Dawktah,
Fed up with the LDS: sounds like you are having the beginners frustration of every operator not doing things the way they expect. That's part of the fun of dive travel, different places do things different ways... not to mean they are un-safe. But just as a photographer and a spearfisher do not good dive buddies make since their objectives are not inline, your comfort zone may not align with all operators. Before you book a charter, discuss with the operator how they do things (DMs in water, tours, amount of staff... and anything else that is important to you and your wife). If your objectives and comfort zone aligns with how things are done, book it; if not, call another until they align. Also, if you want assistance from the crew (or DON'T want assistance) let that be known, most will accomodate.
DMs: DMs can be great. When traveling, they will often know where some neat critters are hiding. But having the confidence to not need them will give you alot of confidence to explore on your own.
DIR in warm water: We're everywhere baby... Japan, SE Asia, Florida, Cayman, Bonaire, Kona Hawaii, Oahu, Red Sea, Australia... and lots of other places I can't pronounce, nevermind spell. And because DIR is rather standarized world wide, if you end up needing to find a like-minded buddy if your wife stops diving, I've found that DIR makes this very easy. (We have a good network, and I've had a blast traveling solo to different countries and finding great people with whom to dive.)
DIR and photography: You'll find that the arsenal of kicks you'll learn in DIR-F, not typically taught in other recreational level classes will give you alot of manuverability. Who else teaches backwards kicks at a recreational level? Truely working on excellent situational awareness and exacting buoyancy will give you a foundation enabling safe and amazing photo dives.
DIR as rec: My father is DIR and purely a single tank diver and I'm getting into tech and cave diving... we're able to exist in the same system. The system can completely be used recreationally... however, if you ever do want to take it further, DIR allows you to do so without having to start over with respect to diving procedures, team attitudes and gear.
DIR as a cold water diver vacationing in warm water: DIR gear is so easy to transition from one environment to another... everything works the same one environment to another. Also, as a woman who dove with a BC in warm and cold water before switching to a BP/Wing, the BP doesn't shift around and is much more comfortable... a warm water dive in a BP/wing and single has to be one of the most freeing things!
Logs: All GUE classes I've ever taken, even those with requirements on number of dives, you'd only be hurting yourself and your team if you didn't abide by them. The log becomes more important to you as a record of your fun times diving and a tool by which you keep track of "hints to yourself" on how to improve.
Is DIR for you? Take the DIRF and find out... even if it's not for you in the long run, it's good instruction to have on your resume as a diver.
) And a Dry suit and a HID and a O2 Booster, and spare RB tanks, and a BOV, FFM.............
