One year today

[cowboyneal]

While DIR is nice if you think you need it, it certainly isn't some "toehold on competence." Some of us have been diving very competently, thank you very much, for many, many years (over 25 years and well over 2000 dives in my own case) and well before DIR was some new vogue thing on which people now spend money, and without any of the rules for which it is now famous (infamous, whatever).

I saw some DIR guy with double tanks on my trip last week - and he spent 55 minutes at 65 feet. I spent the same 55 minutes in the water, some of it at 115 feet (and returned with 750 psi in my little single tank). Was he "doing it right?" Who knows....most of the time he was way up in the middle of the water looking at nothing, and he didn't look so comfortable on the boat either sweating under the burden of all that redundant nonsense.

My gear is simple: wetsuit, BC (Zeagle Ranger), fins, mask. I use 6 lbs. in sw with a 3mm on, half in my BC and half on a belt. So, while I appreciate that some people need the 'safety' in the redundancies and the psychological comfort of some program so inflexible and rigid, I still prefer the way I dive for me, and it seems like the other 98% of the divers that also dive that way feel likewise, without all the rules, regulations, requirements and rigidity of DI"R" (now you know what the R really stands for)...so, as you go through the next few levels of diving (its all new to you, so I understand, we were all there once)...you'll look back later and probably feel a little judgmental for saying something about which you really don't have enough experience to judge...however, it's all good, and everyone is free to hold whatever opinion they like and express the same (as I have done myself)....

 

[TSandM]

I'd love to go diving, but I'm up to my armpits in the ill and injured at the moment . . .

 

[TSandM]

Cowboyneal, I appreciate your effort to turn this into another one of my 20 page "inadvertent troll" efforts, but no go today!

 

[dherbman]

My gear is simple: wetsuit, BC (Zeagle Ranger), fins, mask. I use 6 lbs. in sw with a 3mm on, half in my BC and half on a belt. So, while I appreciate that some people need the 'safety' in the redundancies and the psychological comfort of some program so inflexible and rigid, I still prefer the way I dive for me, and it seems like the other 98% of the divers that also dive that way feel likewise, without all the rules, regulations, requirements and rigidity of DI"R" (now you know what the R really stands for)...so, as you go through the next few levels of diving (its all new to you, so I understand, we were all there once)...you'll look back later and probably feel a little judgmental for saying something about which you really don't have enough experience to judge...however, it's all good, and everyone is free to hold whatever opinion they like and express the same (as I have done myself)....

That's great for you, but given the choice, I'd dive with Lynne or any DIR compliant diver over someone diving 'their way'(whatever that means). I know what I'm getting.
Perhaps you just need more experience with DIR before judging it.

I knew this would be a controversial thread!

 

[cowboyneal]

I'm not at all interested in trolling anything, personally. Is this one of those "whomever doesn't agree with me must be troll" situations? Yes, all you (new) DIR folks should stick together...please do...in fact, please take your own boat. It's like AA...all the newbies on a pink cloud of recovery...lol...I've plenty of experience with DIR - read the book - know some of the long standing members (who I goof on mercilessly while it takes them 30 mins to gear up, and who tell me unendingly that "I'm going to die," and we all have a good laugh)...I'm not at all interested in the 50,000 "R's" and plenty of very experienced people that dive DIR for a very long time (comparatively) will dive with me any time and anywhere, whether or not I have a 7 foot hose, and I with them becuase of my and their EXPERIENCE...not because of their black wetsuits, rule spouting or 7 foot hoses, because size doesn't matter...experience is what counts...

 

[TSandM]

Cowboyneal, "inadvertent troll" was a SB type Andy came up with -- the person who posts an innocent thread that ends up getting everybody all riled up and runs 20 pages. I've done that any number of times, so I'm the troll I was talking about.

 

[dherbman]

I've heard of these DIR types you describe, but have never seen them myself. Be a hero, name names.

BTW, you don't have to be DIR to see it is a better way to dive. I'm not DIR.

 

[cowboyneal]

I don't think its better...its different. If it works for you (or anyone else), great! However, its not the be all and end all of diving...that's all I am saying. That, and the fact there are a great many experienced and very excellent divers that dive traditional...that's all...

 

[TSandM]

You know, I laughed at a guy last year who dove our 25 foot deep underwater park in doubles. I thought he was pretty affected. I now realize he may have been learning how to dive them, and smart enough to do it shallow.

DIR doesn't mean doubles. You can look at the photos from the two Cayman Quest trips on the GUE website and see LOTS of people in wetsuits and single tanks, apparently having a great deal of fun.

You can go to Hawaii and get on a boat and see a lot of non-DIR divers in wetsuits and single tanks, having a great deal of fun. In fact, we can all dive together and have a great deal of fun!

I like what I've learned from the DIR folks. It pleases me and I enjoy learning the skills and practicing them. I'm awed at the diving ability of the instructors, and the people further along the training path than I am. I think precision, grace and an ability to deal with the unexpected calmly and competently are all great qualities in a person, whether underwater or not!

 

[cowboyneal]

Didn't say DIR was doubles...said this DIR guy had doubles...and you don't need DIR to learn any of those skills, which were all available to be learned long before there was DIR, or traditional scuba for that matter...