Do you think humble divers are usually safer divers?

[MikeFerrara]

SeaJay once bubbled...


Oh, of course.

By "newbies," though, I don't mean "anyone less experienced than you or me." By "newbies," I mean the ones that jump in the water, panic at 15 feet, and lose their fins in 120' of water... Then expect you to go get them. I'm talking about the ones that require an air donation before you've hit bottom. I'm talking about the ones that jump in and aren't "squared away" and can't sink because they thought that 24 pounds of lead would be enough. I'm talking about the ones that ruin my dive. I'm talking about the ones that expect you to cater to them - the lowest common denominator.

The above is especially annoying when THAT person is the one with the ego. How the heck does that happen?

No thanks... I'll pick the buddy with a clue - ego or not.

I know what you mean. I won't take a diver who's that unsquared away to 120 ft but I will do a thirty foot dive with them and see if I can't help get them a little more squared away. And I guess if they loose a fin, I'll help em get it back. Most often it's because that's all they've ever seen. Show them better and maybe they'll show some one else and just maybe we won't have so many unsquared away people in the water.

Now, if the problem is the attitude you might have to walk or at least work on it before getting in the water.

 

[Aeolus]

I recently encounter probably the most testoserone laced dive trip ever. My buddy and I along with one other couple were on a dive boat with 10 police officers and SO. We are usually the first or second ones in the water since I like to be at the rear of the dive boat. With this group, we chose to wait until last. It was as though they were in a race - first in , first down fastest trip, first one back to the boat. It made for a very tense trip.

To make matters worse the "extra" couple were a couple of Instructors who insisted on telling everyone else how things should be done - even when they were wrong. This got very old - very fast.

Therefore, in response to your question, I feel that a humble person probably would make a better dive buddy.

Dive Safe and Often.

 

[ScottyK]

I've noticed no correlation with experienced divers.

With newer divers, it seems that the ones who talk the most on the boat ride out are usually the ones who have problems. I try to be cool about it because I think most of them are trying (unsucessfully) to hide the fact that they are nervous. Besides, they all eventually shut up when they go under

Could it possibly be that what you are seeing as a surge in loud mouths is really an influx of new divers? Diving gets more popular every year, and the good sites get more and more crowded.

 

[FFMDiver]

I see BIG GLARING correlations:

Anyone 30 or younger is competitive. They get off on it, helps them think they are worthy enough for sex.

I go STRAIGHT for the guys over 50. They dont want to compete - sex for them is admiring a waitress. They are there to have fun and tend to enjoy helpng others. A Safe bet in my book

 

[Custer]

bmuise once bubbled...
I see BIG GLARING correlations:

Anyone 30 or younger is competitive. They get off on it, helps them think they are worthy enough for sex.

I go STRAIGHT for the guys over 50. They dont want to compete - sex for them is admiring a waitress. They are there to have fun and tend to enjoy helpng others. A Safe bet in my book

Alllllllllllllllllllllllrighty then...

 

[MikeFerrara]

bmuise once bubbled...
I see BIG GLARING correlations:

Anyone 30 or younger is competitive. They get off on it, helps them think they are worthy enough for sex.

I go STRAIGHT for the guys over 50. They dont want to compete - sex for them is admiring a waitress. They are there to have fun and tend to enjoy helpng others. A Safe bet in my book

 

[rmediver2002]

I see a correlation, there comes a point when some divers will realize they know something about diving and stop trying to convince themselves and others by talking / shouting opinions.

Around this time they also realize there is something to be learned from nearly every diver or diving situation and begin watching and listening more...


Jeff Lane

 

[BlueGirlGoes]

When I was in Borneo, I was a new diver with a bunch of pros. I couldn't control my buoyancy at all, and was so freaked out that I almost gave up and switched to snorkeling. Two guys, one in his fifties and one in his sixties, took the time to figure out that my BC inflator valve was sticking slightly. They worked with me patiently and kept telling me that I would get it better and better each dive.

Toward the end of the trip I dove with a couple of the "studs." They touched coral, acted freaky and managed to "forget" their new buddy, who of course got low on air sooner than they did.

If you're on this board George and Eric, a big thanks from Cyn. I'll take the quiet guys (or girls) any time.

 

[ZoCrowes255]

bmuise once bubbled...
I see BIG GLARING correlations:

Anyone 30 or younger is competitive. They get off on it, helps them think they are worthy enough for sex.

I go STRAIGHT for the guys over 50. They dont want to compete - sex for them is admiring a waitress. They are there to have fun and tend to enjoy helpng others. A Safe bet in my book

If I want competitive I'll play basketball. If I want to relax I'll play my guitar or dive. Please don't make generalizations.

 

[drbill]

What the "h" are you talking about bmuise? Shudder... if you rounded off my age I'd be "60," a senior citizen (at least at McDonald's and my local movie theater).

Sex to me is not "admiring some waittress," but preferably a female marine scientist or diver who I can establish a real relationship that includes sex (but is not limited to it). While I'm not suggesting I'm some sort of stud (I prefer quality over quantity any time), the four women I've been with in the last 15 years all suggested I was the best lover they'd ever had. Why? Because I cared about them... and about their pleasure... as much as my own. More than one has suggested I open "Dr. Bill's Sexual Healing Clinic" but my doctorate is in marine biology, not medicine.

Fortunately I look like I'm in my 40's rather than my 60's. One of my frequent buddies, a twenty-something research diver, dove with me for over a year before she found out I was in my 50's. Most of my other regular buddies are females in their late 20's and we enjoy diving... in part because "sex" is not part of the equation (all but one have good existing relationships with men who don't dive... and I'm unashamedly working on that "one").

I would suggest that many of us ancient dive geezers make great dive buddies (and even life partners) because we have the wisdom of a "few" extra years in our brain, and underwater as well, and our testosterone levels are reasonable enough so our brains dominate over our other body part. Why, some of us even realize that we can enjoy women as human beings rather than as potential sexual partners (although I'm willing to be that too with an appropriate partner).

Quiet? Not when "provoked (just teasing). A humble diver? Generally yes since I do not believe I am a great diver in terms of technical skills despite 41 years of experience. I dive to get my video and do my research. I am careful enough to have survived thus far. I should add that Steinbeck said good marine biologists are lascivious, licentious and lubricous (remember your "Word Power Made Easy?") and I am no exception!

So, while not being an entirely "safe" bet myself, I do applaud your recognition that us geezers are often better partners. Dive on!

Dr. Bill