DUDUK DI KANTOR YANG BERDEBU chair surrounded by dozens of tanks, scooters, drysuits, a massive compressor, and nearly a hundred photographs of dives from around the world tacked to plywood, I found myself in Tim’s dive shack. It was in this shed that I met my instructor for the first time. He would later become a trusted dive buddy and, even more important, a dive mentor.
“Let’s plan a dive,” he said, and with that statement kicked off a kind of relationship that can be enormously beneficial to an eager new diver: that of a seasoned and experienced mentor to a student.
I originally contacted Tim Laurito to explore options surrounding technical dive training. While I could choose from a variety of instructors, I wanted to find someone with a dive philosophy that resonated with me. One specific thing stood out about Tim during our initial conversations that was key to my decision in choosing him as my instructor: Tim wasn’t just training divers; he was building them from the ground up.
In addition to following the certifying training agency’s standards and requirements, Tim insisted that we dive together as often as possible. He strongly emphasized the importance of working up to skills over time, and he was committed to diving with me at no cost after my certification to ensure I was a safe and confident diver, exceeding agency standards.
A dedicated mentor like Tim isn’t easy to find. A true mentor provides feedback and instruction that over time build the foundation of a safe and successful diver who is consistent in their skills and able to masterfully execute them. Mentors possess knowledge through their own personal experiences that can advance a diver’s education beyond what is covered in basic instruction.
Sambil mendapatkan berbagai sertifikasi tingkat lanjut dengan Tim, saya juga dapat belajar dan memahami pencampuran gas, tempat terbaik untuk menyervis peralatan, kapten dan kapal terbaik untuk menyelam, lokasi unik yang jarang dikunjungi penyelam lain, dan latar belakang pengetahuan penting tentang menyelam dengan aman di kapal karam dan gua yang belum pernah saya selami.
Bagi penyelam yang tertarik untuk mencari mentor, saya sarankan untuk menyelam sebanyak mungkin. Kesempatan untuk membina hubungan yang langgeng dan bermakna dengan seseorang yang dapat bertindak sebagai mentor akan meningkat pesat jika Anda semakin sering berada di dalam air dan mengelilingi diri Anda dengan para penyelam yang secara aktif melakukan jenis penyelaman yang ingin Anda lakukan.
Carilah seseorang yang filosofi menyelamnya mirip dengan Anda dan memiliki hasrat untuk berbagi olahraga ini dengan orang lain. Anda mungkin seberuntung saya menemukan seseorang seperti Tim. Saya berterima kasih kepadanya karena telah melakukan lebih dari yang lain untuk menjadikan saya penyelam seperti sekarang ini. AD
© Penyelam Siaga - Q2 2023