What do you look for in a resort divemaster?

[csfb33]

As a resort divemaster, I sometimes try to put myself on the guest's side of the show and I wonder what they look for in a DM. I see a lot of trip reports and resort recommendations that say the captains and divemasters were great, but they are pretty generic. And while I love seeing those compliments, I would love to hear some specifics about things we do well, and things we don't so I can improve what I do. I'm the type that really gets off on seeing other people having a good time (and the tips are nice too, let's face it).

A few things I think are important are:

1. Diving knowledge and skills - Our resort only hires instructors to be the divemasters. That way we're able to advise people on dive skills, health issues when diving, we have the extra commitment to the job, and we can help new divers better.
2. Equipment knowledge - Ability to help people make simple repairs and make recommendations on equipment.
3. Local knowledge - Knowledge of dive sites (ie, swim throughs, best direction to go, ability to find the wildlife and cool stuff, ability to brief the site with depths and expected animals to look for), knowledge of local weather and currents, appropriate dive site selection for skill levels, conditions, and seasonal wildlife, boat handling, local safety procedures, local diving procedures, fish ID.
4. Desire to protect local reefs and wildlife.
5. Ability to help spot above water stuff like whale sharks and dolphins, plus ability to control the encounters in a way that's respectful to guests and the animals.
6. Good personality - friendly, talkative, etc.

This list could grow really long. And I could be spot on, or way off on some of them. There's a lot of balance you need to do in giving divers what they want, but keeping them, the boat, and the wildlife safe. For example, while handling whale shark encounters, I lay out a strict code of conduct, which at first makes the guests a bit uncomfortable, but it is in the whale sharks' best interest. Usually they appreciate it after a great encounter, but it's all about balance in the end.

I've been doing this for a long time, and I think I do a good job, but the longer you do it, the more set in you ways you sometimes become. So I'm looking for a bit of help from everyone out there. Just put down things you expect, things you want, things you had people do that you like, things you don't like, and things people had done you don't like.

Thanks for your responses!

 

[fisherdvm]

Someone who slows down so that the fat overweighted out of shape once a year diver can keep up with you.

Someone who slows down, so you can actually see the fish and enjoy the diving. It bugs me when the DM zips through the reef.... and I find all sorts of eels, lobsters, etc.... And the DM and everyone else didn't see squat.... So what is the joy of diving? Save the excercising for the gym....

 

[Scared Silly]

Remembers there is a difference between being a dive guide and dive master.

Handle the boat.

Has spare gear (I hate when I pull out a spare fin/mask strap out of my kit to save some other diver's dive cause there are no spares on board).

Treats my gear like it is their gear (i.e. with care). I hate it when I see my kit being chucked about on the boat after the DM hauls it on board.

As stated, knows the dive site and what to look for. Discusses all this during the briefing.

Let the divers do their dive and not some schedule of X feet for Y minutes.

Can dive with a group of divers of different abilities and not make the dive to the "weakest" diver.

Spends their time looking for stuff to see while keeping an eye on those who need it.

 

[ffdiver]

let me dive my way and for how long I want.
Posted via Mobile Device

 

[String]

Resort divemaster i want someone who will give me a damn good site brief, not touch or interfere with my kit or tank valve in any way and just let me dive.

If im forced to group dive then i want a slow dive pointing out the non-obvious sights of the reef, a decent dive time and allow me to stop when i want to take a photo and so on.

But in a perfect world my perfect resort DM would give me a good brief and then let me do anything else without interfering. In the same vein my perfect boat is one that leaves on time, gets me to the dive site safely and gets me back from the site safely and again doesnt force any of their ideas on my own dive plan.

Boat == taxi. DM == local brief.

 

[scubamickey]

-Gives a good thorough dive site briefing and leaves my buddy and me alone to do our dive.
-Leaves my gear alone--don't keep touching my tank valve. I was recently on vacation and had a DM on the boat continually go around turning the valve on and off. Twice before each dive. Infuriating to say the least.

-Don't treat everyone on the boat like they are incompetent (e.g. insisting on holding on to descent/ascent lines and such nonsense). Most divers at resorts will be inexperienced no doubt, but a few won't be.

 

[Charlie99]

Good briefing on dive sites and critters.

Good at evaluating potentially troublesome divers and putting them in a different group than mine.

Good at finding critters.

Goes at a reasonable pace.

Low key, but at the same time stays very aware of all that is going on in the water around him.

-------------------

It's difficult to be the ideal dive guide for a group of divers with wildly varying experience and skill levels. Good DMs pick up on all the various little clues that tell them what sort of person and diver each customer is most likely to be. In many cases, I've found that 12 px boats that dive as 2 groups divided by experience level work out best for guided dives.

 

[Cabbie]

nice physique
goes slow
points out interesting critters
let some divers stay diving if others low on air
good briefs
knowledge of local bars / restaurants

 

[vladimir]

My ideal divemaster:

a) gives a good dive briefing,

b) allows me to independently dive my own plan.

His tip hinges almost completely on "b", and it's an all-or-nothing proposition for me.

 

[csfb33]

Wow! Some good responses there! I've experienced most of these responses before. Everyone has some good input here, and I really appreciate it.

Going slow is a huge thing I experience. In the dive schools, most of the divers don't know what to look for/how to look for it, nor do the DM's. Resorts are absolutely different. Going slow and looking for small stuff/diverse stuff is key. I completely agree. Plus most people - especially me - get tired and lazy and don't want a huge workout. It's supposed to be relaxing!

I looks like important things are mostly:

-Letting divers dive to their experience levels. I agree this is important. Not keeping everyone at the lowest common denominator. This is often a big issue - ie - not doing drift dives, sea mounts, deep dives, wrecks, etc. This is when I like to defer the decision to the group leaders!
-Good dive site briefings. This is a major issue for new DM's who don't know dive sites very well. Some people give me some groans about giving to thorough of a briefing, but it seems like you guys like a really good briefing.
-Long dives - Our resort is pretty good at that. We get back to the boat in a reasonable time, but let others stay on their own to do what they want and extend their dives.
-Finding critters - If it's our home reef, we should be able to find the neat stuff and share it and ID it. I agree, however this is getting very difficult with reefs being killed from over fishing and sewage runoff (IMHO).
-Good physique?! Come on now! I can only do so much on that one! I was really hoping people wouldn't be looking for a 'good looking DM'. I would hope that's maybe just a bonus and not a requirement.

I like these responses and I appreciate the input. I know I fail to be low key while being aware of everything around me above and below the water sometimes. That's the balance part that is absolutely key. Hiding the worries and only showing the good parts. And being modest about it all in the end.

And when I started I didn't treat guests' gear like I treat my own, but now I treat it better than my own. I've banged a few regulators off the seats and have seen guests glare at me for it and it all makes instant sense.

This is good stuff. I hope to see more.

Thanks!!