I just took the DIRF class this weekend at Rhea's Diving services inc, in Maryville, TN. The class had 4 students and 4 interns. The instructor was David Rhea, who is also the cave 3 instructor for GUE. David was an excellent instructor. Like many peope that have taken this class, it was a complete reality check. I realized how much I did not know, and how much I should have known by now. For the life of me, I could not get horizontal. I just could not do it. We dove in the Philidephia Quarry with a water tempature between 45-50 degrees. Needless to say I was a tad bit cold. I figured out that my dry suit is now too small, and I could not put on much thermal protection. All I had was a fleece suit. I ended buying the weezle extreme + socks, after mild frost bite the first day.
The instruction was great. I learned alot along with everybody else. The class had a wide variety of students. I was the youngest at 20 years old, and there was another guy at 70 years old. We all improved by leaps and bounds with those 4 dives. I know I need to work on my trim and lift bag deployment. Once I get my trim, everything shold fall into place.
I know everybody has heard the testimony about the DIRF class, and there are many anti DIR folks out there. I would like to say that I am not DIR. I use the 7ft hose, backplate, wing, and accept many of their practices, but I will dive with my family who is not DIR. My best advice is to take the class. You will definitely improve your diving. It is definitely worth the cost. Even if you do not want to go into tech diving, or want to be DIR, the class is something that we all should have learned from the begining.
My 2 cents.
ADAM
The instruction was great. I learned alot along with everybody else. The class had a wide variety of students. I was the youngest at 20 years old, and there was another guy at 70 years old. We all improved by leaps and bounds with those 4 dives. I know I need to work on my trim and lift bag deployment. Once I get my trim, everything shold fall into place.
I know everybody has heard the testimony about the DIRF class, and there are many anti DIR folks out there. I would like to say that I am not DIR. I use the 7ft hose, backplate, wing, and accept many of their practices, but I will dive with my family who is not DIR. My best advice is to take the class. You will definitely improve your diving. It is definitely worth the cost. Even if you do not want to go into tech diving, or want to be DIR, the class is something that we all should have learned from the begining.
My 2 cents.
ADAM
