There is a demand for people who have a passion for diving and want to share that passion with others. The rewarding experience of teaching others to dive begins with leading certified divers as a Dive Guide. The Divemaster’s mission is to inspire and influence others to grow in their diving experiences as well as increase their own knowledge, skills and experience by planning and leading dives.

The Divemaster rating is the first leadership-level certification. The program is designed to train experienced and knowledgeable divers to lead certified open water divers. For divers interested in becoming an SSI Dive Professional, becoming a Dive Guide is the first step toward accomplishing that goal.

The course consists of knowledge developments, water skills and practical application.

Duration:

This course is a self-study, performance-based program where:

• Skill Development: Students master and are evaluated on basic waterman skills, including snorkeling, scuba, and rescue skills in confined water.
• Practical Application: Students apply divemaster skills, such as leading dives and managing groups in open water settings.
• Outside Class Preparation: Expectations include spending time outside of class hours researching dive sites, organizing notes, and preparing for dive briefings and activities.

Aim of the Course:

In the Divemaster role, you are directly responsible for guiding and managing certified divers. As a Divemaster, you will:

• Lead underwater tours for certified divers.
• Work on dive boats and lead trips for a Dive Centre.
• Utilize skills in group management, accident prevention, and specialized areas such as boat and navigation diving.

Certification:

Upon successful completion, Divemasters are certified to:

• Lead group trips and guide on dive boats.
• Recognize potentially stressful situations and manage emergency scenarios effectively.

Prerequisites for the Divemaster Course:

• Minimum age of 18 years.
• Advanced and Rescue diver certifications. Additionally, the Science of Diving specialty is required for the SSI Divemaster course.
• A minimum of 40 logged dives at the start of the course, including experience in navigation, limited visibility, boat diving, deep diving, and search and recovery.
• Certification in CPR and First Aid within the last 24 months.
• Pass a water fitness evaluation and a final written examination.
• Verification of good physical condition by a medical examination, with unconditional approval for diving by a licensed physician within the last 12 months.
• Provide, own, and be responsible for dive gear suitable for open water scuba diving.

Sea Dives:

Training and activities include:

• Observing, briefing, and conducting open water diving activities.
• Training exercises such as map making, underwater problem-solving, and a divemaster conducted program.
• Assisting an instructor with non-certified divers during 4 open water dives and 1 confined water dive.
• Observing and assisting with a night dive and a deep dive for certified divers.
• Planning and conducting a night dive and a deep dive for certified divers.

Candidates must log a minimum of 60 dives upon completion of the course.