When to start the DM course?

[jagfish]

Can't speak for others, but for DMs in MY group, I tend to recognize those I think have the potential in their first few dives with me, no matter what their level is. I've occasionally trained OW divers and seen one that I knew would made a great DM if he or she stuck with it.

They're organized and proactive about learning, mature and responsible, helpful with logistics and looking out for others in the group, likable and socially well integrated....these are the seeds that I look for.

I've got half a dozen folks in my group now I could see being in the DM program in 1 to 3 years if they are still with diving and living in Japan.

Like in a dojo, I often recognize people I know are already a DM skill-wise, and invite them along to make it official (get the certification).

 

[ItMustBeJames]

So, at this moment, I'm still weighing my options.

Good luck with your decision!

 

[ItMustBeJames]

Oh, and definitely do your own map, even if it is of an already mapped site. The whole point is to learn!

 

[Diver0001]

...snip...

I can't say that I'm fully confident that I'm ready to deal with everything that can happen on a dive but I do feel that I can deal with the average disaster.

Well.... in fact, I think this is teh best attitude.... if you had claimed that you could handle everything that would have been worse.... In fact, some of the things you'll see DM-ing will curl your toes no matter *what* you think you can handle.

I'm not interested in adding another badge to my collection so if I decide it will be to be an active DM. This requires an LDS nearby as I've no intention to travel halfway through the country to assist with a pool session. This wouldn't be a problem for a short period but I would prefer not to do this for several years.

Yeah, you live in Dordrecht, right? Is there a reasonably professional shop there? I think your attitude of either becoming active at a nearby shop or not bothering is good. I gave lessons in Amstelveen for a year and I can tell you that working in Rotterdam is *much* better...... Any way you look at it, it's still a hobby and you still need to be in bed on time....

One thing that I can blame SB for is that I'm no longer happy with run-of-the-mill instruction.

On the other hand, instructors on internet are much MUCH better in text than they are in the real world. Internet instructors do it at the keyboard and not where "the rubber meets the road".... On the internet, instructors never make mistakes, every judgement call they make is perfect and all of their students are flawless.....

I wouldn't have taken classes from some previous instructors if had known some things before.

Understood. I know some of them.... LOL

So, if I'm going to spend EUR 600+ to become what amounts to being a paying volunteer (no tips for DMs here), I want more than just the bare minimum. For that reason I have no interest in a DM course that's crammed into two long weekends or one where all students are other DMCs. Ideally, I'd prefer to do an internship at a nearby LDS with a good and thorough instructor. I'm not in a hurry, I don't mind a longer internship just as long as it will make me a better DM.

Have you been able to find anyone yet who can deliver on your expectations?

One of the requirements for a DM is to create an underwater map. I've met instructors who more or less expected their DMCs to copy a map from the internet (Duikkaart.nl - De site voor duikkaarten in Nederland or similar). Other instructors weren't too worried about that possibility, claiming that there were still plenty sites not available on-line, thereby making sure that the map had to be created from scratch.

If the map is available or not is not the issue. It's how you deal with the assignment. I did "zuid langeweg" right after they sunk the reefballs there and we made ...hmmmm.... 30-odd dives to measure it 50 metres left and right from the reef out to a depth of 15 metres in 1 metre resolution in 2-4C water. How you deal with the mapping project depends a lot on you. Regardless of your instructor you have some things like this in hand because you can table your expections and get what you expect, even if it's not "the minimum requirement".

So, at this moment, I'm still weighing my options.

Well I think you've already looked into the shop where I work and rejected that idea. If there is anything I can do to help you I'll be happy to try.

R..

 

[leapfrog]

I agree with the view of not getting too worried about the DIR "thing". Find an instructor you can build a rappor with, the whole concept is that the instructor becomes your mentor. Focus on what you can do within your financial constraints and time AFTER you are certified.

What I did was give up the office job, cut the umbilical cord with my mentor and I went to work at a resort where I was the new boy on the block. The advantage of that, if you can stand having to bite your tongue and eat humble pie every day, is that you are exposed to different teaching styles, guiding styles and you can see the strengths and weaknesses of each instructor and the other DMs.

Please keep us posted as to how it's going. I have no doubt you'll do just fine and be an asset to whichever instructor you choose.

 

[300bar]

Can't speak for others, but for DMs in MY group, I tend to recognize those I think have the potential in their first few dives with me, no matter what their level is. I've occasionally trained OW divers and seen one that I knew would made a great DM if he or she stuck with it.

That's just the way how I pick my DM's.
When you get a student in OW,you can tell.
And when you can keep on training them,they'll follow you in the way you work.
That's allway's a problem with DM canditats from out side.You just have to figure out and retrain them to your standards.

 

[Thalassamania]

I pick my leadership candidates during our entry level course. We have an exercise that we call the four corner buddy-breathe. We put four cylinders on the bottom in the shallow end of the pool ... about thirty feet apart. Each tank has a single hose regulator. Each pair of fully kitted divers descends to the bottom an establishes themselves buddy breathing off the first tank. The exercise requires that they swim to the next tank, exhaling constantly and establish themselves buddy breathing there ... then move on to the third and fourth tank.

Very few people complete this exercise, the only way to get it done is to take a couple of breaths each, move on, a couple of breaths each, move on, etc. If you stop and try to regroup while buddy breathing you will not make it.

The best leadership candidates I've ever gotten were identified during this exercise, not by completing it, but by taking care of their buddy. Those few divers who go to the tanks first and shove the regulator into their buddy's mouth before taking their own two breaths are the people I want teaching with me.

 

[jagfish]

I pick my leadership candidates during our entry level course. We have an exercise that we call the four corner buddy-breathe. We put four cylinders on the bottom in the shallow end of the pool ... about thirty feet apart. Each tank has a single hose regulator. Each pair of fully kitted divers descends to the bottom an establishes themselves buddy breathing off the first tank. The exercise requires that they swim to the next tank, exhaling constantly and establish themselves buddy breathing there ... then move on to the third and fourth tank.

Very few people complete this exercise, the only way to get it done is to take a couple of breaths each, move on, a couple of breaths each, move on, etc. If you stop and try to regroup while buddy breathing you will not make it.

The best leadership candidates I've ever gotten were identified during this exercise, not by completing it, but by taking care of their buddy. Those few divers who go to the tanks first and shove the regulator into their buddy's mouth before taking their own two breaths are the people I want teaching with me.

Interesting activity...What course(s) do you use this for?

 

[Thalassamania]

It's one of the last pool exercises in the 100 hour research diver course. It is, as you might guess, an exercise (like most of those we do) that has many, many levels, none of which have anything really to do with learning just to buddy breathe.

 

[jagfish]

I'd love to hear some of the other stuff in that course sometime...

It's one of the last pool exercises in the 100 hour research diver course. It is, as you might guess, an exercise (like most of those we do) that has many, many levels, none of which have anything really to do with learning just to buddy breathe.