bill-da-ho
Guest
where would one find this training, is it a class like the PADI OW? I dont think my LDS offers this. And if it is not practiced in my area? is there any sense in me learning it?
DIR training? Classes?
- Thread starter bill-da-ho
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There are classes, although they are not an open water cert class (yet), they are for people who are already open water certified. You can learn more about the fundamentals class here:
GUE Fundamentals | Global Underwater Explorers
It is not taught at most LDSs, the list of instructors are here:
GUE Instructors | Global Underwater Explorers
There is lots of good info on the GUE site.
It would be a good idea to contact some other DIR divers in your area.
Is there any sense in your learning it? IMO, yes, but only you can decide that for yourself.
GUE Fundamentals | Global Underwater Explorers
It is not taught at most LDSs, the list of instructors are here:
GUE Instructors | Global Underwater Explorers
There is lots of good info on the GUE site.
It would be a good idea to contact some other DIR divers in your area.
Is there any sense in your learning it? IMO, yes, but only you can decide that for yourself.
John_B
Grasshopper
It is a very different mindset than this thread you posted about an hour earlier. Very team oriented, everything else (including equipment) was designed around that. If you don't have DIR types local to you, you would really benefit from finding a local buddy to take the class with. My 2¢.
cfenton
Contributor
The two places to look for solid DIR training are Global Underwater Explorers and Unified Team Diving.
Start by buying and reading: Doing It Right: The Fundamentals of Better Diving.
Then set up and practice for a GUE Fundamentals Course. Most of us had to travel or pay to have a GUE/UTD Instructor fly in. There just aren't enough qualified instructors in the world.
As John B said, you really do want to take this class with a local buddy/team. But if you can't you will certainly benefit from the class anyway.
Also, like John B said, solo diving and DIR cannot coincide in the mind of one diver.
Start by buying and reading: Doing It Right: The Fundamentals of Better Diving.
Then set up and practice for a GUE Fundamentals Course. Most of us had to travel or pay to have a GUE/UTD Instructor fly in. There just aren't enough qualified instructors in the world.
As John B said, you really do want to take this class with a local buddy/team. But if you can't you will certainly benefit from the class anyway.
Also, like John B said, solo diving and DIR cannot coincide in the mind of one diver.
OP
bill-da-ho
Guest
The post you refer to is the one I asked about solo diving. Are you saying that DIR divers never dive solo? I didnt know this, I'm new as you can tell by my questions and the amount of dives, just trying to get more info on things that have caught my eye. And get it from others with experience. thanks for your reply.
PerroneFord
Contributor
Solo is about as opposite to DIR as it gets.
Trimix2dive
Contributor
I would have to agree with my friend Perrone. You are on the anti-end of DIR. If solo, go some other path. If DIR, you will have a definite path to go down as far as gear and set-up.
I have both. Both have merit depending on how you dive.
John_B
Grasshopper
No offense intended, Bill. But, yes, as Perrone says, DIR and solo diving are mutually exclusive, opposite ends of the spectrum. FWIW, you don't have to be either, and I would guess that would describe most divers, but obviously here in this forum you have people who find value or utility in DIR.
Personally, the more I dive the less inclined I would be to dive solo. I would've thought it'd be the other way around when I first started, but I've been on some dives that really went sideways.
Read the Rock Bottom link in my signature. Don't get your eyes glazed over with the math at first, what's important is the concept of two dive buddies that reserve enough gas that both could do a normal ascent with normal stops if one had a catastrophic gas loss.
Bill-da-ho, there's a nice article that's a sticky in this forum, describing what DIR diving is. At base, it's a system that emphasizes standardization and teamwork in order to make diving safer and more fun. It grew out of cave diving, a place where the risks are high and meticulous care is necessary to execute dives safely, but the system is applicable to many kinds of diving.
Although some DIR-trained divers do dive solo, the core of the philosophy is diving as a team, and the equipment and procedures are set up that way. For one thing, your spare gas is on your buddy's back -- We don't carry pony bottles or anything of that sort, so staying together and in communication becomes extremely important.
You might want to visit the GUE website and read the two good articles under GUE Equipment -- They'll give you more of an idea of where DIR came from, and what the gear configuration is. If you're still curious, read a couple of reports of the DIR Fundamentals class. (There is actually a thread that lists the links to the reports.)
But best of all would be to hook up with a DIR diver and go diving. The proof of the pudding is in the eating! If you are near Chicago, you could PM ppO2diver and see if he's willing to go diving with you, or can recommend someone else.
Lynne
Although some DIR-trained divers do dive solo, the core of the philosophy is diving as a team, and the equipment and procedures are set up that way. For one thing, your spare gas is on your buddy's back -- We don't carry pony bottles or anything of that sort, so staying together and in communication becomes extremely important.
You might want to visit the GUE website and read the two good articles under GUE Equipment -- They'll give you more of an idea of where DIR came from, and what the gear configuration is. If you're still curious, read a couple of reports of the DIR Fundamentals class. (There is actually a thread that lists the links to the reports.)
But best of all would be to hook up with a DIR diver and go diving. The proof of the pudding is in the eating! If you are near Chicago, you could PM ppO2diver and see if he's willing to go diving with you, or can recommend someone else.
Lynne
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I agree with Perrone, solo diving is a bad four letter word in the DIR world. Where in Michigan do you live. I know of a few DIR minded divers in the Detroit area. If you are on the western side, you're free to swing down our way and dive with us. We also try to make it to the eastern side of Lake Michigan every now and then.
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