beester
Contributor
All new divers go through this... whether it's diving equipment, training, diving buddies, etc... it's called gaining experience. You only get this through diving a lot in different circumstances (both on holiday as locally), with a lot of different people. If you do that (specifically diving locally) you’ll encounter mentors.
A good instructor IS a mentor but a mentor doesn't necessary need to be an instructor.
Does a holiday-diver need a mentor… no he needs a dive-instructor to get him qualified and a divemaster after to keep him safe, because he resets his “dive-experience-counter” every time he flies home again and doesn’t dive for another year.
But a person really passionate about this new hobby… will keep diving at home, he will join a local group/network of divers and will gain experience. These people can use a mentor. Not to get them certified to Adv Nitrox, Full Trimix, Full Cave, Tech2, Cave2… whatever… for these kind of skill increases you better look up a GOOD instructor (who will also be a mentor because he’s good 
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However for small increases in experience you don’t need an instructor… a mentor will do just fine. Your first dives in a dry-suit… getting introduced to north sea wreck diving (or whatever cold water/bad vis wrecks you do)… you just need someone with a lot of experience in that specific environment… who will help you out for a bit. No need to worry how to find a mentor… these people are so passionate about their hobby that they’ll come to you. Simply because they recognize a new local diver who’s also passionate.
A good instructor IS a mentor but a mentor doesn't necessary need to be an instructor.
Does a holiday-diver need a mentor… no he needs a dive-instructor to get him qualified and a divemaster after to keep him safe, because he resets his “dive-experience-counter” every time he flies home again and doesn’t dive for another year.
But a person really passionate about this new hobby… will keep diving at home, he will join a local group/network of divers and will gain experience. These people can use a mentor. Not to get them certified to Adv Nitrox, Full Trimix, Full Cave, Tech2, Cave2… whatever… for these kind of skill increases you better look up a GOOD instructor (who will also be a mentor because he’s good 
. However for small increases in experience you don’t need an instructor… a mentor will do just fine. Your first dives in a dry-suit… getting introduced to north sea wreck diving (or whatever cold water/bad vis wrecks you do)… you just need someone with a lot of experience in that specific environment… who will help you out for a bit. No need to worry how to find a mentor… these people are so passionate about their hobby that they’ll come to you. Simply because they recognize a new local diver who’s also passionate.
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