Our former students: Jonas

Where are you from and how did you start diving?

I am Jonas, 52 years old from Sweden. I have thought about diving many years but never quite got around to do it. But when in Bali in 2020 I finally did my Open Water course.

What made you decide to embark on the Divemaster course?

After my Open Water I figured I would do one or two days of diving every year when on vacation. Summer 2023, an instructor on Koh Samui convinced me to do the Advanced course and doing this made me decide to go for a Divemaster. It was so nice going out with the boat three days in a row, diving and relaxing in the warm weather between dives. At the time, that type of life seamed more appealing than office life back home and I figured that a Divemaster at least opens the door to the professional side of diving. I wanted to see diving from "behind the scenes" rather then through the eyes of a tourist and at the same time improve my diving as much as the duration of a DM course would allow. 

What was your favourite part/highlight of the training?

The feeling of a continuous build up of my competence and confidence, is the best part. To mention some highlights, the first time I did an independent safety stop with a guest low on air while the real guide continued the dive with another guests. The first time I, under supervision, did a Discover Scuba with a guest and at the same time made my first attempt to lead the dive and not take up the rear (for reference, this was about halfway through the DM and my dive number 28 with Purple). The first time I, based on my own observations, helped a guest by adding weights on the tank strap. The first time I had to help a guest with a mask strap that came loose during the dive.

⁠What was your biggest challenge and how did the team help you overcome this?

Reading the Encyclopaedia of recreational diving, going through the instructor manual, at least the section covering the DM, and completing the e-learning prior coming to Penida is my recommendation. Based on the reading I had made a list where I identified things I would need help to understand better than the literature could explain. Everything on my list was covered, such as working with the RDP and taking a regulator set apart and look inside. Some things on my list were part of the course and some were not, so don't be afraid to ask for help. Three things on my list raised some extra concerns, the mapping project, the equipment exchange water skill and underwater navigation. The equipment exchange was nothing to worry about, but...! If you are not confident under water, spend more time under water until you feel confident. My map was probably not the best map in history but to me, the mapping project is connected to underwater navigation and the underwater navigation was the one thing I really wanted to improve in order to give me confidence to lead a dive. Not only reciprocal lines using the compass but really know where I am during a dive using both visual references and the compass. By the end of my DM I had done 24 dives as lead.

Where are you working now and what is your current role?

Now I am back to my office work but I will do six months work in Greece just 50 km from the Aegean Sea. My plan is to do as much diving as possible and see if I maybe can work for free just to gain more experience. After Greece, who knows.  

How did your training at Purple Dive prepare or facilitate you in finding/working as a dive professional?

This is yet to be seen. But to summarise, I would use the word "confidence". I feel confident enough to consider my self to be a professional capable of guiding someone else on a dive. And with this I have opened the door to the professional side of diving.

⁠What is your best dive to this day?

The best dive was a drift dive in a medium to strong current together with one course director, one IDC staff instructor and one instructor. The fact that I could keep up with them, as in going slow close to the reef, and not just be swept away by the current was a great feeling.