Why not DIR ?

[Diver Dennis]

I agree that it is not good to make blanket statements. Lumping everyone into a statement is where, in my opinion, the battles begin. While I agree that some experienced divers who are photographers do exhibit poor buddy skills, it is by no means a majority. I also agree we have to judge each diver by their individual skill sets not necessarily just the type of training agency they have gone through. I'm applying that statement to open water diving, not to technical diving skill in caves and extreme deep diving where obviously certain advanced training is a pre-requisite.

 

[mdb]

The one type of diver I won't dive with is one who has no care for buddy awareness - Same ocean - same day diver is not what I consider a buddy. That is a PITA and I won't spoil or endanger my dive chasing after someone like that.

OE2X: I agree 100%. As a solo diver the last thing I want is a diver who is "chasing after someone". I am solo diving so I can have a peaceful and tranquil dive. When solo diving I prefer to see only sea critters. I don't want to have another diver hovering about. There are times, of course, when buddy/team diving is the best solution. The GUE system has sparked a very good debate as a counter to the you can dive after an intro class programs. A good diver is always learning. I like diving with pro's and locals. This whole thread just makes me want to go and get wet.

 

[Cacia]

Vayu: oh, I agee, I bought the dvds, read some of the literature, I knew a halcyon dealer, he gave me the gear, I have been around tech divers.... you did not offend me, but thanks. I just have some examples of DIR divers doing a 40 -100 ft DIR dive and ruining my fun, thats all. I am asking again, does a safer diver make a better diver at recreational depths? For me, no. For me they (the ones that constantly talk) are a pain. I like them but they are a source of irritation. I don't want to perfect my trim at every moment. I want to be able to "duck away" if I see/ find something... I would never go on an expedition and expect them to put up with me. I really mean that. It would be inappropriate. I don't want to listen to their fitness routines either. I think you are making a very great decision about the training you will be opting for. I like to learn lot from them. the problem is, for me, they think they know everything a lot of the time.

Aloha

 

[Diver Dennis]

Good post mbd.

 

[Vayu]

I didn't say anything about drinking ... Just as long as its not before a dive I don't have a problem with it. The same with smoking - I am not on a personal vendetta against smokers here, but instructors should not be doing this around students at all.

Safer may not be better for everyone. For me it is paramount. I don't have a problem with you taking pictures and ducking around corners, as long as you are there for me if needed and are not ducking into caves.

-V

 

[Cacia]

ditto apollo. I don't want to worry certain types (DIR or not) when I dive. I get invited to dive with some really interesting people (the local Hawaiians can be a hard nut to crack) and part of the reason I get offered these experiences is because I don't demand or even ask they dive my style. Being included in the experiences is priceless to me---more than safety sometimes. Having said that I think I am very safe.


Oh sorry, didn't somebody say drinking smoking?? sorry. I was just saying that "hard livin' men" get attracted to the tech thing from what I see. sorry to side track.

 

[Vayu]

The heavy drinkers, smokers, motorcycle riders, and jiu-jitsu fighters get all the girls, but us do-gooders have the advantage when it comes to wussie diving.

-V

 

[OE2X]

OE2X: I agree 100%. As a solo diver the last thing I want is a diver who is "chasing after someone". I am solo diving so I can have a peaceful and tranquil dive. When solo diving I prefer to see only sea critters. I don't want to have another diver hovering about. There are times, of course, when buddy/team diving is the best solution. The GUE system has sparked a very good debate as a counter to the you can dive after an intro class programs. A good diver is always learning. I like diving with pro's and locals. This whole thread just makes me want to go and get wet.

Been there and I can appreciate not only the skill set, but also the tranquility. My last solo dive was a 135 minutes with a 10 minute deco obligation and I came up 5 minutes later than I planned. I was at 1050 psi and my target was 1000 or above. It was a wonderful dive despite my DIR buddies thinking I was going to commit suicide as I had recently told them I was getting divorced...

Not directed at you Mdb:

What I don't like is entering the water with someone who in the pre dive plan makes it sound like they will be my buddy only to find out that do to some whim unbeknownst to me they take off during the dive. I'd rather have it up front that we are solo diving or we are team diving not "lets see what happens diving". One could extrapolate and say the dive plan was to only go to 100' for 10 minutes on air, staying in NDL, then we work our way back and stay together as a buddy team. Mid dive I say what the heck I just sort of feel like going to 200' for a few minutes an incur a deco obligation. See you back at the boat. Sorry, but that wasn't the plan that we talked about and it blew all the parameters of said plan completely away.

I understand flexibility within the plan, but blatant irresponsibility is uncalled for and not allowed in the style of diving I choose to do.

 

[OE2X]

I didn't say anything about drinking ... Just as long as its not before a dive I don't have a problem with it. The same with smoking - I am not on a personal vendetta against smokers here, but instructors should not be doing this around students at all.

Safer may not be better for everyone. For me it is paramount. I don't have a problem with you taking pictures and ducking around corners, as long as you are there for me if needed and are not ducking into caves.

-V

Ditto

 

[wardric]

I took my OW in 1993 with a federation none of you would have ever heard of. My instructor was a very good one and she was very strong on buddy systems and buddy awareness. I learned to stay an arm's lenght of my buddy. Where I dive, we dont have a choice. Viz is often 5 ft sometimes 10 ft, rarely more than 15ft. If you are not aware of your buddy, you WILL lose him in a matter of seconds and forget about finding him back. So in my case, the type of diving contributed to implement buddy awareness (implement... is that a word?). But my instructor (who crossed me to PADI later) was the real responsible for making me realize the importance of it.
I bring that awareness even on vacations now where the viz is 100ft. That sometimes annoy other divers (that I dont know and dive with for the first time) I buddy with but for me, I dont see any other way to do it. I didn't receive this training by GUE (didn't even know it existed a year ago) but by a good instructor.