Hi there - Blue Kangaroo is back after a long break from the board. appologies for any unanswered mails but life has been rather hectic.
So the debate continues Tao or Pkt. or rather Tao or Anderman sea.
It really depends when you do it. In high season - Nov to end May there is no doubt that the diving is better ( much better) in the anderman sea ( West coast). I'm biased but would recommend Phi Phi rather than Phukt. Having lived and dived here for 4 years I see many of the Phkt and Lanta boats making daily trips over to the Phi Phi marine park. I also belive Phi Phi is a far nicer place to stay than phkt - that is unless neon bars and Thai Hos are your scene. The atmosphere is sooooo freindly and relaxed and there is a mix of nightlife, lonely beaches, and vibrant people ( me included !!!!!!! hee hee).
However between May and October the wind picks up and the situation is better in Tao.
The Dm course is a mix of self study, and experience working in a dive shop. The experience is - firstly how to conduct dives and boat opperations, leading divers, secondly helping student divers and assisting Instructors and thirdly the day to day opperations of a dive outfit.
I've taught many DM's and it is a rewarding experience for both myself and the students.
So things to watchout for.........
Yuo'll be in this shop for a long time - up to 3 months. So make damn sure you like the people, management and most of all your instructor and senior mentor. Its a long time to be pissed off with people - and it goes both ways. I personally interview my DM's to make sure I ....well....like them. Actually most people get through !!!!!!!!!!!
OK so you like the shop.....next level of training. Are you going to be given a lot of time on the boats ? Yuo don't learn DM skills stuck in the tank room. Is the shop a 5* IDC centre - ie do they train instructors. If so the DM training is unusally better as the shop will PROBABLY have more senior staff - Staff Instructors and Master Instructors rather than new intructors or those who have just graduated to MSDT. Don't forget your training is only as good as the people who will be giving it. Yuo can be an instructor with as little as 100 dives so make sure your instructor has done this sort of thing before !!!!!!
To pay or work it off. OK I'm on my soap box here. There is no such thing as a free course, ofen called a working internship. The idea sounds great - a free course which you work off at the end. Well think again. Firstly where is the incentive for a good course, and where is the incentive for a quick rushed course so you can start working for free ? Also what work do you think you will get when you qualify ? Diving ? NO. Selling in front of the shop, sweeping up, tank filling - a dive slave. The regular staff get paid when they are diving so do you think you'll get the choice jobs. Nope. It inevitably ends badly with the student paying off his debt in cash. There are good schemes but most are to be avoided.
I prefer to pay a fair price ( 25000 baht on PP) then YOU are in control. Yuo are the customer. If you are good then there is every chance you'll be offered work at the end of the course. If not - you are free to go. This is usually a much cheaper way of doing it and you still recieve the same level of experience - probably more. Grrrrr - you can see where my thoughts lie. I hate seeing DM students get used and recieve patchy training. OK OK I've stopped.
I'm working on PP again so if anyone wants any more information please feel free to contact me at Barakuda Diving 5 * IDC centre Phi Phi Island
diving@barakuda.com
Best regards
Blue Kangaroo
