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!
It's different down there at night. The first time you descend into the darkness you'll realize that it's almost a completely different world at night. Even though it sounds a little scary, you'll find that there's nothing to worry about and that night diving is usually much more relaxing that diving during the day.
What Do You See At Night?
The reef comes alive with a whole different cast of characters at night. Most of the fish you see during the day hide away to sleep at night and many that can't be found during the day can be seen all over the reef. Night-time is the best time to see crabs, lobsters, and shrimp going about their business. Octopi come out and swim freely alongside hunting sharks and barracuda creating an amazing show. But it doesn't stop there, one of the most spectacular parts of night diving is watching the coral feeding. Coral blooms after dark, absorbing nutrients from the water around it and looks truly beautiful. Of course, an incredible occurrence that can only be seen at night with all lights turned off is bioluminescence, amazing organisms that glow in the dark!
Where to Night Dive
There are a few basic considerations for choosing a dive site for a night dive. It's best to dive somewhere you've already dived during the day, you wouldn't want to get lost in the dark! It's also important to choose a site that isn't very deep (preferably 60 feet / 18 meters at the most) and doesn't require you to swim too far. It's also best not to dive in difficult conditions.
Before the Dive
It's advisable not use new gear for the first time at night as it's important to know how it operates and feel comfortable with it first. The same goes for a dive buddy. Because of the need to stick closer together at night and the increased difficulty signaling each other it's best to dive with a buddy you already know and feel comfortable with.
You'll want to set up your equipment in a well lit area. It may sound basic, but many divers are used to setting up their gear on the boat on the way to the site during the day and find that there may not be enough light to do this at night. You should also check both your primary and backup dive light to ensure that they're working properly before leaving shore.
Entering the Water
It's important to perform your buddy check before leaving the boat or shore. Make sure your dive light is attached to your wrist or a lanyard and turn it on before entering the water. Turning your light on before entering the water, and off after leaving the water is a very good habit to get into as it makes it much easier to find the light in the event that you drop it into the water. Make sure that you look down into the water, using you dive light, to check for other divers or obstacles before you enter the water.
Descending
There are a few differences when descending at night. You should stick close to your buddy, ideally facing each other. It is best to descend feet first in a vertical position to protect from any obstacles which may be beneath you. You should also shine your light downward and watch carefully where you're going. Just like during the day, be careful not to hit the bottom so that you avoid stirring up sand or damaging coral.
During the Dive
The best way to enjoy a night dive is slowly and steadily. There are so many little things to see, you should take your time and have a nice close look at everything. You'll be delighted to find that with the additional light provided by your dive light the coral will be even more colorful and vibrant than during the day. Due to the slow and relaxed pace of night diving most people find night diving to be very relaxing.
It's important to be aware of where you're shining your light. Avoid shining your light at other divers or directly into the eyes of fish as this can startle them, both the divers and the fish!
Signals
To signal at night it's necessary to do things a little differently. To signal OK you should either make the OK sign with one hand while shining your light on it or if the recipient is a little further away you can draw a circle in front of you with your light. To attract another diver's attention you can flash the beam of your light across theirs. If you're having trouble attracting their attention you can quickly flash your light on their chest. Most gauges will glow if a light is held to them for five or more seconds. This is a good way of showing your air gauge to your buddy or instructor.
Ascending
Ascent is the same as during the day with the added need to stay close to your buddy and shine your light upwards to be able to see where you're going.
Back on the Surface
The best way to signal the boat, shore, or other divers is to either shine your dive light on yourself to make yourself visible in the water or to signal OK by drawing a circle in front of you, just as you did underwater. Remember to keep your light on until you're safely back on the boat or shore.
Night Diving Courses
It's possible to do a night dive as part of the Advanced Open Water course and it's also possible to do a more detailed Night Diving specialty course. While there is no formal qualification for night diving, it is recommended, and may be insisted upon by some dive operators, that you complete your first night dive under the supervision of a dive instructor.
One of the most important parts of every dive is the pre-dive safety check, which is also known as a buddy check. You should always carry out this check with your buddy before beginning the dive.
The pre-dive safety check has two functions: you ensure that all of your buddy's equipment is working as it should; and you familiarize yourself with your buddy's equipment so that you are aware of how to release their weights and releases, use their deflator, and use their alternate air source, all of which may be necessary in the event of any difficulties during the dive.
You should do the check once you've donned all of your equipment, with the exception of your mask and fins. It's a good idea to do the check while you're still on the boat or shore, but if you happen to forget you can still do it in the water before descending.
The safety check is broken down into five components which are abbreviated with the acronym BWRAF. There are many mnemonics that can help you remember the steps in the safety check. You should use whatever you'll remember best. Here are some of the most common mnemonics.
Begin With Review And Friend
Beans With Rice And Fish
Because We Really Are Friends
Blonde Women Really Are Funny
Burgers With Relish And Fries
Bunnies Will Run Away Fast
Bangkok Women Really Are Fellas
Buoyancy
You want to check that your buddy's BCD is working properly. Begin by inflating their BCD, although not completely as you don't want to make your buddy uncomfortable. Also deflate the BCD to ensure that the deflator is working properly.
Weights
Check your buddy's weight system. How you do this will depend upon what weight system your buddy is using.
Weight Belt: Check that your buddy's weight belt is on properly and that the quick release is free of obstructions and easily accessible. Any excess length of belt should not be tied or tucked into the BCD in such a way that it's difficult to release.
Integrated Weights: Check that your buddy has their weight pockets in their BCD (with weights in them!), that they are properly secured, and that you know how to release them.
Releases
Check that all of your buddy's releases are properly secured. This includes their Velcro waist band and at least two shoulder clips. Many BCDs also have a chest and stomach clip. It's a good idea to touch each clip as you check it and even count each one out loud as you do so. Remember to check the tank strap and clip. You can do this by placing one hand on the bottom of the tank and the other on the first stage regulator and trying to move the tank up and down to see if the strap will move.
Air
Check that your buddy's air is turned all the way on and half a turn back. Have your buddy take one or more breaths from their regulator while you watch their SPG. While you look at the SPG, ensure that the tank is full (approximately 200 bar or 3000 psi) and that the needle doesn't dip as they breathe. If the needle dips this is a sign that the air isn't turned all the way on or there is a problem with the regulator. You should also test your buddy's alternate air source by taking two breaths from it.
Final OK
Check that your buddy has all other necessary equipment such as mask and fins. Ask your buddy if they're ready to go and if all is ok you're ready to dive.
A Summary of the Water Skills taught in the Open Water Course
The Open Water course teaches all of the basic in water skills that you need to be a safe diver and to dive with a buddy of at least Open Water certification without the supervision of a dive professional. During your Open Water course you'll practice all of these skills and maybe even a few extras. You should aim to master these skills to a point where you feel that you can carry them out with ease.
Equipment Assembly and Disassembly Learn how to properly assemble and disassemble your equipment.
Pre-Dive Safety Check With your buddy, check each others' equipment to ensure that everything is in place and working properly before the dive.
Regulator Clearing Remove your regulator, put it back in your mouth, and clear it.
Regulator Recovery Learn two techniques that will help you recover your regulator in the event that it is knocked out of your mouth.
Mask Removal & Replacement Take the last skill a little further and completely remove your mask, put it back on, and clear it.
No Mask Breathing This skill is normally done in combination with Mask Removal & Replacement. Learn how to comfortably breathe without your mask on.
Alternate Air Source Use Simulate being out of air by signaling to your buddy, securing their alternate air source, making contact with each other, and ascending while breathing from their alternate.
Free Flowing Regulator Simulate a freeflowing regulator. You'll see how easy it is to continue breathing normally from a regulator that won't stop flowing.
Air Depletion Experience the feeling of running out of air and signal that you're out of air to your instructor.
Standard Hand Signals Practice all of the standard diving hand signals with your instructor.
Proper Weighting Fine tune your weighting to achieve perfect buoyancy on every dive.
Snorkel to Regulator Exchange Practice exchanging your regulator for your snorkel on the surface.
BCD Oral Inflation Simulate a broken inflator or low air situation by practicing orally inflating your BCD.
Cramp Removal Learn how to remove your own cramp and the cramps of your dive buddies.
Tired Diver Tow Practice different techniques for helping a tired or injured diver on the surface.
Weight Removal & Replacement Practice removing and replacing your weight system both on the surface and underwater.
Scuba Unit Removal & Replacement Practice removing and replacing your scuba unit both on the surface and underwater.
5 Point Descent Go through the steps for a proper 5 point descent.
Fin Pivot Learn how to find neutral buoyancy by moving up and down using only the air in your lungs.
Hover Learn how to finely regulate your buoyancy by remaining perfectly neutral in the water.
No Mask Swim Practice swimming without a mask. It's not an easy skill but it's important to learn.
Controlled Emergency Swimming Ascent (CESA) Simulate an out of air emergency. You can't find your buddy and have no choice but to ascend on only one breath of air. Ascend at a safe rate while constantly exhaling.
5 Point Ascent Learn the proper method for ending every dive with these 5 steps.
Skin Dive You'll learn to properly hyperventilate, make a vertical dive, swim underwater, and clear and breath from your snorkel upon ascent.
Navigation Learn how to use a compass underwater. You'll set a heading, follow a straight line, turn around, and come back to where you started from using only your compass for guidance. You'll practice this skill both on the surface and underwater.
What is Wreck Diving?
Written by Andreas Ackerl
Friday, 20 August 2010 11:42
While the idea of wreck diving can conjure thoughts of the dark and mysterious in the minds of many people, it can also be exhilarating, educational, and awe-inspiring.
Types of Wrecks
Let's start by having a look at the types of wrecks you're likely to dive.
Boats and Ships Not surprisingly most wrecks are boats and ships. Historically, most ships were sunk accidentally but it is now quite common for many of the world's navies to deliberately scuttle decommissioned vessels for the use of recreational divers. There are many different types of ships that can be explored, from four hundred year old pirate ships to modern Navy warships and cruise liners. Most ship wrecks also serve as spectacular artificial reefs, attracting an incredible diversity of marine life.
Submarines Submarines tend to have more of a mysterious aura surrounding them and this may be because they are less frequently found by divers. Submarines are usually not as easily accessible due to tight, confined spaces and the tendency for submarines to sit in very deep water.
Airplanes It is also fairly common to be able to dive the wrecks of airplanes, particularly fighter jets from World War II. There are many airplane wrecks found in the South Pacific and the most famous place in the world to dive airplane wrecks is Truk Lagoon in Micronesia.
Automobiles Automobiles are less common as underwater wrecks, but can often be found in lakes, rivers, and quarries. There are even some ships that sank with automobiles such as cars and motorcycles onboard.
Wreck Diving Dangers
Wreck diving can be very safe and no more threatening than regular reef diving, but it can also carry much greater risks, especially when penetration of the wreck is involved.
At its most simple, wreck diving can involve swimming around and over wrecks to admire and photograph external features and the underwater creatures that have come to live on the wreck. This form of wreck diving carries very little risk. The main concern is with a need to more closely monitor depth, air consumption, and no-decompression times, which can all be affected by the greater depth of well preserved wrecks and the disorienting effect a wreck that doesn't sit upright can create. The other danger to be aware of is objects that can snag clothing and equipment, and it's a very good idea to be extra vigilant for these obstacles, ensure you're gear is streamlined, and carry at least one dive knife.
In addition, wreck diving does have its more dangerous side, which is encountered when penetrating the wreck. Many wrecks are not safe to penetrate and it is important to remember that even wrecks that are safe to penetrate pose many additional risks and should not be penetrated without specialized training and advanced planning.
Wreck Diving Courses
All agencies offer basic wreck courses which will teach you everything you need know about wreck diving. You'll learn how to safely plan and execute a penetration dive inside a wreck. These courses are normally taught over two to three days and involve theory and practical training.
Theoretical training covers rules and regulations related to wreck diving, safety training, and wreck dive planning.
Practical training will normally involve about four training dives beginning with a non-penetrating dive to examine and chart the wreck, followed by at least two penetration dives using your dive plan, reels, and other special wreck diving equipment. There are more advanced technical training courses that cover deep wreck penetration.
If you've just decided to learn to dive you've made an excellent decision and if you're not quite sure yet, let me help you make an excellent decision. Let's have a look at everything you need to know about learning to dive.
What courses are available?
Introductory courses can be as brief as a half day trial in a swimming pool all the way through to full certification. Courses may have slightly different names but they are generally versions of the below courses:
Discover Scuba Diving A brief half day or more introduction to diving. This course provides a first experience of scuba diving under the watchful eye of a scuba professional.
Scuba Diver The Scuba Diver course is an abbreviated Open Water Course that is commonly taken by people who either don't have enough time do a full Open Water Course or who don't need a certification for the type of diving that they enjoy.
Open Water Diver The Open Water course is the most common course and a full introduction to scuba diving. The course takes 3 days or more and once you complete it you'll be certified for life and ready to go on to further training and a lifetime of great diving.
Where should I learn?
You can learn to dive almost anywhere in the world, so this will usually depend on where you live and where you spend your vacations.
When deciding which dive center to learn at it's important to understand the differences between certification agencies and even more important to feel comfortable with your instructor.
You don't need to be an Olympic athlete, but you will need to be in good overall health. There are some conditions that may prevent you from diving and you'll need to pass some basic water skills test, so if you're generally healthy and can swim and float well enough you should be ok.
You won't usually need any equipment when you start to dive as it can all be rented for the duration of the course, but some dive centers may prefer you to buy your own mask, snorkel, and fins. Once you're certified there are all sorts of things to buy and many divers love new dive gadgets just as much as the actual diving.
If you do a Discover Scuba Diving course you'll learn the basics of dive safety and a few basic skills to make sure you're safe underwater. During the Open Water course you'll learn all of the basic skills that you'll need to be able to dive accompanied by a buddy who is also Open Water certified without the supervision of a dive professional. Here are some of the basic skills you'll learn in an Open Water course:
Once you've completed the Open Water Course and you're a certified diver you may like to do further courses like Advanced Open Water and Rescue Diver or even go on to become a professional Divemaster, Instructor, Technical Diver, Commercial Diver, or even Military Diver. There are also many diving specialty courses that you can study that will broaden and enhance your underwater experiences.
