Best Dive Job Blog
It’s official, after 1 month of studying, diving, guiding, mapping, and lugging tanks, I am a PADI Divemaster! In order to become a Divemaster, a trainee must pass a series assessments and take part in different diving activities and experiences. Slowly, each of these assessments are ticked off. After all boxes have been ticked, we are officially Divemasters… well, almost. By PADI standards, yes, we are Divemasters but by Blue Season Bali standards we still must pass one final test, the most important test of all – the Snorkel Test. The Snorkel Test is a sacred ritual shrouded in secrecy and mystery … so, my apologies, but in order to protect the sanctity of the this age old tradition I must keep details to a minimum.
Here’s what I can tell you (you’ll have to use your imagination to fill in the blanks)
After a Divemaster has passed all the PADI requirements, a Sunday night BBQ is held in their honour (sometimes there are 2 or 3 trainees on the same night). After supper, the freshly minted DMs are ushered onto awaiting thrones and fitted with a custom tailored diving mask. They are then provided with a special snorkel which is attached to a large funnel. After a short, usually embarrassing, speech delivered by one of our Divemaster instructors, there is a countdown from 5 and then a magical “victory brew” is poured into the funnel, down the snorkel and down the hatch! Amidst cheers of encouragement from their fellow DMs and Instructors, the fresh DMs guzzle their way to their professional diver status. Most don’t finish the entire concoction, in fact I’ve only witness one brave soul who did (Mr. Tom Rees you are a legend) but this is simply a pass/fail test and as long as you get some of it down you have passed the test.
The final step of the snorkel test is the post snorkel speech which is delivered 30 minutes later (giving the contents of the “Victory Juice” enough time to kick in). Hilarity usually ensues and we spent the rest of the night celebrating at Blue Season and beyond (usually Kuta). I completed my snorkel test 1 week ago and although I didn’t finish it, I must admit that I did a pretty good job. My speech is a blurry memory at best and the rest of the party was great fun (or so I have been told). It was a great way to celebrate finally becoming a PADI dive professional. Now on to the next stage of my training here at Blue Season Bali.
My Instructor Development Course (IDC) begins on July 13th. My how time flies when you’re living in Paradise!
