Divemaster 'Practical' Final Exam

[b1gcountry]

Okay, I don't know exactly what you call it, but one of the last things you do to get your DM Cert is to lead a group of divers through an open water dive, when...Oops! SoMeThInG BAD happens

Our instructor shared the story about his experience where he was keeping a close eye on his pseudo group, when his instructor pointed something out on the bottom, and then, out of nowhere, another diver (a DM) had a simulated OOA, and panicked by grabbing my instructor's reg from his mouth, dislodging his mask in the process. My instructor had to respond by fixing his mask, and grabbing his own octo before assisting the "OOA" diver to the surface.

So what was your scenario when you completed your DM Certification?

Tom

[pir8]

It doesn't have to be the last thing you do.

[Archangel]

That is ridiculous. I lead a group of AOW students on a night dive for my check out dive. My instructor and I had a hard enough time hearding cats at 71 fsw in the dark.

I have never heard of that. And if it did happen, you are responsible for the students. Not the OOA diver, the instructor is handing that.

[roturner]

Okay, I don't know exactly what you call it, but one of the last things you do to get your DM Cert is to lead a group of divers through an open water dive, when...Oops! SoMeThInG BAD happens

Our instructor shared the story about his experience where he was keeping a close eye on his pseudo group, when his instructor pointed something out on the bottom, and then, out of nowhere, another diver (a DM) had a simulated OOA, and panicked by grabbing my instructor's reg from his mouth, dislodging his mask in the process. My instructor had to respond by fixing his mask, and grabbing his own octo before assisting the "OOA" diver to the surface.

So what was your scenario when you completed your DM Certification?

Tom

Lost diver. (separated from the group)

R..

[Crowley]

Depending on which option you're doing, it may well have been "supervising certified divers" which is to erm... well, supervise a group of certifed divers...! Nothing beats doing it for real, but again, for option 2 it's a simulation. Since the participants are usually fairly experienced, ie DM, DMT or instructor, I've seen some instructors throw in the "dive from hell" where EVERYTHING goes wrong: people taking off fins, swimming in circles, going OOA (under control and supervision), etc etc. I admit as a rookie instructor I did that sort of thing. Nowadays I have my candidates pretend to be freshly certified Open water divers and exhibit all sorts of Newbie-type problems.

If you're doing option 1 (the internship), you just have to take out a group of divers (anybody) under the supervision of an instructor, and just deal with real life divers having real life problems...

[Dive-aholic]

My wife and I did option 1. We lead certified divers on real dives. Our instructors didn't go with us. The only issue I had was keeping up with the divers. They were newly certified and wanted to zip around the reef. I don't think my wife had any major issues with her group.

We have our DMTs do the internship option rather than the practical.

[Crowley]

yeah I did the internship, we just have so many students I don't have much choice but to do option 2. I'm trying to introduce a new combo option1/option2 internship though, hopefully that will get teh best out of both worlds! :-)