Overview

Go Dive Mossel Bay is an education-oriented dive school located in the beautiful Garden Route of South Africa. We are a team of award winning NAUI Instructors and passionate marine biologists and conservationists, dedicated to preserving the oceans. Elton Polly is the founder of Go Dive, and an award-winning NAUI Instructor. He has trained dozens of divemaster and instructor candidates over the years. He is currently the International Advisor for NAUI Africa, where he councils many dive operators and instructors within the African continent on NAUI standards and guidelines. Elton started the Go Dive Mossel Bay (Divemaster) Internship in 2018 to assist SCUBA divers with career development and ncourage more divers to get involved in marine conservation. In 2020 Go Dive's Divemaster Program merged with White Shark Africa's Eco Program giving our students a well-rounded experience in SCUBA diving, ecotourism, and shark conservation. Sharks? Scuba diving? I'm in!

THE SHARK PROGRAM
Each program starts from the 1st of each month. The program runs from Mondays to Fridays with the weekends off, leaving you some time to relax and explore. If, like most participants, you feel that one month isn’t enough time, we do also accept bookings of two to three months. The program is open to anyone with a real interest in SCUBA diving, sharks, and the marine world. This program is ideal for those who wish to be involved in something rewarding, educational, exciting and overall enjoyable. Anyone studying biology, marine biology, zoology, oceanography, eco-tourism, environmental conservation, animal husbandry, wildlife filming, etc. will find the program particularly beneficial. This program is perfect for SCUBA divers looking to develop their careers in the field. We also cater for passionate conservationists who would like to change the misconception of great white sharks due to negative media. We feel it is important to engage the clients of the cage diving trips in a positive way that helps them to better understand these animals. The program schedule is structured, and we try to adhere to it as far as the weather and sea conditions allow. All SCUBA dives/courses will be scheduled based on sea conditions following a daily report from our instructors. The minimum age to participate is 18 years. All SCUBA diving participants must sign a NAUI Medical Form to ensure they are fit for diving. SCUBA participants must also have DAN Insurance.

Mossel Bay is situated on the scenic Garden Route in the Western Cape of South Africa. It is well known for having one of the highest Great White Shark concentrations along the South African coastline and in the world.

But don’t worry – you can consider yourself one of the lucky few if you happen to see one on a dive.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

What we offer as a program is a hands-on approach to working, not only with Great White Sharks alongside our partners at White Shark Africa, but also the many other species found in the area. 

We provide field experience teaching different techniques and methods related to our current projects. Our long-term projects include; White Shark Fin Identification (Population Dynamics), Nudibranch Dive Surveys, Species Identification and Ocean Literacy, and ORI Benthic Shark Tagging.

We have weekly shifts at the local Seabird and Penguin Rehabilitation Centre (SAPREC), and run a variety of ongoing conservation projects such as coastal cleans & dives, community outreach, and sustainable fishing practices with our friends at Keep Fin Alive and Salt Life Fishing.

Mission

The Shark Program was designed to promote the conservation and understanding of local shark populations through immersive, hands-on experiences that combine adventure with education. Our program aims to cultivate exceptional diving professionals who are passionate about marine conservation, safety, and education.

I have no diving experience. am I qualified to participate?

Who should apply?

This program is open to anyone with a real interest in SCUBA diving, sharks, and the marine world. It is ideal for those who wish to be involved in something rewarding, educational, and overall enjoyable. Anyone studying biology, marine biology, zoology, oceanography, marine tourism, environmental conservation, animal husbandry, marine filming, recreational management, etc. will find the program particularly beneficial towards their goals. 

No prior diving experience is necessary; we welcome beginners and provide comprehensive training. 

During your Shark Program, you will  have the opportunity to achieve your NAUI Divemaster qualification. Should you not have the time to complete all of the required courses (three months), we do offer shorter time periods (one and two months) that also include several SCUBA courses and diving activities. 

This program was designed with your professional field experience and career goals in mind. We are constantly adjusting roles and requirements to suit our students individual needs and passions. 

NAUI DIVEMASTER
Theory of Diving
Diving theory will be done in the classroom or online with an e-Learning code dependent on course structure and instructor judgement. Each course, from Open Water to Divemaster, has theory that must be completed prior to course qualification. Classroom theory is typically done on bad sea days when we are unable to dive.

Practical Dives

To become a Divemaster, you must have at least 60 logged dives. Roughly half of these dives are practical (training) dives to be completed throughout your courses. A minimum of 2 months is required to complete all training dives. 3 months is best for those needing to reach 60 dives. Please note we are constantly adjusting our schedules with the weather and tides. Diving days are not decided until the evening before. All courses and diving activities are weather dependent therefore the student should allow themselves the maximum amount of time to complete this training (3 months).

Duties / Tasks

Being a Divemaster is about more than just leading dives. You have a safety responsibility to your clients, your company/agency, and the public. This role also offers you the perfect opportunity to educate others about marine conservation efforts. Each intern will have duties such as: boat maintenance, gear maintenance and servicing, briefing clients, rinsing client gear, filling cylinders, maintaining a clean and
organized gear room, marketing to local businesses, social media marketing, assisting instructors with TSD and Open Water courses, educational outreach, presentations, etc