Where should I get my Dive Master?

[blue.zen]

Hello all!

I recently returned from a trip to Thailand, and I've come back a diving addict. I did my open water on Ko Tao, loved it so much that I went right into advanced and then did a live-aboard cruise of the Similans. I feel like I've discovered something amazing, I think getting my DM is the logical next step for me.

I had such a good experience with my dive school on Ko Tao that I have just been planning to return for the training there, but I thought I should check out other options before I make a decision. Ko Tao is great but its a small place to spend 2-3 months...its also missing any semblance of a foreign culture, just a cool backpacker/diver/partier culture. Does anyone have any recommendations for places to get my Dive Master? Here's what is important to me:

1.) Warm water!
2.) Good and varied diving
3.) Low-budget
4.) Things to do besides dive
5.) Exotic locales and cultures a plus!

Obviously a good instructor is the most important; I want to be a great diver, it isn't just about the certification. So last but not least, dive school recommendations are much appreciated. It has to compete with Ko Tao cost-wise, which is quite cheap I think. My school would take me from Advanced OW to DM for around $1100, and living on the island is cheap.

Thanks for any and all responses!

 

[Mr. Sunday]

I would be headed back to Phuket personally. It has everything your looking for IMO.

Also depends on when your planning to do this though. A lot of the good choices are somewhat seasonal.

 

[scarefaceDM]

You want to be a DM..well good for you. Ask yourself why? once you have gotten that answer and are satisfied with it. ask yourself again - why? There is no money to be made as a DM there is however satisfaction in knowing you helped a new diver evolve....and meeting nice folks and of course the odd arse hole..

Oki sarcasm aside....

With DM training you get what you pay for. - Not sure about the area you are looking at in Thailand..never been, never dove with the school - so do not know them...I would sugest you do your research on them and speak ( if you can with the instructors and the DM'S related with that training facility if possible) feel them out. Go to your local LDS if you can and speak with them feel them out. Picking a good instructor prevails above and beyond the area you wish to train in.

Next again is...get your own gear and know how to maintain it.

next thing is...you want to be a great diver....well good for you. Now get out there and dive your arse off. Find a mentor that has more experience than you and there skill set is rock solid... Learn from them and dive. Pick up a few good books on various subjects related to dive theory and skill sets. View videos of good divers. Be prepared to think out of the box....Never be afraid to ask a question...Knowledge is power and knowing that you need to learn more is better than knowing you know it all....

Master your skills. Be a master of buoyancy..fining, learn how to do a proper frog kick. Learn how to manage your air properly...control your sac rate, learn how to navigate...and learn how to be a great buddy.

Next get your skill set up and get your pre required 5 specialties (PADI) and get the rescue course under your belt. ( unless you have done so already)...then go do yoru DM course where ever you like. There are a few good places in Florida, Mexico, Turks...although may not be as cheap as what you want...but then again..what is your life worth to you.

Safe dives

 

[AndyNZ]

I have to agree with scarecface, ask yourself why you want to be a DM.

Most people who come to me wanting to do a DM course actually have no understanding of what is involved either in the course or afterwards. A typical response is "because I want to be a better diver". I am limiting my comments to the PADI DM course (I am a PADI instructor), but there is virtually nothing in the DM course that will improve your diving skills. Most of the course will be about assisting with divers in training and how to manage and control divers when guiding.

If you want (quoting PADI video!) "to get out of diving what you got in to diving for", then there are much better options than the DM course. You have some great diving right on your doorstep, so I'd suggest making the transition to the cooler water and just go diving. Have some fun, do some more recreational courses if you want, and then start thinking about DM if you decide that you want to help people get the same things out of diving as you do.

 

[Hepcat62]

Agreed.

I've said this once before, and I'll say it again. DM is NOT a course designed to turn a comparatively inexperienced diver into an experienced one. DM is a course designed to teach a comparitively experienced, confident diver into a diver that understands the practicalities/skills of working as a dive professional. As far as skills go, the emphasis is not on competent performance of the skills - it's on effective demonstration of the skills to other divers. You're expected to be able to perform them competently already. Effective stress management is probably the "skill" that receives the most focus during the course, by way of certain training exercises. There's a lot of discussion about paperwork, insurance, and liability.

In the end, you'll find that you either enjoy leading dives with unknown divers and assisting classes or you don't. I found out that I enjoy assisting classes a great deal, and it was a tremendously worthwhile course for me in that regard. If those two things don't sound interesting to you, then you probably will not enjoy the course.

If you want to improve your diving skills and become a better diver, then go dive - A LOT. Learn to dive in cold(er) water like your local diving, and you'll almost certainly become a better diver pretty much out of necessity. There are a number of regular posters on Scubaboard from that area who are always interested in diving with newer folks.

 

[Garrobo]

Utila.....

 

[canuck_downunder05]

I think these guys have made a few good point regarding the question why? Over the years, I have had quite a few friends and coworkers ask me about my overall dive experience, where I got it, how I got it, where I've been/worked, all so they could learn about how they could atleast get there DM. For me personally I began diving while on a dive boat and lucky for me the Dive shop I worked for gave me the course basically for free as long as I worked there for them (as a cook on their liveaboard). So lucky for me I went from brand new open water dive to divemaster in a matter of 4 months... Yes I know rushed, but this was the opportunity for me at hand and I milked it for everything I could. From there I was invited to join an IDC (for free with the expception I paid $500 for books) which would lead into work. So I was teaching with in 6 months... If not for the offers along the way and cheap courses I'm not really sure I would have gone as far as I did. Now I am forever greatful and it has definitly opened up alot of doors for me in the last 5 years, but I think I would have been content with my Advanced or Rescue if I continued to be a casual traveller to places I could dive.

But after telling my story, and also my friends travelling and getting their OWC or Advanced course, they all want to know how to get their DM. And I asked why? They have 5-10 dives under their belts and they are already wanting to be PRO. They aren't aware of the costs involved, the theory, responsiblities. To me I just see them wanting another Cert before they even gain some specialties or rescue. They don't intend to work as a DM. Infact the few that have gone forward and got their DM's do work on sailboats and yachts... but they aren't utilizing their DM. Some have just gone home.. So what was the point?

My suggestion is to dive dive dive... You have your advanced now and when you are ready go for your Rescue. I think Rescue was the most important and useful course I went through. Become a better diver. I've lead Open water divers with 100's of dives under their belt that were amazing in the water, had excellent etiquitt in and out of the water, good tips to offer through their experiences and how they achieved that was by getting experiencing.

And when you are ready and hopefully if you are in an area where you can dive often, than consider a leadership role as a DM. And as mentioned before, when you are ready for that, than more than likely you'll have the itch to just go for your instructors. But again it's an investment, but it's worth it!

And regardless of what we say on here and you do it or not... its great advice to research your DC and the instructor... You look at places like Koh Tao and Honduras as they are among the cheapest places to get certified in the world... but they also have the reputation of being dive factories and flaws in their systems. Get a great instructor and shop that is going to give you the base of becoming an excellent diver along the way and build you up to become a great leader.

 

[vjanelle]

Find a local shop, especially if you do cold water diving. Talk to them about it. For some reason this seems to open up job opportunities for the people I know that do teach... But don't do it for the money.

The DM course is mostly a knowledge course. You'll learn some things that'll make you a more responsible diver, but you won't learn very much to improve your skills in it(except buoyancy and backfinning practice during those long and boring intern classes .

 

[James Bond boat entry]

Check out Dahab, do the DM course for the "free" diving and don't bother submitting the DM application after the course.

Dahab Hotels, Red Sea diving: beautiful sea-view hotels at bargain prices! Dahab Sinai Egypt Travel

 

[dhuskins]

The DM class will make you a better diver. Not because of the class, but through the ability to assist classes. Learning to perform diving skills to a demonstration level allows you to be able to perform it over, and over again in future classes. The constant repetition give you time to think about what you are doing (over and over again).

Are you sure you want to become a better diver this way? Or, you could simply go diving.