Why NOT DIR?

[1_T_Submariner]

I love these "DIR/Why Don't You Love Me?" trainwreck threads! We haven't had a good one since before the Great Scubaboard Crash of '07.

They must have been using a Split server, or the 7ft ethernet cable wasn't routed correctly.:no

 

[Cave Diver]

I have a question regarding the commitment to DIR. If you consider yourself DIR totally, and you were assigned for two years to work on a Diego Garcia type island but totally remote, with unreal coral wall drop offs, fish everywhere, just beautiful ocean, clear and 80 F, BUT..you were the only diver there and you only had air to dive with, would you dive? Or say "no thanks, I don't have my team here".

I ask this because this would be a good time to decide to "why not DIR".
As to the hypotheticals, here in Belize for instance, there are workers at the atholl resorts who stay year round and have no divers around. I myself live in a very remote area and as a result have my own compressor and tanks because it takes 4 hours of my time to rent tanks and in most cases, I won't be able to find one dive buddy who will reliably show up.
So, does the love a diving exceed the commitment to...rules I guess....of diving DIR and you go for it? Or you sit on the beach. It seems a pretty straight yes or no to me.

Ok, I'll answer the question from my standpoint. Please note that this is my opinion and my opinion only based on the scenario and restrictions that you placed.

If I was in a situation where I had ample opportunity to dive, all the equipment necessary, everything but a reliable buddy to dive with then the answer is yes, I would most likely choose to dive, even if it meant diving solo. :11:

Having said that, I would emphasize that I would follow all the training I have received thus far to make sure that I dove as safely as possible. With nothing available but air, I would limit depths and bottom times to ensure safety. I would dive doubles for redundancy and I would likely dive with a slung stage/deco bottle in lieu of a buddy.

Among the things I would take into consideration would be the fact that there would be no avaible aid if I were to have a problem. No buddy to help me. No chamber. No one versed in diving related injuries.

Let the crucification begin.

 

[texdiveguy]

Ok, I'll answer the question from my standpoint. Please note that this is my opinion and my opinion only based on the scenario and restrictions that you placed.

If I was in a situation where I had ample opportunity to dive, all the equipment necessary, everything but a reliable buddy to dive with then the answer is yes, I would most likely choose to dive, even if it meant diving solo. :11:

Having said that, I would emphasize that I would follow all the training I have received thus far to make sure that I dove as safely as possible. With nothing available but air, I would limit depths and bottom times to ensure safety. I would dive doubles for redundancy and I would likely dive with a slung stage/deco bottle in lieu of a buddy.

Among the things I would take into consideration would be the fact that there would be no avaible aid if I were to have a problem. No buddy to help me. No chamber. No one versed in diving related injuries.

Let the crucification begin.

I can smell the BBQ grills now......... :14:

 

[OneBrightGator]

Let the crucification begin.

You're going to die simply for having such impure thoughts

 

[lamont]

I ask this because this would be a good time to decide to "why not DIR".
As to the hypotheticals, here in Belize for instance, there are workers at the atholl resorts who stay year round and have no divers around. I myself live in a very remote area and as a result have my own compressor and tanks because it takes 4 hours of my time to rent tanks and in most cases, I won't be able to find one dive buddy who will reliably show up.
So, does the love a diving exceed the commitment to...rules I guess....of diving DIR and you go for it? Or you sit on the beach. It seems a pretty straight yes or no to me.

hypothetically, i wouldn't live there. seattle is too small of a town for me, my next stop will probably be nyc...

 

[Nemrod]

Or you could just go solo diving without all the fuss of doubles and seven foot hoses that would do you no good. You would not need a stage either and you do realize that people have been diving for decades and with darn few fatalities. Scuba is not a dangerous sport, cave diving is but open water scuba is not including solo diving in open water. The more junk you carry the greater the danger of malfunction. If you don't need it then don't bring it. The surface is your redundancy to about twice your free diving depth capacity. For me that is about 80 feet at my delapidated condition. Below that a single with a pony is more than adequate for the solo diver. Why is it a must to dive as safely as possible. The safest thing to do if safety is almighty first is not to dive at all-ever.

N
Hand me the Aqua Lung, I am going down.

 

[Cave Diver]

Still, for those of us who don't dive DIR -- why should we? Why does GUE deserve my money and time over and above any other organization out there that can provide me precisely the same training oportunities?

I can't say that there is a good reason why you should dive DIR. As I've stated several times before, there are plenty of diver out there who already "get it." They have good trim, they have good bouyancy control, they have good propulsion techniques, awareness, skills, dive planning, the whole nine yards.

I *used* to think that I was one of those divers. After all, I was a certified full cave diver. I'd demonstrated sufficient proficiency to pass the class. I had numerous cave dives to my credit. I had numerous other c-cards from other agencies, including PADI, NAUI, NACD and IANTD.

I *thought* I was a good diver, but I took the DIRF course anyway. Surprise! I ended up learing a few things. I saw where the bar for proficiency was set. I saw that I was *good* but I wasnt *great* and that there was still room for improvement.

I also saw that I didn't know nearly as much about diving as I thought I knew.

Is cave training for everyone? No.
Is technical training for everyone? No.
Is GUE/DIR training for everyone? No.

But I can practically guarantee that taking any of those courses will improve your skills, teach you something and make you a better diver. And a DIRF course is FAR cheaper than either of the other two.

I've been on the side of the fence most of you are on.

I've dove a jacket b/c. I've dove a transpac. I've used a bungied backup. I've dove right/rich, left/lean. I've dove deep on air, I've penetrated caves and wrecks without the proper training. I've been there, done that and yes, I do have the t-shirt.

I've even heard all the braying from the jack-***es that claimed to be DIR and I've been just as turned off by their attitudes as most of y'all have been.

But, I kept an open mind, met someone that started explaining things to me in a calm, non-judgemental, rational way and my eyes started to open. That's when I started to see the difference between those that walked the walk and those that just talked the talk.

Is it for everyone? Probably not.
Could anyone benefit from it? Probably so.

It's a personal decision, but decisions are best when made on facts, not the rantings of a few outspoken individuals who don't even understand what they're saying.

My favorite "test" for the "fanatics" remains this: Ask them to explain the "why's." It's been my experience that the ones that rant on, can never justify the reasoning, its always "thats just the way it is." Those are the ones that you should go to great lengths to avoid.

This thread was intended to be educational, informative and to dispel some of the "myths" surrounding DIR and the reasons why people avoid it. Based on some of the PM's I've received, it would seem that it has been at least midly successful.

Or on the other hand, perhaps it hasnt...

 

[Cave Diver]

You're going to die simply for having such impure thoughts

It wouldnt be the first time. I'm too busy building another cross at the moment to care though...

 

[Cave Diver]

Or you could just go solo diving without all the fuss of doubles and seven foot hoses that would do you no good. You would not need a stage either and you do realize that people have been diving for decades and with darn few fatalities. Scuba is not a dangerous sport, cave diving is but open water scuba is not including solo diving in open water. The more junk you carry the greater the danger of malfunction. If you don't need it then don't bring it. The surface is your redundancy to about twice your free diving depth capacity. For me that is about 80 feet at my delapidated condition. Below that a single with a pony is more than adequate for the solo diver. Why is it a must to dive as safely as possible. The safest thing to do if safety is almighty first is not to dive at all-ever.

N
Hand me the Aqua Lung, I am going down.

I never mentioned a seven foot hose, and it would be rather pointless if I didnt have a buddy to donate it to.

Cave diving is no more dangerous than O/W diving if you have the proper training and follow the rules!

Why is it a must to dive as safely as possible? Probably for the same reason I look both ways before I cross the street. It amazes me how many people will rant about the fanatacism of the DIR encampent and then turn around and make make comments such as this...

 

[RoyN]

You're going to die simply for having such impure thoughts

Its DIR hunting season now

nah, I'm just joking. You guys are okay.