DiveMaster /Master Dive Cert on Island

[Kicker1866]

I'm usually on the island 3 or 4 times a year for a long weekend, but recently I have found myself needing a break from real life and have decided to come down for an extended period. As a "purpose" for my trip I figure I will obtain my Master Diver rating or my Dive Master Certification. I have not been able to reach my regular shop, but figured I may change things up this trip. Query 1 - How long would I need to dedicate to either block of training? Query 2 - Who would you suggest I work with?

Thanks

 

[ChuckP]

I’d not even think about master diver, not sure it really means much.

Dive master is another story though - Liang at Aldora divers is the person to see IMO. Two to three weeks will cover it if you have all the requirements like rescue, cpr etc.....

Pm me and I’ll get you her email - I did the class in August with them and will do instructor intern with them starting sometime soon

 

[Dave Dillehay]

In reality I consider the Master Diver rating is just like a bunch of Boy Scout Merit badges. I got mine in 1992, then DM in 1993…big difference. By the way, Liang mentioned above, is a PADI Course Director.

Dave Dillehay
Aldora Divers

 

[Kicker1866]

Well, now you guys have me thinking about just saying to hell with it and moving toward DM certification. Truth be told, I will likely never work as a DM, but I do enjoy advancing my skills as a diver and wth....it would be nice to have. SO, if I were going to come down for an extended stay on the island....how long do you think I would need to commit to complete the necessary work?

 

[runsongas]

take an intro tech class or fundies with an eye for a tech pass instead if you don't plan to work as a DM.

 

[Attonine]

take an intro tech class or fundies with an eye for a tech pass instead if you don't plan to work as a DM.

I agree 100%.

DM has some new theory which is useful and in some cases important, but the wet side, blah. And hanging around Discover SCUBA courses and being a spare wheel on OW courses...boring! The skills you have to practice daily, and then perform and be graded on are the demos done for OW students, removing/replacing and clearing mask, clearing snorkel, removing/clearing and replacing regulator, assemble and disassemble Kit, this kind of stuff, slightly more challenging are the removal and replacement of BCD, weight belt under water and on the surface, but still..... None of these are skills I considered made me a better or more competent diver.

You will learn a lot more and gain more skills moving towards Tec and also avoid the pestering for annual renewal fees to keep the cert active.

 

[ChuckP]

Well, now you guys have me thinking about just saying to hell with it and moving toward DM certification. Truth be told, I will likely never work as a DM, but I do enjoy advancing my skills as a diver and wth....it would be nice to have. SO, if I were going to come down for an extended stay on the island....how long do you think I would need to commit to complete the necessary work?

When Liang and I first spoke / emailed, the basic DM class was two weeks - if needing rescue, cpr and dive theory, you'll need more time. I spent a bit longer but am coming back for instructor and I think we worked on some of that training, I had already completed my rescue, cpr and theory.

I agree 100%.

DM has some new theory which is useful and in some cases important, but the wet side, blah. And hanging around Discover SCUBA courses and being a spare wheel on OW courses...boring! The skills you have to practice daily, and then perform and be graded on are the demos done for OW students, removing/replacing and clearing mask, clearing snorkel, removing/clearing and replacing regulator, assemble and disassemble Kit, this kind of stuff. You will learn a lot more and gain more skills moving towards Tec and also avoid the pestering for annual renewal fees to keep the cert active.

I have mixed feelings on this.

I believe that you can have a large number of rec dives and really not know the physiology side of things, which is perfectly fine. The for DM dive theory class really starts to teach you the science of it, the what happens to your body stuff - the DM class re enforces it, the longest chapter in the book is dedicated to it.

I'm gonna stop right there cause that's how mixed my feelings are...

What do you the OP hope to gain or learn? What are YOU looking for?

 

[Kicker1866]

What am I looking for? Good question.

I LOVE diving. I LOVE ever aspect of it. The fun, the spirituality of it, and the serious nature of it. I have my rescue certification and I enjoy learning about every aspect of diving, including the physiology of the body in relation to diving. I enjoy improving my skills and I tend to work on something every dive....even if it is something as simple as closing my eyes and testing my ability to timely grasp a piece of equipment on my BCD to create muscle memory.

I suppose I am simply needing a long break where I can focus on my diving skills. I've had two underwater rescues where I had to bring up distressed, panicked and OOA divers. The first time shook me up, the second time (earlier this year) was very smooth and was like they say...training just took over. So, the more you know....the more you train...the safer everyone becomes and the more enjoyment one has.

Beginner Tech does interest me to a degree....but the idea of crazy long extended deco stops does not. I do enjoy teaching and helping new divers. I enjoy being a help on a dive boat if called upon.

So, I do not think there is any aspect of dive training that I would be bored with....Master Dive? Sure, I have no issue with knocking out a few PADI speciality classes for the hell of it. My only concern is the vast majority of these classes, I've already developed these skills and may not learn anything new. DM opens me up to new things, but I'm a practicing attorney and unless I retire and decide to be a part-time DM on a local boat someplace, I would never really use the DM certification other than my own personal edification. Some entry level tech would be cool such that I could get down to some deeper wrecks, but I have no interest in really deep stuff and extended deco stops. So....what am I looking for? Hell, I want it all. LOL....

Let's say up to two weeks on the island....with a couple days off....looks of time in the water....and coming away a better diver than when I arrived. Open to suggestions. (I'm also wanting to improve my fitness level ....so this would help me set some serious goals to drop some weight and get my ass back to sexy-aquaman-mode)

 

[sigxbill]

DM is a waste of time - especially for you. Sure - you might learn something in it. Smart people can learn something from almost any situation they are in. And what are you going to do with that card anyway? Show it as your cert for boat trips? Many people would advise against that - since it is a professional cert and may expose you to unnecessary liability. And what does DM mean anyway? It means the maximum diver level - the level of your actual diving skills - is Deep Diver specialty - so you might as well just show a Deep Diver card instead. DM certainly isn't going to impress anyone except those who still subscribe to thinking the path to advancement is RD -> DM -> OWI - which isn't advancing at all - because even with OWI, the highest level of diver skill one can expect that cert holder to have is Deep Diver.

IMO, If you really want to learn to dive, take GUE Fundamentals or UTD Essentials (my preference). Most other options are a crap shoot - as quality outside of those two is not guaranteed. If there is no way you can swing either of those, then you could look for something like advanced nitrox from iantd. Or worst case scenario do a naui master diver course (it is an actual course - not a bunch of specialties) or last option master diver from specialties - just make sure to choose specialties with actual substance. Edit: boulderjohn’s advice below can be good too.

Knowing what I know now, I would select my travel destination based on the instructor I wanted rather than the other way around - selecting my my instructor based on my travel destination ...

Cheers

 

[boulderjohn]

The only reason to do the DM class is to become a dive professional. Sure, you will learn stuff, but you will learn stuff doing a lot of other classes at a lot less cost.

IMO, what you need to do if you want to get more advanced training is to decide what kind of training you want to get and take the specific classes that will teach you the specific skills you want. If you sit down with an honest professional who truly has your best interests at heart, he or she can give you good advice on the classes you need to take to achieve your goals. Along the way you might possibly meet the requirements for Master Scuba Diver, but that is in itself not a particular goal you should strive for. Just get the specific classes with the specific learning that will help you achieve your goals.