What's your take on DIR?

[TSandM]

And, DIR is much more than equipment. Another part of it is training and standardized reactions to emergency situations. As an example, a DIR diver will be able to respond quickily and in a standardized fashion to an OOA and solve the immediate problem of getting breathable gas to the diver in seconds, consistantly, every single time. There's also a strong focus on teamwork and awareness. Once the basics are down a lot of DIR training becomes throwing more task work on the team (lines, bottles, lost masks, etc) and figuring out how the teamwork breaks and team-members become task focused, etc and then training again to fix those problems. This may sound a little like overkill for recreational diving, but things like situational awareness and prioritizing problems are things that are mentioned in Rescue courses, but there's no systematic approach to really finding the issues and fixing them.

As lamont so often does, he has nailed it.

The system makes sense. The education is superb. And putting everybody on the same page makes for some very enjoyable, relaxed, confident diving. It's not the only way to dive, but I've found it a very good way to dive, and the people who have adopted at least the core of the system to be very good people with whom to dive, and absolutely superb people with whom to have a problem underwater.

 

[PerroneFord]

Take a look at the following photo. I am the diver at the back. I am wearing double tanks, and all the gear I'd take on a 100ft dive. My gear is configured in the standard DIR configuration.

The diver to my left is configured in a standard recreational configuration. The diver leading the group is also a recreational diver, but a very good one who's spent some time streamlining his gear.

Take a look at our diving posture in the water, where our hoses are, and how streamlined you think we might be in the water. Share your thoughts. By the way, both of these divers have far more dives than me.

 

[Cacia]

comment on what, now? ( you look stealth.) Mr yellow fins needs to get his hoses under control.

 

[Diver Dennis]

That's a good point Perrone, rec divers can be streamlined like DIR divers.

 

[PerroneFord]

The guy leading that dive is a recreational diver of the highest order in my opinion. I was mightily impressed with him when I first started diving again. The antihesis of people who claim you need Jetfins and a BP/W to have good trim and good propulsion.

That said, I can back fin and he can't! But his skills are excellent, and he is in split fins and a jacket BC. It's the diver, not the gear.

The other gentleman is configured like 95% of divers you see out there. Not bad. Just typical. Hoses are a little out there, he's doing a basic flutter. He only looks out of place because the other two divers are doing frog, and have streamlined to the extreme. You can't even see my computer (which is on a D-Ring), my light which is also on a D-Ring, my depth guage, or my timer. My SPG is clipped away like any good DIR or cave dive would do.

Just a different mindset on diving and gear config. But one of the most outwardly obvious.

 

[Vayu]

rec divers can be streamlined like DIR divers.

Even better... recreational divers can be DIR divers. :14:

Perrone: Looking good! Despite all my attempts to appear like a ninja underwater by purchasing multiple sets of black gear, I think you've got me beat. That and those frikkin' dangerous looking calves. You are one of the only divers I really do not want to kick me in the face.

As for the original poster, it is really less about agency and more about a safety oriented attitude. Unfortunately, GUE instructors are one of the only agencies out there that consistently employ excellent instructors. It is hard to go wrong with these guys and gals.

 

[dlndavid]

what is with the hand positioning? breaking the sound barrier? or something like that?

 

[dlndavid]

do you all hold your own hands for warmth? or is it for comfort?

 

[Vayu]

It's a secret.

Ok... I think it just happens that way sometimes. It is convenient and you can see both gauges. I think it is often a subconscious reaction to the general body position. Glance at the gauges... glance around... glance back and my hands are holding each other. Maybe they are just lonely?

 

[Diver Dennis]

The guy leading that dive is a recreational diver of the highest order in my opinion. I was mightily impressed with him when I first started diving again. The antihesis of people who claim you need Jetfins and a BP/W to have good trim and good propulsion.

That said, I can back fin and he can't! But his skills are excellent, and he is in split fins and a jacket BC. It's the diver, not the gear.

The other gentleman is configured like 95% of divers you see out there. Not bad. Just typical. Hoses are a little out there, he's doing a basic flutter. He only looks out of place because the other two divers are doing frog, and have streamlined to the extreme. You can't even see my computer (which is on a D-Ring), my light which is also on a D-Ring, my depth guage, or my timer. My SPG is clipped away like any good DIR or cave dive would do.

Just a different mindset on diving and gear config. But one of the most outwardly obvious.

I agree. Almost all rec divers I see are not trim and all sorts of danglies. I find that frustrating because ti does not take much to be as trim as the diver in your picture. There is no question that DIR is a step up from most all of the rec divers out there.


I did learn to back fin when I started taking pictures...