So what makes a good diver anyway?

[jeter]

For me a good diver is willing to learn new things and constantly improve themselves.

A good diver knows as much as they can about diving, but they do not act like it.

A good diver takes care of themsleves first, then takes care of their buddy second, then takes care of everyone else third. (Bad divers tend to reverse the order)

Jay

 

[medic001918]

2) Is very experienced rather than a novice,

While I agree with most of your list, I don't 100% agree with this statement. I've seen newer divers that have a very solid grasp of fundamental skills. I've also seen "experienced" divers that look like they've never been in the water before.

Unfortunately, experience doesn't always equal competency.

Shane

 

[Skeeter1097]

A good diver is someone that is having fun and following the rules. One whom is safe with out thinking of it and thinks of others with put thinking.
No me I just like to dive.

 

[nereas]

While I agree with most of your list, I don't 100% agree with this statement. I've seen newer divers that have a very solid grasp of fundamental skills. I've also seen "experienced" divers that look like they've never been in the water before.

Unfortunately, experience doesn't always equal competency.

Shane

You cannot fake experience, you either have it or you don't. Until you have it, try to dive with dive-masters and instructors as much as you can. And once you get it, then take good care of the new divers who dive with you.

 

[Thalassamania]

You cannot fake experience, you either have it or you don't. Until you have it, try to dive with dive-masters and instructors as much as you can. And once you get it, then take good care of the new divers who dive with you.

While one may not be able to "fake" experience, high quality instruction can substitute at a ratio of about two orders of magnitude.

 

[medic001918]

You cannot fake experience, you either have it or you don't. Until you have it, try to dive with dive-masters and instructors as much as you can. And once you get it, then take good care of the new divers who dive with you.

You can't fake experience. But you can be competent without the experience. And like I had said, experience doesn't necessarily make someone a good diver. I agree with diving with divemasters and instructors as much as possible. You can certainly pick up something from nearly any other diver. But to say that experience is a component that makes a good diver isn't a sentiment that I totally buy into. I've seen too many experienced divers that shouldn't be allowed to swim in a swimming pool. Nevermind dive in an open body of water. Bad experience doesn't make for a good diver.

Shane

 

[Thalassamania]

You can't fake experience. But you can be competent without the experience. And like I had said, experience doesn't necessarily make someone a good diver. I agree with diving with divemasters and instructors as much as possible. You can certainly pick up something from nearly any other diver. But to say that experience is a component that makes a good diver isn't a sentiment that I totally buy into. I've seen too many experienced divers that shouldn't be allowed to swim in a swimming pool. Nevermind dive in an open body of water. Bad experience doesn't make for a good diver.

Shane

Similarly, I've seen a sufficient number of divemasters and instructors who were neither knowledgeable nor competent to discount certifications alone as a "good diver" criterion.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

You cannot fake experience, you either have it or you don't. Until you have it, try to dive with dive-masters and instructors as much as you can. And once you get it, then take good care of the new divers who dive with you.

Should also add that you cannot fake skills ... you either have them or you don't. You cannot fake a good attitude ... you either have it or you don't. All of those things go into determining a good diver ... if any of them are missing, your competence as a diver will suffer.

You can't fake experience. But you can be competent without the experience.

And you can be experienced without competence.

I known divers with thousands of dives who lack competence ... they just keep repeating the same poor habits over and over ... and because it's sufficed them all these years, don't even recognize a need to improve.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[george1098]

Let's take this conversation in a different direction shall we. How do you think you could make yourself a better diver. This is an opportunity for us to air out all out bad habbits.
Myself:

-Although I feel I'm pretty goof on keeping an eye on my buddy, and comunicating with him/her (both in and out of water), I often find that I put a bit too much distance between myself and my buddy when I'm not paying attention. This is especially true when I dive with a slow swimmer. I make a conciouse effort to stay close, but I still find myself going in to my own little underwater world and wondering off. I have never lost visibility, and I usually swim right back when I realize what I have done, but it is still something I think I could improve on.

 

[highlandfarmwv]

A "good" diver is respectful of the underwater creatures.