Isn't scuba supposed to be fun too?

[JamesK]

That said ... I don't see that much "parenting" going on within ScubaBoard. Perhaps some consider me one of the parents ... but I do try not to be "that" parent ...

Are you my Daddy?

When I snowplowed down the bunny hill, I had fun.

When I could carve turns down the blue runs, I had more fun.

Diving should be fun, and if it ever becomes consistently not fun, something has gone wrong. Diving well is MORE fun, and if properly managed, the process of becoming better diver should be fun, too.

I'm sure there are people here who think I mean, by "better diver", a backplate clad long hoser -- but all I mean is someone who is always in control of himself in the water, and who leaves a site in the same condition in which he found it. Someone who is prudent and attentive to the important parameters of the dive -- depth, time and pressure -- and stays in communication with his buddy. It's not hard to be a good diver, but it takes most people a little work and sometimes some help, and most importantly, they have to know it's possible.

If your kids were racing go-karts, I think you would expect them to respect some rules, and maintain some discipline to be safe. Sometimes I think anybody who suggests that kind of thing for divers gets viewed as sucking the fun out of the sport.

Mommy, is he my Daddy?

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

GUE/DIR stresses good buoyancy control: Good buoyancy control reduces air consumption which equates to longer dives and more fun. They stress good buddy skills. They actually TEACH buddy skills. Good buddy skills reduces the stress of "Oh **** where the **** is my buddy? Reduced stress = more fun. They teach gas management. Gas management reduces the stress of "Oh **** I'm almost out of air where the **** is my ** buddy?"

Like I said, don't lose the message because you don't like the messenger.

... but sometimes the message might come across a bit like GUE/DIR are the only ones who teach those things ... and I think that's what causes the angst.

FWIW, I teach all those things you mentioned at the AOW level. Oh, I don't attempt to teach anybody DIR ... I'll leave that to the folks who are trained to teach that system. But those things you mentioned are all pretty basic skills, and it doesn't take any specific agency to teach them ... it just takes an instructor who has the knowledge and will to teach, and a student who has the motivation to learn.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[lsorenson]

I have the mind set, regardless of which agency it is, if its a good idea and I like it, I will incorporate into my standards... My standards; not somebody else s... So I am a mixed bag of tricks and try my best to read, listen, and watch others and if I see something I like, I will try it but nothing is set in stone.

lee

 

[TwoBitTxn]

... but sometimes the message might come across a bit like GUE/DIR are the only ones who teach those things ... and I think that's what causes the angst.

FWIW, I teach all those things you mentioned at the AOW level. Oh, I don't attempt to teach anybody DIR ... I'll leave that to the folks who are trained to teach that system. But those things you mentioned are all pretty basic skills, and it doesn't take any specific agency to teach them ... it just takes an instructor who has the knowledge and will to teach, and a student who has the motivation to learn.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

I teach those things too. I give credit to my change in teaching methods to what I have learned here. But, you don't see, commonly anyway, instructors from the BIG scuba agencies advocating a change in teaching methods to better teach those skills.

Sure scuba is supposed to be fun. It would be so much more fun for everyone involved if so many people didn't have the attitude of "just teach me the bare minumum of what I need to know at the lowest cost you can offer it and let me go play." (Not directed at anyone in particular)

 

[DaleC]

I think different aspects of diving require different focus and no one agency or regime can cover them all. Personally I think the term "makes it more fun" is overdone when related to training and comes off sounding like a sales pitch. Training should make one proficient - fun perhaps is byproduct of proficiency.

I also think it can be overdone.

When I was younger I had an older East European roommate who was watching me do sit ups one day. He asked me why I did so any. I said because I wanted to be fit. He said, fit yes, but why hundreds of them. I said I wanted to be really fit. He just shook his head and said it was narcissistic. At the time I didn't understand but I do now.

I know for myself fun is what I have on the surface, with my friends before and after a dive. During the dive fun doesn't really play that big a role in what I do. However, if I dive poorly, my fun above the water may be compromised by feelings of guilt or embarrassment. Proficiency allows me to feel an equal amongst my peers and have more fun. If my training starts to make me feel superior to my friends that same sense of fun may be compromised - for those around me. No one likes a zealot.

It's just my opinion but I think training should be more purpose driven. What I read a lot on the boards is training taken for trainings sake; like a treadmill. Like gaining those little letters after ones name in university in order to gain some street cred. Sometimes I think it would be just as beneficial to step off the treadmill for a bit and dive so one can get a better sense of what one wants to do with their diving and then select training that will take one there.

 

[Dbmata]

Neat thing about the Internet is zealots and echo chambers. Maybe they're HSLD operators. Maybe they play one from the couch. Pay them no mind, all that matters is you, your fun, and your safety. I saw the thread the OP mentioned. Seldom does good come from threads like that.

 

[Centrals]

Scuba diving is a recreational sport for me. No more and no less.
There are plenty divers who could only dive occasionally because of other commitments. It is highly improbable for them to spend any time/money on training or equipment purchases. And if they made any basic mistakes in diving, they would be frown upon by certain quarter!!
Can't the "expert" be more tolerant? Condescending comment really take the fun off the poor guy.

 

[lowviz]

...//... I saw the thread the OP mentioned. Seldom does good come from threads like that.

Freewillie makes an extremely appropriate analogy with baseball. For the novice, the game can be a lot of fun even if the basics are only poorly understood. The OP then notes that the more he understands about the game, the deeper the enjoyment. The spoiler, for him, comes from those trying to live the game through others.

I've stayed out of Freewillie's thread up to now, hoping to see more of the newer posters and their ideas.

The thread that seems to offend you was started by a small group of tech divers that enjoy sharing the love of the game with others that wish to listen, no more than that.

Scuba diving is a recreational sport for me. No more and no less.
There are plenty divers who could only dive occasionally because of other commitments. It is highly improbable for them to spend any time/money on training or equipment purchases. And if they made any basic mistakes in diving, they would be frown upon by certain quarter!! ...//....

That certain quarter cannot be assigned to any one agency or organization. It is composed of those individuals who need to feel better about themselves by pointing out the failings of others.

...//... Can't the "expert" be more tolerant? Condescending comment really take the fun off the poor guy.

This sport contains a lot of people highly skilled in various aspects of diving. There are precious few true "experts", and the "experts" that I have had the pleasure of meeting are typically not at all condescending.
Can we all be more tolerant, maybe?

-my opinion, yours is just as good...

 

[buddhasummer]

Diving is the only thing I do that I liked from the very beginning even when my skill level was questionable. I also snowboard, rock climb and practice taekwondo all of which only became fun for me once I became good. Go figure. Diving for me has always and will always continue to be fun for me regardless of my skill, yes I love diving in fact without it my life would not have as many good times as it does.

 

[Centrals]

That certain quarter cannot be assigned to any one agency or organization. It is composed of those individuals who need to feel better about themselves by pointing out the failings of others.

Agency or organization plays no part, only the individual. We are all human afterall.

I like that word "narcissism" that someone had mentioned.
BTW, I am NOT talking about you!