It’s official! Lowie, who began his journey as a construction worker, joined Casalay Resort as a boatman when it first opened, and then trained to become a PADI Divemaster, has completed his transformation. After months of hard work, studying, diving, guiding, mapping, and lugging tanks, Lowie is now a PADI Divemaster!
But at Casalay Divers Puerto Galera, there’s one final, most important test he must pass before earning his new title – the Snorkel Test. The Snorkel Test is a sacred ritual, deeply rooted in the traditions of Divers and shrouded in secrecy. To honor this age-old tradition, details must be kept to a minimum.
Here’s a glimpse of what happens (let your imagination do the rest):
After completing all the PADI requirements, Lowie, now the newest member of the dive professional team, is ushered to his throne, where he’s fitted with a custom-tailored diving mask. Next, he’s handed a special snorkel attached to a large funnel. After a short, lighthearted speech delivered by the Divemaster instructor, the countdown begins. At zero, a magical “victory brew” is poured into the funnel, down the snorkel, and finally, down the hatch! Amidst cheers and encouragement from his fellow DMs and instructors, Lowie takes on the final challenge, drinking his way to his new professional status. While most don’t finish the entire concoction, and few have, it’s a simple pass/fail test – as long as some of it goes down, you’ve passed!
The final step is the post-snorkel speech, delivered about 30 minutes later, allowing the “Victory Juice” time to take effect. What follows is usually a mix of hilarity and heartfelt words, as we all celebrate Lowie’s incredible journey from boatman to Divemaster. The night continues with celebrations at Casalay and often extends to one of Puerto Galera’s lively spots.
Lowie completed his snorkel test recently and finished the entire brew! The speech is a bit of a blur, but the celebrations were unforgettable. It was the perfect way to mark the beginning of his new role as an in-house Divemaster at Casalay Divers Puerto Galera!
