THE TWO BROTHERS
I’m completely focused on a pair of terrified eyes staring at me. Kneeling on a sandy ocean floor 1.5 meters from the surface, but the eyes in front of me are full of anxiety at what I’m asking them to do. “It’s ok” I try to make my eyes gentle and nurturing, letting them know that I’m here. I’m with you. I want to help them succeed and be able to go on to explore one of the most beautiful parts of our planet, the underwater realm!
After a few moments of deep rhythmic breathing, the eyes in front of me cast down towards the sand, hands slowly reaching up to pull the scuba mask away from their face. The water rushes in, the eyes slam shut, the mask is off! A hand races up to block the nose, just as I’d suggested they do to help avoid the uncomfortable sensation of water and bubbles hitting the nose. Their other hand quickly loops through the mask strap and then grabs onto my arm. 30 seconds pass and I tap the hand that’s been squeezing increasingly tighter around my forearm. Their hand quickly releases and they maneuver the mask back into position on their face. Fear and anxiety is replaced with systematic mental processing as they step by step replace the strap and clear the mask as they had previously practiced. As air breathed out from the nose enters the mask, the water is pushed out the bottom, draining the mask. One last breath out through the nose to make sure all the water is gone and the student seals the mask back to their face and looks at me with glistening eyes full of achievement and self-confidence. Before I get a chance to congratulate them myself, his fellow student, dive buddy and brother grabs his arm, turning him so they face each other and proceed to hi-5! hi-10! Fist bump! Shaka! Dance! My heart swells with pride and emotion watching the 2 brothers celebrate the victory.
Moments like this make me appreciate my job as a diving professional and it all started by becoming a Divemaster.
Do you love the ocean and dream of being able to spend more time under the water? Becoming a PADI Divemaster can be your first steps towards a wide world of opportunities.
1. Become a skilled and confident diver
The PADI Divemaster program is designed to develop your skills to a high and professional level. You will work alongside a team of PADI instructors who will mentor you through the program. Skills circuits, rescue exercises, assisting Instructors on courses, dive site management and planning are just some of the few examples of how you will improve and hone your skills.
2. Guide fellow certified divers around your favourite local dive sites
Do you have a favourite spot that you love? Do you want to share your passion and experiences with like minded people? Conducting guided dives in your local area is a great way to build friendships and community. As a professional dive guide you provide security to divers who may be less confident, exploration to divers who are seeking adventure and inspire divers to love and protect our oceans.
3. Inspire those around you
Do you have those friends that always seem to be doing something amazing and unique? This can be YOU! Let your passion and enthusiasm radiate amongst your peers as you tell stories of your diving experiences, marine encounters, conservation work and teaching successes.
4. Conduct PADI programs and courses
PADI Divemaster’s are certified to conduct PADI programs such as the ReActivate, Discover Snorkeling, Skin Diver (Advanced Snorkeling) and Discover Local Diving programs. With some additional training you also have the opportunity to become a DSD Leader, which enables you to conduct the PADI Discover Scuba Diving Program in confined water settings.
5. Get paid to do what you love
Want to get some extra cash doing what you love? As a divemaster you can get paid to get out on the weekends and go diving with great people and explore amazing places. This doesn’t have to be a full time job, work when you can with a flexible schedule that suits you.
6. Escape the office and get fit
A lot of us spend quite a bit of time sitting in air conditioned offices with fluorescent lighting and the sounds of people clattering away on keyboards. Wouldn’t it be nice knowing that this weekend you’re going to be heading to a remote part of Vancouver Island BC, or BC’s beautiful sunshine coast to find the elusive hooded nudibranch.
7. Amazing marine life encounters
Seals, sea lions, nudibranchs, octopi, wolf eels, lingcod, rockfish, grunt sculpins and sharks! Every time you encounter marine life the experience is completely different. Hunting through rocks and seaweeds to find the small sea critters to the big powerful movements of our wonderful underwater mammals are something to behold. No dive is ever the same. Remember to always respect marine life, don’t encourage interaction and maintain safe distances where possible.
8. Work and travel
Becoming a divemaster can be your gateway to the world. You can dive anywhere, from the tropics of the Caribbean and South East Asia to the cold waters of Northern North America, Scotland and Iceland! You will find opportunities to work and play as you travel around the world exploring more. Opportunities are also available in conservation projects in places like the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, Seychelles, South Africa and the Galapagos Islands to name just a few.
9. Get involved in ocean conservation
Share your passion and be an advocate for our oceans. As the world continues to grapple with the challenges of climate change, you as a divemaster become an ocean advocate to all of those you encounter. There are many opportunities to get involved in conservation. PADI’s Project AWARE programs provide direction and a baseline to enable you to promote conservation to both divers and non-divers.
10. Continue your professional career to become a PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor
If you enjoy teaching and helping develop those divers around you. Consider extending your diving career and becoming a PADI OWSI. As an instructor you’re able to teach a majority of PADI programs and courses, continue your own skills and development with specialty instructor certifications and progress to become a Master Scuba Diving Instructor.
As an Instructor you will find more opportunities for work and employment on a full time basis and be rewarded with introducing new divers to the water for the first time!
Contact Us:
Are you interested in starting your professional career and becoming a PADI Divemaster? Check out the upcoming programs with International Diving Centre here: https://diveidc.com/course/padidivemaster/
Or contact us at [email protected] to speak with our knowledgeable and friendly team.