Sensible No. of dives before Padi Divemaster?

[divechick]

I found rescue far harder (and far more useful). It doesn't in any way qualify you to do the job other than on paper.

The Rescue Course was REALLY hard. Even after doing numerous techinical courses since I still remember that was mentally and physically challenging.

I never did DM but my experience of those people I've dived amongst is that those who took time to get a variety of locations, experienced difficulties and overcame them, didn't rush through to "get the ticket" were the people who were most competent and people I would trust to dive with. It's not the number of dives it's the extent of the experience and calm cool head that matter.

[Tim Digger]

Navigation experience is what being a Dive Guide in the circumstances you describe is what it's all about, not the PADI test which is OK but not really life like or terribly useful. You have probably never done one dive often enough to realise how your awareness of a dive area changes and improves with repetition. Local knowledge and the ability to brief it is what guiding your less experienced punters is about, you may or may not get this from a DM course but it's something to look for.

[gasket]

Thank you all for your replies - they are really very useful.

I hadn't considered the RYA powerboat course... which is handy because I have that certification already (Level 2).

I'll have a good think and will squeeze in a couple of liveaboard trips between now and summer - which should get my dive count up towards 110-ish. Then we're getting closer to being in the ballpark. I'll work on any weaker or missing skills in the meantime and will take onboard all the suggestions for upskilling in advance of the DM course.

Its looking very promising!

[Paulo]

As a non-UK diver, I would recommend doing your course in the UK if the UK is where you intend to work as a DM. Even if you plan to work abroad, having a basis in UK type waters will be MUCH more beneficial than ticking the 28 boxes (or however many there are these days) somewhere in a 3mm shorty with 40m viz

[Tim Digger]

As a non-UK diver, I would recommend doing your course in the UK if the UK is where you intend to work as a DM. Even if you plan to work abroad, having a basis in UK type waters will be MUCH more beneficial than ticking the 28 boxes (or however many there are these days) somewhere in a 3mm shorty with 40m viz

Errm Maybe read the original post.?

[Paulo]

Errm Maybe read the original post.?

I think my advice still stands. If you can dive north atlantic water you can dive pretty much anywhere in the world, the opposite is not necessarily true

[dwhitlow]

I think my advice still stands. If you can dive north atlantic water you can dive pretty much anywhere in the world, the opposite is not necessarily true

How does that work? North Atlantic is a millpond.. just look at this thread

However, Portland Harbour last Thursday the night dive on the Countess of Erne, after the easterlies had visited, was testing and 1.5m was a realistic estimate of visibility. I was just glad I'd put strobes on the shot-line as I doubt anyone would have spotted the line!

[Paulo]

How does that work? North Atlantic is a millpond.. just look at this thread

However, Portland Harbour last Thursday the night dive on the Countess of Erne, after the easterlies had visited, was testing and 1.5m was a realistic estimate of visibility. I was just glad I'd put strobes on the shot-line as I doubt anyone would have spotted the line!

Is Portland not in the North Atlantic?

[Chrisch]

Is Portland not in the North Atlantic?

Last time I visited it was in a world of its own..

[steelemonkey]

Last time I visited it was in a world of its own..

And time, about 1963