The Power Of The System

[TSandM]

a good smooth dive with a new buddy is about their quality as a diver (and as a person), and about the two of us being on the same page in terms of goals for the dive. Fundies is a great way of getting there, but it isn't the only way.

I've done any number of good dives with non DIR-trained people. A good diver is a good diver. But there is an extra quality of relaxation when I know my buddy's gear like my own, and I also know what that person is likely to do in a lot of situations. And I know what to expect them to be able to do. It's just wonderfully seamless.

 

[lamont]

I had the same experience recently when diving with Kathydee in the Mexico. We had just met the day before with the plan to take a tour of the cenotes together. Before going into the underworld, we went for some relaxed salt water diving in the local reefs. It was just all so easy. Quick discussion of gear, a dive plan, into the water, a check and we were happily diving together; comfortable in the knowledge that we were checking on each other and had a whole toolkit of common procedures. Needless to say we had a blast diving together through the caverns :cool2:

I spent 2 weeks down in MX for the GUE get-together this spring, and did all my Cave2-level diving with Nick, who I'd never met before ( a lot of his pictures are probably responsible for me getting C1/C2-certified, but didn't know him at all in person). After Margaritas at the pub we did some warmup C2 dives in Gran Cenote the next day, then a stage dive to the Blue Abyss, then double-stages in Camillo and Taj Mahal and driving through the jungle with Fred to Tuxchapatza(sp!), etc... With the same kind of training and expectations, its pretty easy to just 'click' and do a lot of good diving... It also allows you to do what I did which was to book tickets and assume that you'd find a compatible dive buddy when you got there...