By this time, you should know that being an Open Water Diver, Advanced Open Water Diver and Rescue Diver are all classified as Recreational Diving. As you progress with your diving career over the years, you will come to a point of considering to become a professional diver. By doing so, then taking the divemaster course is your first step.
The Divemaster Course
The divemaster course offered here at Doongi Dives is sanctioned by the Scuba Schools International (SSI) and will require you to work closely with a certified SSI instructor. Initially, you will learn to refine your diving and rescue skills, as well as learn to anticipate common problems. But that is so far as personal diving skills is concerned. In the course proper, you will be taught on how to organize and lead small groups for certified divers. In particular, this section will allow you to improve your management and supervision skills in handling divers. You will also assist SSI instructors in conducting certification courses and may take or guide newbies on their first and succeeding dive experience. One of the many things that you will learn as a dive professional are dive shop logistics, equipment maintenance and management which will all be taught as part of your apprenticeship in operating a dive shop .
Unlike the recreational certification levels where it only needs a few days of training, the divemaster course is relatively long where it usually takes 1 to 2 months. With this, we highly advise that you talk to your SSI instructor and discuss about the availability of training schedules.
Divemaster’s Equipment and Accessories
Photo courtesy from Evergreen Dive
It is expected that you may be using rental equipment during your Open Water up to Rescue Diver course. However, during the divemaster course, we highly recommended that you should have your own personal set of diving equipment. You have to remember that you will soon become a dive professional and borrowing equipment from other divers in the group is quiet unethical. So, it is important to have your own equipment. Aside from the main scuba equipment, you will be needing some accessories like dive computer, dive knife, underwater compass, underwater horn or tank banger, underwater slate and surface marker buoy. These add-on accessories will be suggested by your instructor as you go along with the course.
Requirements and Schedule
You should be a certified Rescue Diver, logged at least 40 dives and have some basic swimming skills to qualify for the divemaster certification course. Age requirement should be at least be at least 18 years of age. Divemaster training and internship will last for 1 to 2 months.
Divemaster Certification Card
After you have successfully completed all the requirements, your Divemaster application will be sent to SSI for processing. Within a month, you will receive your certification card that will indicate your certification level, name, student number, date of certification and the name of your SSI instructor. You have to remember that you need your certification card when you rent or purchase scuba equipment and accessories. Further, dive shops may require you to present your certification card when you rent or airfill your scuba tanks.
Video courtesy fromLakeHickoryScuba
Add Comment