Is Anyone "Just Diving?"

[RTee]

I do it all the times (shore and chartered) except when diving at resorts where guided dives are the norm. On local charters, sure you will get a site briefing by the boat captain but the planning and conduct of the dives remain divers responsibility. Last Feb I spent a week on Blackbeard with a group of divers and beside the site briefings the dives were ours to plan and do (with the exception of two drift dives). I am going wreck diving with my GF in the Great lakes mid-July...same concept and my next trip down South is planned for Bonaire...two weeks of shore diving in Feb 2012 where a group of us will be planning and diving all our dives.

 

[spectrum]

Absolutely!

There is what's jumps out online and then there is reality. When you come right down to it that filter can be applied to nearly all topics here.

There are a lot of destinations where DM led excursions are the norm and plenty of divers that need that sort of support.

All of our diving is independent with random buddies, my wife or solo. That applies to well known and sites new to us.

In our part of the world DM activity is either remedial or as a guide (hired buddy) for an occasional tourist.

Pete

 

[kd3pc]

we have two quarries nearby and often go there to just blow bubbles, get wet and enjoy....most times while there we practice one skill just to keep current. Most of the others we see are there to do the same thing. Often there is some military/LEO group doing training and every now and then a dive shop, but we don't let them bother us at all.

 

[Garrobo]

I dive with a DM in groups of three to six divers all the time. Why not. It's at no additional cost at the dive shops where I regularly dive in SE Florida and the Upper Keys. I don't pay much attention to the DM who is usually pointing out some sort of life form which I usually can't see but he/she's there to eliminate the hassle of navigation and to get me back to the boat. I can get lost in a one-chair barber shop.

 

[ktkt]

Certainly. If you are interested in more posts on "just diving" locally, you should probably check our your appropriate local section of the forums.

 

[Bob DBF]

I dive with a DM a lot but, he's off the clock "just diving" like I am.

Bob
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I may be old, but I’m not dead yet.

 

[Cave Diver]

All of my dives are "trips" because there's not much in the way of local diving for me. But we go out of our way to make sure none of them are "guided."

 

[ScubaSteve]

Almost all of my diving is, as you say, "just diving". The last "guided" dive I did was in Thailand in 2009. I like to dive my own dive and that rarely fits the group mentality so I avoid guided dives like the plague.

 

[rhwestfall]

I have never dove with a guide (disclaimer: after being certified). On trips there were surface briefings descrbing where we were, and the "best approach", or what/where to possibly see cool stuff), but that was it. It was always, "have fun, see you when your plan is complete". Really can't imaging diving any other way... sometimes the DM would go in the water if buddy pairs weren't available, and I once was paired with a DM for a few days on a trip. I have no interest in diving any other way (everyone follow the guide).

 

[DivemasterDennis]

I love this post, and am glad to say I am "just diving" whenever I can. I am a DM, but even on charter boats the privilege of diving our own profile ( my wife and co-author is my buddy) is always granted because I keep my status and insurance current. We love shore diving in Hawaii and Bonaire in particular, and being able to just go, define group size and membership, and schedule without regard to a large group, all make this kind of diving the best. Liveaboard diving is much the same, with general rules to be followed. I urge everyone to be a safe diver, and that means learning and maintaining the habits of planning your dive, having an emergency plan and appropriate equipment, and a comfort level to enjoy the dive. Let's have everyone maintain their skills and awareness at a level where they can just "go diving!"
DivermasterDennis