Earning my Divemaster

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

ETGriffiths

ETGriffiths

New
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
Location
New York State, sometimes
# of dives
0 - 24
Hello all!

I've been diving for about 5 years now and am finally getting around to upping my qualification to Divemaster this winter. I have been accepted by two schools, Rich Coast Diving in Costa Rica and Merlin Divers, a Phuket Dive Shop in Thailand. I've done only temperate diving before, so poor vis doesn't scare me. Does anyone have any suggestions one which school I should choose?

Thanks!

Em
 
Roxanne, I don't mean to be argumentative, but the Commercial Diver forum has no relevance to the OP's questions. There is a 'Going Pro' forum.... that specifically deals with potential Divemaster issues and questions.

Drop me a PM if you want this thread moved there. You'll get more responses than if it is left in the 'Intro' forum.

To the OP: What do you mean by 'accepted' by the schools? Most schools run divemaster programmes... and they all accept people onto the course.

There are a lot of factors involved with choosing a dive operation for DM training. What are your preferences? Your budget? Your goals and aims of the course?
 
ETGriffiths:
Hello all!

I've been diving for about 5 years now and am finally getting around to upping my qualification to Divemaster this winter. I have been accepted by two schools, Rich Coast Diving in Costa Rica and Merlin Divers, a Phuket Dive Shop in Thailand. I've done only temperate diving before, so poor vis doesn't scare me. Does anyone have any suggestions one which school I should choose?

Thanks!

Em
Click to expand...

Where do you plan on being able to use this new rating? If you plan on using it at home then take the Dm course at home. Looking at your profile you have less than 25 dives, thats less than 5 dives a year.Locally here in NY we can easily do that in a week,on a trip to Bonaire 20 in a week is not unheard of..I would suggest getting in alot more- at least another 100- before going for Dm.Do you have your advance,EFR and rescue already?
If you show up at a local LDS near your home in NY with a DM card from Costa Rica or Thailand they most likely will not have any need for your assistance with classes.
Many LDS prefer to train their own DM/INSTR's rather than bring in someone who is unknown to them.Unless you can bring alot of proven experience, or are known in the community, or have unique skills local facilities here in NY are very difficult to get work in.
 
Just looked at your profile..You have a OW certification.I see you went to Hampton Dive Center.I believe Randy is the owner there. Talk to him about what you want to do.He will schedule you up with completing an advance ow course,either locally here in the spring or on a trip that he may have running to the islands.After that do a EFR course with him and rescue.That alone should put the time frame into early summer.Then DIVE every weekend during the summer,and maybe a night dive during the week every week..Maybe in the late fall-early winter- if you are up to it, then start DM. Get Dm academics,confined water work done during the winter and then do the required internships during the following spring/summer.I have been in the industry for going on 40 years now,its a small industry,and at times it seems everyone knows everyone else around here.There is a BIG difference in earning your DM rating the way I described vs going to Thailand /Costa Rica and being handed it.
 
To do a Divemaster Course is not like applying to University where the company will turn you away if your credentials are not high enough. It is completely your choice where you want to do your training, how much you want to pay for it and how much you want to learn on your course. The latter being the most important one.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
ti325v:
I know it is the industry norm to accept any warm body with cold cash into a D.M. program. But not at my shop. You have to demonstrate responsibility, professionalism, maturity and good judgment before I will ACCEPT you.
Click to expand...

How do you assess that?
 
Surely the student is to be assessed over the duration of his training on the course and not to be 'pre-assessed' before even trying to make the step up.

The performance requirements for the DM course are strongly focused on professionalism and application to the training. When we train our Divemasters here at Blue Season Baliwe inform them that this 'professionalism' component is pass/fail and just because they have paid for their training does not guarantee certification which has to be earnt. Of course it is the instructors duty to train the students up to a professional level and if one student is falling off pace at any point it is our obligation as PADI Professionals to do our very best to help them back in the right direction.

Everybody deserves a chance to follow a passion!
 
Last edited by a moderator:
You must log in or register to reply here.
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

Back
Top Bottom