Blackcrusader
Contributor
Ok, before this becomes an argument, yes, I understand I’m a new diver, especially compared to all of you. That’s why I posted a question. I’m beginning the DM course with only 47 dives under my belt, but I’m not doing this for ego. I left my stressful job and moved to Florida. As a turn of fate I discovered scuba and am obsessed. But have no dive buddies, it costs me $150-200 to get a dive in, and I’ve spent thousands on classes and equipment. The local dive shop has offered me the job of running a 30 ft shore dive (close to EMS, no current) when I finish DM because they like me and think my skills are good. I agree instructor should wait, but this will give me the ability to dive free, make a little income at the same time. Sorry if you disagree, but it’s the best opportunity I’ve had in my life. I love people and love seeing the face on new divers, or after a new site. Just wanted some advice.
Dang, I pay around US$20 - 25 for a boat dive in Asia and sometimes just rent tanks for shore dives and head off with a buddy.
You should find a dive buddy to do shore dives with and just rent tanks.
It's great you want to be a DM and you want to improve your gas consumption no one is mocking you for that. All people were saying is that perhaps get in more dives and experience before continuing your DM course. I've dived with DM's who have done OW to DM in the shortest possible time and they were not very good divers. They had the certs but lacking in experience. That is not a good thing when you are being paid to lead divers as a professional especially as some of the divers you will lead will notice that.
I have thousands of dive but only consider myself a competent deco recreational diver.
I can do helicopter turns and fin backwards I avoid silting up the bottom and maintain depth using my lungs and be motionless in a water column. Over the years I improved my gas consumption to a point that people think I have a broken SPG after a dive.
When I had 47 dives I would never have considered doing a DM course. I was not even comfortable at times with the diving I was doing at the time. In fact just getting from one course to another I would put at least 50 dives in. PS after several thousand dives I have still not done the DM course as I do not want to be a working diving professional.
When people dive with a DM they have certain expectations that has not only the certification but also the experience. This year I plan on diving in extreme fast drift currents that also have strong down currents in Lombok Bali Indonesia. The dive center will not take out divers who have not dived in those conditions before. The first dive they will assess the divers regardless of certification levels and numbers of dives before being allowed to these dive sites. All the divers have to be self reliant as being separated does happen.
So yes become a DM and work as a DM that's great. Some of us just think you should have more diving experience before doing that
but it is up to you not us. I would expect a DM to be able to lead me on dives to 40m 130ft and be able to complete an hours dive where the average dive depth is around 45 ft / 14m for the dive.
DM's need to be able to dive deep to sometimes stay with clients who go deeper than the dive plan. It happens a lot. So you may want to look also at the TDI ANDP Course as you will learn a lot about diving techniques and gas management.
Good you plan to dive to 30ft with clients and use that to build up experience. But what happens when you discover one of your divers is down at 100ft and cannot hear your tank banging or shaker stick?