Why is becoming a DM considered not worth it?

[NothingClever]

DiveMaster skills aren't deep nor wide. When you're a baby diver you know nothing and the DiveMaster seems to be an expert. Develop your skills and you then see that it's not the internationally recognised badge of skills.

@Isa.nerwen

This x 100.

 

[rongoodman]

Teaching neutral buoyancy is 15 minute process max ....

I suppose that’s why all those people pass Fundies with no effort and then spend the rest of the time drinking beer.

 

[Blackcrusader]

Hello!
I just recently fell in love with diving, like I've never liked anything in my life before, and I was thinking about getting my DM.
I know the reasons to do it change if from person to person but I'm wondering why so many people say doing the DM if you don't plan to work is useless.
Your opinion is welcome, thank you!

I have been diving since January 1986. I do not have a DM Certification. I have friends who are vacation divers who have DM certs. Some are instructor level who do not work as instructors. One of my friends just got her Padi IDC. She works in the industry.

To say it's useless is not true. You will learn things in a DM course. Sometimes I think if I should do a DM Cert but for me not worth it. I just had a very nice 30 dive vacation this month. My DM guide loved the fact he could just follow me around and enjoy not having to be a valet for me.

If you can do a DM course and get in a lot of free diving afterwards go for it. Leading dives and taking care of vacation divers is arduous. My humble opinion.

I started with PADI then did BSAC. I would say BSAC courses are different and more instructive in the club environment and you learn deco diving as well. I would recommend BSAC over PADI if you have that available.

You could just do BSAC Sports diver and after that you can also look at TDI ANDP. You don't need to be a DM for that.
Refer to what Wibble and others have written

 

[Blackcrusader]

I am going to be difficult. When I am a paying customer and I am told I will have a DM leading the group my expectation is that the DM;

Has (very) low air consumption

I've dived with recently certified DM's and we need to end dives but I am better on gas consumption. I've had dives where the DM is at 40 bar at end of dive and I'm at 100 bar. Such is life.
I will never criticize a DM just for using more gas. We all can end a dive at any time remember.
2 days before my dive trip this month I had a fall and bruised my ribs. Breathing was not always comfortable. My first days were not good on air lol. Too much pain. In the last 2 days I was feeling fine and the guide was dang... you are good on air lol

Had a young instabuddy who is Padi Rescue and deep cert and yet he used more air than I did when in pain. lol

 

[Edward3c]

I started with PADI then did BSAC. I would say BSAC courses are different and more instructive in the club environment and you learn deco diving as well. I would recommend BSAC over PADI if you have that available.

You could just do BSAC Sports diver and after that you can also look at TDI ANDP. You don't need to be a DM for that.

You don’t need to go to another agency to do ‘technical’ diving, BSAC has the lot see here.

 

[Isa.nerwen]

You don’t need to go to another agency to do ‘technical’ diving, BSAC has the lot see here.

Awesome thanks, I will have a look!

 

[halocline]

Thanks so much.
Admittedly my main reason is because I want to have the experience of living that lifestyle for a bit, and doing it for 2 months would cost me the same price as travelling for 2 months and would be cheaper than just doing fun dives for 2 months.

That was my reasoning about 20 years ago when I went to Roatan for my DM internship. And it worked out fine, I basically dove every day for a couple of months (with a few days off here and there) for about $600, and I ended up making more than that back from the shop fixing regulators. So it was more-or-less diving at no cost other than lodging. The course itself was nothing to write home about; lots of things that would prepare you for the IDC. I was already a pretty good diver so I didn’t have high expectations of learning high end dive skills. When you dive that much everything gets better, of course. There was some labor involved, mostly filling/schlepping tanks and tidying up the shop.

The big variable in the experience is always what kind of people you’re working with; in my case it was definitely a mix. If I had any advice to offer, it would be try to find a place where you think you’ll fit in with the people around you, age wise, interest wise, etc…if you get that right, then it really is like a very inexpensive, somewhat low end-but-fun vacation.

 

[Centrals]

Divemaster | Scuba Junkie Komodo

The Komodo National Park is an incredible place to take your first step into professional diving. Complete your PADI Divemaster with Scuba Junkie Komodo!

www.scubajunkiekomodo.com

Great diving there.
High demand for the course for the obvious reason.

 

[Edward3c]

Awesome thanks, I will have a look!

If you want to do BSAC training in warmer water, then look at BSAC Egypt.

 

[Isa.nerwen]

Divemaster | Scuba Junkie Komodo

The Komodo National Park is an incredible place to take your first step into professional diving. Complete your PADI Divemaster with Scuba Junkie Komodo!

www.scubajunkiekomodo.com

Great diving there.
High demand for the course for the obvious reason.

Ohh I was diving with Dive Komodo when I was there. I love the dive sites but to be honest going back to Komodo is a bit of a hassle, plus a bit more expensive than Thailand ^^