When I'm with students or newer divers, I'm strongly on the sharing side. They don't know how to see the amazing things that are down there (out of Panama City, FL, almost all the cool stuff is tiny and the rest hides well), and I have great fun watching their eyes light up. I consider it part of my duty (and a very enjoyable part) to be sure to share enough of what each of them is interested in that they go back to work on Monday beaming and blathering incessantly about the great time they had. :biggrin:
When I'm diving solo (deco for the soul, to me at least), sharing would be the last thing on my mind -- if only I'd add it to the list. Those dives are my opportunity to just *be*. I don't even bring a little video camera along, as I would be thinking about what to share with everyone via video. Every so often, I'll see something amazing that I'd have liked to record, but I settle for just enjoying it thoroughly and telling the stories afterward.
When I'm diving with just mb, I'm somewhere in between. I'll just mosey along the dive not really *hunting* for things to share, just enjoying the view and being underwater. However, when I *do* see something cool that I know she will enjoy, my sharing circuit activates. (It has a very efficient sleep mode, apparently, where it exists completely unnoticed, but it also has virtually zero wake-up delay.) Diving with just mb is wonderful, as it combines the relaxation of my solo dives with the eyes-lighting-up of my sharing dives. (Now, if anyone knows where to get a deal on a drysuit, she would be grateful -- hers just doesn't fit, and I want to do more cold-water/weather sharing dives.
)
I suppose my default mode when diving the first time with others is medium-high sharing with ongoing adjustments based on the apparent level of engagement of the other divers. I tend to play to the audience, so if they seem bored or interested elsewhere, that's fine with me (I have a nice "quiet observer" mode available). If they're practically Goa'uld (well, Tok'ra, I should hope), we'll have a great time mutually sharing (even a first-salty-dive student can find things to point out if you give them a good start).
