Divemaster Diary’s – Divemaster Internship

Jump In

I won’t start my memories from my first Divemaster Internship with a lot of explanations. Why, when, where… that’s not the most important thing about it.

What really matters are the people I’ve met and the memories that will last forever.

Just jump in, in the middle of your dream:

“My beloved daughter.

Now – you’re really doing it; that big brave step. You fulfill your long-desired wish. You make your dream come true.

As your parents we’re afraid that you’ll be lonely. Maybe your life isn’t very comfortable there. Hopefully you don’t feel too cold. Or too warm.

Maybe it’s too exhausting for you to dive every day. Maybe there will be nobody who takes care of you.

But most of all: We are so proud of our wonderful girl, a marvelous woman.
Who is not only dreaming dreams, but faces her desires and make them become reality.

And now you do it! Let’s go to your island…”

(From my parents. I love you to the moon and back.)

Can’t start a fire without a spark… even if we’re just dancing in the dark.

Yesterday was your “Divemaster-Stress-Test” Day. In the morning: Cleaning the beach for 45 minutes in a blazing heat, after the party last night (No, not your party!). You have never seen so many cans on “your” beach. Disgusting. Would you pollute your own house like this? No?

So why you’re leaving your trash at the beach? ?

But anyway you love that task. Even if it’s damn hot. You hear music and look at the ocean. And suddenly your boss tells you: “You will go diving in 15 minutes.” Hooray! ?
Faster, faster, go prepare everything!

Who is more stressed – you or your divers?

First dive in the morning with another Divemaster as a team. The two of you will guide two divers on a boat dive.

Your challenge: One diver did his last dive two years ago; the other diver is a professional underwater photographer with a huge camera. Perfect match – one total mentally stressed, the other one doesn’t move at all underwater. ?

During the dive you have no clue about the right direction because you don’t know the spot properly at all. And of course, you lose the other Divemaster and his diver.

Your photographer is grumbling because you are chasing him, but you have to find the way back to the boat! And you are scared of deploying the sausage because you never tried your new DSMB model before. Why you didn’t practice that before at home, sweetheart?!? Who is more stressed now…? But you made it and you’ve found the others (you can swim very fast and the photographer has no choice than following you). Did anybody notice your stress level? ?

To make things worse the unexperienced diver felt down the ladder of the boat and your photographer has forgotten his damn camera at the Dive Center.

Hello jetlag

Lunchtime: Eat faster and ask the other Instructors what you could have done better. Their feedback helps you a lot. But at the same time you feel like a complete idiot. It’s such a difference reading a dive manual on top in a different language and doing a good job as a Divemaster in a familiar environment or doing it in a foreign country…

Oh, and don’t forget to drink quickly a coke against your shivering hands and your low blood pressure. Nasty jetlag! You cannot concentrate, cannot sleep and act like a zombie. Personal advice: Give yourself some time to acclimate. Have patience with yourself.

It’s shit – but it will go away. ?

Practice your language talent

Another challenge: Not everybody speaks the same snobbish British school English like you. Try it someday. ? Try to understand someone with a super sweet local 3-languages-mix-slang with your dumb diver ears and give an answer in a half intelligent way, while you’re standing next to a noisy compressor. ?

No wonder everyone thinks you must be stupid or/and have some serious ear problems. ?

Thanks God you’re part of a very understandable and patient Dive Center team, which is willing to explain the same thing again and again. And… again! As you are having a lot of European guests spending their diving holidays, you practice your Italian, French, Spain and English. Babble some (not understandable) Mandarin and mix it all up… You’re thrilled when someone suddenly speaks Bavarian. ?

Let her make the mistakes first, so she’ll learn the fastest way

At the afternoon: Filling tanks. Getting used to your beloved friend, the compressor. It’ll be forever your favorite frenemy. But you’re really loving it. Hey, it’s about diving!

It’s important to know how to fill tanks. And you feel honored that everybody of your team is taking their time to teach you. Patiently! Even if you doing it wrong a hundred times.

What’s next? Assisting a Discover Scuba Diving with four students. Your Instructor throws you in at the deep end: After a short briefing – which you (again) only understand so-so – he lets you do the briefing. All other Instructors are ‚secretly’ watching your performance.

It’s all worth the pain. Change people’s life.

In the pool you try to calm down your nervous students, assist your Instructor, having fun and teaching the students safe and serious at the same time. Two of them had a long party last night and the other two are scared because they cannot swim. ? You watch your awesome Instructor and feel honored to learn from him. He can do magic!

You find yourself smiling underwater. Pure happiness. All four students master the skills and you bring them to the ocean. Kneel down in the shallow water, take the camera and action. Sandstorm! In the end these pictures which will remember them of their first breath underwater, that will change their live.

Note: The best way to distract nervous students is to make pictures of them. ?

After all, one of the students is really diving… With his Divemaster above or beside him, holding his tank and guiding him. Showing him a beautiful underwater movie. First it looks more like a scary movie to you.

By the way: You can do that with two students as well. Then it’s called biceps training. Minimum 20 other Instructors with their students are passing by like this… You understand why. There is always a reason… And then you look into your students sparkling eyes after their first dive.

Their happiness and pride that they made it, is priceless!

It was all worth the pain then! ?

I found peace in your violence.

Your day isn’t over yet…

Right after coming back to the surface with your students, your two divers from this morning are standing in front of you. Your Instructor says: „Let’s go, you guide them! It’s the house reef, you have been there yesterday, just choose a side, turn around at 100 bar, make your mapping, go go go!“

Err…

That’s exactly what your two divers are doing: They go. Before you can even think about being exhausted or scared of guiding them all alone, they are descending. The photographer says: „Yes, yes, I know the way back, I’ve been to this dive spot a hundred times…“

Shit he knows! You either. ?

So, you guide the two accidentally in the wrong direction to the shallow water. They look more like snorkelers than like divers. What the hack, you don’t even get left and right, right! You are getting lost even in your hometown all the time…

In the middle of a dream. Or a nightmare?

But then… You find the swarm of yellow jackfish. Thousands of them are surrounding you like a marvelous tornado… and you know where you are. You start to breath, just diving, only in the here and now. In your element. You show your divers a shark, a pink-black-yellow-whatever nudibranch and a turtle.

On the way back the less experienced diver gets a cramp. He begins to ascent way too fast! ? Shit, is this really happening right now? Is it a Divemaster stress-test managed before by your Instructors? Scary movie?!? You lose the cramp of your diver instinctively. Then he almost sticks in a coral…

But you bring the two back to the Dive Center safe and sound. It’s a mess there because 5 groups of divers are coming back from their boat dive. You’re so wiped out that you only want to hide and cry in the storage room.

„I am speechless happy for you… Your memories, your energy, your heart will be forever at this place. You cannot explain it, right? I‘m proud of you and I’m sure you are doing a great job.

Have a marvelous time out there, enjoy every moment, every crazy diver, you will for sure pass these stories and learnings to someone sometime… “

(Message from my German Instructor, who brought me into this diving mess and I will be forever thankful for that)

You sleep like a stone

Your Instructor lets you take your time and brings you a Deco-Beer afterwards. That’s just the way it is. Your smile comes back with his friendly gesture. Sometimes it doesn’t need much words. Oh yes: If you want a debriefing, ask for it. Nobody will come and blame you by telling you your faults. Let her make the mistakes first, then she will learn the fastest way. Again ?

At the evening, you are joking around with your team. You’re relieved to hear that everybody makes the same mistakes at the beginning during a Divemaster Internship. You think your DSD (Discover Scuba Diving) and your first own dive guide have been a total flop and your customers are disappointed. But all of a sudden, your divers are bringing you a beer, just to say thank you. ?

At the second your head touches the pillow you fall into a deep sleep… just to wake up in the middle of the night, bitten by millions of ants in your bed.

You shouldn’t let your chocolate box open, honey!!!

It’s raining and your towel at the balcony is getting wet, again. Don’t care… just sleep.

Overflowed with gratitude and happiness

While walking to the breakfast at the next morning, you go around the corner and there it is: the ocean. Crystal blue water, mellow waves, three islands at the horizon, a white beach framed by palm trees… You take a deep breath, overflowed with gratitude and happiness. You can close your eyes and still see that view in front of you…

German lobster for dinner

„I want you to learn about snorkeling today!“ Yes, as a Divemaster you are certified to teach a Skin Diver Course and to supervise snorkelers. Be flexible! You watch the dive boat leaving without you. But hey, Snorkeling? Nice! It’s in the ocean, so you love it.

You are checking in your 15 snorkelers and give them their live jacket. Of course, nobody told you to better bring some water and sun blocker for yourself on the boat. Okay, German lobster for dinner tonight! ? At the boat the crew is waiting for your instructions. What damn instructions!?

If you have no plan just pretend to have one

You help your guests climbing on the boat. They are happy that the „German Mermaid with the white fins“ brings them to a snorkel trip. During the boat ride, you look at the ocean and forget all your sorrows. You’re just here.

After arrival you help to drop the anchor. The two other guides telling you that you should do the briefing now.

Eh? Briefing? ?

Do you know where the hack we are, what you can see here and what to take care of?!? No plan! If you have no plan, just pretend to have one! ?

Suddenly you realize that most of your guests cannot swim and are scared of water…

You should attend a psychology course in advance! ? For you it’s no big deal to put on your mask and breath with a snorkel. For them it is. But you try to show them the handling patiently, to act the fool, to make them smile and show them the beauty of what’s down there.

And they are happy. Don’t forget to pull them through the water with their live jackets and floating tires. To make sure that everybody is back on the boat right on time. You know now that you are the first in the water and the last back on board. And be sure to fix the ladder properly. During the way back you’re laughing with the team about your „very special first snorkeling briefing“. You’re exhausted like hell. But so happy.

My head’s underwater, but I’m breathing fine…

Just arrived, you check out your guests and wash their live jackets and masks. Yeaah, you will go for another snorkeling trip in the afternoon! ?

You’re lying dead tired (but like on a cloud nine) at your favorite place under a palm tree, watching the ocean. Writing your loved ones at home. Enjoying 5 minutes just for yourself. Suddenly you hear a song that expresses exactly how you feel in that moment. And you start crying for joy…

Then somebody of your team surprises you with local food for lunch. You eat it with your hands and are mega happy about that lovely gesture. Change of plan. You won’t go for snorkeling. You will assist a Check Dive. (Yes! ?) In the pool, you see the magic that makes a good Instructor. Teaching fin pivoting and hovering like you never seen before.

A clumsy Divemaster can be a lucky fellow

During the shore dive you can practice your mapping and deploy the DSMB. Good girl. ? On the way, back you notice you’ve lost your bold snap. Gosh! You signal your Instructor that you will dive back alone to find it down there. But you cannot find it.

Of course, you get lost again on your way back alone. You’ve almost bowl three divers over because you didn’t look above. Just arrived you’re told to show your student how to wash his dive gear. You‘re too dizzy to blow out the BCD and your team has again something to smile about. ?

Another Instructor offers you to bring you a new bolt snap from mainland. Another friend presents you a cover for your iPhone because you’re smashing it down all the time. Clumsy girl in the middle of an awesome team! ?

You really should know how to use your compass!

After that: crash course in Dive Site Mapping. It’s all Greek to you. South-East / North-West / What?!?

It’s important to know the dive spot to bring your divers back safely. Even if you have to find a different way because of the current. Set your mark right after descending.

“You really should know how to use your compass!!!”

Magic jellyfish moments

A new day… two friends would like to do their Open Water Course. What a great surprise, you are allowed to assist! ? You spend a marvelous day and see your Instructor teaching buoyancy with a jellyfish. Again, a magic moment in diving.

Short lunch break, 30 tanks are waiting to be filled. Go for massage this evening, best idea ever. Tomorrow 4 Discover Scuba Diving students are waiting for you…

I think that I’m thinking that I think, I think too much

You feel a lot more comfortable at your second Discover Scuba Briefing.

Never stop learning.

Of course, you’re a bit nervous because they are friends of your boss. On top, the oldest student is over 60. But you’re feeling confident. You allay your student’s fears and laugh with them. Just make sure that you prepare their gear properly! And don’t throw them the weight belt on their foot during the skill demo! The teamwork with your Instructor is much better because you know now what he’s expecting and how he teaches.

Never ever leave your DSD students unattended!☝

Ready for confined water? You make a cool group picture at the ocean. One of your students cannot descent, so you try to help him. Exhale, calm down. Nothing helps. Your ears are crying… Oh right, you have weight! Give your student your weight and everything is far more relaxed. Who needs weight anyway? ?

Your students are enthusiastic about their first journey into the ocean and invite you for lunch. Your boss is happy. You are beat… ? To see them so happy was all worth it. Again!

Does anyone has a mooncake left?!?

You’re still so tired at this afternoon but tanks are waiting to be filled again for the next 2 hours. Thanks God you have great colleagues who are feeding you with mooncakes. ? While watching the other divers gearing up, you are feeling 2 things:

• You are happy for them
• You are yearning to go with them. „You’re not going?“

At the evening you stare at one of the most beautiful full moon you’ve ever seen. No words for it. Let’s join your guests for the full moon party at the bar. Somebody should have a mooncake left… ?

„I’m jealous… I would love to take such a time-out too, once.
It’s just so damn sexy that you’ve done it!

Send you a big hug.

Take care!“

(From a close friend)

No jetlag, no warm towel

Finally, you sleep through the night. No jetlag anymore! The first dive is just awesome, you join a group of experienced and relaxed divers, do your mapping and help your guests climbing the boat. Hello, happiness! ?

Gosh, you forget to bring the warm towel to the boat… Next dive, same group, same wonderful feeling. With warm towel. ? You start to read the Divemaster Manual again in English to get used to the English expressions. “You didn’t read that before!?!” ?

Hells bells…

During the briefing for the next dive, you notice a diver who doesn’t seems to understand a single word. Surprise! He’ll be your Buddy… At the boat, you ask for his name and check his gear. He dives in 5mm wetsuit, gloves and hood. Which is okay… but could be too much for 30 degrees water temperature. Oh, and he doesn’t really understand English. That will be a Fun Dive… ?

You assume that he might have problems to descent. Exactly what happens. You wait for him, show him how to deflate and try to ease him. But he’s still finning like hell. He has far too less weight. His mask* is flooding all the time because he didn’t put it right under his hood. He’s having a hard time. You, too.

Suddenly he drifts with the current, far away from you. No way to hold him… Your Instructor is banging his tank like hells bells. Yeeeees, you know you should stay close to him and he needs more weight. Your Instructor is faster and gives your diver his weight.

Are you a leader or not?!?

Again, you try to ease your diver. But he’s busy with his camera which is not working. Flooded. You take his camera and give him signals to relax. What he’s doing by cutting down a coral. ?

The current is quite strong and you know that he’ll be soon low on air. You ask him and he shows you 100 bar. Dive time: 13 minutes. He still has too less weight. So, you give him yours, too. Finally, you close the gap to the other divers. All of a sudden, your buddy shows out of air!

Your Instructor is checking his air. Still 80 bar. He shows you more than clear, that you have to turn around. Now! He’s pushing you in front of your diver. Are you a leader or not!?!

Is this your Rescue Diver Scenario?!?

You’re leading your diver to shallower water and again he shows you out of air. He grabs your BCD and pulls you to the surface. Totally ignoring your signal for safety stop. At surface he’s hysteric, thrashing around in panic, grabs your BCD and almost drowns you. You push him away and tell him to inflate his BCD. He’s still freaking out.

Remember the panic diver in your Rescue Diver Course Scenario?

You tell him to inflate his BCD orally. What he does. Meanwhile the boat man has seen your sausage. (How the hack did you managed to deploy it within all that mess?!) Back at the boat you explain calmly that he still had 60 bar left. He admits that he doesn’t know the right diving hand signals, mixed up low and out of air. On top that, he cannot see properly, even with high diopter in his mask. ?

Howling at the moon

Your Instructor gives you a hard debriefing. You feel like a fool. And no mooncake in sight for tonight…

With a new day comes a new change.

A couple is checking in for a Discover Scuba Diving. They did pictures at the beach in a wedding dress before. So cute! ? The bride cannot swim, but her husband is a diver already. Your Instructor isn’t in a good mood today. He keeps you busy. And you’re amazed to see his briefing. Note:

Every Instructor is teaching different.

You are taking care of the nervous bride. After a lot of tries she masters the skills. You are her babysitter and she’s holding your hand while seeing her first fish underwater. She is so proud of herself after the dive. And you are proud of her as well. ?

Working in scuba diving – dream or nightmare? (You know my answer… ?)

You help the bride to take of her gear and run to lunch. A group of 15 divers is waiting in 30 minutes!

You never worked so hard physically before in your life. ? But you love it.

You help to check in the divers and prepare their gear. Oh sh*, your “Rescue Diver” from yesterday will join, too. ? Suddenly they are around 30 divers at the Dive Center. Everybody is running around, has a question, is searching for something. Reminds you of your event management skills. You’re feeling fine.

Oops!

You should prepare your own gear too, they are going in a second!

Damn, no space! Take the floor!

Don’t forget to check yourself. Oh, somebody forget his fins! Hey, Mister, your tank is not open…!

„Oh wow, so much going on your side! But you’re doing a great job. These are experiences for a lifetime.
And they will make you only stronger.
You’re awesome. You’re so brave doing this! I think it’s great that you dare to realize your dream.

You’re pictures are awesome. And for sure there is a great team on your side!”

(From a very good friend)

Each dive, even after hundreds of them, always leaves you amazed as the first day

Hurry up! Everybody safely into the boat. Fix the ladder. Try to plan the dive. And remind the spot. Set your compass. Done. ?

Underwater, everything is fine. You are „back home“.

You feel confident. Are you singing underwater? You can show your divers two turtles passing by slowly. “Rescue Diver” does his safety stop after 30 minutes with another Divemaster. After 50 minutes, you bring your divers back safe and sound to surface and sit down at your favorite place at the boat. Happy Hormones. With you and your smiling divers. ?

360° turquoise blue

Next day starts with a dive after cleaning your home (= beach). A day couldn’t start better. ?

Well, the dive was a little bit short. Because your “Rescue Diver” is low on air after 35 minutes, so you have to do the safety stop alone with him. But he’s so proud of his longest dive ever – so you’re happy with him. And you’re also a little bit proud of yourself (Shhh…! ?): deploying the sausage, bringing him back safe and find the boat without problems.

You’re a Divemaster, you should know what to do!

• As you’re still a newbie, they tell you not to be as important as your other experienced team members. ?

Okay…

• So, you stay back to fill 120 empty tanks. (Practice, Practice, Practice) ?
• No, plan changed. You go snorkeling with 45 guests. (Hell, yeah!) ?
• Do you like coconut? I brought you a fresh one (Hello, heaven!) ?
• “Net gschimpft is globt gnug” (Swabian saying for “Not scolded is enough praised”) ?

Divemaster rollercoaster feelings

“I’m honored to work with such talented people. They are just amazing! I’ve learned so much from them, more than I could ever imagine before in such a short time. Mostly about myself. About my weakness and my strength. And I’m blessed not to call them my colleagues but my friends. They make me feel like home.

Sometimes I believe they are thinking I bought my Divemaster certification in a shopping mall. ?
They should do that once! Go alone to a foreign country. Different language, different climate, different culture, different food. (Okay, no problem at all with the food! ?)

Diving business in Europe is really totally different from diving business in Asia. I cannot say which one I like more, it’s just different and you have to adopt and stay flexible. I’m happy that I now have experience in both.

Every morning when I see the ocean (and most of all when I’m allowed to jump in for diving), I’m just happy.

Sometimes so overflowed with happiness, that I start crying. Silently, of course. ?

I‘m having the time of my life here. ?“

(Message to my Mum)

By the way: Anyone interested in diving at 4 degrees? We have here some really beautiful fresh water lakes for scuba diving in Germany! ? Dive in your dry suit and enjoy the marvelous visibility in winter time. Try it once – I would be happy to guide you diving in fresh water!

The turtle and the bride

Then it’s time for the big Ocean Aware event with 70 divers in 3 days. What a huge amazing effort for preparing all this. Having experience in event management, you know what that means.

You’re a bit nervous, but feeling well briefed by your boss and colleagues. Again – Event Management, Marketing, Communication. That’s what you do every day at home. Get that thing organized. ?

If you want to know something: Ask. Ask. Ask.

Especially because a friend and you are the responsible Divemaster for an underwater proposal. ? You must bring your group with the future bride after 20 minutes dive time to a predefined place underwater. Just follow the rope! There she‘ll be picked up by your friend. He’ll bring the future bride to the place where the proposal will be made.

At least… that’s the briefing.

The spot is quite easy, but you haven’t been there before. And what color has the wetsuit of the bride again?! ? You try to entertain your group of 14 divers for 20 minutes underwater. Diving around a bus. And again. Oh, a fish. Gosh, only 5 minutes dive time. Another round. Again 10 minutes to go…

Finally, time to go! You start to follow the rope. Wait. What the hack, there are two ropes! One goes left, one right. ? ? ? If you mess this up, the bride will never reach her final destination!

You feel like in Matrix, choose the blue or red pill. You choose…

As soon you turn around to take a look if your group is doing fine, your 14 divers are following you in a migratory bird formation. What a view. For the first time you really feel how fucking awesome it is to lead a dive. ?

Suddenly a turtle crosses your way. Your divers are so excited and start to swim behind the cutie.

Wait!

We have no time!

We have to go!

You’re still not sure about the way… And then… finally… far away… you see the bubbles of your friend. Waiting for the bride. You were never happier seeing bubbles. Thanks’ God! ?

The lucky one is brought to the place where her future husband is waiting for her. Surrounded by a group of 20 divers, holding up pictures of them, she’s asked…

WILL YOU MARRY ME?

…and „says“

YES.

You are so happy. Blessed being part of that very special and unforgettable moment.

Wishing the happy, beautiful couple a bright future full of luck. ?

Diver‘s traffic jam

Your next day starts early. Very early. Before the briefing the Dive Center team carries out 60 dive baskets. Your group is slightly smaller than yesterday. Was there a party somewhere? ? By the way: careful by climbing the boat ladder and praise your scares as a memory afterwards. ?

Finally, you feel confident what to do.

• assist to gear up
• take fins
• help to climb the boat
• hold the tanks
• secure cameras
• remove weight belts
• hold the buoy line
• mind the waves… (Is there somebody throwing up?)
• put dust cap on regulators
• climb up the beach
• clean the Dive Center. Sand, sand everywhere…

Everybody is working perfectly together. Nobody is too picky to help someone. That’s how it can be at a diving event when you have a good planning, organization, Dive Resort and team. You laugh with your team and your guests are having fun.

Have you mentioned you love it?

A true heart for diving

As soon your head’s underwater, everything is just… magic. You’re exactly where you belong. You enjoy to guide the dives, the joy of your guests, the breathtaking beauty of the underwater world. Is that how it feels when passion and job become one? A true heart for diving.

The Day After

The day after the event is naturally feeling like a little hang over. You call that the “event hole”, in which you are falling after a big event. Happy but groggy. In your case it means sorting and cleaning 70 gears from 5 different Dive Centers with your team in bright sunshine.

Meanwhile you think of the overwhelming cordiality of yesterday’s evening, which you spend celebrating with friends.

You thought your Day After will be relaxed? Surprise, surprise! ? Believe it or not, an extending family with 8 kids and 6 adults checks in. You are taking 4 adults for a Check Out Dive at the house reef. The ladies are scared, cause it is only their 5th dive. Thanks God at least you know the way now! ?

Good vibes ahead

You’re getting more and more familiar with the spots. The dive spots are becoming maps in your head. You know the geographic direction without looking at your compass. Every time you recognize and find something remarkable underwater, you are pleased as Punch! You’re asked to sign the log books of your divers.

Good Feeling. ?

Are you too friendly?

The boat dive with the kids is more challenging.

Look after the weakest diver first.

It happens again that your guests know your name immediately. They rely on you and pepper you with questions. Europeans… Like will to like. ? Maybe you are too approachable. Because it happens one day later, that they’re not following you at all. They notice your signs, but are too…stubborn to follow? And of course, they are insecure.

You should show more authority underwater. Don’t be too far away from your divers, otherwise your Instructor will tear strips off you. That’s what he does…

Bad Feeling. ?

So, you learn to assert yourself. To lead. It also works at your job at home, damn! You kill your divers with eyes. You spear them (literally) with your pointer. It works! A little… They still don’t want to follow you. Swim wherever they want or float with the current. Or even better:

They follow other divers who have no clue at all, but pretending to have one. That’s almost the worst species of a diver. They’re acting like a king and maniac at the same time. Scare others by pretending to be out of air. Giving clever advices to everyone, even if it’s bullshit. Your insight into human nature doesn’t fool you. You have to be aware of these species of a diver… They are the ones, who’s tank is falling on another diver’s foot and therefore finish his diving holidays. ?

Sad Feeling. ?

As the tree, so the fruit.

It’s a lot of stress to babysit a pack of kids. But so much fun as well. Most of the diving kids are simply awesome. They fear nothing. The more you have to take care of them.

Mind the depth limit under all circumstances!

They’re kids, so they need more help than adults. And don’t forget their nervous parents! As the tree is, so is the fruit. One lauhgs, the other argues, one cries. Including sandstorm and turtle. What a mess. ? You realize how much fun you have with your diving clients. You love to show them beautiful things underwater or help them at surface. You like to answer all their questions about diving. And then again… these sparkling eyes after a dive. Which are giving you back so much…

And then… you lead the dive

“My dear! I thank you so much for your smile, it made me so happy. I wish from the bottom of my heart that you are happy out there.

I still don’t know what’s making you to leave…

But whatever is driving you, my girl, I wish so much that it will make you happy. To be in the Here and Now.
I send you strength and millions of love, which never ends.

Please take care my dear.

Live!

Love!

Laugh!”

(Message from my dearest auntie) (she will kill me if she sees I call her like this) (I love you, G.)

And suddenly… they allow you to lead a dive three times in a row. From A to Z.

Plan a dive. Think through the dive.

Prepare the dive

• Check in the divers
• Prepare their gear
• Switch O-Rings
• Answer thousands of questions
• Who is who?
• Who belongs to who?
• How many dives do you have?

And then they push you into the dive briefing

• Draw the map (lucky you took so many pictures of the maps of other Instructors ?)
• Call your divers
• Arrange the buddy teams
• Tell them the way (No plan, but don’t mind)
• Nice things to find (No plan, but don’t mind)
• Standard briefing notes: hand signals, safety stop, lost buddy…
• You love it! ? Because you’re not afraid of speaking in front of people. Because you seriously tell them important things. And because you motivate them to go diving.

Lead the dive

• Count your divers. Before going to the boat. At the boat. During the dive. Again. Again. Again. Back at surface. On the boat.
• First three minutes of the dive, you may only think: “Fuck, I don’t know the way!” “Fuck, I don’t know the way!” “Fuck, I don’t know the way!” ?
• Nobody notice it, because nobody can read your mind. And you’re highly concentrated, totally focused. That’s the Flow in Diving.
• Make sure everybody descents safely.
• Check your divers air consumption.
• And: If you have no plan, play with a cute fish, pretend to be busy and have everything under control. ?
• Always remember: Safety first.

Recognizing the spot feels like coming home

• What an amazing feeling! You recognize rocks, philopatric fishes, corals and cardinal directions.
• You greet them all like old friends. Are happy as a lark. ? You are leading the dive. And they are following you.
• You enjoy it. You are thrilled to bits and cannot stop grinning behind your regulator.

Transform lives, including your own

• Your dive is a little too fast. You arrive at the exit too early. Don’t worry, just do five circles around a rock. And show your divers…anything. They won’t recognize the rock. Hopefully. ?
• Can you be happy like a child about finding a buoy line?! Hell, yeah! ?
• After ascending one of your divers say: „Oh my God! That was the most beautiful dive I ever had!” (It was only her 5. dive, but anyway!!)
• You stamp logbooks
• Wash the dive gear
• Wash 40 live jackets and masks
• Enjoy a fucking tasty deco beer.

And can’t stop smiling...

Divemaster Internship – Memories that will last

Every day, someone of your team is leaving the island now. Saying farewell every day. Are you the only one who wish the season may never end?!

And then it’s there – the day of your departure. The last dive is done. The last tank is prepared for the next season. The last dinner with your friends. The last time with all these amazing people that cross your way during a Divemaster Internship. The last look at the ocean. The group of islands. The view, that you already miss after five seconds. That view, that you will carry in your heart forever.

Don’t turn around…

When you have no words to describe your feelings…

Find that place that brings out the soul in you.

 

You are planning to do a Divemaster Internship? Read more about 8 Reasons why to do a Divemaster Internship.

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