DIR and Solo Diving, Incompatible?

[lamont]

DIR is not a holistic approach just for the sake of it. The idea is to have a system that is uniformly adopted by each DIR diver. As an example, if one diver doesn't have a long hose, the S drill could not be properly performed, nor could an actual OOG be properly handled.

As a diver, you are free to chose to dive the way you want, solo, or not, long hose or short hose, or whatever. But you can't pick and chose what you like and expect other divers to follow whatever customization you went for; it just wouldn't be a system anymore.

So its basically worthless to bother teaching bouyancy control to someone who dives without a long hose?

 

[UWSojourner]

Lamont said: "I don't, however, think that DIR principles are entirely useless outside of the holistic view."

Arnaud said: "But you can't pick and chose what you like and expect other divers to follow whatever customization you went for; it just wouldn't be a system anymore."

Therein lies the problem. Some in DIR see it as a "system"; some outside DIR see it as a way to organize gear and skills to be learned. Both views have their place IMO.

Personally, for the diving I do currently, I don't think my buddy is putting my life in danger because they have a Jacket BC rather than a BP/W, or their spare light is clipped with plastic rather than SS, or use split fins rather than non-splits.

Having said that, I admire a lot of DIR people because they take skills seriously ( which I need to improve and think about ), and they actually think about their gear from a "what is best" rather than a "it'll work" perspective (which I like). Unfortunately, some DIR guys (not all) lack the understanding that others might do that as well and come to different conclusions.

As for me, jury's out as I'm still really just starting out and learning.

 

[Snowbear]

The DIR approach strongly discourages solo diving. The DIR approach encourages and trains for team diving. Whether or not you buy into or follow all the "doctrines" of the DIR approach, taking a DIRf class gives you the tools to improve the enjoyment of your diving.

Last time I was in WA, I saw a DIR team in action taking photographs. The photographer was perfectly neutrally buoyant for several minutes awaiting and setting up the perfect shot. His buddy was acting as spotter for photo subjects between shots and, for lack of a better term, acting as a "safety diver" while he was focused on his subect. I saw him glance up periodically to check on her while he waited for the perfect shot.

The DIR approach can be applied to whatever level of diving you choose. If you want to stay at 30' cruising the reefs, the DIR approach can teach you to so that safely, efficiently, as a good buddy and friendly to the reef. If, as you gain experience and confidence, you wish to progress to more complicated dives, your early DIR training will be an asset.

 

[Rick Inman]

So its basically worthless to bother teaching bouyancy control to someone who dives without a long hose?

(edited) Never mind...

 

[Northeastwrecks]

So its basically worthless to bother teaching bouyancy control to someone who dives without a long hose?

Obviously not. However, DIR is a name applied to a diving style that incorporates a particular collection selection of skills, equipment and philosophy. If a diver doesn't adopt the elements of the diving style, then they do not fall within the definition of a DIR diver. That's not an insult. Its a simple fact that is neither good nor bad.

Regardless, why would you care whether you're DIR or not. If you don't want to follow the rules of DIR diving, then don't. Doing so doesn't mean you're a bad diver, it merely means that you are not a DIR diver.

IMHO, divers who worry about whether they are DIR or not and who confront people over the amount that they vary from DIR protocols have many more important issues with which they should be dealing. Most of these involve self-confidence and a need for approval and belonging.

 

[lamont]

I knew I shouldn't have made that first post in this thread...

Obviously not. However, DIR is a name applied to a diving style that incorporates a particular collection selection of skills, equipment and philosophy. If a diver doesn't adopt the elements of the diving style, then they do not fall within the definition of a DIR diver. That's not an insult. Its a simple fact that is neither good nor bad.

So to review what I said earlier:

``I'm sure that GUE would want to have nothing to do with this because it doesn't fit with why they bother with DIRF training. It also wouldn't be DIR because it violates the holistic princple of DIR.''

I don't know how I could say any stronger exactly what you just told me.

All that I was trying to argue was that while the whole may be much greater than the sum of the parts that the parts taken alone are not worthless. As a math excersize, lets say this a DIR diver:

1 + 1 + 1 + 1 = 10

Here's a diver who isn't DIR, but has learned a few things:

1 + 1 + 1 = 3

Now, 3 may be a lot less than 10, but it isn't zero -- and also importantly that diver is 3/4 of the way to becoming "DIR" -- all it may take is loaning them a long hose and doing some S-drills until they 'get it'.

That's the end of my $0.02

 

[Arnaud]

Lamont, you're welcome to borrow whatever you want from the DIR approach. However, you can't be "3/4 of the way of becoming DIR". It would amount to being 3/4 of the way pregnant.

 

[UWSojourner]

Lamont, you're welcome to borrow whatever you want from the DIR approach. However, you can't be "3/4 of the way of becoming DIR". It would amount to being 3/4 of the way pregnant.

Lamont was too easy on you since he was comparing 3 to 10.

But I get the feeling that you could be DIR-F trained, adhere to every DIR principle and skill, but if you had a primary hose that was 7' 3" rather than the magic 5' to 7', you'd say, "NOT DIR."

I'd say "Yeah, he's DIR, he just has a longer hose than those DIR guys." :lol:

 

[cdennyb]

IMHO, diving DIR is a way to dive your equipment with your buddies or 'me' for that fact, and know what each other will do or can do in an emergency if we happen to be paired on a dive boat trip off shore. If you don't have the BP/wing but you do have a BC and know how to use it, (i.e. excellent BC) that's good enough to call DIR. If you dive doubles, and use a thermo manifold with the isolator valve (like I do) and run two seperate regs with the bungee or latex hose second stage around your neck, I don't care if it's some brand from China, it's yours. If your long hose is 5' long, (that's better than a 26" one!) it's fine for me in an OOA emergency. I personally run a 7' hose, that's what I bought and that's what my daughter and I run. If you don't dive wrecks or caves or any overhead stuff, then you're not going to be dressed like George or Jarod are. If you're running the reef, you'll probably ave a single tank, a single reg and a BC. As long as you dive within the limits of this kind of equipment and don't expect me to say you're ok, then it's all good. You're the one who will pay the price for errors in your own judgment. If you have developed your diving skills with every dive you make, then you're DIR. It's all in your head. As long as you know the limitations of your gear, Whatever it may be, then you are 90% there. I don't always dive doubles, with a light and a pony bottle, but then again, I don't consider myself a full fledged cave diver either, but I do consider myself and mydaughter considers herself a fully qualified DIR diver. Understand? It's about how you dive and how you dress your kit out. You don't wear a pair of thongs and cutoffs to climb Mt. Everest, and the same thing applies to diving. Gear up for the dive you're going to make, think out ALL the possible situations that might occur and dress accordingly.
Good luck.
db

 

[tonyc]

Hockeyplay,
I'm a newbie too and don't have much more experience then you. My suggestion to you would be seek out as much information as you can, and read, read, read!!!
In basic open water they don't talk much about all the things that can go wrong underwater. Subscribe to undercurrent- they review dive accidents, learn from them. Buy the book on solo diving (orangish cover, can't remember the authur, but PM me and I'll get it for you). Even if you don't plan on diving solo, it has a lot of tips on being a self sufficient diver that can serve as a good buddy.

I think right now with your/my experience, diving solo would/could be a grave mistake for sure. What kind of redundant air sources are you planning on using for your solo dives? What happens when you get in the water and forget to turn your air on, BC inflator hose not plugged in after you deflate your bc and rocket to the bottom or maybe you have a free-flow at depth?? Entanglement?? feww.. those aren't risks I'm willing to face alone. I read somewhere (probably from JJ) that while murphy's law is troubling for some sports, it could be fatal for us.

I haven't yet taken DIR-f, but I have the book. I can't count how many times I've read it. Definitely buy and read it no matter where your diving interests lie. Diving is great, but safety and awareness are key. DIR's focus is on safety and a team approach with good communication. Learn to be prepared for anything.

Have fun diving, post some of your pics!

Tony.