I got an opportunity to dive with a whole bunch of folks who subscribe to the DIR method of diving this last weekend. I was a bit apprehensive at first, diving with a short hose and Air II, not much experience and not even a regular buddy, so was going to get paired with someone I didn't know. I soon learned that there was nothing to be apprehensive about.
First of all I could not have been with a nicer group of people. Outgoing, fun, great senses of humor, and they all love to dive, and dive a lot. I never felt judged or "second class" because of how I currently dive. More important to me was that at no time did I feel like I was a target for "conversion". The only time DIR was discussed specifically was when I asked questions about the gear and process. And the answers I got were very direct and specific, again without me feeling like there was any judgment about how I dive.
My impression is that there is a lot to be said for the DIR style of diving. There is an emphasis on safety, planning, safety, planning, ( I know that is redundant
) and a certain comfort level associated with a standardized set of gear and protocols. I think the best way to describe how I saw it was that there would not be as many underwater emergencies with this system, as there would be underwater events that had been planned for and had a standard response for. All of this takes a lot of work, training and practice.
Drawbacks? There seems to be a lot of gear, and some of it temperamental. and they do like to take a lot of air with them. My LP 108 looked like a water heater last weekend, and looked like a pony bottle this weekend. I mean sometimes it looks like they will only do one dive all day (and by that I mean descend in the morning and come up in the late afternoon). And if you are not up to keeping your skills up, don't think you will get away with it. Although no one I saw was harder on anyone than they were on themselves. They take their skills very seriously.
Is it correct for everybody and all dive situations? I don't know. But I will say that I now have a limited but better understanding of what DIR is, and know it's not the voodoo that sometimes it is made out to be. I will also say that if something were to go wrong while underwater, I would be very happy to have a DIR diver nearby.
I look forward to the next chance I get to dive with these people again. If for no other reason than to get in the bubble column about 50 ft above a half dozen or so divers at 100 ft breathing mixed gasses. Its like diving in a glass of champagne.
First of all I could not have been with a nicer group of people. Outgoing, fun, great senses of humor, and they all love to dive, and dive a lot. I never felt judged or "second class" because of how I currently dive. More important to me was that at no time did I feel like I was a target for "conversion". The only time DIR was discussed specifically was when I asked questions about the gear and process. And the answers I got were very direct and specific, again without me feeling like there was any judgment about how I dive.
My impression is that there is a lot to be said for the DIR style of diving. There is an emphasis on safety, planning, safety, planning, ( I know that is redundant
) and a certain comfort level associated with a standardized set of gear and protocols. I think the best way to describe how I saw it was that there would not be as many underwater emergencies with this system, as there would be underwater events that had been planned for and had a standard response for. All of this takes a lot of work, training and practice. Drawbacks? There seems to be a lot of gear, and some of it temperamental. and they do like to take a lot of air with them. My LP 108 looked like a water heater last weekend, and looked like a pony bottle this weekend. I mean sometimes it looks like they will only do one dive all day (and by that I mean descend in the morning and come up in the late afternoon). And if you are not up to keeping your skills up, don't think you will get away with it. Although no one I saw was harder on anyone than they were on themselves. They take their skills very seriously.
Is it correct for everybody and all dive situations? I don't know. But I will say that I now have a limited but better understanding of what DIR is, and know it's not the voodoo that sometimes it is made out to be. I will also say that if something were to go wrong while underwater, I would be very happy to have a DIR diver nearby.
I look forward to the next chance I get to dive with these people again. If for no other reason than to get in the bubble column about 50 ft above a half dozen or so divers at 100 ft breathing mixed gasses. Its like diving in a glass of champagne.
