Zero to Divemaster - extended stay abroad, but need help!

[flyver]

It's only TOO cold for diving when the water takes on its solid form. Where we dive around here, the water is normally 38F (3C) at the bottom. And it's enjoyable and fun - if you have the right gear.So, it won't be too cold for diving in Okinawa. It's just a question of what you think is too cold for you. What you want to do sounds pretty expensive. In that case, the extra cost to get a dry suit may not be that big a deal. And if you get the right, good quality dry suit, you can dive just about anywhere, any time, and be comfortable. There are divers here on SB that, from what I can tell, dive in a dry suit even in the very warmest water. Or maybe it's just any water where they wear anything more than just a bathing suit.Whatever you do, good luck and have fun!

Well, i have to admit - i would probably prefer something a little warmer, but i think May might be ok in okinawa. 25degrees plus?I do however really appreciate all of your feedback. One slight concern though. Doing all this as a step by step thing, means no internship discounts and no accomodation. I will need to spend a LOT more on my trip. I do have money saved up for it, but i am not made of gold 3 months of hotels and paying for each single dive is gonna cost loads.. :/

 

[Centrals]

Go for it mate!!
There are plenty reputable operators in Puerto Galera so why don't you send them some questions. Dive shops that I recommend are: Blue Ribbon, Frontier, Sea Riders and South Sea. But if you prefer bigger players then you should consider Asia Divers, Atlantis and La Laguna Beach Club.
I am pretty sure they can find you cheap room if you are going to stay for 3 months but it won't be in a resort.

Good luck to your adventure.

 

[TMHeimer]

In re-reading the posts, I agree with those two saying there is no reason to become a DM unless you want to work as one. DM is all about the education angle. The course itself does force you to get your (20, etc.) basic skills up to demonstration quality (probably the only real value for someone who won't be a working DM), and there is a whole lot of physics, physiology, equipment info., much of which you may never use--not that knowledge of any kind is bad. I also agree with the idea of going to Asia and doing OW, AOW and maybe Rescue Diver then just diving. Another approach is to do the e learning/classroom/pool of OW at home then the OW checkout dives in Asia on a Referral. Better yet of course (IMO) is to do all the courses in Denmark and just go to Asia to dive--maybe not a whole 3 months due to costs. While you're doing courses (in Denmark), the objective wouldn't be to look at the uninteresting marine life, but would be to finish the courses (much like when you assist on a course as a DM you're not looking around, you're looking at students--then on my own time I look for shells...). This way you wouldn't be spending vacation time doing course work & course dives. Doubt these ideas help much as you have specific plans for the 3 months, but I'll thrown them in anyway.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Well, i have to admit - i would probably prefer something a little warmer, but i think May might be ok in okinawa. 25degrees plus?I do however really appreciate all of your feedback. One slight concern though. Doing all this as a step by step thing, means no internship discounts and no accomodation. I will need to spend a LOT more on my trip. I do have money saved up for it, but i am not made of gold 3 months of hotels and paying for each single dive is gonna cost loads.. :/

Hotels/guesthouses in Asia can be inexpensive. You may be able to make an arrangement with the owner for a weekly or even a monthly rate. When I stayed on Utila (Caribbean), I had a studio apartment (complete with six-legged roommates) for a month. But as I said, I took my dive training one step at a time. That said, you may also be able to make an arrangement with a dive shop for a package of X dives. Just because you do not take their bait of a "package" that includes training, lodging, and everything else does not mean you cannot negotiate some alternative deal. Divide your lodging and training into more manageable blocks--a few weeks at a time--and you should still be able to spend your whole three months relatively economically, diving, training, and having fun. The flexibility is worth the cost.

 

[stuartv]

Well, i have to admit - i would probably prefer something a little warmer, but i think May might be ok in okinawa. 25degrees plus?I do however really appreciate all of your feedback. One slight concern though. Doing all this as a step by step thing, means no internship discounts and no accomodation. I will need to spend a LOT more on my trip. I do have money saved up for it, but i am not made of gold 3 months of hotels and paying for each single dive is gonna cost loads.. :/

Yeah, 25C is quite warm (to me) in a 3/2 wetsuit or less.

If you don't care about working as a dive professional, you could set yourself a goal of Master Scuba Diver, instead of Dive Master. It's the highest recreational sport diving non-professional level of certification. It's most of the way to DM, in terms of the actual dive training. Getting to MSD still requires 50 dives and 4 or 5 full specialties (depending on which agency you go through) plus getting your Rescue Diver certification (which requires getting First Aid/CPR/Oxygen/AED certification). You would do a decent number of those 50 dives as part of coursework for your various specialties, but you'd also have a fair number of "fun" dives, too. Likely, over half your dives (on the way to MSD) would just be fun dives, not dives that are part of a training course.

I've heard of "rewards" for instructors or shops for turning out high numbers of MSDs, so I would guess you could find a shop that would offer you some kind of package deal to take you from zero to MSD.

 

[TMHeimer]

What about condos in Asia? Off season rates on the N. Gulf of Mexico are 1/4 that of in season ones and 1/3 the daily price of motels--assuming you rent by the month. Have no idea about Asia.

 

[Manneca]

On Lembongan, Two Fish uses a very cheap guest house for some guests and for their trainees. It doesn't have a/c or hot water, but it is cheap.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Just one more thought on what I already said, another reason not to pay for a package up front is that you won't know until you get there whether buying your lodging, training and fun-diving separately would in fact cost you substantially more. Just down the street from the dive shop there may be a little guesthouse, or someone renting a room, who will give you a great deal. In places that cater to youthful divers on a budget, there are often signs tacked up around town advertising rooms for rent. Just because a dive shop offers you what looks like a great deal on a total package does not necessarily mean you will spend far more than that if you make your own arrangements. Maybe yes and maybe no.

Hotels/guesthouses in Asia can be inexpensive. You may be able to make an arrangement with the owner for a weekly or even a monthly rate. When I stayed on Utila (Caribbean), I had a studio apartment (complete with six-legged roommates) for a month. But as I said, I took my dive training one step at a time. That said, you may also be able to make an arrangement with a dive shop for a package of X dives. Just because you do not take their bait of a "package" that includes training, lodging, and everything else does not mean you cannot negotiate some alternative deal. Divide your lodging and training into more manageable blocks--a few weeks at a time--and you should still be able to spend your whole three months relatively economically, diving, training, and having fun. The flexibility is worth the cost.