Scuba Instructor, step 4: Divemaster

We're almost there. You've completed Open Water, Advanced Open Water or Adventure Diver and Rescue Diver. Now, it's time for the first step on the professional diver ladder: Divemaster.

Even the name, Divemaster, conjures up some interesting pictures. Someone that knows a lot about diving and the dive environment for starters, but what else does a Divemaster know and do? The short answer is "a lot."

A Divemaster is a highly trained professional diver. They can supervise uncertified divers and certified divers. They can even conduct certain certification programs independently. An Instructor's job is never easier than when they have a good Divemaster to help in a class.

Like other programs, there are three core components to the Divemaster course: Knowledge development, Skills Development and Application. Knowledge development usually takes the form of independent study and classroom discussion. Independent study can be either traditional text book or computer-based. Let's take a look at some of the prerequisites and then the course structure.

As a Divemaster holds a position taking care of or supervising divers, there are some minimum requirements. Here are the prerequisites for the PADI Divemaster program:

• 18 years of age
• Be certified as a PADI Advanced Open Water Diver and PADI Rescue Diver (or equivalent)
• Have completed a CPR/First Aid class within the prior 24 months
• Have proof of 40 logged dives
• Be medically evaluated and cleared for diving by a physician

As for materials, the PADI Divemaster Crewpak (traditional textbook) or Divemaster eLearning enhancement pack (online training) is needed. This includes study materials as well as a copy of the PADI Instructor Manual (more on this later). They also include a set of slates to help guide you when doing dive briefings and conducting other programs.

The key components of the course are:

• Role and Characteristics of a Divemaster: Once you enter the professional role, you're always "on." That means role-model behavior, because you want divers to dive like you do--safely.
• Supervising Diving Activities: Dive Planning, supervision, pre-dive briefings and problem management.
• Assisting with Student Divers: Divemasters are key players in diver education. In this segment, you'll learn about your role in training including Logistics, Supervision, control, problem solving. You'll practice your basic diving skills until they are slow, exaggerated and fluid--high enough quality to demonstrate to new divers.
• Diver Safety and Risk Management: You'll learn techniques and about tools to help manage risk. There are some definite legal aspects here, but the most important aspect is to keep our divers safe.
• Divemaster Conducted Programs: As a Divemaster, you can conduct several programs independently and others under supervision of an Instructor. They include: Scuba Review for certified divers, Discover Local Diving, Skin Diver, Discover Scuba (requires additional internship). Also, with some additional training, you can also qualify to teach the PADI Emergency Oxygen Provider Specialty and the PADI Digital Underwater Photography Course.
• Specialized Skills & Activities: As a Divemaster, you'll be involved in a variety of diving activities. To prepare you, this section goes into various devices activities and gives you hands-on training. Some of the specialized equipment you'll work with includes floats, marker buoys, signaling devices and lifting devices. You'll practice various aspects of dive site mapping, search & recovery and deep diving. You'll also get an introduction to specialty areas (from the Divemaster point-of-view) including: Altitude, Drift, Surf, Night, Cold Water, Enriched Air and Technical diving.
• Business of Diving: As you'll be able to conduct programs independently, you should have a basic understanding of the business side of Scuba. You'll review the PADI Membership Agreement and discuss scuba career options.
• Awareness of the Dive Environment: The underwater world is our office and we need to take care of it. You'll explore the biological and physical aspects of the aquatic world, including discussions on coral reefs, pollution, invasive species, currents, tides and waves.
• Dive Theory: Time for some in-depth, practical background on diving. For some, the terms Physics and Physiology are intimidating. We'll review the pressure-volume-density relationships you learned about in Open Water (1 atmosphere of pressure for every 33 feet of sea water, etc) and how that relates to divers. Other topics include how heat, light and sound behave differently underwater, human circulatory and respiratory systems and how your body responds to nitrogen under pressure. You'll also spend some time looking at scuba equipment and how it works (cylinders, regulators, dive computers and gauges). Linking the equipment, physics and physiology is decompression theory--how the tables and dive computers work.

Ok...that's the academic side and sounds pretty long. Don't worry. Work with your instructor to set out a realistic schedule.

Performance requirements for the Divemaster program:

• Complete the knowledge development (topics above) and take a written exam covering that material. The exam is in two parts, one on dive theory and the other on standards and divemaster duties.
• Complete an Emergency Assistance Plan
• Complete a dive rescue assessment (review of Rescue Diver)
• Complete Water Skills exercises: a tread(15 minutes), a free swim(400yd), a mask/snorkel/fin/swim (800yd), an inert diver tow(100yd) and a problem solving exercise.
• Complete the Dive Skills workshop and assessment (demonstration-quality skills)
• Complete Practical Application workshops: Dive Site Setup & Management; Mapping Project; Dive Briefing; Search & Recovery scenario; Deep Dive Scenario.
• Complete Divemaster conducted programs workshops: Scuba Review in Confined Water; Skin Diver Course; Discover Scuba workshop;Discover Scuba--additional Open Water dive; Discover Local Diving;
• Complete Practical Assessments: Assisting with Open Water students in Confined Water; Assisting with Open Water students in Open Water; Assisting with Continuing Education Students in Open Water; Supervising Certified Divers in Open Water.

• Have logged 60 dives by the end of the program
• Read & agree to the PADI Membership & License agreement.

As you can see, most of the Divemaster program is centered around practical training. On your career track towards becoming a PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor, all of these skills come into play. Instructors always have to coordinate setting up the dive site, briefing their divers, etc. etc. In the PADI Instructor Development Course we build upon what you learn in Divemaster and expand upon it.

In the next article, I'll discuss the parts of the PADI Instructor Development Process. Till then, Happy Diving!