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:

• A self-study performance-based course.
• Time taken to master and be evaluated on all basic waterman skills, snorkel, scuba and rescue skills in confined water.
• Time taken to put to practice skills typical of a divemaster
• Student may expect to spend time outside of class hours researching dive sites, organizing notes and generally preparing for dive briefings and activities.

Aim of the course:

In the Divemaster role you are directly responsible for and work primarily with certified divers. As a DM you will lead certified divers on underwater tours, work on dive boats and lead trips for a Dive Centre. You will use group management, accident prevention and specialized diving skills, such as boat and navigation.

Certification:

• Lead group trips and be a guide on dive boats.
• Recognize potentially stressful situations and be prepared to handle emergency situations.

Prerequisites for attending the Divemaster Course:

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

Sea dives:

A combination of observing, briefing and conducting open water diving activities:

• Training exercises including map making, underwater problem-solving and a divemaster conducted program.
• 4 dives assisting an instructor with non-certified divers in open water.
• 1 dive assisting an instructor with non-certified divers in confined water.
• Observe and assist with a night dive and a deep dive for certified divers.
• Plan and conduct a night dive and a deep dive for certified divers.
• Candidates must have a minimum 60 logged dives upon completion of the course.