Who's yer buddy?

[jonnythan]

There's your answer right there Jon.

I was asking do it easy.

 

[jnallen]

This is the DIR forum. DIR stands for Doing It Right and refers to a fairly specific method of diving that involves proper gear selection, highly practiced buddy skills, good trim, buoyancy, etc. It's basically what you get when you make an honest attempt to perfect everything you wear and do while underwater. It's equally applicable to rec diving as well as tech diving - I'm very much a novice rec diver (less than 100 dives), but the DIR system has had an enormous impact on my diving safety and enjoyment.

As such, this forum is dedicated to that style of diving. DIRF is the DIr Fundamentals class taught by GUE - Global Underwater Explorers, a training agency.

See http://www.scubaboard.com/t44823-what_is_dir.html for more information.

thanks for the info. i'm new to the sport of diving and am looking for all advice and direction possible. i'll check out DIRF training course.

 

[do it easy]

I was asking do it easy.

That's a big question. One of the reasons that I read this forum is that I'm trying to figure out the differences between how I dive and DIR. So far, I don't see too many differences (there are some). I haven't taken any DIR classes, but some of the people I dive with are DIR influenced, so some of it rubs off on me. Also, take this at face value, there are logical reasons for DIR procedures, which if you plan your dive hard enough, you'll come to some of the same conclusions.

The other part of the answer stems from convenience and praticality. time and $$$.

 

[Hank49]

but it does mean try to swim shoulder to shoulder, keey a watchful eye on each other, and never put yourself in a position where your buddy cannot get your full attention *immediately*.[/QUOTE

If you're doing a wall dive with your buddy and you're the one on the outside, swimming shoulder to shoulder, well, as my old man used to say, "you're sucking the hind teat". What fun is a wall dive if you're side by side with your buddy? You'll miss all the good stuff up close on the wall. I put myself below and behind or visa versa. I can easily look down and behind or lightly up and forward to keep and eye on my buddy.

 

[jonnythan]

If you're doing a wall dive with your buddy and you're the one on the outside, swimming shoulder to shoulder, well, as my old man used to say, "you're sucking the hind teat". What fun is a wall dive if you're side by side with your buddy? You'll miss all the good stuff up close on the wall. I put myself below and behind or visa versa. I can easily look down and behind or lightly up and forward to keep and eye on my buddy.

It was just an example, obviously every dive doesn't dictate that formation.

If you're one behind the other, that works too, as long as you can quickly and easily signal your buddy in front of you (ie, with a flashlight). I think above/below would be kinda problematic..

 

[Hank49]

It was just an example, obviously every dive doesn't dictate that formation.

If you're one behind the other, that works too, as long as you can quickly and easily signal your buddy in front of you (ie, with a flashlight). I think above/below would be kinda problematic..

Above and forward...or behind and below. I can spread my legs a bit and look back or look up and forward. If you directly behind it's harder for the front buddy to turn and look back.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

but it does mean try to swim shoulder to shoulder, keey a watchful eye on each other, and never put yourself in a position where your buddy cannot get your full attention *immediately*.[/QUOTE

If you're doing a wall dive with your buddy and you're the one on the outside, swimming shoulder to shoulder, well, as my old man used to say, "you're sucking the hind teat". What fun is a wall dive if you're side by side with your buddy? You'll miss all the good stuff up close on the wall. I put myself below and behind or visa versa. I can easily look down and behind or lightly up and forward to keep and eye on my buddy.

Buddy positions vary depending on circumstances. For normal, OW diving, shoulder-to-shoulder (or, in a 3-person team wing-on-wing) is preferred because it's easy to maintain constant visual contact with your dive buddy. And as you develop skills, communication becomes easier and more automatic.

On a wall, front-to-back is fine, as long as you position yourself in such a way that each buddy can keep track of each other. For the DIR diver, this typically means using a focused dive light that you can shine on the wall where your buddy can see it in his or her peripheral vision at all times ... if they can see your light, you are close by. Over time, not seeing that light triggers an impulse to look around to see where your buddy went.

Now, on certain dives, even this doesn't work out because of high ambient light. In that case, staying close together and slowing down the speed of travel becomes increasingly important. Develop a habit of constant visual communication, in whatever buddy formation you choose.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[jonnythan]

Above and forward...or behind and below. I can spread my legs a bit and look back or look up and forward. If you directly behind it's harder for the front buddy to turn and look back.

The thing that bothers me about that is the "behind" buddy getting your attention in an emergency. This can really only be done well with a light unless you stay so close you can always grab a fin.. which is also problematic.

 

[Hank49]

In that case, staying close together and slowing down the speed of travel becomes increasingly important. Develop a habit of constant visual communication, in whatever buddy formation you choose.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

That makes good sense. Especially in bad vis. I take good vis and warm wataer for granted too much of the time. I move slowly. On tropical walls you can go too fast and "see the whole forest, but none of the trees".

 

[novadiver]

Buddy positions vary depending on circumstances. For normal, OW diving, shoulder-to-shoulder (or, in a 3-person team wing-on-wing) is preferred because it's easy to maintain constant visual contact with your dive buddy. And as you develop skills, communication becomes easier and more automatic.

On a wall, front-to-back is fine, as long as you position yourself in such a way that each buddy can keep track of each other. For the DIR diver, this typically means using a focused dive light that you can shine on the wall where your buddy can see it in his or her peripheral vision at all times ... if they can see your light, you are close by. Over time, not seeing that light triggers an impulse to look around to see where your buddy went.

Now, on certain dives, even this doesn't work out because of high ambient light. In that case, staying close together and slowing down the speed of travel becomes increasingly important. Develop a habit of constant visual communication, in whatever buddy formation you choose.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

In my cavern course they teach that a light signal can be done on the wall and returned on the wall to prevent a diver from turning to ask OK.the way it works is very easy. The same signals are used,circle for OK,Slow back and forth for attention, fast back and forth for emergency. All of these signals are returned on the same wall as the guestion signal. this way the team keeps moving unless they really need to stop and help a member of the team.