Why do so many poorly skilled divers...

[gcbryan]

want to be DM's?

OK, this is a negative post by definition given the title but it's something I run across everyday. There are exceptions of course but for the most part the worse divers I know all seem to be DM's or working on their DM certs. I don't get it.

I'm not talking about experienced divers with good skills who decide to become DM's for whatever reason. I'm talking about newer divers or experienced divers who don't have great skills. They all seem to want to be DM's. When they become a DM they have even less chance to dive and gain experience because they are now helping with a class every weekend.

There are many DM's who silt up the place when they dive, can't navigate or put their fins on without help, can't plan a dive in current and don't dive much other than to help with a class. I'm not talking about warm water destination DM's. I'm talking about non-professional local DM's. If these kinds of divers are role models to newer divers no wonder so many divers think being vertical is the norm and silting is no big deal.

It's great that so many people have the desire to teach and to help new students. It would be even better if they had to be good divers first before they could become a DM.

I went diving with 2 DM's the other night. One didn't signal when he decided to turn the dive at 100 fsw and race suddenly up the slope to 20 fsw and the other one got out of the water with 200 psi. I went diving with another DM who couldn't put on her own fins and self-admittedly couldn't navigate. All three of these divers rarely dive at the many great dive sites available in our area. When they do dive it's at the same place over and over.

I helped an instructor with a DM candidate where he had to lead a dive with "problem students". I was to be such a student and was to make his life a little harder but before I had a chance he silted the place up so badly that none of us could even see him as he "lead" the dive.

I guess it's not important that I figure this one out but I don't get it. Why are so many poor divers so enchanted by the DM cert?

 

[Garrobo]

Hell, I don't know.

 

[Mr.X]

I think you should kick the ______ of all those DM candidates.

Like anything, it's what you see on a given day. You may have had the bad luck to be be around some particularly poor DM candidates that day. Guarantee you one thing...none of them probably went through a Fundies course prior to enrolling as a DM.

X

 

[almitywife]

i also think its a matter on the given day that may affect divers.

a few days ago i was having words with hubby about his diving skills...... maybe it was the fact that viz was crap, current was strong and he was worried about diving with someone he has never seen before (and he kept checking on them every 45secs), maybe it was becasue he was so spooked by seeing a 6ft bull shark in murky water (their feeding time) that his concentration was thrown off

we all have a bad day every now and then - the thing is to listen to others if they try to constructively talk to you aboot it (which i did )

cheers

 

[VooDooGasMan]

Well it must not have changed in the last ten years. I'm sure the Instrctors and dive shops tell the students that want to be a better diver, they should go through the DM program.

You Just happen to get caught having to make them better divers or DM's.
The good DM's either are instructors or moved on ,tec or something.

 

[ianr33]

As the old saying goes:

Those that can,do.

Those that can not, teach.

 

[emttim]

You know, this is actually a good topic to bring up, because I was actually contemplating doing the DM thing myself once I have the 20 dives needed to start the program...mostly because my dive buddy is planning to do the same thing (we both have 7 logged dives), but honestly, you make very good points as to why that might be a mistake to do so. I'm not going to get into the AOW debate here, but I think I may stick to my original plan of getting AOW and rescue then just picking up a specialty here and there to continue learning. I'd prefer NOT to be one of those DMs who doesn't know what in the hell they're doing...even though I already don't silt up the bottom anymore.

 

[24940]

Why? Well, because there are so many DCSIs out there who want to get credit for as many DM/DCS certs as possible. Same goes for dive shops. I've seen it happen at my own shop and doubt that most other shops are much different.

They get the cert with relative ease, but getting work is another matter.

 

[scubadale]

You know you must progress up the cert chart as quickly as possible. So I've been told. I make my prospective students explain why they want another rating before I will do the course. I let them know it is more important to go have fun and just DIVE. My store doesn't make a lot on con-ed but we have some good group dives.

 

[AbyssalPlains]

As the old saying goes:

Those that can,do.

Those that can not, teach.

...and those that can do neither, post....