Interesting history of DIR debate. . .

[JohnCollins]

I started this because I didn't know what caused all the acrimony surrounding DIR. 95% of it can probably be attributed to communication style.

thanks

 

[Uncle Pug]

JohnCollins once bubbled...
Please play nice, boys!

Thanks John.

Folks... calling other people names is uncalled for and further more unacceptable.

Since I haven't been involved in this thread and have a hankering for some heavy handed moderating anyway... I'll just give you this one little warning.

Knock it off... or watch your posts disappear.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

El Orans once bubbled...


Having read the above mentioned article I must admit that it has given me a better idea of what DIR is. Some of the practices that are recommended such as doing your exercises while OFF the bottom hadn't occurred to me but I'll start practising them on the next dive. Others like staying close to and communicating with your buddy where one of the first things my instructor taught me.

I don't think that I'll be doing dives this century complicated enough to warrant using the complete DIR-methodology but the article contains enough information to keep improving my diving skills for the next couple of years.

If you found the article helpful, then by all means give "The Fundamentals of Better Diving" a good read. As you say, much of it's covered in other diving texts ... but JJ's got an interesting perspective to offer, and one that you may find beneficial.

FWIW - I'm skeptical of anyone who claims to have the only right way ... but I have to give the man his due. There's some good info in the book.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Custer]

Uncle Pug once bubbled...

Thanks John.

Folks... calling other people names is uncalled for and further more unacceptable.

Since I haven't been involved in this thread and have a hankering for some heavy handed moderating anyway... I'll just give you this one little warning.

Knock it off... or watch your posts disappear.

Before you start doing that, Uncle Pug, can I explain to John exactly how the acrimony surrounding DIR got started...?

 

[Whirling Girl]

bwerb once bubbled...


Many, many, many of them take their initial OW courses locally prior to heading out to warmer environs. Each and every week a new batch from numerous shops who will likely never dive locally again show-up at local dive sites. I see them every time I go out. Think about your "local dive site"...what is the percentage of OW/AOW students versus the number of dedicated weekly divers? Since local dive sites are more often then not popular for a reason...if all the students you see weekly were to continue diving locally, you wouldn't have been able to park as close as you did this week.

Why are they a problem? Because as divers, guess what...we like to dive in the tropics as well. Silt-outs are unpleasant but manageable in OW. Killing coral makes the dives less pleasant for the next divers. Both these pale next to watching once a year divers having frightening and dangerous experiences when they do go out diving. Watching a diver sucking like a remora on a DM's octopus while trying to bolt to the surface because of poor air monitoring skills is no fun for the diver or those watching (I find it incredibly sad that this person is in terror and didn't need to be). I find it sad when these divers are struggling so much with their trim and bouyancy that they burn through the air in their tanks in a fraction the time they should...and on many boat trips this means the end of the dive for me as well if the DM is responsible for calling the dive when the first person runs low on gas. I find it sad when divers are so exhausted and have that "crappy end of the dive day blah feeling" because they corked to the surface from 15 or 20 feet after their "safety stop" and effectively halved the outside pressure on their bodies in 10 seconds...that feeling is but one sign your body is giving you that you surfaced too quickly.

My point...I do dive with the 99%...they may not be a part of my team on a weekly basis but their diving affects my dive environment, on certain trips my dive time and on a deeper note, my spirit. I know that they could be having way way more fun than they are and it pains me to see some of their struggles...I had them myself until I was shown step-by-step by more experienced divers how to become way more competent in the water. Is DIR the ONLY WAY to achieve this? I blaspheme but...NO. Is it a phenomenal short-cut...you bet.

Holy God, Brian, this was a great post. I knew I felt this way, but you said it better than I ever could.

I also feel sad when I see people struggling and scared, which happens all the time. I've seen people get hurt and bent too, and it's awful. It definitely affects my own diving experience, just like you said.

Right on.

Uncle Pug, thanks for stepping in and being a good ref.

Margaret

 

[kalvyn]

bwerb once bubbled...

<snip>

My point...I do dive with the 99%...they may not be a part of my team on a weekly basis but their diving affects my dive environment, on certain trips my dive time and on a deeper note, my spirit. I know that they could be having way way more fun than they are and it pains me to see some of their struggles...I had them myself until I was shown step-by-step by more experienced divers how to become way more competent in the water. Is DIR the ONLY WAY to achieve this? I blaspheme but...NO. Is it a phenomenal short-cut...you bet.

I have to echo Margaret's sentiments here, Brian. Very well said!

I was introduced to diving in the Bahamas in May of 2002 (Discover Scuba/"Resort Diver"). While it wasn't perfect by any stretch of the imagination (I had no pool work, they basically tossed me in the water and said "Don't hold your breath"), the DM on the boat was very patient and thorough with me. By the end of that trip I had already seen an example of what you speak of... people really struggling and scared while diving. I just tried to stay out of the guy's way during that day's diving (I was stuck with him and the DM, being a "resort diver").

When I got back home, I knew I wanted to get certified and be the best diver I could be. While I personally feel I lucked out and had excellent OW/AOW instruction, DIR-F definitely helped "short-cut" the improvement process.

Jimmie

P.S. The pic in my profile was taken on my second or third ever dive, last Summer in the Bahamas.

 

[El Orans]

NWGratefulDiver once bubbled...
If you found the article helpful, then by all means give "The Fundamentals of Better Diving" a good read. As you say, much of it's covered in other diving texts ... but JJ's got an interesting perspective to offer, and one that you may find beneficial.

Will do.

After discovering that my ear infection will keep me out of the water for at least a week, I won't be doing much diving anyway.

 

[JohnCollins]

And congratulations! Judging from the length of that weight belt strap, you've lost a lot of weight! How'd you do it?

Just kidding