SSI Divemaster course in Plakias, Crete

Divemaster is the point where diving stops being something you do on holiday and becomes something you can do for other people. It is SSI's first professional rating: you learn to lead dives, manage a dive site and assist an instructor on courses. We run the SSI Divemaster programme in Plakias, on the south coast of Crete, over four to six weeks of hands-on work alongside the instructor, on real dives with real guests. This page explains what that involves, who it suits, and what a season of training here looks like.

What a Divemaster does

A Divemaster is the person a dive centre trusts with its guests. On a normal day that means:

• Leading certified divers on guided dives, choosing the route and keeping the group together.
• Managing the site. Briefings, checking conditions, organising entries and exits, and keeping an eye on everyone in the water.
• Assisting on courses. Helping the instructor with students on try dives and courses, from the first breaths in shallow water to the open water dives.
• Handling problems calmly. Recognising stress early, and dealing with it before it becomes an emergency.

It is a real job, and the rating is recognised by SSI centres around the world.

Why train as a Divemaster in Plakias

At a big centre, a Divemaster trainee can easily be one of many. Ours is different in two ways that matter.

First, the scale. Our boat takes at most six guests. That means you are not lost in a crowd of trainees; you work directly with the instructor, on every kind of dive we run, and you see the whole of the operation.

Second, the variety. In a few weeks here you will help with first-timers on try dives, students on the Open Water Diver course, certified divers on shore and boat dives, and mixed groups of divers and snorkellers on the full-day boat trip. That range is what makes a good Divemaster: you learn to read people, not just the sea.

How the programme works

The Divemaster programme combines theory, skills and practical training. The shape of it here:

1. Theory. Dive physics and physiology, equipment, dive planning, and the role and responsibilities of a dive professional. As with every SSI course, the learning materials are digital, so you can start before you arrive.
2. Skills and stamina. Demonstration-quality skills, so a student can learn by watching you, and the water fitness the job needs.
3. Practical training. The heart of the programme: weeks of working alongside the instructor on real dives and courses, taking on more responsibility as you go.
4. Assessment. When you and the instructor agree you are ready, you complete the rating.

Four to six weeks is the usual length. The exact time depends on your starting point, how much diving there is while you are here, and how quickly you take on the role.

Who it suits

The Divemaster programme is for experienced recreational divers who want to go further. SSI sets the prerequisites for the rating, including your certification level, a minimum number of logged dives, rescue training and a medical statement. Rather than guess at your situation, message us with your certifications and logbook and we will tell you exactly where you stand and what, if anything, you need first.

If you are not there yet, the path usually runs through the SSI Advanced Adventurer course and SSI Diver Stress and Rescue, both of which we teach in Plakias. Our SSI courses page shows the full range.

Your instructor

Giannis has over ten years of diving experience. Guests name him in their reviews more than anything else about us, usually for his patience and his honesty about conditions. As a Divemaster trainee you learn from how he works, not only from what he teaches: how he briefs a nervous first-timer, how he decides a site on a windy morning, and when he says no. He teaches in Greek, English and German.

The sites you will work on

• The old harbour of Damnoni. Our training site, a gentle slope with deeper sections beyond. Where you will spend many hours assisting students.
• Schinaria. Excellent visibility, rock formations, a large cave, channels and walls. A site you will learn to guide in different conditions.
• Peristerovolakas. A long shallow reef near Souda sloping into deeper blue, reached from the shore or by boat.

Living here for a few weeks

A Divemaster programme is a stay, not a holiday, and you will need somewhere to live for a few weeks. The hillside villages of Sellia and Myrthios above the bay are a quiet base close to the centre, and our where to stay in Plakias guide compares the options. Guests with a car sometimes stay further away, in Lefkogia near Preveli or even around Rethymno; if you do, we plan the working day around the drive to Plakias.

What it costs and what is included

The programme price is shown above and comes from our current rate card. All diving equipment is included. Before you commit, we will talk through the dates, the prerequisites and what the weeks will look like, so there are no surprises.

Talk to us first

Divemaster is a big decision and a real commitment. Send us a message on WhatsApp with your certifications, roughly how many dives you have logged, and when you could come. We will answer honestly, including if we think you should wait a season or build more experience first.