So, you want to become a Dive Instructor?

The reason you are reading this is probably because you are interested in scuba diving as a career. You may have been wondering what it would be like to work as a scuba instructor and how much work and commitment is involved in becoming an instructor, how much does it all cost, and most importantly: is it possible to make a decent living doing it?

A few years ago I had the same questions, and although I finally did realise my dream and become a scuba instructor it was not always as easy and glamorous as everyone would have you believe. It sometimes means that I work long hours in order to make sure my clients have the dive experience they paid for, and sometimes the work hardly seems worth it. However, this is true in any profession and I would rather take a bad day's diving over a good day's working if you know what I mean!

When the going gets tough I always console myself with the thought that at least my office is the best that anyone could wish for.

What I plan to do over the next few weeks with this blog is to strip away the hype surrounding scuba diving, here you will find the whole unadorned truth about scuba diving as a career. The joys and dangers of the job, both above and below the surface will be laid bare for you to examine and hopefully will help you to decide if this is a career for you.

First off, before we start I would like to point out that your age is of no concern at all when it comes to a successful diving career. I've known people start at the tender age of 18 years old, and every age in between, one guy I know even did his course when in his late fifties! On my Instructor Development Course I was the oldest, and I had only been diving three months when I started. So, age is not going to be an excuse here!

The only requirements are the same as with any physical activity - as long as you're in good health, you should be okay to participate in a sport like this. Remember even though scuba diving is a safe and enjoyable activity, it can be hazardous to your health and you can get hurt, or even die if you do not follow the correct procedures.

One last thing, if you have asthma forget about diving. No ifs, ands or buts. Forget about scuba diving. Rather take up another sport like cycling or skydiving. For asthmatics scuba diving is not only extremely dangerous, it is exceedingly foolish. To take the risks associated with asthma into a high pressure environment you must have rocks in your head. I have never, and I will never take an asthmatic person underwater while on SCUBA. I have heard of instructors who are willing to take asthmatics underwater but I do not condone or support this behaviour, in fact I condemn it in the strongest possible terms.

In anycase, if you have asthma you will not find any dive operator who will employ you. Just think of the legal troubles he will have if you have an asthma attack underwater with four people on their first open water dive...

Save yourself the money and do something else.

You're welcome to join me on this thrilling discovery of the inner workings of the dive world if you want, and you're welcome to ask any questions or make any suggestions for topics you want to find out more about.