Better Briefings

One of the first things I was told when I took up the

Divemaster course was that the learning will just be

beginning once I obtain my certification. This past

weekend, I realised how true this statement is. So,

because I learned something this weekend, it is only

right that I share what I learned here.



As a new PADI Divemaster, I suppose it is only natural that

there is a tendency, during the dive briefings, to

over emphasise the practical aspects and safety / hazard

considerations of the planned dive, and give less

emphasis to the more enjoyable aspects of the dive.

What I realized was that when it came to the

briefings, I allowed the responsibility of my role in ensuring

diver safety and comfort to consume me, but forgot

that my other major role was to show these divers a good

time and share with them the wonders that each of

these sites holds. I did exactly what my PADI Divemaster manual

told me not to do..."avoid overstressing hazards". I

also realised that although I had dived all the sites

a number of times before, I still posessed limited

knowledge about what really makes each of these sites

unique and special, and what sort of sealife I could

almost be sure to see at each one. Even if I did have

this knowledge, because of my limited experience, I

don't think I allowed it to get across to the divers.

In the end, I think I probably came across as sounding

like a stern, over-protective father, and may have

caused, at best, the divers to become bored, and at

the worst, stressed them out.



So here is the learning points:



1. Don't be the "bad guy", who overemphasises hazards.

You may bore your divers or stress them out. While

there is a practical purpose to including safety /

hazard considerations in your briefing, make it brief.

If there is a need to re-emphasise some of these

considerations for some otherwise "errant" divers,

then take them aside to discuss with them separately,

rather than deal with it generally for all during the

briefing.



2. Get to know your sites and know them well. This

will only serve to enhance your briefings with interesting

bits of information about the site, and help you

identify the unique features and creatures of the

site.



3. Have fun! That's what we are there for, right??!!

Show your enthusiasm, even if you secretly find the

site boring.



...the learning continues.



Cheers.

Johari

PADI DM 479744