Why did you go PRO

[David Evans]

I became a dive professional because I see it as an easy way to get stinking filthy rich.

=-)

The way I see it, if I can get 6 students to pay my shop $150 for 3 weeks of my time (of which I get about $50), I figure I can almost cover my gasoline costs to get to and from the dive store and the dive sites.

So, if I can do this about 20 times a year, and if I live for another 500 years or so, I figure that by then cold fusion will be powering my lil pickup truck and so I can then pocket my gasoline money. And therefore I'll be RICH BABY YEAH!

Ok.

Well.

Diving changed my life in profound ways. The biggest tragedy of my life to date was that I waited until I was 35 to start diving.

If I can show the oceans to people and cause them to see the oceans in the same way that I do, maybe more and more people will care what happens to them before it's too late.

So it's a brainwashing scheme, basically.

Anybody wanna glass of kool-ade?

-d

p.s. --- Join the Ocean Conservancy!

http://www.oceanconservancy.org

 

[Padipro]

In the early 90's there wasn't much in the way of jobs for an Aviation Mechanic here in the states so I took a job in Saudi Arabia working for a company maintaining the Saudi Air Force aircraft in Jeddah, which just happens to be right on the Red Sea. Now there isn't much to do in Saudi since their society is a closed one, you're not even allowed to travel more then 50 miles from your home without special permission. There are no movie theaters, no clubs, no bars (because alcohol is illegal), and men and women are not allowed to socialize so that only leaves two things to do to keep from going insane; 1. Drink large amounts of home brewed swill and 2. Dive.

I tried doing the first to occupy all of my free time, which I had a great deal of while I was there, but quickly found out that the nasty home brew stuff we were making left you with a hangover that just wouldn't go away so I figured since I was already certified as an Openwater Diver I'd take a refresher course and try the second.

The Red Sea is absolutly beautiful and I fell in love with diving all over again after having been a land lubber for about 5 years. With all the free time I had I took an Advanced Course, then the Rescue Course, several specialities and then the DM Class. As my date to return to the states was getting closer I realized that the job situtation here in the states haden't improved much so I thought I'd take the IDC here in Florida when I returned and get a job in the islands somewhere until the economy improved and I could get back into Aviation.

I completed my IDC but never made it to the islands. I've worked at several shops here in the states teaching on and off over the last 10 years but I stayed in aviation and was never really interested in making Instructing anything more then a hobby. I know there isn't much money in it and I'm afraid that if I ever taught full time I'd loose some of the enjoyment I find in teaching others what I love to do.

Being an Instructor does have it's benefits even if you're not teaching. I've found that the boat crews and the dive shop staff treat you with a lot more respect then other divers and I don't like being treated like I'm an idiot so the little black card comes in handy from time to time.

Scott

 

[Ron Brandt]

Momentary Loss of Sanity!

But really a little bit of everything on the poll. Also I have found out that when the dive bs starts and that can be even from a non diver , when I mention that I instruct the bs stops.

I wanted to teach even from the minute I took my first class.

Ron

 

[Padipro]

Ron Brandt once bubbled...

Also I have found out that when the dive bs starts and that can be even from a non diver , when I mention that I instruct the bs stops.

Ron

Ron,

You are so right. I love it when that happens. I've even had a dive shop, that didn't know me, try to run some BS on me about using Nitrox on their boat. As soon as I opened my log book and they saw the "Little Black Card" they changed their story completely.

Kind of funny how that works isn't it?

Scott

 

[learn-scuba]

Otter once bubbled...
Well, I wish I could offer more advice, but we are still in our infancy. My oldest is almost 17 and will be completing (fingers crossed) his Eagle project next month. After that, he can get more involved in the Venture Crew and help planning the trips.

Good for him! As I said before... my utmost respect to those who achieve that goal. It is a prize hard won and speaks volumes of those who have accomplished it.

One of the areas we have been considering is the Scout Base in Florida.....any thoughts?

I presume you're talking about Seabase. Our troop did Seabase for their high adventure trip this summer but only for the sailing and reef snorkel. Seabase is a top notch operation and I couldn't recommend it more highly.

I wonder if we can get our own Forum? KN or LD, any chance for a BSA Diving Forum?

I'll second that motion.

 

[diverbrian]

I was actually doing the refresher course for a couple of scouts headed to Seabase a few months ago. Until then, I had never heard of it.

Anyways, I took my DiveCon because I love working with classes and helping out new divers. It helps to defray some of my expenses as I am logging better than a hundred dives per year without having a professional rating. I don't necessarily care for some of the politics, but at least I care about the divers, not just getting my own dives in and let the new diver fend for him/herself. I have seen divemasters take new divers out on wrecks that they have no business on because the divemaster wants to dive it and then be suprised when the new diver and/or their new buddy has problems and gets stressed out. Maybe I am trying to be part of the solution in working with new divers instead of just complaining about it.

 

[GQMedic]

Please! Do you have orange?

No, really! I honestly like orange kool-ade.

I became an instructor after alot, of thought about it. I tossed the idea around for quite some time. Even when I was 'ready", I wasn't ready. I thought long and hard about the why, not just the how.

Ultimately, I think like this. Hey, I'm a diver, is this not the coolest thing around? For each dive I do, that totally blows even the best day at home AWAY, or the kids on the beach who run up to me and ask a million questions.

It might even be, (ok, it is!) the stares I get from *cough* the opposite gender.

The look on a student's face when they are on scuba for the very first time.

Of course, to be honest, there's also the satisfaction of getting yourself through ITC, and when its all over, looking back at the experience and realizing I've done something not too many people do.

I guess, in a silly way, you add it all up, smush it together and define scuba instructor. As corny as it sounds, does it make any sense?

And yes, I still want the kool-ade...

David Evans once bubbled...

Anybody wanna glass of kool-ade?

 

[Epinephelus]

Not money as in *making* money... but as in being able to dive without putting me in the poor house.
So now instead of blowing $15 - $20K a year to pay for my diving habit, I only blow $3 or $4K.
And I do love sharing the wonders of the deep.
E.

 

[jroy017]

I completed my DM to cover my diving addiction and to reduce costs. PLus the fact that teaching new divers gives me great satisfaction. Asw for my Instructor course still not quite sure why I'm doing it (have written exam left) but seems to be continuation so that I can cut down my diving expenses a bit.

PDIC DM 51089