Four years later, or why I'm still a DIR diver

[Scott L]

It's the telephone game . . . How did my thread about sticking with DIR end up discussing Florida non-DIR divers? It's the internet

TSandM, Sorry about that! After reading hundreds of your posts most all with a very up-lifting congenial tone I thought to do the same by posting that article about Frank Hammet and the Gorilla Divers in order reiterate the fact that one does not have to adopt all facets of DIR in order to be great diver which dumpsterdiver is along with his son with DD's tulage. I had the article (acquired from Splitlip but orginally posted by Dan Volker) at my finger tips as Frank Hammet's nephew joined our insurance agency to head our yacht division and I thought he would enjoy reading of his uncle's exploits. I was not planning on further posts on the subject but many, many SB readers find the subject matter very entertaining like Gombessa and apperently George Irvine. Besides, most all divers in the DIR threads can mulitask with a quick diversion and isn't DIR intended purpose to allow us to safely enjoy diving to it's fullest and not be an end to itself?

[Nemrod]

Since this is not the DIR forum, 43 years a SCUBA diver and still NOT a DIR diver. But, whatever makes people happy is a good thing. I cannot help but believe it is an artificial division of the SCUBA world into those who do it right and those who supposedly must therefore do it wrong I guess. I don't get the Do It Right thing and am completely satisfied doing it wrong. It is all good if it comes out in the wash. N

[NWGratefulDiver]

I cannot help but believe it is an artificial division of the SCUBA world ...

That can be said about pretty much everything that folks find to argue about with respect to scuba ... or any other recreational activity, for that matter.

Do It Right, Do It Wrong, Do It Close Enough ... who the heck cares as long as you Do It Safely. The only place I don't want to read about how someone chooses to dive is the Incidents and Accidents forum ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

[danvolker]

TSandM, Sorry about that! After reading hundreds of your posts most all with a very up-lifting congenial tone I thought to do the same by posting that article about Frank Hammet and the Gorilla Divers in order reiterate the fact that that one does not have to adopt all facets of DIR in order to be great diver which dumpster diver is along with his son with DD's tulage. I had the article (acquired from Splitlip but orginally posted by Dan Volker) at my finger tips as Frank Hammet's nephew joined my firm to head our yacht division and I thought he would enjoy reading of his uncle's exploits. I was not planning on further posts on the subject but many, many SB readers find the subject matter very entertaining like Gombassa and apperently George Irvine. Besides, most all divers in the DIR forum can mulitask with a quick diversion and isn't DIR supposed to allow us to enjoy diving to it's fullest and not be an end to itself?

Valhalla,
Do you know if Frank is still alive? If so, I'd like to take him to lunch or out on the boat sometime. He had an enormous influence on my diving life, but I have not heard anything about his whereabouts since his dive shop was sold.
Regards,
Dan V

[Scott L]

Hi Lynne,
I can fix this thread :-)
As it happened, Frank sr used to take George Irvine, myself, and several other WKPP guys out to the Hole in the Wall to dive. George always said the Hole in the Wall was one of his favorite dives of all time. Several of the hard core guerilla divers that met George on these dives, actually adapted several of the DIR ideas, due to how well the DIR techniques handled the conditions on this dive, and the spearfishing or lobstering mission of the day :-)

.....
ps.
to Gombessa, Valhala and Dumpster Diver, when are you guys going to show up on my boat and come diving. We dive every Sunday ( weather permitting), DIR divers from anywhere are always welcome, and it is always free. My boat is a 34 foot Regal ( express cruiser type) which I modified to be a good 6 pack for scuba boat, or perhaps 10 pack for freedving.

Regards,
Dan V

Consider it a certainty although that's my group's regular day as well. I will send you a PM shortly with my contact information and such. I am out of here before Lynn has me exiled.

[Scott L]

Since this is not the DIR forum, 43 years a SCUBA diver and still NOT a DIR diver. But, whatever makes people happy is a good thing. I cannot help but believe it is an artificial division of the SCUBA world into those who do it right and those who supposedly must therefore do it wrong I guess. I don't get the Do It Right thing and am completely satisfied doing it wrong. It is all good if it comes out in the wash. N

The phrase much more in use now is simply stacking the odds in your favor which is a simple but ingenious way to justify their great attention to detail. You will not find the term DIR or logo used much anymore by GUE.

[danvolker]

I have to put in a little more about Frank Hammet Sr.
He was the strongest "natural" diver I have ever met--he taught himself how to dive, after learning of Cousteu and Gagnon inventing a scuba system ( Aqua Lung) , right after he invented his own scuba tank and regulator using a CO2 tank and some other parts.
Frank created drift diving in Florida, by having the boat follow him as he spearfished, towing a milk jug so that the boat would know where he was. He found most of the reefs we all dive on today, back in the late 50's.
As a diver, when I first dove with Frank, I was amazed at how such an old guy was able to swim so much faster than EVERYONE else, even than me ( and I was a competitive cyclist--not used to anyone finning faster than me, lot less a guy who was probably 30 years older!!!).
Frank was genetically the perfect diver. Back in the 60's, he would be spearing on the Hole in the Wall ( a 140 foot max depth dive), suck his 72 cu ft tank dry ( the tank stops flowing air, you pull the J valve for 2 minutes of reserve air--just enough to get one more shot off before your free ascent), and then on surfacing from his free ascent, he would grab another 72 and go right back down! He did not "bend"....I will suggest this as a cross between good genes and spectacular cardiovascular system ( very high VO2 Max, much like George Irvine, but perhaps even better).
Frank had stories that would have made Ernest Hemmingway listen for hours, and be jeolous of the adventure and power in the stories....These true stories helped shape my own desire to spearfish in deeper and deeper spots, going for the big fish and big adventure not found in recreational depth diving. Frank always adapted what he thought was the BEST gear to accomplish his spearfishing or lobstering dives, with the highest amout of success he could get.
When I first started bringing George Irvine and Bill Mee, Robert Carmichael and a few others on Franks boat ( mid 90's) Frank was intrigued by the early DIR differences ( originally just tech stuff, as this predated George diving with Parker Turner , and then modifying as George began the real DIR evolution that Parker, sheck and Main had set him off on.
Frank liked our streamlining--he had little regard for big floppy BC's...but then, Frank had been known to tuck a rock from the bottom, into his BC, if he needed more weight on the bottom--so he would not become a poster boy for no-drag or perfection in gear based weighting and trim :-)

Frank did many dives with us, and in short order, allowed George and me to do dives he would never take anyone else to--this mostly because he believed the DIR system we practiced was better than anything else he had seen other divers using, and because he did not have concerns that we would get ourselves killed.

In any event, Frank was in no way DIR, but he did like the system. As one of the real Pioneers of Scuba Diving, Frank Hammett ran the best boat in south Florida for DIR based ocean dives in Palm Beach and Jupiter ( best boat meaning he would do exactly what we asked of him, and would even try to push some of our techniques onto other dive groups that would dive with him when we were not around.

Frank has never been "honored" for his many contributions to Adventure diving..and he should be!

Regards,
Dan V

[boomx5]

That's a fantastic read Dan...thanks for sharing!

[Splitlip]

Frank has never been "honored" for his many contributions to Adventure diving..and he should be!

Regards,
Dan V

I did my best when I took my sig from your piece Dan. As you and I discussed, Frank certified me in '73.
I found the article when I was searching for information on Frank a few years ago. I read a story in, I think, Skindiver magazine in '75 or '76 about Palm Beach diving. They gave credit to Frank for creating our modern version of the drift dive. Milk jug and all. As well as other conributions which most take for granted.

Tony Grogan's mag did a piece a couple years ago which featured Frank among a couple others.