Working with students has been a GREAT joy to me for several reasons.
The first brings me back to Mike. He was the first student I had responsibility for. We were on a live-aboard in the Bahamas. He had some reservations about the first dive in the ocean. When we got in the water, he was doing but he was breathing pretty fast. We had a short dive, but he saw many different fish and corals that he had questions about when we got back on board.
Unfortunately, I wasn’t sure about what he was seeing. We solved the problem on the second dive. We each took a slate with us. As he would point with questions, I filled out the slates with the answers to “what’s that?”
He was thrilled and so was I. We spent the whole week together and enjoyed each others company. He was so thrilled that next both of his daughters came in to sign up for classes.
Almost 20 years ago as a Divemaster, I helped a student, his wife, and their son. We all became friends through the certification process. Now he and I are permanent dive buddies. We’ve become so close in our diving that we almost read each other’s minds while diving.
SCUBA Diving Memories
We’ve cataloged many memories of diving together from New Mexico, Florida, Illinois, and even local lakes. Without having helped with his teaching, I may not have become as close of friends.
Not only is it great fun to certify adult divers, but I had the pleasure of being around to help certify my grandson a few years back. That brings a lifelong dive partner in itself. Watching the younger generation getting certified and experiencing the underwater world brings great joy to many instructors. It also brings great joy to their parents because they have those instant dive buddies. And sometimes experiencing that first underwater experience through the eyes of the young and old alike makes it totally worth it.
So, why do I like working with students? The gratification of helping a person see underwater creatures and things they wouldn’t have otherwise. The friendships made by diving with many different people. And the pure joy of diving.