I have just gotten a job in the Caribbean.. excited, scared!

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dcamargo

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Messages
8
Reaction score
0
Location
Colombia
# of dives
50 - 99
Hi everyone,

I have just gotten a job to start March 1st in the caribbean as a divemaster(Cartagena Colombia). We will be diving everyday in the islands. I am very excited as I am presently living in the interior (Bogota) on the mountains teaching English. I got my divemasters certificate about 2 years ago and this will be my first job as one. Im excited and scared at the same time (not very prepared).

I would like some advice or suggestions if you can give me as to what I should do. Should I study the open water book? advanced? divemaster? cd roms? which one to get to the nitty gritty stuff? anything else I should do? I have a plain cut divamaster certification...thats all. No nitrox, or specialties whatsoever. No equipment either (they know this) They have my resume so I guess they know about all this. Now I have 2 kids and a wife that will be joining me as sson as possible over there so you can imagine money is not so great either. I hope I wont have too many problems with this money issue as they I will be providing me with room and board within the scuba shop and getting lunch included. If i need to do my nitrox and other such things do you think they will certify me and then I will pay them back with work or later?

Now on the last email they did mention that if Im not qualified to teach the PADI "minicourse" I would need to get qualified (I imagine there). anybody know what this minicourse is? Is it like an introduction dive? Do I need special qualifiication for this aside from my divemasters? How much is it?

Like I said Im very scared as I have no money to spend on "extras" and feel very unprepared. Now there is no way I will pass this opportunity up as its been a sort of dream of mine which I really havent been able to concentrate on much due to my newly acquired fatherhood (girl of 1 year and a half and new born of 2 weeks). I will be doing it and hopefully learning during the process but if you have any suggestions or comments please I would love to hear them! whatever they may be..wether Im carzy for going, dont bother or just do it! Thanks!

Diego.
 
:popcorn:
 
Ok. I received my certificate just over a year ago but I fiished my divemasters course 2 years ago.
 
can I get a normal opinion?

Not likely. There aren't very many "normal" people that frequent this board.

I'll make some educated guesses and offer a few ideas for you tho.

First off, I would make it a point to talk to the person that hired you right from the start. Maybe even go in a couple of days prior to your start date if that's possible.

While I admire you pursuing a dream, it's a bit different when you have a wife and two young children who are depending on you to take care of them. Be upfront with the person in charge about your qualifications, your experience, what their expectations are for you etc.

Ask them about these concerns of yours regarding nitrox, etc. Find out what opportunities are there for you to move into a better position, instructor, boat hand/captain, etc. Any other skills you have, like working on equipment, boat, etc. will be a plus.

Good luck pursuing the dream!
 
I would like some advice or suggestions if you can give me as to what I should do. Should I study the open water book? advanced? divemaster? cd roms? which one to get to the nitty gritty stuff? anything else I should do? I have a plain cut divamaster certification...thats all. No nitrox, or specialties whatsoever. No equipment either (they know this) They have my resume so I guess they know about all this. Now I have 2 kids and a wife that will be joining me as sson as possible over there so you can imagine money is not so great either.

This is sort of confusing. If you already have your DM certification, you probably don't need to do any studying. Your employer most likely doesn't really care, and just wants you to lead dives and take care of the customers. Depending on the dive operator, you could also end up doing anything from cleaning the boat to filling tanks, along with anything else he wants.

Before going there, you should verify with your employer how much you'll be paid and what he expects you to do.

Good luck!

Terry
 
These guys? Spanish and scuba diving course Cartagena, Colombia Padi Certification

Why a PADI Dive Center would create such a label as "mini course" for a (seemingly "discover scuba" or resort course) dive instruction program combined with a language skills class, I can not fathom. Maybe its a language translation problem, but unless they change the descriptrion, they could be headed for difficulty.

disclaimer: I am not hip to all of the names and nomenclatures as I do very specific things- not this.

Their website does NOT use the phrase you used, "PADI minicourse".

At no time would the DM be teaching anything related to SCUBA. Under the direct supervision of a PADI Instructor, PADI DM's are instead used as additional PADI Pros in the water to allow for greater OWSI to Student ratios. You may also take qualified "Discover SCUBA" divers out on their limited profile dives.

You may be called upon to lead regular dive outings, but there is no rule that would impose such certification requirements on dive leaders of a separate resort operation.

As far as nitrox, your diving and profiles would likely not indicate the need. If you are diving more than twice a day, you will not likely be doing that for long. If, while leading a dive, you are forced to dive much deeper than the plan and retrieve the errant guests who are probing the abyss~ your allowed depth for heroism would be limited by the grim reaper of Oxygen toxicity. For this limitation, the use of nitrox for a dive leader is not well advised.
 
Terry,
You should brush up on emergency procedures. Who you work for will set the rules that fits their operation, depth, time etc. The one thing I remember doing as a DM is staying a little higher and to the side of the guests. If you take the lead all the time you will be turning around a lot to see them. If you follow, they will be turning to look for you. Try and stay in the center. That enabled me to get a quick view as to what was going on. The divers could find me easier also. Good to have in an emergency. I am sure there is more but it has been over 20 years. Remember, they are not cattle and will pick up on it if you treat them as such.
Warren
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/perdix-ai/

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