How do you define what makes a good diver

[ArcticDiver]

Let me assure you that without a humble bone between them, either will dive circles around both of us.

As I said in my post: A Good Diver is a Professional. Being a Professional is more than mastery of a skill set. We can build machines to do that. Focusing on skills is too small a thing. One needs to expand to include being a whole person.

Now, since I have never met these folks I don't know if they are whole persons or not. So, I am not either praising or criticizing them. There are serveral, including me, who define a Good Diver more elegantly than what they can do mechanically. Since you apparently know them personally I'll leave it up to you to comment on their professionalism.

 

[waterpirate]

to steal a line from the fotogs,
A good diver is one who leaves no memory or mark. It is the diver who goes about his business, and leaves no lasting impression, good or bad on anyone. Simply tips the crew and says thanx for a great trip.
Eric

 

[TSandM]

I'm scratching my head, and thinking that there seem to be two different things being discussed here: The spiritual and personality qualities of a diver one would respect, and the skills and resources of a technically fine diver.

People like Irvine and Gilliam are unquestionably technically fine divers. Their techniques are good, their knowledge is extensive, and their ability to cope when the crud hits the fan is unquestionable. They're not cuddly, as catherine would put it. But would anyone argue that they are not good divers?

On the other hand, I have friends who epitomize the qualities of humility, respect for the underwater environment, a constant desire to learn and improve, attention to critical skills, and respect for and good maintenance of their equipment, but they can't hold a ten foot stop if task-loaded. Are they good divers? As good as Irvine and Gilliam? Better?

As catherine said, there are truly gifted surgeons who are not at all nice people. They're not humble or pleasant. They are perfectionist and driven and extremely skilled.

The problem with the original post is that "good diver" is undefined.

 

[fisherdvm]

to steal a line from the fotogs,
A good diver is one who leaves no memory or mark. It is the diver who goes about his business, and leaves no lasting impression, good or bad on anyone. Simply tips the crew and says thanx for a great trip.
Eric

Why can't I pee in the rental suit??

 

[edjohnson66]

someone who realizes that they dont know everything, and that there is always more to learn

 

[Humble older aquaman]

TSand M...when mind, spirit and body work together seemlessly, it's a beautiful thing. Throw in mastery of environment and technology...the image of the perfect diver starts to focus. Now, could this being posses humbleness?

Panic: A sudden strong feeling of fear that prevents reasonable thought or action.

Fear, by my humble definition is lack of knowledge...has divers, our life underwater is directly related to our knowledge of existing in an environment that we're not supposed to exist in. Without knowledge, we couldn't be there. For me, to stave off fear down there, and up here, I've always relied on the simple mantra of the next breath. Focusing on where to get it, getting it, then the next one, so on has carried me through thick and thin.

Have enjoyed this thread...lots of thoughtful input...here's to us all being perfect thoughtful divers!

Hoa!

 

[UnderSeaBumbleBee]

The problem with the original post is that "good diver" is undefined.

Ah that is the point of the post to allow people to express their definition of "good diver". By leaving that open we learn what each person thinks a "good diver" is and a we also learn something about the person responding. How people define things and what the express as being important or good gives us some insight into the poster.

I don't think being a nice person is required to be a good diver or good anything. For instance if I come into your ER TS or anyone else’s, I really don't care if you are all that nice or not, I want you to stop the bleeding now and put Humpty Dumpty back together again. Being nice is just a bonus in that situation. Now your coworkers might beg to differ since they are with you day in and day out.

What prompted my question to start this thread is that I was talking with someone locally about another diver that I personally know only through the online boards. I said, "I heard you went diving with so and so." They person replied, "Yes" and then I asked since it is a person I know only through the boards, "What is the diver like in person?" To which I got the reply, "So and so is a terrible diver!" Well, then a few weeks later, I bump into someone else and I have heard that they have been in the water with the same diver that was discussed with the other person and I ask again what that diver is like and I get a reply from the 2nd person that I had this discussion with that "so and so diver is GREAT! I loved being in the water with them! They were so helpful!! Really know their stuff and just a pleasure to dive with!! I look forward to diving with them again!! You have really got to meet so and so and go diving with them!"

Two different people went diving with so and so and both defined them on opposite ends of the scale. How they rated the other diver both gave me insight into the other diver as well as the person giving the rating.

Now back to my thread rating! I have been really annoyed with all the one star terrible ratings on many really good threads lately. SO! I am shamelessly lobbying for 200 honest votes or 5 stars which ever comes first. Scuba Board has been a great learning resource for me. Even simple questions, have really helped me a great deal and I appreciate others asking questions that I might not have thought of yet. I would like to think that I am a “better” diver as a result of becoming a member of Scuba Board and all that I have read here. I am still a long way off from becoming a “good diver, ” as I have much to learn and so many skills to refine. It is my goal to become a “good diver” one day.

I suspect that who ever is rating all the threads as one star is someone who really is not a good diver or really doesn’t know much at all if anything about diving. If they did they would not rate almost every thread a one star/terrible rating. Someone who is great will be understanding of those who are on the path far behind them and not seek to chide them for not being as far along as they are, but will gently seek to bring them forward. To ridicule the questions of the simple, is a sign that the one doing the ridiculing is truly the one who is a FOOL!

Now back to the main point of the thread. I really appreciate the thoughtful replies. It gives me many things to consider as I begin my second season in the water. I appreciate receiving replies from many different perspectives. After having the conversation about so and so diver, I really began to wonder what a truly good diver is. You all have given me something to think about and aspire to be. NOW VOTE FOR MY THREAD and give me your honest rating!

 

[Diver Dennis]

This is a great thread Leah and I never pay attention to those stars...

 

[MaxBottomtime]

I've been reading SB for several years and never even noticed there was a rating system. I just gave it five stars.

 

[UnderSeaBumbleBee]

I've been reading SB for several years and never even noticed there was a rating system. I just gave it five stars.

Actually, I hadn't noticed until a couple of weeks ago and every thread had a star by it and I wondered what the deal was and then I noticed that it was in multiple forums that Mr One Star was leaving his mark. So as Mr One Star expresses himself about us and all of our threads, I am also expressing my thoughts about him and his lack of diving knowledge.