Divemaster

[lilscubapro16]

What is divemaster like? what do i need to prepare my self? and what is it going to be like for me?

thanks to the people that respond to my question!

 

[dcs917]

Wow - where do I start... Great question. I have only been a lowly DM for a little less than 2 years, so here is my opinion summarized into 3 key points FWIW:

First, you need to have the proper level of training and experience. Can I tell you a specific number of dives? No. You will know, and your fellow divers will know. For me, it was at about dive 150. This is where I hit a point in my training where I was ready to move on. This is evidenced by the way you handle yourself in the water. Buoyancy would be the defining characteristic, I'd say. DM training helped me exponentially with basic skills from this point.

Next - attitude. Why do you want to get a DM certification? This is essential. Some people either get the DM Cert and never really are a working DM, or go immediately to Instructor without really experiencing what being a DM is all about (low pay and long hours). What these people miss is to see the kinds of issues that you will encounter with real customers in Pool and OW sessions.
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Finally - beside the primary safety aspects of being a DM (which should not be understated) - the main thing I have learned is to interact with the customers. Why do THEY want to learn to dive, what is THEIR motivation? What great tropical trip do THEY have planned that they need to get certified for? Make their time enjoyable, provide positive feedback for the things they do well, and gentle reinforcement for the things they need improvement on, and above all, you are a window into the potential that this great sport has to offer.
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As you have probably heard, many students are more open to talk to the DM's then they are to the Instructors. This puts you in a key role in helping the new divers find their way into, and gain confidence in this sport. Hope that my humble opinions are meaningful for you! Above all,

Dive Safe!

 

[soonerwink]

What is divemaster like? what do i need to prepare my self? and what is it going to be like for me?

thanks to the people that respond to my question!

Check out this thread, very good information about DM course.
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/going-pro/198155-padi-divemaster-exam-study-guide.html

 

[Dive-aholic]

Welcome to the 'Board! A couple of good responses already. I'll add a few things.

Get as much experience in as many different environments as you can. Get in your local quarries, the ocean, do shore dives, boat dives, travel, learn your local dive sites. Do night dives, deep dives, learn to navigate so you're never lost, get nitrox trained and certified, learn proper gas management. The more you know and have experienced with diving, the better divemaster you'll be.

As for the course, it's a lot of book knowledge. You'll need to know physics and physiology (learn the Encyclopedia of Recreational Diving). You'll also have to be able to perform all the skills you did in your OW class (and a few more) presentation quality.

Start reading the encyclopedia now and getting your experience in a variety of sites. If you dive a lot, you could be ready in a year. I was, but I also had about 130 dives my first year and in almost a dozen different types of dive sites - local lakes, So Cal boat and shore diving, Sea of Cortez, NE quarries, NJ wrecks, Florida springs, a missile silo, the Caribbean, just to name a few.

 

[Annie Crawley]

It is different for everyone. But once you decide to do it, know it will transform your life forever. Don't think of it as becoming a divemaster, but one step closer to becoming an instructor!