Open Water To Dive Master How Long?

[Riles2226]

I don't understand the why of rushing and hurrying to collect plastic in a delay as short as possible.

@Ripley, for some people, what you are saying is exactly what is happening...they are just chasing the next piece of plastic. However, that is not the only motive. However, many are simply pursuing learning and going from certification to certification is the way that works for them.

I have taught AOW to people right out of OW and I have taught AOW to people with 100 dives. For some, right out of OW was fine. For others, they needed another 100 dives to be ready for the course. Each person is different and learns differently. Similarly, some learn better in a more formalized structure that commemorates that with a piece of plastic while others learn better in a more free-form structure. Both approaches have their pros and cons, which vary in intensity by the person.

 

[Ripley]

@Riles2226
- If pursuing learning: I fully agree. That's the best (if not the only) right motivation.

- My co-students from 7 months ago: "You're not considered as a diver if you can't go deeper than 18m... YOU (ref. me) don't count and as long as you can't go deeper, no one want's to dive with you".
This is the wrong motivation imho.

Note: 3 out of 4 are still struggling with their buoyancy, keep their hand on the inflator all the time to add/remove air, they can't stop finning or they're down on their knees, clearing mask while finning continuously, dust kicking the silt away, etc...

Needless to say that I prefer diving with my GUE-buddy who actually WORKS with me on my skills.
I still need a minute to find my buoyancy but when done I hover when not kicking, I clear my mask without touching the bottom or having to kick...
Plastic isn't everything when pursuing it for the wrong reasons.

 

[Scraps]

I really don't understand the direction this thread has taken.

The OP has been diving for almost ten years and has >1000 dives.

He is the exact opposite of a card chaser or a zero-to-hero candidate.

But that's where the discussion seems to want to go.

For my part, I have never, not once, met the mythical beast known as the card collector: that is, someone who aspires to collect the whole set or who thinks doing so means he or she is a better diver. Though they are often ridiculed, I'm not sure such people exist (with the possible exception of new divers who think AOW denotes an advanced diver and don't realize the "O" part of OW and AOW is a limiting qualifier).

It's a fact of the diving business that one must accumulate a bunch of cards to do the things one wants to do in the water. I've never seen anyone fan out a hearts-hand full of cert cards when registering for a dive: however, I have several times seen people pull out cert cards lower than their highest level to avoid calling attention to themselves.

I think most divers are aware that credentials can easily get ahead of experience, and the OP here presents the lowest possible risk of that happening to him.

The card collector is an easy stereotype to attack because no one will defend him, but I'm not persuaded many people fit the category.

 

[lexvil]

$$$$$$$$,$$$$$$$ that long

 

[Ripley]

I have never, not once, met the mythical beast known as the card collector

What if I told you that I'm actually considering looking for another DC because of that?
The more plastic you have (read as the more money you made them make) the more you're considered.

Note once more what I stated clearly:

I'm NOT JUDGING (capitals-bold-Italic AND underlined!!) anyone

So I'm certainly not pointing towards OP seen the number of dives and years of experience he has.

 

[Scraps]

Ripley,

Your comments did not specifically prompt my post.

I think you and I have a lot of common ground, especially in placing a priority on seeking knowledge and improvement.

However, each of us has a different diving journey and different opportunities for becoming better divers. Not everyone is so fortunate to have such an experienced buddy/mentor to learn from as you do. For me, to get better and try new stuff in different dive environments, I needed to take a lot of courses. I don't treasure the cards or carry them with me. And I've never considered any card I've earned as more than a license to learn more and practice more.

If I ever become an instructor, I would try to find a way to engage in post-certification mentoring because the bit of that I've done as a divemaster has been much more rewarding than helping students check the box for every skill on the syllabus for their course.

BTW, the photos at your site are lovely.

Best wishes,

 

[Riles2226]

@Ripley, what you ran into there are just idiots...it doesn't matter the agency or anything else. I've met amazing divers (personality and skills) from most every agency and I've met horrible divers (personality and skills) from most every agency.

The point I was trying to make about the cards is that different people are motivated differently. If we exclude the people that are just motivated to have something they can brag about or bully someone else with, there are plenty of people that want the commemoration of their learning in the form of a formal product, like a card. There are others that don't care about the commemoration event. Provided the attitude is right, neither is necessarily right or wrong and there are jerks on both extremes.

 

[tursiops]

I have a drysuit speciality and Nitrox. What is the least amount of time to get my DM (Dive Master)
I have plenty experience diving I just want to get the prerequisites done so that I can do the IDC later.

You didn't mention money, so go one-on-one for private training through DM with the best instructor you can find.