Disadvantages of DIR ?

[MSilvia]

O-Ring, I don't mean to be contrarian, but as someone who's taken DIR-F, I'm wondering if you wouldn't mind explaining how you can dive DIR if your team isn't. I think I missed that bit. Isn't the standardized DIR dive team a core component of the DIR dive philosophy?

 

[O-ring]

O-Ring, I don't mean to be contrarian, but as someone who's taken DIR-F, I'm wondering if you wouldn't mind explaining how you can dive DIR if your team isn't. I think I missed that bit. Isn't the standardized DIR dive team a core component of the DIR dive philosophy?

Well, you really can't I don't think. But I don't think it's fair to paint someone as "not DIR" across the board because they have dived with people who are not DIR at one point or another. If we use that criteria then JJ and George aren't DIR because they dove with Curt once..

Maybe I misread what the original posted meant, but that's how I took it.

We dive with non-DIR people all the time (I am not 100% DIR either) locally, but we just don't do any challenging dives with them. How else would DIR instructors train non-DIR students?

 

[MSilvia]

Okay... we're on the same page then. I didn't mean to imply that once you've dived with a non-DIR diver you've somehow become unclean and can never be DIR again... I just meant that you can't really dive DIR with people who aren't.

You can dive a lot better than you did before you got DIR training, but anything short of DIR isn't DIR.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

... anything short of DIR isn't DIR.

And that right there is the bug that sticks to the windshield.

It shouldn't be ... mind you ... but it is what most annoys those looking in from the outside ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[headhunter]

And that right there is the bug that sticks to the windshield.

It shouldn't be ... mind you ... but it is what most annoys those looking in from the outside ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

I can look around the bug. After all, I don't stop driving my car when a bug sticks to the windshield!

Following up on the comments between Matt and the Singing Pig. I love that by the way, although I'm sure I don't understand it's true meaning.

So... it sounds like it is possible to consider yourself, as an individual, "DIR", but that there may be times when you do a "non-DIR" dive. I'm thinking of the example of JJ and GI3 on a dive with Curt.

Does that sound about right?

Christian

 

[MSilvia]

I'm hardly an authority, but it sounds right to me. DIR is a holistic approach to diving. It's not just about equipment or technique, but also about training, planning, and diving with people who know how to be part of a DIR team. They know how to use lights to stay in buddy contact, how to react in an emergency so everyone's on the same page, etc.

If you dive without people like that, what you're doing isn't a DIR dive per se, but your DIR skills, planning, and gear will still serve you well.

 

[d33ps1x]

So... it sounds like it is possible to consider yourself, as an individual, "DIR", but that there may be times when you do a "non-DIR" dive. I'm thinking of the example of JJ and GI3 on a dive with Curt.

Does that sound about right?

Christian

I believe this to be true. Absolutely. It really depends on the person though. I, for the longest time, took a no compromise approach to my diving and stuck to my dive team of 3 only after having a few sketchy dives outside of this team and always having one or the other available.

On the other hand I know a lot of people that ask me to go diving. Not saying I am gods gift to diving...certainly not but just friends asking for casual dives or someone to be along to help them experience something new safely. Some of them good some of them really bad and some of them just new in general and wanting to dive with someone with at least a bit more experience.

At the end of the day I equally enjoy being mentored and mentoring. That is to say I love learning new skills and concepts from those better than me and I equally enjoy passing those skills and concepts on to willing divers who "ASK" for the help.

If I was a strict rule #1 anyone who has not done at least a fundamentals kind of DIR diver (which are extremely rare) I would never get the opportunity for the latter and that would truly be a shame to me.

It is great to see newer divers gain the the same hard won confidence, experience, and knowledge that we all lacked at one time or another and helping with that is something that goes along way towards keeping me stoked (note the lack of an r in there) about diving.

At one time I was a terrified new diver not knowing what to expect beneath the deep blue seas and someone pretty much held my hand and took me for a kickass ride below. Now I feel odd out of water and I crave the pressure of water surrounding me when I'm not in it. I am a hardcore addict.

Is 50% "DIR" better than none at all. I believe so. Opinions may and will vary.

 

[novadiver]

He's sorry, he thought that was your license plate number..

Here is the licence plate of the bus!

-r 22 36 60 5 5

This software contains serious flaws and should be checked against different sources and common sense

 

[headhunter]

Thanks MSilvia and d33ps1x.

That to me sounds very reasonable and makes good sense.

Christian

 

[DBailey]

Without starting a new thread, it seems like many interesting comments were made here. I know a few of my misconceptions about DIR were quelled here.

Here is one that remains:

Can DIR teach someone who has never been diving before (i.e. not certified by any agency) how to dive? Or must you have dive experience to begin the DIR classes?