Video debriefs - What's your excuse

[kathydee]

Well, I'm about to go down to Monterey and spend a whole weekend diving with like-minded folks -- dives that will probable range from light technical to a shallow dive to escort a DIR-curious new diver. Maybe I'll try to get some photos and write the trip up, as it will really epitomize the thing I like the best about DIR diving, which is how well similarly trained divers can immediately mesh and make diving stress-free and fun.

Hope we have great conditions for you Lynne!

 

[rhlee]

Wow. long thread

We need a better mix, people should start posting more reports, then it's not ONLY day 1 questions.

Ok, I'll bite... We did a pretty run-of-the-mill dive on Sat. on one of our offshore pinnacles. Dive itself was nice, but the O2 stop was amazing:

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/norcal/350217-photos-saturday-8-28-a.html

 

[ScubaFeenD]

Really I'd just rather hear about diving - recreational or otherwise (critters I can't see or something/anything unique, wrecks, caves, whatever). Class reports are interesting to people who haven't taken it and to a few who wax philosphically about their own. My own DIRF was 6(7?) yrs ago and like many people, I have moved on. Its hard to stay engaged in someplace like SB if the vast majority of posters talk about gear & GUEf class.

ps I am working up my CSI video from the Scepter Squamish (~175ft barge & crane 4 days ago) now. How about you write up some non-class diving you did this month too?

I agree, and will post some reports of recent diving soon! Hopefully you won't mind if I throw some comments about the dir system in with the writeup.

 

[limeyx]

"the team clearly failed me there"

"Team doesn't start in the parking lot Lamont. It's my TEAMS fault that I suck "

 

[kanonfodr]

I would love to post a bunch of DIR dive reports, but my selection of DIR buddies is rather...limited . Most of my dive reports could be worded like this:

So my non-DIR buddy couldn't back up and silted out the place while I was trying to get this one shot of a Fuschia Flatworm. Using my elite DIR skills of Trim, Bouyancy, and the Back Kick, I manuevered out of his way while he was flailing about and his split fins were trashing the reef. I just grimaced and wished for a capable buddy as he roto-tilled his way around, gave me an okay, and then we headed on to the next cool part of the dive with me in the lead so I could hopefully get good footage before the stroke scared every interesting sea creature in a 100 yard radius away with his horrible diving skill.

lol.

Peace,
Greg

 

[GShockey]

"Team doesn't start in the parking lot Lamont. It's my TEAMS fault that I suck "

Nick, remember there might not be an "I" in team but Lamont says there is a "me"....

Lamont, hope to see you on the 11th.

Guy

 

[limeyx]

Nick, remember there might not be an "I" in team but Lamont says there is a "me"....

Lamont, hope to see you on the 11th.

Guy

Heh heh heh.

 

[Ben_ca]

Henrik,
Thanks for this thoughtful post. You captured my thoughts perfectly. This is supposed to be a light hearted look of how we can look at our faults and laugh at ourselves. and you are right that it really sucks to get blasted from both ends of the spectrum.


Brian,
The goal of diving is to have fun... whether it be in long caves or the deep ocean... one thing we have in common. We all started somewhere. So please give the new guys a chance to be a part of the community instead of bagging on them because all they have so far to share is the first step. Let's be good examples of the system and show how we can grow the community thru support and mentorship.


To all who have shared their funny/not so funny/humbling experiences please keep them coming... and don't let it stop you from enjoying your diving.

It's kinda tricky: being a rank newbie I don't have stories that would interest Brian or Dan - or most other veteran DIR divers.

We have a growing group of divers locally who have gone through Fundies despite the mocking (mostly in jest ... mostly ...) from LDS and dive buddies. And you are correct, our experience in DIR diving really is limited. So threads like this one - while no doubt agonizingly boring to some - is something we can contribute to, read, laugh at while recognizing our own blundering and excuses.

Btw. I've read most of the Fundies threads and don't remember any particular whining about "how hard it is". On the contrary, I think most are a recognition that Fundies was a big leap from what we were originally used to and that we all came away with a new appreciation for what diving can be.

Rather than raggin' on us for doing so (really sucks getting it from both sides ...), how about contributing to *my* growth within the system with some basic pointers. I know it's been done to death and you're no doubt sick and tired of it, and a search would provide enough answers for weeks of reading. But things are evolving within the system, and current hands-on knowledge as well as "historical" background would be interesting and helpful to us newbies.

I can't instantly rise to your level of knowledge and skills and contribute with threads you would find new and interesting. So unless you're willing to stoop to my level ... <shrug>

And quite frankly, in this thread, which is so clearly tongue-in-cheek and just for grins, the best approach would be to just relax and laugh.

Henrik

 

[nadwidny]

Brian,
The goal of diving is to have fun... whether it be in long caves or the deep ocean... one thing we have in common. We all started somewhere.

Like that is relevant to anything but fill yer boots.

So please give the new guys a chance to be a part of the community instead of bagging on them because all they have so far to share is the first step.

Didn't bag on the new folks. I just said I was tired of reading nothing but DIRF stuff on this forum. Others have agreed and this lead to a couple of threads showing that there is more to DIR than the screening course. Hopefully others that are further along in the system keep it up.

What the new people really need to see is that there is life beyond fundies. That is what drives people to keep going. Too often I've seen people take a DIRF course and end there because with so much emphasis on DIRF they don't know there is anything beyond.

Let's be good examples of the system and show how we can grow the community thru support and mentorship.

You have no idea how much mentoring and support I've given over the years.

To all who have shared their funny/not so funny/humbling experiences please keep them coming...

Please don't. This thread ran its' course 10 months ago. Just let it die.

 

[HenrikBP]

Can we agree that this exchange of opinions have lead to some interesting new threads about some really cool dives. Threads which no doubt are much more interesting to the "old timers" than us newbie's banter about Fundies excuses

I think it would be nice if in the end this thread and the viewpoints expressed here would lead to a bit more activity in the DIR forum - hopefully with topics to entertain and educate both newbies and old timers.

My latest DIR/GUE epiphany is how selecting the *exact* right bolt snap size makes clipping *so* much easier. More threads of that nature would be useful to me, and agonizingly boring to experienced divers. The advanced dive threads might help keep the old-timers around without keeling over from boredom These dive threads might also encourage and inspire me and other newbies to further our skills and training.

I currently don't think I'll be doing "big" dives like that, but the threads *do* make me want to continue to build my skill level.

So ... truce ...?

Henrik