What is scuba diving's orange shovel?

[LIVES4SHARKS]

"Big Dive Knives... I still have mine from back in the 70's... need to break it out. Heck... I could tout it as an "old timer's badge" ("Yea... it may be BIG... but its OLD... which means VINTAGE... which means I'M FRIGGN' COOLER THAN YOU!!!") Tee-hee"


Thank you for making me feel better about my pig sticker!
*smooches*

Carolyn

 

[LIVES4SHARKS]

From what I have noticed. The orange shovel I have seen is not a piece of equipment but a question. "What is this DIR stuff I keep hearing about?"

Here is a link to kind of give you an idea of what it is. You can also go to the DIR forum for more information!
http://www.sandiegodiving.com/education/items/11.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DIR_diving

Happy Diving!
Carolyn

 

[SkullDeformity]

I'm pretty surprised that they don't mention the DIR communities in Washington and California. Then again, wikipedia....

 

[DarthWader]

Sorry, Austin... If you dive much in the Caribbean, you're going to see lots and lots of ratty old dive gear that's held together with duct tape and wire ties. New gear is NICE -- Don't get me wrong, but man, there are people out there who look like Christmas trees... I'm the first person, (as someone with less than a hundred dives, myself) to lend someone a hand. I am, by no means, "elite." The signs of a new diver are, most often, good for a grin, but we all gotta' start somewhere. I don't think anyone is running down new divers, here. Just having a bit of a good-natured chuckle. Nothing malicious.

As a really new diver I haven't taken much offense to these comments as it was rather plain to me that it was all in jest, but there were a few overly critical posters who irked me. Regardless, I've found many comments insightful in setting up my gear choices, not for public opinion's sake, but for economy's sake.
Right now, my gear list is small. From head to toe I have An Aqualung Atlantis mask w/wintec snorkel (ebay deal), I had an IST mask with purge valve that made my nose sore at depth so I gave it to my wife; OMS Comfort Harness w/Al BP and 45# bungied wing; 7mm ONiel Type II Wet suit; and an old pair of Aqualung Rockets given me by a buddy. If I have my way I'll be looking less like a Christmas tree and more like a posterboy for OMS by this time next year. . . complete with my OFFICIAL OMS baseball cap! Yeah, I'll be sportin' the look!

 

[fisherdvm]

It is funny, how no one laughed at me when I had my blue jeans on under an old, old decrepit wet suit top with a butt strap when I did my OW and AOW.... Kept me really warm in the cold water of Oahu in the winter of 1993 (I think one of the colder years in record).

Funny to see these hawaiin kids that year - they were in winter jacket and mitts walking to school, when we were in our shorts and Tshirt.

I had a bright orange dive knife that I strapped on my ankle too!!

 

[J.R.]

Hummm.... got to thinkin' here... do we REALLY want all this "how to spot a noob" out there in the mainstream? Is this REALLY healthy for diving??

Consider Brothers and Sisters... we have E-BAY to contend with. If "too much information (tm)" is put out there what is to stop them from realizing that the new fashion statement is the rebellious grung/over used look and dashing out there to NOT ONLY DISGUISE THEMSELVES AS SEASONED VETERANS... BUT DRIVE UP THE PRICES OF USED GEAR??? I can see it now children... we'll be paying more for less before we know it... the only way to tell an experienced diver will be to look for the guy who ISN'T trying to look like a new diver... well... there will always be that huge splash of mud when the overweighted diver drops like a rock from the boat... but other that that... HOW ARE WE TO TELL...

I tell ya' kiddies... I can see the handwriting on the wall... and it ain't pretty... so, let's everybody go out and buy not one... or two... but THREE tank bangers... we shall confuse em'... yea'... that's what we'll do... AND BIG MUCKIN' KNIVES...



... OH... and a hearty, "anytime ma'm" to LIVES4SHARKS...

 

[RiverRat]

I'm lucky I found Scubaboard before my LDS brainwashed me too bad when I started out. I still have some useless stuff hanging around. When I did OW I bought a mask, it's a 3 window jobber. Like wearing a BOW WINDOW on your face. Love my Mythos, much, much better. Still have a tank banger around, never used it. Bought a basic snorkel knowing I would never use it much after AOW. Use it for Divemastering helping out the LDS along with a poodle jacket I bought just for that purpose as well. Never did buy into split fins. Why ruin a good pair of fins and "split" them in half? Retractors? Never again after losing my expensive compass. Now I wrist mount. I'm sure I have a few more pieces of junk around. Time for eBay.....

 

[merxlin]

I think what eventually gets lost in these types of threads is the difference between something that looks/sounds like a good idea but isn't (in some poeple's opinions anyway), and good equipment that just doesn't fit someone's personal diving style. The problem is trying to figure out which is which after a while. I always tend to discount opinions from people who just dis a given item, but offer no better alternative. Someone much brighter than me once said "Intelligence is knowing that only half of what you hear is true, Brilliance is knowing which half." For all those trying to use this forum to make gear choices, I hope you are brilliant.

 

[Heffey]

Good god man, you sound like you are in your forties.


I am sure you realize that not all divers using technical gear are experienced and not all experienced divers do technical diving.


This whole thread is so subjective with the orange shovel nominations that I find it almost laughable. So many opinions, so few compelling explanations.
One man’s essential gear is another man’s orange shovel.


I read this interesting quote somewhere.
“I was one young and new it all, now I am older and realize that I dont have a clue. . .”
Oh ya, now I remember, it was in your profile.

Ok, the above post was my response to a post that "Archangel" posted in response to another of my posts. Archangel's post has been removed and my post was edited to remove my reference to Archangel's post.

What is this all about? Archangel's post made a comment about a "snot nosed” noob (Me) making comments about experienced divers technical gear.

Surely, the "snot nose" thing can't be enough to remove a post.

What am I missing?

By removing reference to Archangel's post in my post it makes my post read like I am responding to the original poster of this orange shovel thread.

Anyway, sorry for the hijack.

 

[cowdog77]

mask defogger....what a waste

____________________________

Spit never seemed to work, what a hassle.

....then, all of a sudden, last trip, it works like a charm. I am soooo thankful!