DM or Master Diver????

[Cacia]

Dalonious, you are a scuba dork...deal with it!


I know that "boat diving" gets a lot of chuckles, BUT, if you set your own objectives you can learn quite a bit! For example, visual line-ups, GPS for sites, talk to captains in the community about ocean conditions and how to read the water for deciding where to choose the days site for a given group of divers. Also, I learned to call the Atlantis submarine for current updates. Nobody volunteers any of this stuff, you have to go ask the right people. Even a lot of the boat logistics...there is actually more to it than parking your butt on the bench and bringing an unobtrusive dive bag! Sure, you have to think like a local not like you just got off the plane and all you have to do is sit correctly and remember to tip. ...whew...so, NO MORE JOKES about my boat diving specialty!

 

[TheRedHead]

It's very easy to forget the human side of diving here. The debates become so intense. Congratulations Daylonious! When are you diving the Doria? (I saw you post to Joel).

 

[GrierHPharmD]

Congrats, D, and well-said Catherine. I guess I'm not very concerned with the argument - anything that keeps divers interested in diving is a good thing, in my book. But then, look at me, I dive almost every week (In NC and while on business trips, mostly) and have loved almost every dive I've ever done.

As for the DM, I found that it was a great confidence builder, and really helped me flesh out my diving science knowledge. I didn't do the MSD, but only because I was already working on my DM when I first thought about it.

For me, the OWSI (Open Water Scuba Instructor) and DM ratings have been great tools for sharing my love of diving with other people. That experience is well worth the cost and effort I put forth in earning those ratings. (For what it's worth, I only teach private lessons - my day job is too demanding to work full-time teaching diving.)

Good luck with your progression, D. Hope to cross paths underwater.

Safe ascents,
Grier

 

[Daylonious]

It's very easy to forget the human side of diving here. The debates become so intense. Congratulations Daylonious! When are you diving the Doria? (I saw you post to Joel).

Thanks, I thought I'd go dive her this weekend now that I have a purty plastic card and all...!

Nyah, that's more than a couple of years and hundreds of dives down the road. I dunno. LOTS to learn before that is even a remote possibility...but it's certainly on the list!

D.

 

[HammerNoMore]

No matter what anyone else has to say from me its congratulations.

Me too. If you went through 3 main level certs and 5 specialties to get your card, way to go.

Now, explain to 10K+ dives what a SAC rate is and you might earn his respect.

 

[k4man]

You know, I'm in a very similar situation. I have just finished my 5th PADI specialty and will have my 50th dive the next time I dive (a week or so), so Master Diver is there.

However, I wonder if DM will really be "worth it" financially for me. I'm 42, so no young guy running off to a resort job, have a family and career for the past 20 years. Are there REALLY many shops or places that would hire someone like me, even for weekend jobs, when many other younger applicants are available to dedicate LOTS more time to the position????

What a dilemna. Any ideas people??

Kevin

 

[TheRedHead]

there is actually more to it than parking your butt on the bench and bringing an unobtrusive dive bag!

Yeah, the tank bungee thing can really getcha. :lol:

NO MORE JOKES about my boat diving specialty!

Ok, we promise.

 

[pir8]

Dalonious, you are a scuba dork...deal with it!

Not that theres anything wrong with that cause I know it takes one to know one. I know I can spot one.

 

[Cacia]

You know, I'm in a very similar situation. I have just finished my 5th PADI specialty and will have my 50th dive the next time I dive (a week or so), so Master Diver is there.

However, I wonder if DM will really be "worth it" financially for me. I'm 42, so no young guy running off to a resort job, have a family and career for the past 20 years. Are there REALLY many shops or places that would hire someone like me, even for weekend jobs, when many other younger applicants are available to dedicate LOTS more time to the position????

What a dilemna. Any ideas people??

Kevin

In a resort area, I would say yes. Where you are you may have less demand and so if you like helping with classes maybe you should think of ways to get on the inside. (teach CPR...plan trips, get around and figure out what you could bring to the table, the options are endless. Think in terms of what you do for a living...do you have a boat, offer to run the club, do their newsletter, plan social or local environmental clean-ups) It may very well be too time consuming, but that is the way I would look at the possibilities.

Not that theres anything wrong with that cause I know it takes one to know one. I know I can spot one.

yea, and its a big love-fest of dive dorks on this board, all arguing about our hoses, our certs, our agencies. Pretty amusing.

 

[Daylonious]

Are there REALLY many shops or places that would hire someone like me, even for weekend jobs, when many other younger applicants are available to dedicate LOTS more time to the position????

What a dilemna. Any ideas people??
Kevin

In my opinion, DM's earn respect my showing that they know what they're doing, regardless if they're 19 or 59. Usually you'd get on a list for a dive shop or two, and if they need a DM they could call you, or you could provide them with times that you'd be available. It's not like you're going to make $$$ doing the job, and it's not like you have to work 6 days a week. I think you could work as often or as little as you wanted as a DM with the right shop...

D.