Do you think humble divers are usually safer divers?

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tssplash

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This is a long post, but I feel it must be in order to get the point of the question across.

I first got certified almost ten years ago, and I have dived in multiple locations throughout the world. What I most enjoyed about diving back then was the comradeship of this sport. It was more like a brotherhood, or a family. If you had forgotten some gear, or a piece of your gear had broken, another diver was there for you eagerly willing to help, etc....

However, I've witnessed an extreme change in the attitude of the diving community in these past ten years. Now it seems to be more like some kind of mentality based peeing contest with divers. It's almost like your diving with a bunch of overgrown children who most all think their Cousteau's gifted children. The dive Professionals seem to be some of the worst offenders. I've simply been trying to find out what is fueling this behavior. Is it over competitiveness, or vanity, or insecurity, or all of the above? Whatever it is, it's really taken away from the teamwork atmosphere that I used to enjoy so much.

I am in my early thirties, and one of my best dive buddies is in his mid-fifties, and he is former special forces, and has amazingly logged over 7,000 dives in his career. Needless to say he is an excellent diver, and I have learned a great deal from him. He also owns a dive resort that's been in operation for about 15 years, Dive Instr., etc... His credentials are far too numerous to mention here. This is not what makes him unique though. Not only has he been a great friend throughout the years, but a suberb roll model/mentor to me as well. Even with his vast amount of experience, he is one of the most humble divers I've ever met in my life. Of all the things I've learned from him throughout the years, being humble is the single most important thing he has taught me. I am certain that it has truely defined me as a diver.

As a result of what he's taught me, I've come to the conclusion long ago that when I'm forced to seek a dive partner, that humbleness is the first trait I look for now when choosing that buddy, no matter what their experience level is.

My question is this. Have any of you also discovered that the humbler diver is usually a safer diver? And also if faced with the decision "would you rather dive with someone who is very experienced but acts like they're God's gift to the water, or would you rather dive with a newly certified, but humble diver? I know this sounds like a simple question to answer but I see alot of these egotistical, "full of themselves" types being given alot of credibility as Dive "Professionals" by the general diving community out there, and it is really disturbing knowing that some of them are role models for the new generation of divers. Your feedback on this subject is appreciated.

"Splash"
 
I find that sometimes the quietness comes from lack of either self confidence which is not necessairly bad or lack of skill, which is. JFTR I do not equate lack of experience to lack of skill.
 
Tony Smith once bubbled...
My question is this. Have any of you also discovered that the humbler diver is usually a safer diver?

"Splash"

Not when you're as good as I am.

Just kidding.

I don't ever see the animosity in person that you cite, and I travel widely in domestic circles.

Now the internet, that's a different story.

As to your specific question, I haven't noticed that correlation.

It's when the gear starts going on, that I make my decision.
 
I think there is a fine line between being cocky and confident. I think a diver can be humble, yet confident. But I dont think a diver can be cocky, yet humble.

A humble diver could be many things....if you don't know the person and he is low key...you might want to question his experience etc....but, if you know a diver's background, like your buddy and he is very humble...then you know he doesnt need to prove anything to anybody.

I am fairly new to the sport and I have always had the feeling like people are always concerned about others gear configs and always talk about what is wrong with them etc...

It does seem to be a competitive sport, that is if you let it be.

To try and answer your question, just because a diver is humble, doesn't really mean much...it is all based on reason for being humble..personality? lack of experience? etc

Jason
 
Tony, I know a diver like the one you've described. My friend ... and one of my diving role models ... has logged more than 8,000 dives over the years. He was willing to take a relative "newbie" as his buddy on a boat dive once (that's how I met him), loan me a dive light (I'd forgotten to bring mine), and lead me around on one of the most memorable dives I'd ever done. After the dive he brought up a few pointers that he thought would help me be a better diver ... and did it in a way that was both positive and so natural that I didn't even realize at the time that I'd been critiqued. Needless to say, I've spent the past couple of years (and several hundred dives) trying to emulate him ... and learn from him every chance I get.

A few months back he and I were gearing up for a dive, and someone I knew wandered over with his dive buddy to talk to us. Before the conversation ended, the dive buddy ... a reasonably new diver and recent grad of a well-known week-end training course ... decided to critique how my friend set up his rig (he uses a BP/wing but has his own way of setting up his rig). Amazingly, my friend just listened, thanked the guy for sharing his "knowledge", and went on about his business.

Sometimes "humble" just means you don't have anything left to prove to anybody ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)
 
Tony Smith once bubbled...
My question is this. Have any of you also discovered that the humbler diver is usually a safer diver?

Nope. I've seen positively no correlation whatsoever. If you've got a buddy that's both skilled and experienced AND humble, then I'd say keep him. :D


And also if faced with the decision "would you rather dive with someone who is very experienced but acts like they're God's gift to the water, or would you rather dive with a newly certified, but humble diver?

I'm sure you're making a point, and probably your question is rhetorical in nature.

...But I'll be honest here and say that I'd rather dive with the person who's more experienced. If I had a problem with his ego, then I'd tell him to shut his hole and save it for someone who'd be impressed. But I'll avoid the newbie, please. I'm really tired of having my dive ruined because I'm busy trying to help them.

To me, the dude with experience has the potential to make for a safer buddy... Regardless of ego. If I have a problem with their ego, then I'll tell them.
 
Diving well especially under certain conditions requires confidence. It doesn't have to be loud but it needs to be there. I find that especially technical divers cna be down right finatical about the methods they believe in. For some dives you had better believe that what you're doing is the best way to do it. I think that once you leave the resort based vacation diving you'll find a lot of type A personalities.

In response to a SeaJay's comment above, I don't avoid "newbies". There are divers far more experience than I that dive with me and I return the faver by diving with those less experienced than I. They don't ruin my dive because we do dives that suit the dive team that we have. With few acceptions we're all newbies to some one SeaJay.

I think mentorship is one of the things most missing in diving today.

The numbers of divers has grown big time. Our local sites are an absolute undivable mess sometimes on the weekends with all the divers who crawl instead of swim. Many of us feel that there are widespread problems with training these days. Some of us have seen people hurt that we don't feel should have been. So, training related topics are one source of pissing matches but it's not always about ego.
 
MikeFerrara once bubbled...
In response to a SeaJay's comment above, I don't avoid "newbies". There are divers far more experience than I that dive with me and I return the faver by diving with those less experienced than I. They don't ruin my dive because we do dives that suit the dive team that we have. With few acceptions we're all newbies to some one SeaJay.

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.
 
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.

My, my, don't we have our hackles up?
 
SeaJay once bubbled...

Nope. I've seen positively no correlation whatsoever. If you've got a buddy that's both skilled and experienced AND humble, then I'd say keep him. :D

Or her. Don't forget the many qualified female divers out there.


To me, the dude with experience has the potential to make for a safer buddy... Regardless of ego. If I have a problem with their ego, then I'll tell them. [/B]

Once again, dudette; or diver in both instances.

:wink: R
 

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