What kind of People are Divers?

[eponym]

There are always exceptons to generalizations. The risk-taking part does not concern being foolish and going out of your way to place yourself in vulnerable positions. The risk I speak of is the risk of going ahead and doing things, of challenging ourselves in a sensible way and being proactive. It is being more than dreamers.

Now that strikes a chord for me. I was bookish, an introvert, in my youth. It wasn't until I hit thirty that I started finding joy in the challenges of physical activity and competition (dance, skiing, swimming, hockey).

I've been diving for two years. The feeling that I'm challenging myself (to do well, to follow through with the plan and cope with the unexpected) is present at the start of every dive, and I've come to love it.

I see different types of people and different skill sets on dive boats and at other dive gatherings. I always seem to be able to find someone to click with, however. I think that people who've worked at the same thing tend to respect one another, even if not all of them have achieved mastery.

Bryan

 

[boxcar]

Now that strikes a chord for me. I was bookish, an introvert, in my youth. It wasn't until I hit thirty that I started finding joy in the challenges of physical activity and competition (dance, skiing, swimming, hockey).

I've been diving for two years. The feeling that I'm challenging myself (to do well, to follow through with the plan and cope with the unexpected) is present at the start of every dive, and I've come to love it.

I see different types of people and different skill sets on dive boats and at other dive gatherings. I always seem to be able to find someone to click with, however. I think that people who've worked at the same thing tend to respect one another, even if not all of them have achieved mastery.

Bryan

Good point Bryan...I think this incorporates some of the comments I was going to make (glad I read the thread to the end )

There is something in the distiction between 'divers', 'novice divers' and 'underwater tourists' that implies practice...not as in 'practice makes perfect' but as in 'medical practice' or a 'feild of practice' (like medicine, law, education, architecture, whatever)...I wonder how much this is about combining a passion for the activity with a focus on continuous improvement of knowledge/skills in the 'practice feild'...DIRers systemtize this, others take a more organic approach...There various levels of practitioners, with various levels of passion, commitment, knowledge and skill...

Is diving a 'practice feild' for some of us, albeit not a professional one (for many)? In some ways, this board represents a 'community of practice'.