Skilled diver vs good diver

[Hank49]

I agree with MengTze and jimdiverman. A highly skilled diver could be a lousy buddy. In my definition, a good diver should be a safe, reliable buddy.

 

[Scott M]

Interesting topic.

In my opinion a good diver possess's enough skills to gear up, know their gear, what it does and why they have it, dive a profile they determine (Even if on a vacation dive it is important to know what the profile is) but more importanly understand the profile and it's limits, dive the profile, maintain descent bouyancy, are a good dive buddy even if their buddy is not, can handle and resolve the basic problems their level of diving can bring. All with in the range of diving they are cerified for and plan to dive. I don't believe a good diver has to be adept at things they do not plan on doing.

Skilled on the other hand denotes they have mastered all of the above to the level they are certified and are able to do all of it as second nature but never do.

 

[Heffey]

My view is that a good diver is someone who dives well with in his or her skills envelope.

Skills can be improved, but if person can’t recognise his or her own limitations then they can never be what I would call a good diver.

 

[cold_water]

I asked a related question on a different thread recently and got interesting answer. (Let me know if you want to find the thread, I have to run to the shop to see if I'm diving today.) The opinion I came out with from that thread is that there are three different "facets" to a diver:

skills: buoyancy, gear knowledge, procedures, etx
local knowledge: knowing the dive sites, knowing how the conditions may change
attitude: I've seen some really skilled divers who are s**ns of b****es.

All three being independent. I'm guessing a minimum amount of all three is required, in my opinion, to make someone a good diver. Obviously, a good diver here can become less good somewhere else, simply because he doesn't know his way around.

At least, that's how I see it.

 

[Teamcasa]

It is not just semantics. The difference is how you/interpret it. Here is my take (on divers).

A skilled diver has refined a skill set or sets of skills that has some direct application. Cave, Commercial and Public Safety Divers are an example of skilled and sometimes highly skilled divers. They may also be good recreational divers but it is not a requirement to be a skilled diver.

A good diver, in the recreational sense is just that. However, the good diver reputation is determined by his/her peers not by the stack of cards in their pocket.

 

[TSandM]

I think it's probably pretty easy to agree on what a skilled diver is. Effortless buoyancy control, the ability to control one's impact on the dive site to the degree one wishes to control it, wide-ranging and acute awareness of the changing dynamics of the dive, including one's buddy if there is one, and the ability to cope with malfunctions and inconveniences smoothly and calmly are all skills I think most of us would agree belong to a skilled diver. I'd add the knowledge to plan a dive adequately, including assessing hazards and having appropriate contingency plans. Those are all skills.

What makes a GOOD diver is almost certainly more of a subjective determination each of us must make. To me, being a good diver includes one's attitude, which should be humble. I personally don't consider someone a superb diver if that person is doing amazing feats of exploration but is dismissive, rude or patronizing to others who are not. I also include good judgment in my list of necessary characteristics. You can have perfect control of yourself in the water, but if it routinely puts you where you or your companions are in danger, that's not good diving -- to ME. Others may find that a desirable part of what they do.

I also include an awareness of the environment through which we swim, and an attitude of conservation. This means if you fish, you learn enough about the species you're catching to know the life cycle, and which individuals are most safely removed from the population, and you watch the areas you fish to see what's happening to species and distribution. (The open fishing side of Anacapa made a durable impression on me.)

And because I'm who I am, my opinion of someone as a diver skyrockets if that person has indulged his curiosity to learn more about what lies behind what we do. I respect people who have learned about equipment design and manufacture and repair, or who have studied what's known about decompression.

But I do think the definition of "good" will vary according to how each of us ranks a whole list of qualities which do not fall under the strict definition of "skills".

 

[tedtim]

To me, skills are individual components. You can be taught skills, you can develop skills.

How you use the skills in combination to conduct a dive would lead me to define the "good diver."

Someone who can demonstrate superb individual skills, but cannot use the skills in a practical situation is IMO not a good diver. Someone who may have a bit less ability to perform a skill, but who can use the ability the have to conduct a dive safely and meet their dive objectives would be a good diver.

 

[LarryHinDC]

I was going to add an opinion here, but TSandM has already said what I would have, and better, too.

 

[gcbryan]

A good diver is well rounded, knowledgeable, has good judgement,can dive with anyone. A good diver isn't arrogent, doesn't pre-judge people, is adaptable and has good dive skills as well.

A skilled diver may or may not be a good diver. It takes more than skills to be a good diver and having above average skills in one area doesn't make up for not having the other characteristics of a good diver.

 

[Darnold9999]

Apples and oranges. A skilled diver is an objective measurement, what skills do you have and can you apply them. A good diver is subjective. What do I think of your diving - and from previous posts it seems we have to add, what do I think of your personality.