Becoming a Dive Guide

[Diving Dubai]

In the past I've been very vocal about my objections to people getting DM with so few dives and without varied experience. These views haven't changed, what has is my outlook for my future in diving.

Currently I'm at AOW doing my Rescue, with only 180 dives although the majority are in challenging tropical conditions and not resort and guided. Looking to the future I facy retiring early to a warm place with good divingwher I can earn beer money as a freelance dive guide.

As a member of a BSAC club as soon as I finish my PADI rescue I'll be completing my dive leader having already completed my BSAC accelerated Deco course (as well as gas blender)

i have been been offered the chance to go on a SSI internship getting Dive guide and DM quals which has certainly interested me. I'm also going to complete the PADI tech 35, 40 and 50, not to become a tech diver just to give me better theory understanding.

so where this is leading, should I study for an instructor too? To be fair I'm not really that interested in teaching DSD or OW/AOW etc although enjoy helping qualified divers with hints and tips the same that have been passed to me to improve my dive skills.

this is a 3 year or so plan but should I be thinking of any other courses or changing my plans and goals,? I'm more slow and steady than Zero to Hero

advice and opinion welcome

 

[scoobydrew]

With the time you are taking and the courses you are doing you will be very well qualified for an entry level dive pro.

When you reach your retirement goal you may be able to find guiding work here and there depending on where you settle but in honesty to get any real amount of work you will need to be an instructor. Depending on where you are it may be the case that the dive centre only employs local DMs for guiding and foreigners for instructing. Many places hire instructors as guides so they can teach courses when they come up and then have them filling their time doing dm work in between courses

That said, if money is not that important (good, as your pay in either case will be very low if at all) then it is possible to find a dive centre who throws you a couple of days here and there

 

[They call me Tater]

I am on a similar path asking myself similar questions. I doubt I will be able to retire and live on beer money but I am dreaming about it!!

 

[flots am]

In the past I've been very vocal about my objections to people getting DM with so few dives and without varied experience. These views haven't changed, what has is my outlook for my future in diving.

. . .

this is a 3 year or so plan but should I be thinking of any other courses or changing my plans and goals,? I'm more slow and steady than Zero to Hero

advice and opinion welcome

I'd suggest skipping the entire "professional" route.

If you want to dive when you retire, just go diving. If you want money before then, find something you like to do, that pays well and do it.

As a job, SCUBA pays only slightly more than jobs where the main skills are "Not being a crack-head" and the ability to say "Want fries with that?"

Almost anything else you can do will pay more with less risk of destroying your life.

flots.

 

[TMHeimer]

I pretty much agree on these points. My thought is become a DM/dive guide if it's something you just want to do. If not, and retirement money is not an issue, I would say just enjoy diving. If money is an issue I would look elsewhere than DM. You'd have to be in a situation where you DMd a lot of classes with pay (you don't want to do classes) and/or a guide making really good tips for it to make a difference.

 

[Seya]

The problem the operators can hire local dive guides for 2 dollars an hour. So unless you go some place that it's an advantage to have a tech guide which is something that almost all locals wouldn't be able to become you'll be put out of business. But if it's more for fun you could be just helping out an operator without a wage then it might be easier to sell.

Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk

 

[Pullnglide]

"challenging tropical conditions" isn't that an oxymoron? ;-) just kidding! To be a DM or an instructor it really is all about wanting to do it and not thinking about the money to begin with. When I was a DM I probably spent more than I actually made! You can make some money as an instructor but the shop would want you to teach. Tec courses are a great idea and I highly recommend doing tec courses before becoming a instructor but certainly not a necessity! With a good instructor they make you a much better recreational as well as technical diver. Work an extra 6 months before retiring, use that as beer money and stick to a DM if you want to work with newer divers!

 

[RJP]

I'm also going to complete the PADI tech 35, 40 and 50, not to become a tech diver just to give me better theory understanding.

While those courses cover "theory" for sure you'll be spending a lot more time - and a LOT of money - on practical application. You'll also probably need to spend a lot of money on gear that you won't need after the class if you don't intend to become a tech diver. There are plenty of dive theory books available. In fact, you can probably source the DSAT materials specifically. The DSAT tech progression - done with a good instructor - is a great program. But between course fees, materials, fills, boat costs, and extra gear rental you could be looking at $1,500 - $2,000. If you end up needing/deciding to purchase gear... you can double that cost.

 

[Colliam7]

Looking to the future I facy retiring early to a warm place with good diving wher I can earn beer money as a freelance dive guide. . . . i have been been offered the chance to go on a SSI internship getting Dive guide and DM quals which has certainly interested me. I'm also going to complete the PADI tech 35, 40 and 50, not to become a tech diver just to give me better theory understanding. so where this is leading, should I study for an instructor too?

Anything is possible, and you might find 'a warm place with good diving' where you can generate some income as a guide. In general, such places are probably going to be popular with a lot of others, who want to do the same thing, and who are already not just Dive Guide / DM certificated, but instructor credentialed as well. So you would be competing with others with better credentials, if not skills. Even working for free may not be an option.

I originally pursued DM because I wanted to improve my dive skills - I had absolutely no interest in becoming an Instructor. I got exactly what I wanted from the training. But, after DM a couple of people in my DM class said, 'Hey, the shop is offering an Assistant Instructor course, let's do it together.' So, I went along with that. Then, the shop announced it would be offering an IDC around the time we finished AI. Again, I went with the flow. Becoming an instructor was essentially an accidental 'career'. And, I would do it again, knowing what I know today! I was fortunate - I trained through an active shop, I had the opportunity to join the shop staff (after DM) so I had an immediate outlet in which to apply my credential and training. I do a reasonable number (40-80) of certs a year (as many as, or more than, some shops in our area), I love teaching diving, and I get paid for what I do. And, I have NEVER made money in a given that even equaled. much less exceeded, what I spent in that particular year. As a side note - the shop where I trained, and where I worked, closed a few months ago, after the owner's death. I was 'homeless' for a few weeks. But, I am now affiliated with two other shops, because my credentials and experience made me somewhat valuable to them. I don't anticipate making more money (or, put another way, 'losing less' money), but I can continue to do something that I have found that I enjoy.

I pursued tech training for the same reason - I wanted to improve my skills. The practical aspects were far more valuable - to me - than the 'theory'. I enjoy being able to dive on some deeper wrecks. (I don't particularly enjoy the time spent in deco AFTER being on the wrecks.) I think my technical dive training has made me a better diver, AND made me a better OW / AOW / Rescue / Specialty instructor. And, I would do it again. knowing what I know today! AND, it has cost quite a bit of money.

My advice and opinion - do what your interests, and available funds, direct you to do. I personally like expanding my knowledge, and improving my skills, in whatever area of endeavor I pursue. (And, i have been fortunate to have the financial resources that have allowed me to do that.) That has been my motivation in diving. Your interests and results may vary. Having an instructor credential can be very useful - it has for me, but it may not be, for you. Having technical training and skills an be very useful - it has for me, but it may not be, for you. I wouldn't plan on earning any beer money, however.

 

[Searcaigh]

Looking to the future I fancy retiring early to a warm place with good diving where I can earn beer money as a freelance dive guide.

Get in the Queue buddy

Seriously though, I also started PADI DM with no interest in teaching, my main passion is UW Photography and I was hanging around with several other UW photographers at the time in Jeddah who were all PADI instructors and none of them had taught for years, so I quit the DM course (long story though, tell you over a beer or three if we ever meet), and moved seriously into UW photography.

I did a few courses with a marine biologist (Nick Pilcher), who is now one of the top turtle guys in this region and learned a lot about the fish and their behaviour as well as some basic research stuff that helped me approach UW photography from a scientific perspective, which suited me perfectly given my scientific background. I was also lucky to have a neighbour who worked as a marine biologist for the UN, and learned a sh!tload of stuff from him also.

What I look for in a dive guide is somebody who knows the environment well enough to understand the ecosystem and the relationships between the critters etc to know how to find them, so doing some marine biology course would be an advantage IMHO.

On the technical side, I would advise contacting Glenn Campbell at Coastal Technical Divers and doing his IANTD trimix course, all the PADI tech courses rolled into one.

Anyway, as a guide, what information will you be trying to impart to your customers and how much do you currently know?

When you can answer that you will have some idea what direction to take …. maybe!