as to exactly what they're offering in writing. I have read a lot of complaints here on SB from those who did the internship and didn't get what they expected.

I'm not trying to be all negative. You would come out if it with the DM cert., should you ever decide to use it. You also will improve your diving to some degree, since you have to get those 24 skills down so perfectly. And, you pick up a lot of interesting knowledge as to why this and that happens. A lot of that knowledge, though it gives you a very good perspective on things, will not be used when assisting on OW courses. Perhaps more of it will come into play if you are on your own leading certified divers. And if all this didn't cost you a dime including food and lodging...