Mentor?
- Thread starter ems_is_4_me
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For future reference, a DIR diver would not insta buddy with a non DIR diver! That would be a dead give a way. Then the split fins, and all the other non-DIR stuff, which you would not recognize as being non DIR, unless you were DIR. But then having the patch to prove it, that would be a hard one to disagree with
There is no patch for a DIR diver . . . and split fins are a dead giveaway that someone is NOT using a DIR equipment setup.
StreetDoctor
Contributor
Why exactly do you say he's DIR? DIR equipment choices don't include split fins, retractors, d-rings all over the place, or pony bottles. Who sounds like the arse now?
Edit: Didn't read the rest of the replies before mine, I don't mean to beat a dead horse but come on! I hear lots of stories about mythical (dare I say the "S" word) bad divers that claim to be DIR yet I've never ran into one?
Over the ten years or so I have been diving I have had two "mentors". I am still in regullar touch and dive with both. The first was my initial certifying instructor (who was an independant at that time but now own a center in Cyprus) and the other is a senior member of the dive club I joined. Both have similar diving interests to me (and not surprisingly similar styles). i did not go looking for a mentor but was very greatful that much more experienced divers were wiling to dive with me (Maybe an advantage of a club system). That is one of the reasons that I now buddy inexperienced divers, hopefully giving something back to the sport.
Well said AndrewA.
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I've had a few mentors ... DIR and non-DIR. What they had in common was patience, a desire to share what they knew, a positive attitude, patience, a sense of humor, and a lot of patience.
My first mentor was a fellow I was working with at the time. When I signed up for my class he was almost as excited as I was, and couldn't wait till I got my certification so he could teach me how to catch our local delicacy ... dungeness crabs. Did my first boat dive off his 12-foot aluminum fishing skiff. He was an old-school diver whose gear was almost as old as he was ... but a fun fellow to go share early diving adventures with.
My next mentor was a guy who I later took one of my earliest tech classes from. Met this fellow on a charter out to one of our premier dive sites (Possession Pt. Ferry). When he found out I was a new diver he asked me if I had a buddy yet. I said no, and he offered to "show me around". Took one look at my little C4 light and pulled this huge honkin' D8 out of his bag and said "Here, you'll need this". He was right ... of course. Looking back it still amazes me that the dude would have volunteered for what he had to know would be a very short dive with a newbie on a dive charter to one of the best sites in Puget Sound ... but that's what mentors do.
And then there was my DIR mentor ... a fellow who used to frequent ScubaBoard a lot ... Uncle Pug. He didn't just teach me the mechanics of good diving, he helped me learn how to THINK about diving. His guidance changed the way I dive, the way I think about diving, and the way I go about helping others learn to dive. That's what mentors do ... they help you learn things at a level that you simply can't get in a class.
Reading Lynne's post above, there's a continuity ... in that everything I helped her learn I had learned previously from the mentors I had. And I have watched her apply that same desire to "pay it forward" to others who have just started down the path to becoming better divers. And more recently I have noticed some of those she has helped begin helping others who are starting down that same path. That's what mentors do ... they "pay it forward".
Classes only teach you what you need to learn, and give you the tools to craft knowledge into skills. Mentors are the people who spend time in the water with you, guiding you through the process of applying that knowledge and developing the skills. Classes work in an artificial environment designed to achieve the objectives of the class. Mentors work in the real world, putting "ah HA" context around what you got from the class.
They are both important ... but they promote learning in very different ways.
Not every good diver can be a good mentor ... in fact, most cannot. Skills aren't what defines a mentor ... attitude is. You have to be someone who derives enjoyment from sharing, and takes pride in the accomplishments of the person you're helping, as well as their enthusiasm for things you may have experienced many time ... but are completely new to them.
Not everyone can do that. Not everyone wants to. Good mentors are like gardeners, deriving pleasure from the growth of others.
So to answer the OP's question, what to look for in a mentor ... look for someone who's going to truly enjoy the dive YOU want to do, not the one they think you should be doing. If your potential mentor is trying to talk you into doing a dive you don't feel ready for yet, that's not the right mentor for you. Look for someone who you will help you develop your skills at a pace you're comfortable with. Above all else, look for someone who wants to have FUN ... and who makes fun for both of you the priority. A mentor is, first and foremost, the person you should really ... REALLY ... look forward to doing your next dive with.
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
My first mentor was a fellow I was working with at the time. When I signed up for my class he was almost as excited as I was, and couldn't wait till I got my certification so he could teach me how to catch our local delicacy ... dungeness crabs. Did my first boat dive off his 12-foot aluminum fishing skiff. He was an old-school diver whose gear was almost as old as he was ... but a fun fellow to go share early diving adventures with.
My next mentor was a guy who I later took one of my earliest tech classes from. Met this fellow on a charter out to one of our premier dive sites (Possession Pt. Ferry). When he found out I was a new diver he asked me if I had a buddy yet. I said no, and he offered to "show me around". Took one look at my little C4 light and pulled this huge honkin' D8 out of his bag and said "Here, you'll need this". He was right ... of course. Looking back it still amazes me that the dude would have volunteered for what he had to know would be a very short dive with a newbie on a dive charter to one of the best sites in Puget Sound ... but that's what mentors do.
And then there was my DIR mentor ... a fellow who used to frequent ScubaBoard a lot ... Uncle Pug. He didn't just teach me the mechanics of good diving, he helped me learn how to THINK about diving. His guidance changed the way I dive, the way I think about diving, and the way I go about helping others learn to dive. That's what mentors do ... they help you learn things at a level that you simply can't get in a class.
Reading Lynne's post above, there's a continuity ... in that everything I helped her learn I had learned previously from the mentors I had. And I have watched her apply that same desire to "pay it forward" to others who have just started down the path to becoming better divers. And more recently I have noticed some of those she has helped begin helping others who are starting down that same path. That's what mentors do ... they "pay it forward".
Classes only teach you what you need to learn, and give you the tools to craft knowledge into skills. Mentors are the people who spend time in the water with you, guiding you through the process of applying that knowledge and developing the skills. Classes work in an artificial environment designed to achieve the objectives of the class. Mentors work in the real world, putting "ah HA" context around what you got from the class.
They are both important ... but they promote learning in very different ways.
Not every good diver can be a good mentor ... in fact, most cannot. Skills aren't what defines a mentor ... attitude is. You have to be someone who derives enjoyment from sharing, and takes pride in the accomplishments of the person you're helping, as well as their enthusiasm for things you may have experienced many time ... but are completely new to them.
Not everyone can do that. Not everyone wants to. Good mentors are like gardeners, deriving pleasure from the growth of others.
So to answer the OP's question, what to look for in a mentor ... look for someone who's going to truly enjoy the dive YOU want to do, not the one they think you should be doing. If your potential mentor is trying to talk you into doing a dive you don't feel ready for yet, that's not the right mentor for you. Look for someone who you will help you develop your skills at a pace you're comfortable with. Above all else, look for someone who wants to have FUN ... and who makes fun for both of you the priority. A mentor is, first and foremost, the person you should really ... REALLY ... look forward to doing your next dive with.
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
Beautifully said, Bob. I did, and I still do!
CamG
Contributor
Greetings EMS and you are on the right track. Finding a mentor is the first great step to achieving your diving goals. Do you have your goals nailed down?
Once you achieve this start the search in LDS or local dive clubs, put yourself in proximity to real divers in your local area. Beware the Dive shop pit falls of being cannon fodder for the newest $$$$ gear that is out. Seek guidance and find a mentor that offers you advice that is not always easy to hear. I have seen others maline and mistreat dive buddies without offering helping advice. This is not a mentor but a "XXXXXXX" do not allow this. You will be able to identify a person among your test groups who has a good personality, respectful to themselves / others, and most important active in diving. I have found some great people here on Scuba Board and would encourage you to check out the groups in your area.
Great divers are not born they are made! How? A commitment to being the best diver you can be and time in the water training! Be always alert learning good techniques from other divers and instructors.
Look for a mentor that will not break safe diving practices EVER! This is a must!
Most of all take your time and dive as much as you can. Time in the water practicing skills is never waisted! Enjoy the journey.
CamG Keep diving....keep training....keep learning!
Once you achieve this start the search in LDS or local dive clubs, put yourself in proximity to real divers in your local area. Beware the Dive shop pit falls of being cannon fodder for the newest $$$$ gear that is out. Seek guidance and find a mentor that offers you advice that is not always easy to hear. I have seen others maline and mistreat dive buddies without offering helping advice. This is not a mentor but a "XXXXXXX" do not allow this. You will be able to identify a person among your test groups who has a good personality, respectful to themselves / others, and most important active in diving. I have found some great people here on Scuba Board and would encourage you to check out the groups in your area.
Great divers are not born they are made! How? A commitment to being the best diver you can be and time in the water training! Be always alert learning good techniques from other divers and instructors.
Look for a mentor that will not break safe diving practices EVER! This is a must!
Most of all take your time and dive as much as you can. Time in the water practicing skills is never waisted! Enjoy the journey.
CamG Keep diving....keep training....keep learning!
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