Should we all strive to be divemasters?

Not long ago I posted a poll asking about quickie certs. I got lots of interesting and thoughful comments. Some made me think about this.

One other thing I believe is a consideration is that maybe brand new divers should be encouraged to dive with more experienced divers for a certain number of dives. Almost like that learners permit thing.

Today we dove with a father and daughter. Dad took a lot of years off but seems to be a solid diver but still very much a newbie. His daughter is brand new and didn't dive after her cert class back in march. So my wife and I took her to a couple of nice spots on maui today. She's a slightly built lass and the long walk to the first spot wore her out. My fault for picking that spot I guess. My concern was showing them a really good dive spot.

On the second dive I partnered her up with my wife while dad and I took off. We met up after about 30 minutes and she was having some trouble with her ears. I took her up to the surface and the two of us swam back in. She was pretty nervous about the small waves and I calmed her down and helped her in. She was so tired I towed her back. There was a good current working against us. I couldn't drop down with her to beat the current as her ears were plugged up.

She knew the biggest problem is that she hasn't dove since her cert class. I give her credit for knowing that. While very thin she isn't strong and the dives pushed her limits.

This wasn't a life threatening deal or even serious but if she were out there with someone of equal inexperience I think it could have been.

This has me thinking about upgrading my card. While have have close to 2000 dives I'm only certified as advanced. I wonder if I were to go up to divemaster if it wouldn't make me a better buddy? I believe the rescue class would teach me some things that could be important to the people I dive with.

Al Mialkovsky once bubbled...
I wonder if I were to go up to divemaster if it wouldn't make me a better buddy? I believe the rescue class would teach me some things that could be important to the people I dive with.

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You should definitely take the Rescue class.

Whether or not you do the DM class is less important. I do recommend that you the PADI DM book and study it. Lots of good material about dive management, but with your experience the class itself might be a waste of time. YMMV

Charlie

Charlie99 once bubbled...
You should definitely take the Rescue class.
but with your experience the class itself might be a waste of time. YMMV

Charlie

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Yes I'm going to take the rescue class soon as I get home. I agree about that. I don't think my experience means it'd be a waste of time. Sometimes experienced also means bad habits. Plus you can always learn something new and important.

I would recommend the Rescue Diver (or Stress and Rescue card if you were SSI like me), a pair of newly certified divers asked me about Stress and Rescue today and I answered that I believe that at least one diver in a buddy team really should be Stress and Rescue trained. That will make anyone a better dive buddy.

The DiveMaster qualifications are really for if you are interested in leading groups of divers. If a person wants to do that, go for it, but be aware that it can be a long process with little reward if that isn't truly what they want to do. (I want to, so I am glad to be taking DiveCon.) It isn't for everyone and I am not referring to skill, either.

I'd say it's more important to get the rescue cert. If you can look after yourself and your buddy, there's no real need to go further unless that's what you want to do. I'd say if you're going to dive with someone regularly, you almost have a responsibility to each other to get some kind of rescue training. It's not expensive and it doesn't take much time.

doesn't mean you have to use it! As you've worked out wold be good to do the rescue course but the DM course will also give you more of an insight into plenty of other important things - not least dive planning.

Enjoy your course

Jonathan

Rescue is the best thing you can do. You can consider DM later. Ya need the Rescue cert. to move on to DM anyways.
Good job helping out the young lass.

Al Mialkovsky once bubbled...
This has me thinking about upgrading my card.

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Concentrate on upgrading your skills! If getting a differrent card is the easiest route for you to do that, go for it. Just keep in mind that the skills and knowledge is the goal, not the card. Rescue skills can be learned is SCUBA classes but are also available through WSI and first responder training with the Red Cross. Red cross training will give you a bit wider view than one "cert" simply dealing with SCUBA and will make gthe scuba work easier if you do it later.

FT

FredT once bubbled...


Concentrate on upgrading your skills! If getting a differrent card is the easiest route for you to do that, go for it. Just keep in mind that the skills and knowledge is the goal, not the card. Rescue skills can be learned is SCUBA classes but are also available through WSI and first responder training with the Red Cross. Red cross training will give you a bit wider view than one "cert" simply dealing with SCUBA and will make gthe scuba work easier if you do it later.

FT

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I agree, improving the skills is the important part. I've been diving awhile so maybe the best way to improve is to take the classes.

As a highschool coach I take quite a few red cross classes every year.

I'll never use the DM for employment and at my age (57) just attaining that level would be challenge enough. My main thought is just improving skills.

FredT once bubbled...


Concentrate on upgrading your skills! If getting a differrent card is the easiest route for you to do that, go for it. Just keep in mind that the skills and knowledge is the goal, not the card. Rescue skills can be learned is SCUBA classes but are also available through WSI and first responder training with the Red Cross. Red cross training will give you a bit wider view than one "cert" simply dealing with SCUBA and will make gthe scuba work easier if you do it later.

FT

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Most rescue classes (at least IANTD, and PADI) require a first aid and/or CPR class as a prerequisit. The diving rescue class itself deals with dive related issues both in and out of the water. I have had EMt's, paramedics and even doctors in my rescue classes and it didn't give them much of an edge. The rescue class deals with problem avoidence, stress management, searches, egresses and the list goes on.

Divemaster training deals directly with supervising others in both training and non-training situations.