Sunday 21 February 2016

DMT's : Week Two!!

As I mentioned in the last blog post, the February DMTs have spent much of their first week completing administrative/non-water work details: (boring) paperwork, reading the DM Manual, and watching PADI videos, etc.  Week 2 saw them back into the water.  WOOHOO!  They assisted different instructors with open water and advanced courses and shadowed divemasters leading refreshers, snorkelers, and fun divers.


Now, we are back in the classroom.  While the classroom isn’t a bad place to be as it involves sitting in comfy chairs and couches upstairs in the bar with the sea breeze blowing through our hair, it isn’t exactly as exciting as being in the water and blowing bubbles. At the moment, we are focused on finishing the dreaded information laden Chapter 9 of the DM manual and participating in five lectures – physiology, physics, equipment, decompression theory, and environment.  Each lecture summarises important information that is necessary to the diving industry and sport.  Here’s a picture of the group (minus Man, who is in Semporna helping out in the equipment room today) during one of our lecture days.  At the end of the week, the DMTs will be taking their second exam and should start their mapping project.


Work hard, play hard.  That should be everybody’s life motto.  During the day, I cram dive knowledge into their brains.  In the evenings, people congregated upstairs chatting with each other about the day’s diving and just enjoying the beauty of Mabul.  If you haven’t seen a sunset here, then you are missing out on LIFE.  Absolutely stunning!  It’s not a bad life – that’s for sure.


Sunday 7 February 2016

FEBRUARY BLOG


Happy Leap Year! This month, we will have four new divemaster trainees (DMTs).  We are very excited to introduce them to you:

JAN:
I am Jan from England and have taught English in various locations around the world for the past 10 years.  I decided I needed a change of career – another one that would also give me the opportunity to travel the world.  Having been passionate about the diving since I got my OW [open water] in 2011, I decided to do my DMT.  I hope to become an instructor in the future to continue living the dream.

SANNE:
I come from a small island in Denmark and have always loved the ocean as it brings peace to mind.  I just quit my job as a social worker to go traveling and am trying something completely different.  Ever since I got my OW in 2009, I have wanted to challenge myself and do the divemaster course.  I enjoy the quietness of the water, the sound of bubbles, and I also a sucker for turtles!

DAMIEN:
From County Kildare in Ireland.  Started diving (OW) in 2008, in Lanzarote in the Canary Islands.  I enjoy diving, particularly the big stuff.  Diving has allowed me to meet a lot of strange and interesting people and visit many remotes parts of the world.  I am doing the DMT course as a way of broadening my dive knowledge and to learn more about the marine conservation work Scuba Junkie undertakes in Mabul and the surrounding areas.

MAN:
Alright, my name is Man.  I am so lucky to have been born in Semporna.  It’s such a lovely place with beautiful islands.  I have been working with Scuba Junkie as a dive shop assistant for the past year.  One day, I started to become interested in diving.  So, I talked to Ric [one of the owners], and he said that he would be happy to give me the opportunity to be a divemaster.  The first breath underwater is still fresh in my mind.  Now, I realize what my passion is! I love diving!


The first week of the course is all about orientation to Scuba Junkie and our way of life, introductions to their diving history and reasons for becoming a professional diver, and increasing their enthusiasm for the underwater world by expanding their knowledge on dive theory and marine life.  We just finished the administrative side of the course aka the paperwork, which is not the most glamorous side of diving but necessary.


We will be sure to keep y’all updated on their progress throughout the month.  If you have any questions about our in-depth DMT program, please send us an email at info@scuba-junkie.com or check out our website at www.scuba-junkie.com.