Home

Facebookfans



Cool Stuff

Select Language

English

CB Login

My Alexa Data

presented by camp26

Week of Words

Divemaster Internships

Life in the Dominican Republic is relaxed and slow. The cost of living can be cheap depending on where you choose to eat and if you want to club and drink the night away you will spend more money.

Our internship programme provides free accomodation (only electricity costs you pay) and you also earn 10% commission so you only have to pay for your food costs/transportation ( cheap) and general costs of living. As a Dive master you can easily find work in practically any country in the world and the income allows you to travel the world. You can also progress to do your Instructor course and actually teach Students on your own.


Are you seeking a challenge and adventure? Maybe looking for that change of pace from the 9-5 “rat  race”? Perhaps even a total change of lifestyle that will give you the opportunity to live and work all over the world? At Hippocampo Dive Centre in Sosua, Dominican Republic, we not only specialize in training you up to internationally recognized PADI standards, we make sure you are at the top of your game so you get that job of your dreams!


What is a Dive Master?
A Dive Master is one of the most essential and fundamental cogs of the recreational diving industry’s wheel. Dive Masters are responsible for leading certified divers, organizing the logistics of each days diving on land and on the boat and assisting instructors on certification courses. A Dive Master has mastery of not only his own diving and water skills but can also demonstrate these skills in a manner that even a new diver can learn from. They exemplify confidence, safety and leadership. As a Dive Master, you are not only a role model to other divers, but you are an integral
piece of the industry’s backbone.


Why choose PADI (Professional Association of Dive Instructors)?
That’s easy. PADI leads the industry in innovative teaching  techniques and course materials. Everywhere you go to dive, you will see almost 100% of the dive centers flying PADI colors. PADI professionals are the most in demand and there is always work to be found.


Why go with Hippocampo Dive Team, Dominican Republic over others offering similar internships.?

Because we do not offer the same as others as we have dedicated ourselves to the training of  PADI Dive Masters. Enrolling with us means that your professional development from day one is our pride and focus. Our system is designed to build you from the ground up, or from your current level of experience, and to ensure that you have the utmost exposure to how a real dive center operates. Being an intern with us means you get REAL experience. We recommend you are with us for a minimum of two to a maximum of around 6 months. The structure of our program is designed so you don’t just learn skills and theory, but you get the opportunities to use what you’ve learned in real life diving circumstances. Regardless if you are a beginner or a rescue diver, whatever level you are currently at, you are constantly under the wing of one of our experienced instructors so you are constantly learning and being moulded into the industry from your first day onwards. As you will learn, sales are a huge part of being employees
in this industry and the techniques we teach you will make you as well-rounded as can be. That is where you ..the student helps us in return for your training...... SALES.


If available,we can accommodate you for free here in Sosua at the Dive centre. Our H.Q. is not only a dive center; it also has a studio top floor apartment. It is a two minute walk to the beach and good times are never far away since Sosua is a popular night life location. If our accommodation is full or if you would prefer not to stay in our H.Q. we will do our best to help you find accommodation suitable to your needs at a budget you can afford.

Assuming you are starting your training from the beginning, the mandatory courses you will need to take and the order you will need to take them in are as follows:


PADI Open Water Diver.
PADI Advanced Open Water Diver.
PADI Specialty Courses commence at anytime beyond this point.
Emergency First Response (EFR) C.P.R. & 1st Aid.
PADI Rescue Diver.
PADI Dive Master Trainee (DMT) status starts here and ends when you complete all requirements of the course (i.e. graduation and one heck of a party!)*


NOW YOU ARE ASKING ..OK..WHAT’S THE CATCH..NOTHING IS FOR FREE.....I MUST HAVE TO PAY SOMEHOW.?????


Yes ..you are right..We ask that students pay for all necessary PADI materials for each course and also, before embarking on the Divemaster course ..that full equipment is purchased from us at a beneficial discount on retail prices. If you already have your gear then the sales quotas will be adjusted accordingly.( Not much)  That is it for your financial responsibility. As far as course tuitions go, we offer training for every course you see above for free. What we ask of you is that  you go out and sell for us and for this you will receive a 10% sales commission.. Depending on how  out going you are and how much you can sell, you can finish your courses within a 2-3 month period..


Thats right..You can be trained in another occupation as a professional in as little as 2-3 months. Alternatively you can stay with us for 6 months and enjoy the kicked back lifestyle Cabarete and Sosua have to offer. It all depends on you. Our system ensures you get the most from your time with us and we get increased revenues from your sales. Here’s an example and breakdown of our most popular option:

3 month internship.( can be longer)
Free Accomodation (if available...you pay only electricity costs)
Training from beginner to Dive Master.
10% commission on your sales.
Free 30 fun dives (if you need them )to meet minimum experience requirement for completing
the Dive Master course which is 60 dives). If you are short a few dives then the remainder will be heavily discounted to achieve the 60.
Standard equipment package to be purchased when starting Dive Master course.
You need to achieve a sales quota in order to proceed with each course. As soon as the quota
has been reached we begin the course for you. The sales numbers are as follows and are per
person, although we can give a bit of leeway sometimes if there is more than one doing the same
course.....


Open water course...2500 US
Advanced course.....2600 US
Rescue and EFR......2800 US
Divemaster..........4000 US


Is there anything else you should know about us?
Yes! Everything being said, diving here brings you some incredible and unique experiences. Whales are seasonal visitors to the bay area and we have the odd Manta Ray and Whale Shark as prized visitors as well. The water here is blue and the coral life is bountiful as well as beautiful. We have great depth, a very good shipwreck, caves, caverns and so much more so it’s very hard to get  bored of the diversity. The experience you gain as a diver is priceless. Furthermore, the bay area here in Sosua is now a protected sanctuary and the marine life is starting to reflect that. We are also pro-active in protecting the environment as we participate in beach clean-ups. We get everyone pitching in to help conserve our reefs and oceans around the world.


If I enrol, when will I start?
We run our internships year round so generally people can come and go as they need. Space can fill up quickly so this is not something you want to leave to the last minute. We look forward to hearing from you, so please direct all of your questions to or  give us a call at +1-809-571 0834 and we’ll take it from there.

See you in paradise!

EMAIL US: info@hippocampo.com



Newsflash

Why don't you come aboard and experience a new adventure with us!

Welcome to Black Pearl Diving
Great White Shark - Carcharodon carcharias PDF Print E-mail
Written by Andreas Ackerl   
Saturday, 28 August 2010 11:24

Common Name: Great White Shark

Also Known As: White Pointer, White Shark, White Death

Scientific Name:Carcharodon carcharias

Description:A large conical shaped snout covers a mouth filled with serrated teeth which are arranged in rows to enable broken teeth to be quickly replaced. Typically 13-16 feet (4-4.6 meters) long and with a gray body and white underside, the great white has a distinctive dorsal fin and similarly sized upper and lower tail lobes.

Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Chondrichthyes
Subclass: Elasmobranchii
Order: Lamniformes
Family: Lamnidae
Genus: Carcharodon

Maximum Size: 792cm

Habitat & Range: Great White Sharks can be found in almost all coastal and open ocean environments with subtropical water. They can be found at depths from 0 to 1280 meters. Large concentrations of Great White Sharks are found in the south of Australia, South Africa, California, and Baja Mexico.

Diet: Great White Sharks are carnivorous and live on a primarily fish diet. Their main sources of food are large fish such as Tuna, Rays, and smaller sharks. They occasionally eat turtles, seals, and sea lions. Great Whites do not intentionally eat humans.

Lifespan: The Great White is believed to live between 30 and 80 years.

Predators: The Great White Shark's main predator is humans. There have been cases of Great Whites being attacked by Orcas due to competition for food and there have been cases of Great Whites being killed by pods of dolphins.

Red List Status: Vulnerable


 
Whale Shark - Rhincodon typus PDF Print E-mail
Written by Andreas Ackerl   
Thursday, 26 August 2010 13:07

Common Name: Whale Shark

Scientific Name: Rhincodon typus

Description: With a mouth up to 4.9 feet (1.5 meters) wide the whale shark has a wide, flat head that features two small eyes towards the front. The whale shark has five gills and a grayish blue body with a white underside. There are three ridges along each side of the whale shark and it is covered in a pattern of white/yellow spots. These spots are unique and allow each shark to be individually identified.

Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Chondrichthyes
Subclass: Elasmobranchii
Order: Orectolobiformes
Family: Rhincodontidae
Genus: Rhincodon

Maximum Size: 2000cm

Habitat & Range: Whale sharks are found in tropical and warm temperate seas all around the world with the exception of the Mediterranean. They're found between 0-700 meters and are usually encountered by divers when they surface to feed.

Diet: Whale sharks are filter feeders. The whale shark's many rows of teeth play no part in feeding. Instead the whale shark takes in a mouth full of water which is then expelled from the gills. Food is filtered out of the water during this process. The whale shark's diet consists of phytoplankton, macro-algae, plankton, krill and small nektonic life, such as small squid or vertebrates.

Lifespan: We can't be sure but Whale sharks are thought to live to 60-70 years of age.

Predators: Juveniles can be at risk from other sharks. Adults have no predators in the sea.

Red List Status: Vulnerable


 
Open Water Certification PDF Print E-mail
Written by Andreas Ackerl   
Tuesday, 24 August 2010 11:30

If you're thinking about learning to dive or you want to know a bit more about what to expect in your certification course I've answered the most common questions here.

What is the Open Water course?

The Open Water course is the basic scuba diving certification course taught by all certification agencies. There are small differences in course content between agencies, but they all cover the same basic skills and knowledge you will need to know as an independent diver.

Who can enroll?

Children as young as 10 years old (12 years old in some countries) can enroll in the Junior Open Water course and those 15 years and older can enroll in the Open Water course. Junior Open Water certified divers are automatically upgraded to Open Water divers on their 15th birthday with no need for recertification.

You'll also need to be in good health with no major health problems.

What does the course qualify you to do?

When you're certified as an Open Water diver you'll be able to dive to 60 feet / 18 meters (40 feet / 12 meters for 10-12 year olds) whenever you're accompanied by a fellow of the same or higher certification level (the other diver must be 18 or older for Junior Open Water divers). You don't have to be accompanied by a Divemaster or Instructor, but can be if you'd prefer. You're also eligible to do the Advanced Open Water course and many specialties.

How long does the course take?

The course is usually taught over 3 to 5 days in dive vacation destinations, but can also be taught over weeks or even months if taken as a part-time course. The course content is the same but the daily workload is much greater, although still quite manageable, on the shorter course.

What do I have to do to complete the course?

  • Knowledge Development
    You will be given a text book and videos to watch and will either study independently in your own time, with the assistance of your instructor, or online with guided e-learning. You will learn the basics of diving techniques, how diving affects your body, diving safety, equipment selection and maintenance, dive planning, and preview the skills you'll learn in the water. There will be a test at the end but if you've studied your material you should have no problems passing.

  • Confined Water Training
    Your confined water training will be conducted in a swimming pool or swimming pool like environment, such as a calm beach. Beginning in water shallow enough to stand up in you'll learn all the basic skills you'll need to confidently and safely enjoy scuba diving. As you gain confidence you'll gradually move into deeper water and learn some more advanced skills and safety drills.

  • Open Water Training
    This is what it's all about - open water diving. Over four or more dives you'll practice all the skills you've already mastered in confined water out in open water, which means the open ocean or another large body of water that is used for diving. You'll practice the skills with your instructor until you're completely confident and can perform them with ease in a real diving situation. Of course you'll also get to check out everything the underwater world has to offer and hopefully develop a life-long love for diving.

Do I have to renew my certification?

The Open Water certification is forever and never needs to be renewed. However, it is recommended that if you haven't dived for a while (usually a year or more) or feel the need to brush up your skills to do a Scuba Review. This review is a short refresher course with a professional that can be integrated into your first regular dive.

Source: http://scuba.about.com/od/certificationopenwater/a/openwatercert.htm

 
Discover Scuba Diving PDF Print E-mail
Written by Andreas Ackerl   
Wednesday, 25 August 2010 13:10

f you're not sure you want to learn to dive or just want a quick taster of what is to come in the Open Water course <link> the Discover Scuba Diving program is for you.

What is Discover Scuba Diving?

Discover Scuba Diving is PADI's program that allows those interested in scuba diving to experience what it's like to dive by completing some basic training and completing one or more dives under the close, direct supervision of a professional. The experience usually takes somewhere between a few hours and two days. Most dive training agencies offer a similar trial program.

Who can enroll?

The only requirements are that you're at least 10 years old, are in good health with no major health problems, and of course you should have an interest in diving.

What does the program qualify you to do?

Completion of the Discover Scuba Diving program can be counted as partial completion of the Open Water course.

How long does the program take?

It can take anywhere from two hours to two days. The aim of the experience program is to have you in the water as soon as possible.

What do I have to do to complete the course?

  • Knowledge Development
    To ensure that you understand basic scuba safety you'll start by watching a short video or with a safety briefing from your instructor.

  • Confined Water Training
    You'll head to the water right away and learn some basic skills that will make your dive not only safer, but more enjoyable. You will learn at least the following skills:

    • Regulator Clearing: Simply taking your regulator out of your mouth and putting it back in.
    • Mask Clearing: How to clear your mask if water gets inside.
    • Alternate Air Source Use: How to share air with your dive buddy in the case of an emergency.

    Your instructor may teach you even more skills, but the above are the most important for your safety.

  • Open Water Dive
    What it’s all about – the Open Water dive. Under the close supervision of a professional instructor you'll complete your first open water dive. This dive is exactly the same as the first dive on the Open Water course and can be counted towards that certification as such. Some dive centers offer more than one dive as part of the program.

Where do I sign up?

You can sign up for a Discover Scuba Diving or similar course anywhere scuba diving is taught.

Source: http://scuba.about.com/od/learntodive/a/dsd.htm

 
Scuba Diving Certification Agencies PDF Print E-mail
Written by Andreas Ackerl   
Monday, 23 August 2010 11:14

You've probably heard of PADI, SSI, NAUI and other scuba certification agencies, but if you don't know the difference between them you're in the right place.

What Does a Certification Agency Do?

In addition to providing all levels of diver training, agencies also regulate and represent diving professionals such as divemasters and dive instructors, regulate dive operators, participate in research in dive medicine, promote marine conservation, and market diving as a sport.

What is the Difference Between the Agencies?

The main difference between agencies is where they operate. Some agencies such as BSAC and CMAS are closely related to their countries of origin, while other agencies such as PADI are truly global organizations. All of the most popular agencies offer very similar courses from beginner through to professional level and will all recognize each other's qualifications at recreational level. They may not recognize each other's qualifications at professional level.

How to Choose an Agency?

When choosing an open water course it's important to remember that all courses are quite similar and an open water certification card from any main agency will be recognized by dive operators anywhere in the world. Your choice of agency should be dictated by which agency is active where you want to learn and which agency your preferred instructor is certified by.

Which are the Biggest Agencies?

PADI has dive centers and instructors almost everywhere people dive and is the biggest agency. Some other agencies such as SSI and NAUI are also wide spread but tend to be concentrated in particular geographical areas. Below is a brief overview of the main agencies. Of course there are many other local agencies that also provide quality training and globally recognized qualifications. You can verify any agency's credentials with the World Recreational Scuba Training Council.

     

  • PADI
    The Professional Association of Diving Instructors is by far the biggest and most recognized dive certification agency in the world. It's usually possible to find a PADI instructor in any diving destination and more beginning divers are certified by PADI than by all of the other agencies combined. PADI is very active in marine conservation through their Project AWARE operation, as well as being the biggest promoter of diving through advertising and sponsorship, and is also involved in technical diving training. PADI also operates Emergency First Response, an organization providing CPR and First Aid training.

     

  • SSI
    Scuba Schools International's 2000 authorized dealers and 225 Regional Centers can be found in 90 countries around the world. SSI's diver education system is very similar to PADI's system. Headquartered in Colorado, USA, SSI training facilities are in particular abundance in North America and South East Asia.

     

  • NAUI
    Founded in 1959 in the USA, the National Association of Underwater Instructors is one of the biggest global certification agencies. NAUI's diver education system is quite similar to SSI and PADI. NAUI has also had a technical diving division since 1997. NAUI dive centers can be found primarily in North America.

     

  • SEI
    When the YMCA closed its scuba program of 50 years, Scuba Educators International was formed to continue along similar standards.

     

  • BSAC
    The British Sub Aqua Club was formed in the United Kingdom and is still one of the most popular agencies there. It is also possible to find BSAC training facilities in other countries, particularly those that are frequented by British divers. Known for having very high standards of training, BSAC was always known for requiring extreme levels of training to achieve certification. In recent years BSAC has implemented courses that have bought it into line with other agencies training requirements.

     

  • CMAS
    Confederation Mondiale des Activites Subaquatiques is the world's oldest scuba certification agency. Originally founded in Brussels, Belgium, CMAS is now headquartered in Rome, Italy. CMAS has quite a different rating system than other agencies that is based on star levels. CMAS can be found in many countries around the world but is primarily active in Europe.

 
«StartPrev12345678910NextEnd»

Page 3 of 24

Polls

How much do you know about Black Pearl Diving!
 

Who's Online

We have 19 guests online

Comments

RSS

CB Online

None

Booty Store


List All Products


Advanced Search
Show Cart
Your Cart is currently empty.

Backlinks

Feed Display

USATODAY.com Money News
http://www.usatoday.com/money/default.htm
USATODAY.com
Main page Contacts Search Contacts Search