DIR wanna-be's

[Mo2vation]

And then ther are those of us in "limbo" - I can think of a few, and I plead the Fifth as to whether or not I'm also in that group -

We've taken DIR-F, reconfigured our gear, try to work skills into each dive, focus on the team and the dive planning, yet we'll dive with decidedly 'mainstream' (non-DIR) divers, and if you asked us if we are DIR we'd hasten to tell you "not really" "not yet" "I'm working on it" or my favorite, "still under the bus" (a reference to our GUE instructor's favorite catch phrase)

So we're not (yet) DIR........ but we're not not DIR, either. We're also not really "wannabe DIR" since we've taken the DIR-F course so we're not talking through our hats on DIR topics.

Hm, sounds like we chould have a separate designation.... I mean there's "instructor candidates" "divemaster candidates" etc, to suggest that a person's on that road but not there yet - what do you think?

The entire premise of DIR is the holistic approach. From fitness, to environmental and situational awareness, to team diving, to dive planning, to skills acquisition to equipment configuration.

Crimany - we debate for pages as to whether putting your weight belt on before or after your crotch strap is DIR, or whether facing the SPG towards your hip or towards to open sea is DIR, or whether using a zip tie or cave line to attach stuff is DIR... its so silly.

So much time is spent defining things that are NOT DIR, its just funny to see the hesitance to claim to be DIR ourselves.

How can there be such clarity on what equipment is DIR, but seemingly no clarity on which divers are DIR? I don't get that.

I am DIR. I practice the skills I learned, took Fundies (I sucked), practice safe team diving, have the standard gear configutration, blah blah blah.

Have I reached the top of the mountain? No way. Doesn't mean I'm not a climber. Have I done a 2 mile cave penetration (or a 2 foot?) or dove the Doria? No way. Doesn't mean I'm not a DIR diver. This just means my refinement is ongoing, my learning is ongoing and I've selected this road (DIR) as opposed to others. All this doesn't make me a DIR wanna-be. Quite the contrary. I wanna be DIR. I practice DIR diving. I am DIR. Deal with it.

I'll likely never take any additional GUE training. I'll probably re-take Fundies now that its a cert course. I'm sure I won't scooter, I won't be diving doubles anytime soon, and I'm surely not going to be doing any cave work in SoCal. So what?

I don't get this thread. Thats OK. There are a lot of things I don't get. I just think its funny we can quickly and effortlessly point out all that is NOT DIR, and stumble over claiming to be DIR ourselves. By its very nature, you can't be a little DIR. Its holistic. How can you be "semi-DIR" or "mostly DIR" or "almost DIR"... please. We are or we aren't.

I am.

K

 

[darkpup]

Having taken the DIR-F class and working on configuring doubles for a RecTriox course, I'm not sure I would call myself a DIR diver, yet. Yes, I list the DIR-F course in my training section within my profile, but we don't feel we're DIR divers, more like DICE divers on a journey.

Doing It Close Enough

The ironic part is that it sounds like you two will be taking the same DIR-F class in December. I strongly suggest you two work this out before the class. There's a chance I'll be filming the December class, so I'll see you both then.

~ Jason

 

[Soggy]

This all reminds me of a Monty Python skit...

[bad British accent]
"I'm not DIR yet!"
[/bad British accent]

 

[FreeFloat]

So much time is spent defining things that are NOT DIR, its just funny to see the hesitance to claim to be DIR ourselves.

How can there be such clarity on what equipment is DIR, but seemingly no clarity on which divers are DIR? I don't get that.

I am DIR. I practice the skills I learned, took Fundies (I sucked), practice safe team diving, have the standard gear configutration, blah blah blah.

Well spoken Mo2vation.

Taken that way, I would therefore have to term myself DIR as well.

I don't know about others but part of my reluctance to assume the label stems from (I blame it on) the marketing. DIR is being made out to be the elite, the "only" way to dive, and there is enough arrogance scattered around among divers very openly self proclaimed DIR that I'm not entirely sure I want to be associated with it. I mean, sure, 99% of my dives are conducted in a very DIR fashion, pre-, during, and post-dive. (we won't talk about the other 1% ) However as soon as I say something like "I am DIR" or let others label me that way instantly the perception of me changes - "oh don't dive with him/her, they're DIR, they'll just tell you your skills/gear/attitude sucks and they won't dive with you". I find it easier and a lot less confrontational to say, "well I've taken the course, but I'm not there yet"

But I agree - DIR is the journey, not the final destination! Betcha you could ask a GUE trained, full cave or wreck trained diver who'se logged thousands of dives and penetrated mind boggling distances into overhead and they'd still say they aren't there yet!

The ironic part is that it sounds like you two will be taking the same DIR-F class in December.

Who are you referring to? I see users from many different countries....

 

[darkpup]

Who are you referring to? I see users from many different countries....

I was referring to the first 2 posts in this thread. If I'm not mistaken, both have signed up to take the December class out of Sacramento, Ca with Joe Talavera.

~ Jason

 

[Soggy]

Well spoken Soggy.

That wasn't me, that was Mo2vation.

 

[JimC]

I passed the damn course and I wouldn't even begin to call my self DIR.

 

[ShakaZulu]

See, that's where the REC guys are well defined. Once you get that AOW card, you are immediately an Advance Open Water diver and can go down to 5000ft with no problems.

 

[Curt Bowen]

But I agree - DIR is the journey, not the final destination! Betcha you could ask a GUE trained, full cave or wreck trained diver who'se logged thousands of dives and penetrated mind boggling distances into overhead and they'd still say they aren't there yet!

I am not DIR, but what I am is an explorer. I have traveled the world and coordinated many cave expeditions, explored hundreds of virgin caves and some wrecks. What I have learned from all this travel and exploration is that all dive configurations will require modification for different environments. No one system will work everywhere.

I am not bashing DIR, it is a GREAT base to START from and a good mind set. But to become a true DIR diver, (if that is what you wish to be called) then your basic DIR training is just the first step.

If you fail to DIVE after your basics and learn from experience, then I would not concider you as DIR.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Am I DIR? Who cares, really ... I'm just a diver who's interested in developing good diving habits. GUE training is a good step in that direction, but it's neither the journey nor the destination ... it's just a set of skills that will put me closer to my goals.

I know many great divers who've never taken a DIR class. And I know some who have taken extensive GUE training. They don't worry about labels ... they just keep taking classes and working on their skills. As a group, I guess you could just label them GOOD divers.

To my concern, if you're worried about the label ... yours or anyone else's ... you've missed the whole point ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)