ColinCB
Registered
For the next 4 or so months, I will be studying abroad in Australia. Obviously this means I'll be diving in Australia. There are also a -ton of divers. Since I've been here I've only done 3 dives. But continuing on...
Having this many divers around somehow always leads to your/their future in diving, especially since many of us are marine biologists, or some major having to do with the aquatic environment. Somehow it always leads to this discussion, no matter what. But then it becomes a 1-up competition. "OH, I WANT TO CAVE DIVE!" "OH I WANT TO DIVE TO 100 METERS!" And other crap like that...
Ignoring all of the X vs. Y vs. Z certification argument bullcrap, what's the next step for me?
A little background...
I've been diving since 2007, but due to prohibitive costs and the like, I've only completed around 70 dives. Sadly I've also fallen into the only logged 20 of those dives trap. I'm a bit lazy, but I've become better, logging the last 10 of my dives with scientific accuracy and precision. I've always been interested in what's below 100 feet since the day I started diving. I'm also not stupid and I've kept myself within safe limits. Obviously this leads me to technical diving. At this time, I'm not pro-anything. I'm a blank slate. I've read books, articles, posts on SB, and a lot of other stuff. There are so many options to choose from. Agencies to look at, gear to buy, and other factors.
I'm interested in penetration diving, both cave and wreck.
Don't get me wrong, I realize the seriousness of these diving environments and that's the reason for pursuing further and further training. I don't except to go from a reef to the andrea doria in a month or anything like that. I'm in it for the long haul.
So SB members, what's the next level of training for me? I don't care what agency you mention, as long as you have a REASON to mention it. I'm not looking for troll posts of "OMG DIR or OMG THAT AGENCY SUCKS!"
I appreciate the help.
To be honest, I'm just sick of seeing ****ty divers. Divers with no trim, no spatial awareness, no buoyancy, no idea what a NDL table is, no idea how to read a gauge, and no idea what diving should be. I'm sick of seeing people wreck years and years of coral growth for a ****ing picture. (side note: watched a guy break off a 16" fan coral to get a picture of his wife and then break off finger coral as he kicked off the bottom.) I want to be a better diver not only on paper (which isn't that important to me), but in the water. In essence, I want to learn.
Let me add one more thing. I currently dive a rented DR BP/W with a long/short reg setup and I like it. I feel like DIR-F would be a good starting point. I may not necessarily go that route, but everything I've heard makes it sound like I should take it (from both DIR and non-DIR divers here on SB).
Having this many divers around somehow always leads to your/their future in diving, especially since many of us are marine biologists, or some major having to do with the aquatic environment. Somehow it always leads to this discussion, no matter what. But then it becomes a 1-up competition. "OH, I WANT TO CAVE DIVE!" "OH I WANT TO DIVE TO 100 METERS!" And other crap like that...
Ignoring all of the X vs. Y vs. Z certification argument bullcrap, what's the next step for me?
A little background...
I've been diving since 2007, but due to prohibitive costs and the like, I've only completed around 70 dives. Sadly I've also fallen into the only logged 20 of those dives trap. I'm a bit lazy, but I've become better, logging the last 10 of my dives with scientific accuracy and precision. I've always been interested in what's below 100 feet since the day I started diving. I'm also not stupid and I've kept myself within safe limits. Obviously this leads me to technical diving. At this time, I'm not pro-anything. I'm a blank slate. I've read books, articles, posts on SB, and a lot of other stuff. There are so many options to choose from. Agencies to look at, gear to buy, and other factors.
I'm interested in penetration diving, both cave and wreck.
Don't get me wrong, I realize the seriousness of these diving environments and that's the reason for pursuing further and further training. I don't except to go from a reef to the andrea doria in a month or anything like that. I'm in it for the long haul.
So SB members, what's the next level of training for me? I don't care what agency you mention, as long as you have a REASON to mention it. I'm not looking for troll posts of "OMG DIR or OMG THAT AGENCY SUCKS!"
I appreciate the help.
To be honest, I'm just sick of seeing ****ty divers. Divers with no trim, no spatial awareness, no buoyancy, no idea what a NDL table is, no idea how to read a gauge, and no idea what diving should be. I'm sick of seeing people wreck years and years of coral growth for a ****ing picture. (side note: watched a guy break off a 16" fan coral to get a picture of his wife and then break off finger coral as he kicked off the bottom.) I want to be a better diver not only on paper (which isn't that important to me), but in the water. In essence, I want to learn.
Let me add one more thing. I currently dive a rented DR BP/W with a long/short reg setup and I like it. I feel like DIR-F would be a good starting point. I may not necessarily go that route, but everything I've heard makes it sound like I should take it (from both DIR and non-DIR divers here on SB).
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