Diving is a funny sport!

[MB NZ]

Diving as a sport seems overly hierarchical. Divers in general often seem ready to criticise others for their technique, or choice of equipment. Safety is always stated as the primary concern, but there's more to it, definitely some psychology involved. Maybe it's more prominent on the internet rather than the real world, but as someone who generally just gets on with it, diving from my own boat and now doing a bit of holiday diving after a long break, this is very evident to me. It's not rocket science. Once you lose the training wheels, it's not a difficult sport. Stick your gear on and do the bloody dive! Agree/disagree? Are other sports better or worse in this respect?

 

[Dan G]

OW NDL diving is not "a difficult sport," as you say. It's pretty straight forward and does not require a massive amount of skill or knowledge compared to cave, wreck, or deco diving to name a few. Considering the fact that there are many different gear configurations people can safely dive, the critique you describe is bound to occur. Many times, but not always, those critiques come down to personal preference. That being said, there is some gear out there plenty of people use and I have absolutely no interest in using because I know I would not feel as safe using it.

Technical diving is a much more precise sport and variations in configuration and technique can become very large subjects for debate.

Every sport has an element of this. Sometimes it's gatekeeping and other times it's worthy debate. When I used to rock and ice climb, gear choice, configuration, and climbing ethics were constant and often heated sources for debate. Telemark skiing has much less of this now, but 30 years ago which boots and skis people used was often seen as an ethical choice rather than simply a gear choice about preference.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Divers in general often seem ready to criticise others for their technique, or choice of equipment. Safety is always stated as the primary concern, but there's more to it, definitely some psychology involved.

I believe there's often also an element of trying to be helpful to newer or less experiened divers, and yes, that could be called a psychological component. We all remember when we were new divers, and some of us had some poor experiences. Now, with the benefit of hindsight, training and experience, we feel we can give the help to newer divers that we never got. There is some satisfaction in helping others. The key is to avoid our attempts at "helping" from being perceived as "criticism." And also to avoid letting our satisfaction at educating from becoming stroking of our own egos. Especially online, where we are limited to expressing ourselves with words, we may not do the best job of all that.

 

[DreadnoughtNH]

Maybe it's more prominent on the internet rather than the real world...

This. This. And more this.

Putting anything on the internet is a surefire way to both attract criticism and end up feeling like you need to insert both of your feet into your mouth.

Everyone has -- and is entitled to -- their opinion about scuba gear, technique, skills, agency, locations, etc., particularly at the recreational end of the sport (perhaps less so in the tech/pro/commercial end) where the individual's personal preferences are going to be far more important to their success than anonymous online critique. That being all said, kicking up silt and stepping on critters is just bad manners.

Rec diving -- like the other sports mentioned here -- does have a 'Darwin award' component to it, and I appreciate that.

 

[jadairiii]

It's not rocket science. Once you lose the training wheels, it's not a difficult sport. Stick your gear on and do the bloody dive!

Same with skiing, water skiing, golf, jogging, swimming, pickle ball, etc. Just about any sport isn't "difficult". But if the diver wants to move beyond the "bunny slope" then there is more than just "doing the bloody dive".

I am sure there are lots of people on this forum that have conducted more than one rescue (as I have) of a diver that believed that all they needed to do was to "Stick your gear on and do the bloody dive". Not only that, look at the heavily visited tourist reefs, and their state of damage, which will tell you there is more than "just putting on the gear".

There are a lot of homes on golf courses with broken windows too.

 

[LFMarm]

Diving as a sport seems overly hierarchical. Divers in general often seem ready to criticise others for their technique, or choice of equipment. Safety is always stated as the primary concern, but there's more to it, definitely some psychology involved. Maybe it's more prominent on the internet rather than the real world, but as someone who generally just gets on with it, diving from my own boat and now doing a bit of holiday diving after a long break, this is very evident to me. It's not rocket science. Once you lose the training wheels, it's not a difficult sport. Stick your gear on and do the bloody dive! Agree/disagree? Are other sports better or worse in this respect?

I don't believe OC/CC diving is a sport -- there is no competition. I would rather consider it an hobby or a job depending of what you do it for. On the other hand free diving could be a sport, depending why and how you do it.

 

[berndo]

Diving is easy alright but there is alot of objectively bad gear configurations out there. There is also poor technique and people that are doing dives they really shouldn't be doing. It's pretty common for people who dive 20 lbs overweight and kick stuff to think they're good divers their basics are really lacking. And some of these people have hundreds of dives... and some are so called 'tec divers'.
I've never seen somebody actually kill themself but I've seen people getting pretty close way too often.

And also to avoid letting our satisfaction at educating from becoming stroking of our own egos. Especially online, where we are limited to expressing ourselves with words, we may not do the best job of all that.

I found, in person, people are usually willing to listen when you explain something and they realise that you can actually tell them how and more importantly why something is better. Online, people seem way more dense.
After having taken a gander into the pub, I realise that many of the SB power poster are right wing conspiracy wackos ... so that might be a factor.

 

[Lorenzoid]

I found, in person, people are usually willing to listen when you explain something and they realise that you can actually tell them how and more importantly why something is better.

Absolutely. When a person can use intonation, even body language, to explain something, in a friendly setting, they can much more easily make themselves understood. The very fact that this is a discussion "forum" and we're not sitting on a dive boat deck or in a pub (not The Pub) poses a challenge to true understanding. SB can be fun and educational, but the online world is an imperfect place for real "discussions."

 

[MB NZ]

I don't believe OC/CC diving is a sport -- there is no competition. I would rather consider it an hobby or a job depending of what you do it for. On the other hand free diving is could be a sport, depending why and how you do it.

Call it what you will. Sport, hobby, pastime, way of avoiding real exercise!

 

[MB NZ]

Same with skiing, water skiing, golf, jogging, swimming, pickle ball, etc. Just about any sport isn't "difficult". But if the diver wants to move beyond the "bunny slope" then there is more than just "doing the bloody dive".

I am sure there are lots of people on this forum that have conducted more than one rescue (as I have) of a diver that believed that all they needed to do was to "Stick your gear on and do the bloody dive".

It's like driving a car. If someone is really determined to avoid basic safety measures, there's not much you can do for them apart from lending assistance when the times comes.