The Rule of Fun: what do you do when you aren't having any?

[The Chairman]

then as far as I am concerned, there are always questions asked.

After the fact? Sure. But there is no debate when a dive is called: it's done. When I see the thumb, I return the thumb. We'll have plenty of time to discuss it on the surface. Questioning whether a dive should be called at depth is sacrilegious and shouldn't happen. Even after the dive, I don't feel obliged to give my reasons and I certainly won't demand any. Like that shark incident, I wasn't going to tell the guy that he was an imbecile and I just won't dive with an imbecile a second time. Mind you, I'll probably volunteer why I called a dive: too cold, too hot, too much current, etc, but it's my decision to share it with you. I won't be badgered into revealing why if I don't want to and I'll honor my buddy's right to privacy if they so choose.

There's another way to look at this. I have taught a number of kids over the years. Parents are used to forcing their kids into an activity. I tell the kids and the parents up front that they don't get to do that here. If the kid doesn't want to dive for whatever reason, then they simply can't force them. You and only you get to decide if you splash. No one can make that decision for you. An "I don't want to" is just as valid as an earache. They don't get to say "You get in that water right now, or you're grounded!" That kind of attitude is anathema to safe diving.

 

[Steve_C]

Have thought some more about this. First I will add that I spent years fishing before I took up diving late in life. I have had too many cases of no action, bored, decide to stick it out a bit longer, and a big fish hits and it turns into a memorable trip so I have acquired a stick it out trait. Things that reinforce occasionally are the most ingrained. I have had that I have seen this wreck completely, hang around a bit more, and then OMG look at that frogfish. Maybe it is always fun for me. I enjoy the hunt for critters big and small. One exception is getting cold. If my buddy is having fun but I am just chilly I will stick it out. But if I feel the cold starting to creep in I will give the cold signal and thumb the dive. Made that call once too late in a quarry where we had a bit of swim to go. Swimming with heavy legs that felt like they were 20 pounds each is not fun (or particularly wise or safe or ....)

 

[Steve_C]

I agree that thumb means head up/back. But sometimes a bit of voluntary explanation is helpful. Are we going back up because they are cold, feel sick, have an equipment issue? it is helpful to know. If for example, I get the cold signal and they thumb (or I thumb) and we go up and pass out of our 72 degree water into 82 degree water which happens here sometimes even in late summer I may know that we can do a leisurely safety stop. For sick or equipment we may blow the safety stop.

 

[The Chairman]

I enjoy the hunt for critters big and small.

Me too. I should also admit that when I guide or teach others, I tend to overlook my own comfort. I'll dive cold and sick and that has led to a few memorable dives.

 

[AZNetEng]

For my wife and I diving "has" to be fun. Being vacation divers it is what we choose to do for relaxation and entertainment. That approach of course is more an overall philosophy than any specific dive and the enjoyment/fun level.

At some point we will fall into the trap of having an expectation about a dive, or a dive site, or even a whole planned trip. I think that is mostly inevitable. We aren't there yet though. Being 80 dives into our adventure we still enjoy all the facets of our trips, from gear prep and packing, the trip, the diving itself, the people we meet, etc. We want to hang onto that as long as we possibly can.

As far as the fun factor on any one dive, physical comfort and the ability to complete is the most important. Last week we spent 6 days diving in Roatan. We had planned a live drop at the end of day 2 (which would have been dive 4 that day) and when we got back on the boat we looked at one another and decided that we were too tired.

The next day, we scheduled the same and when we got out of the water we both commented on how much better we felt that day than the day before. That 4th dive that day was a great dive. We got to see a Goliath Grouper (he swam up to us) and while abstractly you know there are some really large critters in the water it is still fun to get to see one!

So, my really long answer is... It is still all fun for us. When we think it isn't going to be fun we don't do the dive. Each dive is unique for us. Sometimes we take cameras, sometimes we don't. We love taking pics and video but are not letting that interest overwhelm the overall enjoyment of just making bubbles.

 

[The Chairman]

and pass out of our 72 degree water into 82 degree water which happens here sometimes even in late summer I may know that we can do a leisurely safety stop. For sick or equipment we may blow the safety stop.

I was doing a training dive with a DM candidate on the Spiegel Grove. Absolutely beautiful with incredible vis (bow to stern) and no appreciable current. As we were at our safety stop I happened to reach over and grab the down line and the vibration was alarming. I looked up to the boat to see just how strong that surface current was going to be, and the line was pretty slack with the buoy resting easily on the surface. Well, it was obviously not the current making the vibration, so I looked at the DM candidate who had absolutely no body fat. She was shivering violently while holding onto the line. Wow. I thumbed the safety stop for her and got her on the boat ASAP. We had a discussion about when to call even a safety stop.

 

[Marie13]

This happens all too often and is a constant topic among industry professionals. It's my opinion that one of the greatest problems among current divers is a lack of buoyancy control. They can't maintain their depth and look like yo-yos in the water. They sink precipitously, fill their BC with air, only to dump it as they start to race to the surface and the scene repeats itself over and over during the dive. There's no need for this, it can't be much fun and I encourage instructors to learn how to impart satisfactory buoyancy control within the confines of your OW class. The control of your depth directly affects your ability to have fun during a dive. White knuckles are fine on a roller coaster, but not during a dive. White knuckle divers do just what Marie suggests: they quit.

Not just that. Enough people telling a diver they have no business being in the water, the diver just says screw it, quits, and sells off their equipment.

 

[boulderjohn]

I did some of my training dives for instructor certification years ago in Key Largo. On one of those dives, I saw something that has stuck in my mind vividly. A woman was on the bottom. She was trying to swim as she pushed off the sand with a hand, a knee and fin dragging behind. She had a weight-integrated BCD, and the pockets were trying to fall out because they were absolutely full of lead. She had to be at least 20 pounds overweighted. The look on her face was pure misery.

I immediately made a vow that my students would never, ever look like that. They would never see diving as something to be endured, which was obviously what she was feeling.

 

[Kristi@CCDS]

My Rule of Fun states that you can call a dive at any time, for any reason with no questions asked and no repercussions. It's all about knowing your limits and then honoring them before you exceed them. You should always be in control because being out of control is just no fun. Since we dive for fun, there's no need for us to simply grit it and continue on. We need to stop and figure out why we're not having fun and call the dive(s) until we can figure it out.

So what does it mean? What does it mean to you? How should it affect your diving?

IMO it sounds like you are not simply talking about 'fun' you are also talking about safety. Safety takes top priority to me and trumps 'fun' or anything else. If for whatever reason to me the dive takes a turn into un-safe (even if it's just gut instinct) I call the dive. No if-and-or but. Feeling uncomfortable can lead to stress, which can turn to panic, and that can be dangerous. I've talked about this many times with friends and customers; just because your card says you can do something doesn't mean you have to follow that card to the max. Keep in mind personal limitations as well as the limitations of your certification. Just because I'm certified to go to 300+ feet doesn't mean I HAVE to go to that max depth if I'm not feeling it that day, heck I don't HAVE to get in the water. Better to be safe than gone. Just my 2 cents.

 

[kelemvor]

Interesting replies...I make a point of letting my students know that this rule applies to training. Training should be fun, fun, fun. If it's not, there's usually something stealing the fun. After all, we're playing like we're "Jackie Coo-stow" as my mom would call him, and that's fun right there.

Sure, there are times with long decos and I often ask myself is the dive worth that? How can I make it fun? In Ginnie, I love to find and chase the tiny flounder. In the Bahamas, I once played with a Golden Chain eel. I was lucky that I had a wall where I could stay at my depth and still play.

Those are minimal attacks on my fun. What about real annoyances? A leaky mask, ill fitting fins, a BC that allows your tank to wobble or even a buddy who has no issues with kneeling on the reef? I had an SBer want to show me all about spear fishing. We were off Tampa in 60ish feet of water as he lined up and shot a rather large black grouper. Mr. Bull Sharky took the opportunity and swam right over us, brushing me with his tail, and grabbed the flailing grouper. My buddy pulled the shark to us with the spear leash and proceeded to club the feeding shark with his spear gun. He went freakazoid as far as I was concerned. Again, I was hit by the Mr. Sharky's tail! Soon enough, Mr. Sharky tore the body away and left us with a head. We were low on pressure and ended the dive. As he was switching tanks, and cussing at Mr. Sharky, he encouraged me to do the same. "That's OK, I have to sit this next one out: I've got a bone in my leg!" He thought I was freaked by seeing Mr. Sharky when I was more freaked by how he reacted to Mr. Sharky. I have no desire to dive with him again. Ever.

Personally, I have rarely thought any of my dive training was fun at the time I was doing it. I take it seriously, maybe too seriously, and I find myself feeling stressed during most of the course. I do recall several fun moments during classes like the drill in open water where we had to follow a line under and through obstacles with a blackout mask. That was awesome! But that was maybe 1 hour of a 28 hour long course. Kind of the same thing with every other class I've taken other than the silly nitrox course. Cave was similar; although I understand that this one is stressful by design.