Dive Master Requirements

[WarmWaterdiver]

Hello all you fine OWSIs out there. I am scheduled to take Dive Master in a couple of months and wonder what is the swimming requirement. I believe it is 400 meters and I have no concerns with that BUT, I have also read somewhere that the 400 meter swim only merits 2 points if done in 3 minutes. Is that correct? That seems like olympic type speed to me.

[Sarah]

What certifying agency are you referring to?

[WarmWaterdiver]

PADI I have OW with SSI & Naui, AOW & EAN with Naui. taking Rescue and Dive Master with PADI
How come we gotta use at least 10 characters? I am trying to break my habit of being verbose and you are not helping.

[Sarah]

You mean 10 characters in your screen name? Can't be that as there's no requirement...

It must be an instructor insider joke! ;)

[WarmWaterdiver]

nope, I tried to answer your question with the 4 letter word "PADI" but was given the message that my reply must contain 10 characters.

[Sarah]

Ah, now I get it.....maybe you should have typed PAAADDDIII ;)

[WarmWaterdiver]

gooood idea

[Walter]

PADI requires a 400 yd or 400 meter swim.

400 yds
under 6 min - 5 points
6 - 8 min - 4 points
8 - 10 min - 3 points
10 - 12 min - 2 points
more than 12 min - 1 point

400 meters
under 6 min, 30 sec - 5 points
6/30 - 8/40 min - 4 points
8/40 - 11 min - 3 points
11 - 13 min - 2 points
more than 13 min - 1 point

[Walter]

Padi .

[Walter]

.........or you can throw spaces between the last letter and a period. The Administrator can reduce the number of required characters or simply turn off that silly bug.

[WarmWaterdiver]

thanks Walter. My LDS said 3 minutes was worth 2 points. I was thinking there is no way I am doing that. 6 minutes is doable, 3 minutes means I need Mark Spitz to swim for me.
Admin, cut the spaces, I refuse to be wordy, verbose, excessive, or redundant.

[Admin]

Lol...We can add that to the several year long list of things we need to do...We're working on getting the gallery up. We need to add dive trip countdown, shorten up the post length requriement, etc.

The problem is we're divers, not web programmers...but then again if we were web programmers, not divers, the forum would be incredibly sophisticated, and no self respecting diver would want to read about html and php programming.

;)

[WarmWaterdiver]

just the fact that you apparently know there is such a thing as html and php tells me you are far more sophisticated about bill gates' stuff then I will ever be.

[hbh2oguard]

that's good to hear about the time limit and points, too bad they don't do that for basic OW classes

[lars2923]

Your local friendly instructor conducting the DM class should be able to help
you with those kind of questions. I know, I know, you asked the people of this
forum, but as a DM, I would highly recommend purchasing the Instructor Guide.
Study it, because if you are as fortunate as I was when I became a DM, you will/should
be assisting in a lot of classes, if you choose to do so. Go to every dive shop in your area
and let them know you are available to help. It's the best way to learn the
system. Once you do that for a year or two, look at becoming an instructor.
I found it very beneficial to DM for a number of years and assist with instruction
that when it came time to fill out the questionaire in the IDC manual, it was pretty easy.
That is if becoming an instructor is the path you wish to take. As a PADI DM, you will be
eligable to teach a number of classes.
Some of my favorites are Discover Scuba (After you have been certified to teach it as a DM)
as well as Scuba Review for those already certified.
I also found that as a DM, you get perks, like discounts or free entry to parks, free refills,
and a network of people all over the place. Being a DM has
been a rewarding experience for me. Good luck on your class.

Lars
"Let's go Diving"

[santelmo]

if you are a DM or SI here in the Philippines you get discounts, free dives and dive resort accommodations, food, etc.

[lars2923]

Santelmo,

Sounds like a winner to me.. Room, board, food, $$, lots of diving..
OK, I thought I was going to retire on some carribean island somewhere,
drinking coconut milk, sleeping in a hammock tied between two palm trees,
dive gear all around me, but your description sounds better...

[Sarah]

Plus the diving is world class in the Philipines! The U.S. dive publications totally give the Philippines the cold shoulder, and we don't know why, not at ScubaMagazine!

Check out the Philippines Shangri-La Divers Forum, they'll tell you everything about PI dive travel, and they'll all do it in better English than most inhabitants of Los Angeles can speak.

[santelmo]

@ lars2923: that's what you get in exchange for bringing in divers/ customers. dive resorts here in the PI especially in Batangas are like mushrooms so you can just imagine the competition amongst the dive resorts...PM/contact Diverep to give you a head start on what to do and expect if you want to be a DM or SI here in the Philippines. he can even introduce you to popular dive resorts. :D

@ iDiveChick: :D :) ;)

[lars2923]

Early retirement. Still saving for it. I've never been to that part of the world.
Maybe a trip next year to visit..
Any suggestions as to where to go, to dive and just a little site seeing?

Thanx,

[santelmo]

@ lars2923: the most popular dive destination is Anilao, Batangas and Tubbataha reef in Palawan.

also, try to visit El Nido (Lagen & Miniloc Island Resort) and Coron in Palawan. also try Boracay, Puerto Galera, Bohol, Cebu and Dumaguete.

@ Diverep: did i miss anything? care to suggest other vacation/ dive spots? :D

[MimpiIndah]

Hi,

Another great location is Bangka Island in North Sulawesi, Indonesia. This is superb diving with spectacular animals like the pygmy seahorse, and the dugong.

I have been diving with the dugong for a number of times now around Bangka and this is an absolutely amazing experience!
Just check my website for more information: www.MimpiIndah.com

---
Mimpi Indah means beautiful dreams, which is true for both the resort as the diving...

[jeff98208]

ok, after 2 years of diving, and 64 logged dives. I AM GOING FOR MY DIVE MASTER CERT!!! the bridal unit said to give her a few months, and i can start it up. i can't wait that long... but the bank says i have to!:D :D

[lars2923]

Yea,

I use to live up in Washington.. Right off Sand Point Way.. lake view..
I sure do miss that state...
The issue of Advanced Diver Magazine #25 that was just released has
an article on diving Lk Washington. Also if you know Mel Clark, tell her
I said Hello.. Shes so hot in that tec gear...
Which Organization are you getting certified through?
Good Luck...

[lars2923]

To visit the Phillipines?
I live in the SE of the US.. What season is a good season to visit the Phillipines? I mean weather and diving wise..?

Time to start planning on a dive trip. When I say dive trip, I mean maybe 10 days in the Phillipines with 7-8 days of diving.. as many dives a day...

Thanks,

[santelmo]

summer time! now is the time.... go dive here now! tubbataha season is still open.... PM diverep for more details. im still in the Palawan Islands...

[PinayDiver]

To visit the Phillipines?
I live in the SE of the US.. What season is a good season to visit the Phillipines? I mean weather and diving wise..?

Time to start planning on a dive trip. When I say dive trip, I mean maybe 10 days in the Phillipines with 7-8 days of diving.. as many dives a day...

Thanks,

Hi Lars,

Considering that you’re traveling a long way, I would recommend a liveaboard’s single-minded intent (dive, breakfast, dive, lunch, dive, dinner, night dive :) ) and Tubbataha of course gave me the best time. To give you a picture, this is how it went for me:

Day 1- fly from Manila to Puerto Princesa; all aboard!

Day 2- 10:22 a.m. J Beazley West (first sharks of the trip, close enough to make out the white on their tips); 2:50 p.m. J Beazley South (more sharks on active patrol, grey reef in there too); 4 p.m. J Beazley North (noticed pregnant sharks, bulging on their sides; fertile seas indeed); 7:49 p.m. night dive at J Beazley (let ‘er rip! I still remember that shark tail sticking out of the table coral flushed soon enough by our drifting group)

Day 3 - 7:52 a.m. Shark Airport of North Tubbataha (by now circling jacks were a more interesting sight than staple sharks); 10:33 a.m. North of North tip Tubbataha (giant napoleon wrasses; 6-foot teeth-baring tunas scared more than the mostly dozing sharks); 1:50 p.m. Sandy Area of Shark Airport (8-footer nurse shark); 4:43 p.m. Leopard Ledge of North Tubbataha (an impressive tower of circling chevron barracudas; at arm’s length at one point); 6:54 p.m. night dive at Shark Airport (8 turtles in one dive!)

Day 4 - 7:22 a.m. Black Rock, South Tubbataha (marble ray and another pregnant shark sharing one ledge); 10:30 a.m. Black Rock (watched octopus change colors and textures as it moved; more turtles, more sharks); 1:47 p.m. Sweet Lips City (oriental sweetlips that weren’t shy at all; green moray “harassed” by cleaner wrasses – why else would it slap its own cheek on the ledge?; 4:25 p.m. Black Rock (more tuna, more sharks); 6:47 p.m. night dive at Black Rock (moray undulated across sandy bottom; spiny lobsters; polyclad flat worms – by now, the tinier creatures fascinated us more)

Day 5: four dives at Delsan Wreck in search of a manta (7:20 a.m., 9:47 a.m., 1:48 p.m., 4:20 p.m.) that showed itself on the last dive—sealing it, in my mind, as a n officialTubbataha trip!

Day 6: “no fly” so billeted ourselves at a resort in Puerto Princesa to supposedly go hiking to some waterfalls but I was outvoted by the rest of the group members who opted to just get massages by the poolside, hmmm

Day 7: fly back to Manila (while other foreigners, having traveled all that way already anyway, opted to fly to Cebu for more diving in Malapascua)

The transfers from one site to another happened as we slept. I rather enjoyed the lulling and my dreams were still of diving along the drop-offs. I loved every minute of it!

We’re planning a return trip in the summer of 2008 (April to early May is the recommended window). Last weekend, there was even talk of chartering a boat. Feel free to email our DM-organizer (jaydiver1@yahoo.com) if you want. Say I said so :) . Let’s all go!

[lars2923]

I will begin researching your recommendations. Unfortunately, I will
not be available for the long distrance travel until around August
my time of the year. Your earlier post mentioned THIS is the time
to come. What't it like in August?

Thank you for your time and posts....

Sincerely,

[jeff98208]

all my certs have been thru padi. the dive shop i'll be going thru is smokey point dive center. although i don't know mel. but if i do end up meeting her down the line i will tell her you said hi. and one of these days i'll venture over to lk washington and dive it. i hear its a good dive site.

[lars2923]

Sweet.. PADI is a great organization... As you are well aware of.
When I lived there I never dove Lk Washington. I dove out of Lynnwood area.
There is a site just N of the ferries. You may know the site. Also across from
Downtown Seattle. The name escapes me. I left Seattle in 86.

Mel is with Silentscuba out of Seattle -or- is it Everett... Hmm..

Good luck on your DM.. I found it to be very rewarding... You'll learn a lot..
If I can help in anyway, just write.... I'm a PADI instructor.

Cheers,

[PinayDiver]

I will begin researching your recommendations. Unfortunately, I will
not be available for the long distrance travel until around August
my time of the year. Your earlier post mentioned THIS is the time
to come. What't it like in August?


Typhoon season :) but that doesn't mean there's no diving to be had in the Philippines. We simply fly to the Visayas. (I live and work in Manila, that's in Luzon.)

Last year, Sea Explorers Cebu head office (email cebu@sea-explorers.com) arranged for my group's 3-day dives in Malapascua (as well as the 3-hour van trip from Cebu International Airport to Maya wharf and then the half-hour boat transfer to the island upon our request).

We stayed at Cocobana but Sea Explorers Malapascua recommended Sunsplash and Hippocampus too.

For the dives, we entered the water at 6 a.m. to get settled on Monad Shoal for some waiting (lucked upon a 12-foot thresher shark). Back to the same site at 2 p.m. for the mantas (ours was a 20-footer, so close I could see the cleaner wrasses in its mouth).

At 6 p.m., backrolled at Lighthouse for the seahorses. (I remember that, halfway, we found ourselves really "swaying" underwater. Turns out a storm had hit the surface! Our poor kapitan, unwilling to pull out the anchor because we were still on our dive, had to contend with a broken outrigger. He somehow got us to shore. So, yes, I admire the crew.)

Also, if Sea Explorer decides the weather is right for it, they'll take you diving at Gato Island, famous for its black and white banded seasnakes and more sharks, and the microlife too.

As an alternative, since you're open to up to 8 days of diving, you may want to inquire about Sea Explorers' "island hopping," possible with their six dive centers. Their diveboat can take you from one center to the next, allowing you to dive the best sites en route. Check http://www.sea-explorers.com/hopping.html

Hope these help :)

[jeff98208]

deal! than-x lars. when i dive any where near lynnwood, i dive the edmonds underwater park and the edmonds oil dock. i'm still wondering where cove 2 is, i moved here to the everett area just over 3 years ago, and never been there yet.

[CaptainBing]

As a PADI DM, you will be
eligable to teach a number of classes.
Some of my favorites are Discover Scuba (After you have been certified to teach it as a DM)
as well as Scuba Review for those already certified.

Since when is a DM eligible/qualified/authorized to TEACH a Discover Scuba class? You may want to check your standards again on that one.

What other classes do you think you a re eligible to teach as a DM?

[lars2923]

Bing,
Are you asking which year PADI allowed their DM's to teach Discover Scuba or are you implying DM (that are certified to teach Discover Scuba) are, as a
DM not allowed to perform a Discover Scuba?

If you are asking which year, I suggest you contact PADI yourself.
You should check the Instructor manual under Discover Scuba. It quotes,
under Member Qualifications. You do have a current PADI Instructor Guide, don't you?

Very encouraging... Your post appear argumentative.. Are you not happy?
Are you sour with life and people in general? Are you a know it all?
Try calming down a bit on your tone, in all your posts. Unless it is
the only way you can get people to post replies to yours.. This will be my last.

[CaptainBing]

Bing,
Are you asking which year PADI allowed their DM's to teach Discover Scuba or are you implying DM (that are certified to teach Discover Scuba) are, as a
DM not allowed to perform a Discover Scuba?

If you are asking which year, I suggest you contact PADI yourself.
You should check the Instructor manual under Discover Scuba. It quotes,
under Member Qualifications. You do have a current PADI Instructor Guide, don't you?

Very encouraging... Your post appear argumentative.. Are you not happy?
Are you sour with life and people in general? Are you a know it all?
Try calming down a bit on your tone, in all your posts. Unless it is
the only way you can get people to post replies to yours.. This will be my last.

I'm a very happy person but don't appreciate or let slide clear standards violations and misinformation. I don't need to check my Instructor Manual, I know my standards, especially the most basic ones.

DM's CANNOT TEACH Discover Scuba Diving. They CAN lead Discover students on subsequent discover dives, but they cannot TEACH the initial course. Check your standards.

I guess it's easy for you to post your misinformation on this board with the low traffic, but you would be eaten alive on some of the other boards with this nonsense.

[santelmo]

Typhoon season :) but that doesn't mean there's no diving to be had in the Philippines.



correct! here in Palawan it's always summer (well almost) :rolleyes: :D

hey... hey.... be nice.... :p

[86diver]

I have to finish up my Rescue Diver course and then start my Divemaster course. The Divemaster course looks like its so much fun quite a bit of work.

[lottie]

The Divemaster course looks like [,,,] quite a bit of work.

Thats the understatement of the year!!! - it looks like ALOT of work....(I just got the books and i'm thinking OMG!!) :)

[Bill22]

if you are a DM or SI here in the Philippines you get discounts, free dives and dive resort accommodations, food, etc.

So are you saying that I won't have any problem finding ways to supplement my income and enjoy my habit (diving) if I have my DM and am living in the Philippines?

3 years, 11 months and two days to retirement :cool:

[santelmo]

yup... a lot of competition among dive resorts...they would give DM's and especially SI's free accomodation and other stuff just to get them to bring their students/ divers to that resort.

try to make yourself more popular by frequenting a dive resort and by bringing your dive buddies and students...

[Sarah]

Hi Santelmo! Welcome back!

[SCUBA411]

Wow the tone on the year old post was pretty harsh so I thought I would clear up any confusion on the DM teaching Discover SCUBA issue:

Its true and you can find it on Page 3 of the DSD Inst Manual, I am paraphrasing but the DM must complete a DSD Internship where they teach 4 courses under direct supervision and then they can apply for authorization.

[dalehall]

Its true and you can find it on Page 3 of the DSD Inst Manual, I am paraphrasing but the DM must complete a DSD Internship where they teach 4 courses under direct supervision and then they can apply for authorization.

In fact the DM CD comes with the PDF form to fill out for the DM's to do the DSD class along with the others for applying for DM Status. The DSD is one of the classes I want to take over at my LDS when I finish my DMC so I'm looking forward to it.

[Pax]

So at age 50 I decided to take on the DM course (that which does not kill you makes you stronger philosophy). Where is the best place to take it. I am out here on the west coast of BC and the "coldwater" centres suggest taking the course here as it well make you a better DM and you can dive anywhere. The "warmwater" centres suggest to do it in Florida keys, Thailand etc as these venues provide a more "friendlier environment (can concentrate on learning as opposed to dealing with issues like viz, coldwater and bulky drysuit). I know I there will be many differnt comments but I guess this is what this forum is about...

[SCUBA411]

Pax,
IMHO I think the answer really depends on what you are going to do with the CERT. If it is primarily for experience and making you are better diver, and the majority of your diving is going to be in your home stomping grounds, the I would take it at the LDS. On the other hand if your interested in turning it into an avocation when you retire in some warm tropical paradise then I would take it in places like the Caribean, Thailand or Philippines. This will give you the opportunity to experience the life style (without commiting to it). I think you can find quality instruction in just about any location. I hope this helps.

[www.scubacat.com]

I cant recommend Thailand highly enough and there is not much cold water there either (their high season is from Nov - March approximately)

[samtihen]

So at age 50 I decided to take on the DM course (that which does not kill you makes you stronger philosophy). Where is the best place to take it. I am out here on the west coast of BC and the "coldwater" centres suggest taking the course here as it well make you a better DM and you can dive anywhere. The "warmwater" centres suggest to do it in Florida keys, Thailand etc as these venues provide a more "friendlier environment (can concentrate on learning as opposed to dealing with issues like viz, coldwater and bulky drysuit). I know I there will be many differnt comments but I guess this is what this forum is about...

Maybe I'm just weak, but I'd much rather dive in a warm, tropical location. Will you end up less prepared as a diver? Probably. Will you be warm and happy on a beach with a beer in hand? Probably.

[The Publisher]

Same here Samtihen, ...I dive tropical exclusively now as I am spoiled!