DIR: God's gift to diving or Hell spawn?

[Divesherpa]

Pug, you and Bob and the like are still having the same old "DIR: good or bad" discussion. How on Earth are you able to continuously respond to the same questions over and over. You must have the patience of a saint.

Cheers and safe diving,
Jamie

 

[greg1]

Have any of you been diving with Gary to know his skill level? Is he skilled or just awful lucky?
Friggincold

I have been following this thread and on DIR and now Gary and felt I had to jump in.

I know Gary, and have spoken with him on several occasions. I know several of the people that were diving with Gary in the late 80's and 90’s

I am a NE wreck diver like Gary. Gary is by most accounts considered a pioneer. Agree with his procedures/style of diving or not, He has probably spent more time in the water then anyone who is on this thread.

By being a pioneer meant pushing the limits was it safe, sometime no, is he lucky, yes. His way of diving has evolved over years of trial and error. What he does works for him, he is comfortable diving the way he does. Should a newbie on a dive boat look at his configuration and copy it NO. If it were not for divers like Gary, Steve Gato, John Moyer and a bunch of other, the tech diving in the NE would not have evolved. They spawned interest in NE wreck diving and in turn made manufactures develop better equipment.

I am quasi DIR. I used to have a configuration like a typical Jersey wreck diver, did it work for me, yes. Did I look a mess, YES. I looked for ways to improve my diving; I liked some of the things the DIR philosophy offered so I adopted them, not totally but the ones that worked for me (definitely the frog kick!)

All I have to say, it is what you make it. Gary is not only a GREAT guy, but a GREAT diver.

 

[California Diver]

i wont drop any names here but i recently had a discussion with my tech instructor who is fully qualified and dives with the likes of dan crowell and john chatterton about tech diving and why dir is nothing but a bunch of crap. how does everyon else feel about this?

 

[jonnythan]

i wont drop any names here but i recently had a discussion with my tech instructor who is fully qualified and dives with the likes of dan crowell and john chatterton about tech diving and why dir is nothing but a bunch of crap. how does everyon else feel about this?

I feel I'd love to know why he thinks it's a bunch of crap. He's more than welcome to come here and debate the merits of the system.

John Chatterton eh? I'm impressed

PS, posting "just do it whatever way is comfortable for you" in the DIR forum isn't always the best idea either

 

[MSilvia]

i wont drop any names here but ...my tech instructor... dives with the likes of dan crowell and john chatterton. how does everyon else feel about this?

I feel like you're dropping names.

Beyond that, I'm sure what your instructor does works for him, and DIR obviously isn't for everyone. That doesn't mean it doesn't have anything worthwhile to offer, and I think that dismissing any training program as a bunch of crap speaks of narrowmindedness and an unwillingness to examine and possibly improve upon one's own skills. Likewise telling your students it's a bunch of crap unfairly biases them against something from which they might very well benefit if they checked it out.

In other words, I'm not particularly impressed with his position absent any meaningful information about what he doesn't like about it.

Also, one of the focuses of DIR is on safe diving, and while I have a LOT of respect for Chatterton's accomplishments, if half of the things I've heard and read about his diving are true, I'm not sure he's a great model of best practices.

 

[scubatexastony]

Just make it part of the plan Dan. We'll treat you to some boat dives... that way if I ever get to Texas you'll owe me.

you ever get to Texas, we'll have to hook up, even if it cost me some vacation time to get off and show ya' some mud holes!

 

[boomx5]

i wont drop any names here but i recently had a discussion with my tech instructor who is fully qualified and dives with the likes of dan crowell and john chatterton about tech diving and why dir is nothing but a bunch of crap. how does everyon else feel about this?

We all can drop names. All I know is Greg Mossfeldt is DIR and guess who's a friend of his and is in the pictures with him?

 

[MASS-Diver]

i wont drop any names here but i recently had a discussion with my tech instructor who is fully qualified and dives with the likes of dan crowell and john chatterton about tech diving and why dir is nothing but a bunch of crap. how does everyon else feel about this?

I'd be careful holding either of those divers up as model's of saftey. Most hardcore DIR advocates will jump on that fact that Chatterton's own co-host was killed during the filming of his show (DSD), I still haven't seen a final report, but it seems like there were holes in their saftey protocol.

 

[OE2X]

So who are Dan Crowell and John Chatterton? Never heard of them before.

 

[OE2X]

I am going to attempt to schedule a couple of dry dives in the Sound. Can't wait, really...

Actually the sound is pretty wet. You might want to rethink your dive plan. I'm sure we could find a mound of dirt to burrow into though...

Just kidding. You'll want your drysuit for April. Come on up and we'll take you out to see the sights. Hopefully we can find enough cool stuff for you to look at so that the PNW lives up to the reputation it is getting.