As a self-professed DIR Agnostic, I've had quite a journey the last 18 months.
It started with 5th DX's Essentials of DIR with Joe T. -- then to Rec 2 with Joe. I really enjoyed both classes, felt I was exposed to an awful lot of information and now believe they set me up nicely for "part 3" of my Journey.
Tonight I finished Fundies (well, "finished" really isn't the right word -- actually, to be technical about it, the classroom work and the dives are over) -- two evening lectures sessions; two days of diving and video review & lecture sessions.
Since Fundies has been reviewed so many times, I'll merely mention some of the highlights from this class.
There have been questions about the difference between Essentials/Rec 2 and Fundies. The information is (essentially) the same. The difference is that you are graded in Fundies and NOT in Essentials/Rec 2 (the difference between a class and a workshop). If you take Essentials/Rec 2 and nail all the "book learning" and nail all the skills, Fundies will be a piece of cake.
Let's just say I had NOT nailed all the skills so patiently demonstrated by Joe T. in Essentials/Rec 2 so Fundies was NOT a piece of cake for me.
It has been said that I've been assimilated by The Borg (being married to the Borg Queen has not helped BTW) but, I think it is pretty clear from this weekend's work, that I have a ways to go before the Borg would accept me into its maw!
First of all, trim and bouyancy have got to get better.
Secondly, situational awareness (which includes not only seeing what is going on but comprehending the dangers in what one sees -- hmmm, you mean it is NOT OK to be sitting on the line? -- OR I really AM supposed to stop my buddy from breathing down the backup reg when his primary is clipped off?) is something that does come with experience but experience comes from surviving screwups but passing grades come from NOT having screwups!
Last, as has been said many times, the "three day class" is really a misnomer because the "class" is just the intro -- the learning comes from the practice one does AFTER the "formal" classes.
Now, a little bit about my particular class:
1. My teammates could not have been better and I knew that going in since one is a more/less regular dive buddy and the other is one whose diving experience is awesome (and someone with whom I'd had the pleasure of diving with several times before). We all had our strengths (well maybe they did) and weaknesses.
2. Day one was in fresh water with viz in the neighborhood of 5-6 feet (at best). Well, at least my gear got cleaned.
3. Day two was in salt water (at "The Office") on a huge tidal exchange which led to some interesting things like no 20 foot descents because the tide went out and we were at 16 feet (made 15 foot stops a little tricky too!).
4. Gear -- Almost on a dare, I hooked my AI Cobra onto a short hose, tied on a bolt snap and used it on day 1 as my "pressure indicator" (I had asked whether it was permitted and was told the standards only required a "tank pressure indicator" but that a mechanical one was preferred but NOT required.) At the end of the first day of diving it was suggested that the AI Cobra just might be a safety hazard to my team because it was so difficult to read the pressure -- so I did replace it with an SPG for day two.
Did I learn anything that changed my view of "DIR" or "The Borg?" No, I did not.
Am I still a DIR Agnostic? Well, as WJC might have said, that depends on the definition of "DIR!"
Will I work to get my GUE Fundies Card? Yup (marital bliss ranks high on my list of things to do).
Is Fundies a class for everyone? No way! But it is a class for everyone who is serious about diving and wants to learn what are the necessary skills for being a thinking and safe "techreational" diver. If you are only going to dive 5 days a year during your tropical vacation -- don't bother. But if you are serious, do it. (The kool-aid is NOT included in the cost of the class!)
It started with 5th DX's Essentials of DIR with Joe T. -- then to Rec 2 with Joe. I really enjoyed both classes, felt I was exposed to an awful lot of information and now believe they set me up nicely for "part 3" of my Journey.
Tonight I finished Fundies (well, "finished" really isn't the right word -- actually, to be technical about it, the classroom work and the dives are over) -- two evening lectures sessions; two days of diving and video review & lecture sessions.
Since Fundies has been reviewed so many times, I'll merely mention some of the highlights from this class.
There have been questions about the difference between Essentials/Rec 2 and Fundies. The information is (essentially) the same. The difference is that you are graded in Fundies and NOT in Essentials/Rec 2 (the difference between a class and a workshop). If you take Essentials/Rec 2 and nail all the "book learning" and nail all the skills, Fundies will be a piece of cake.
Let's just say I had NOT nailed all the skills so patiently demonstrated by Joe T. in Essentials/Rec 2 so Fundies was NOT a piece of cake for me.
It has been said that I've been assimilated by The Borg (being married to the Borg Queen has not helped BTW) but, I think it is pretty clear from this weekend's work, that I have a ways to go before the Borg would accept me into its maw!
First of all, trim and bouyancy have got to get better.
Secondly, situational awareness (which includes not only seeing what is going on but comprehending the dangers in what one sees -- hmmm, you mean it is NOT OK to be sitting on the line? -- OR I really AM supposed to stop my buddy from breathing down the backup reg when his primary is clipped off?) is something that does come with experience but experience comes from surviving screwups but passing grades come from NOT having screwups!
Last, as has been said many times, the "three day class" is really a misnomer because the "class" is just the intro -- the learning comes from the practice one does AFTER the "formal" classes.
Now, a little bit about my particular class:
1. My teammates could not have been better and I knew that going in since one is a more/less regular dive buddy and the other is one whose diving experience is awesome (and someone with whom I'd had the pleasure of diving with several times before). We all had our strengths (well maybe they did) and weaknesses.
2. Day one was in fresh water with viz in the neighborhood of 5-6 feet (at best). Well, at least my gear got cleaned.
3. Day two was in salt water (at "The Office") on a huge tidal exchange which led to some interesting things like no 20 foot descents because the tide went out and we were at 16 feet (made 15 foot stops a little tricky too!).
4. Gear -- Almost on a dare, I hooked my AI Cobra onto a short hose, tied on a bolt snap and used it on day 1 as my "pressure indicator" (I had asked whether it was permitted and was told the standards only required a "tank pressure indicator" but that a mechanical one was preferred but NOT required.) At the end of the first day of diving it was suggested that the AI Cobra just might be a safety hazard to my team because it was so difficult to read the pressure -- so I did replace it with an SPG for day two.
Did I learn anything that changed my view of "DIR" or "The Borg?" No, I did not.
Am I still a DIR Agnostic? Well, as WJC might have said, that depends on the definition of "DIR!"
Will I work to get my GUE Fundies Card? Yup (marital bliss ranks high on my list of things to do).
Is Fundies a class for everyone? No way! But it is a class for everyone who is serious about diving and wants to learn what are the necessary skills for being a thinking and safe "techreational" diver. If you are only going to dive 5 days a year during your tropical vacation -- don't bother. But if you are serious, do it. (The kool-aid is NOT included in the cost of the class!)
