I have been asked to post an article I wrote about DIR. I'm flattered that it was considered for inclusion into this forum and I hope that it helps answer the questions that many of you face.
What is DIR?
This is a question I see asked often, and usually results in a heated debate. Strong feelings on both sides of the fence usually cause a breakdown of good discussion and leave many of the participants confused and misinformed.
One of the biggest elements of misinformation is that this style of diving is only useful in certain types of diving. Many people dismiss it by saying it doesnt work for recreational, or anything other than Cave Diving without ever really looking at whats involved. It has been used just as successfully on a 60 reef dive in the Caribbean as it has 2000 inside a cave in Florida. The location or type of dive is not as important as the mindset towards it.
In light of this fact, I am going to attempt to explain more about DIR in a way that I hope takes some of the mystery out of it and will encourage questions. Some of this information will be based solely on my own beliefs, interpretations and ideas. Some of it will be based in fact from other sources.
I am not, nor do I claim to be an authority on DIR. My own path to it came solely by accident. I feel that a good diver should always be learning, and after running across some rather controversial posts on the subject I was curious as to what could possibly inspire such heated emotions. The resulting article is a just a small part of my findings and I readily admit that I still have much to learn on the subject. Hopefully you will find this to be a good starting point for your basic questions.
Before we discuss what is or isn't DIR, we need to look at where the phrase comes from and what it means. I read that a reporter originally coined the term DIR during an interview with George Irvine III, the former project director for the Woodville Karsts Plains Project. When asked how come the WKPP was able to successfully dive with no accidents under conditions that were considered by many to be very extreme, George responded, "Because we do it right!" Supposedly, the reporter put this in his story and possibly even used it for the title.
That led the type of diving done by the WKPP to be called Doing It Right, or DIR for short.
It was recognized that many divers were lacking not only the proper skills and mentality for the extreme types of diving done by the WKPP, but also in basic skills such as buoyancy control and buddy awareness. The lack of these skills at the recreational level can be mere annoyance, but as one progresses into more advanced and technical levels they are an absolute must. A need was recognized for a training agency that was able to produce better, safer, more responsible divers at these advanced levels. This need led to the formation of Global Underwater Explorers by Jarrod Jablonski, one of George's diving partners in the WKPP.
GUE offers a DIR Fundamentals course, which explains the basic principles of DIR diving. It was originally a non-certifying course, and actually more like a diving seminar. It has since been changed to a pre-requisite for the more advanced Tech 1 and Cave 1 classes and now has a pass/fail rating. In this class you learn that DIR is a holistic approach to diving. There is no one single important aspect, rather several important things, which must be blended together to achieve the final result. The focus of the class is on equipment considerations, diving skills, and buddy/situational awareness.
Sadly, many of the debates that rage over DIR get mired in the equipment considerations and foster a "Simon says" attitude among its followers. The opponents to the DIR philosophy often equate the advocates to be lemmings or members of a cult, which is due in large part to a few outspoken individuals who embrace the concept without understanding it. There is nothing in DIR that I have been introduced to that uses an explanation of "because Joe Diver said so." Quite the contrary, every single recommendation is well thought out and stands on sound reasoning. Unfortunately, those few outspoken individuals foster a self-righteous, holier than thou attitude which tends to turn people away from a sound concept.
So, what exactly is DIR? Well, it isn't actually just one thing. It's a holistic approach that encompasses many different aspects. It encourages a diver to be both physically and mentally prepared to dive by having the right attitude and degree of fitness to complete the dive safely. It focuses on diving as a buddy team which allows you to share the experience, as well as providing the redundancy of the most important piece of safety equipment; the brain.
Having the proper mindset is a key point to DIR. All of the training or equipment in the world wont help a diver who has an unsafe attitude. Thats why the primary tenet of DIR is dont dive with unsafe divers. DIR teaches you to cultivate good buddy skills, attitudes and diving habits, which enhances the dive and increases the safety for everyone involved.
Perhaps the most widely known and most often discusses aspect of DIR is the equipment. The equipment is based on a Hogarthian setup. This set up, although popularized by GUE, has been around for many years before they ever came into existence. The Hogarthian setup is named after William Hogarth Main. Bill was always working on his gear configuration, trying to find an optimal setup for convenience, reliability and streamlining. It involves diving with only what you need, and placing your gear in the same place every time, no matter what type of diving you are doing. This facilitates responses in an emergency as a diver will always know exactly where not only their gear is, but where the gear of their buddy is as well. Consistency is the key here. The minimalist approach with optimal placement and function is at the heart of the DIR equipment configuration.
This setup revolves around a back plate and wings setup. The wings are preferred because they allow the diver to stay in a horizontal position much easier. A horizontal position gives the diver much greater control and quicker response to a situation. An example would be in the situation of an out of air buddy. In order for a diver in a vertical position to respond to an OOA emergency, they would first have to get horizontal, and then swim towards their buddy. By maintaining a horizontal position, precious moments can be saved when responding to an emergency.
The horizontal position also helps to keep the fin blast from being directed downward as if often the case in a vertical diver. In a cave situation, a downward blast could produce silting. In open water, that same downward blast could stir up sand, or cause a diver to inadvertently destroy coral that took years to form.
While it is possible for a diver to maintain horizontal trim wearing a jacket style BCD, it is much easier to accomplish using the BP/Wings setup. Another advantage of a BP/Wings setup is it is much more streamlined than a BCD and is much simpler and cheaper to maintain or fix than more conventional setups. The harness consists of a single piece of continuous 2 webbing, a few stainless steel d-rings and a stainless steel buckle. The entire harness including webbing and hardware can be replaced for as little as $30. In contrast, many other BC systems use plastic buckles and proprietary straps which in the event of a broken strap, etc. can easily cost twice as much to replace and have to be special ordered.
Other controversial gear selection revolves around the use of a long hose on the primary regulator with a backup regulator bungeed around the neck. The benefits of this style of diving are:
Rapid deployment in case of OOA situation
Bungeed backup readily available by simply ducking head
OOA diver knows they are getting a working regulator because you were just breathing off it.
7' hose allows divers some separation with less chance of regulator getting yanked out of divers mouth.
Supports face-to-face ascents, which may be a calming factor during a panic situation.
7' hose worn in the DIR fashion is easily deployed and stowed by one person vs. using a "stuffed" long hose.
Dan Volker wrote an excellent article, which contains illustrations of the Hogarthian gear configuration. It can be found at August Issue under the title "Doing it Right Part Two." Another excellent source on configuration can be found on the GUE website at Equipment Configuration | Global Underwater Explorers
Another focus of DIR is skills. They believe that proper trim and buoyancy control must be second nature. By ingraining these skills into the diver's habits, they are not fighting to maintain them during an emergency. Instead the entire focus of the diver can be concentrated on resolving the emergency. One of the ways they achieve this is by practicing all skills while hovering in a horizontal position. Mask clearing, air sharing, etc. should be accomplished with virtually no change in horizontal positioning or moving up and down in the water column. Streaming video examples of these skills can be seen on the following website: www.frogkick.dk (click video, under multimedia in the left-hand menu).
DIR also places a high emphasis on buddy and situational awareness. If your buddy is not close enough to assist you in the event of an emergency, then what is the point in diving with one? Additionally, if your buddy does stay close, but does not keep in communication with you, then they are still not displaying good buddy skills. You and your buddy also need to be aware of your surroundings. Are you stirring up silt? Are you damaging coral? Has the current shifted? Are you maintaining planned depth and times? Are you monitoring your air supply? Do you know your present position in relation to your exit point?
Good communication and awareness is a major key in diving safe and having fun. Proper skills enhance that, as well as proper fitting equipment that enhances, rather than hinders your diving. When all of these things work in harmony, diving is fun. DIR teaches how to make all of those things happen by emphasizing specifics.
Unfortunately, it is those specifics that a lot of detractors fail to understand and focus on as a point of dissension. DIR advocates the use of a back plate and wing setup. They do not require that it be a Halcyon, or any other brand. As long as the equipment meets the basic requirements it can be of any brand or color as you wish. All of the requirements that they place on gear are there for specific, safety-oriented reasons.
Stainless steel snaps are suggested over brass. The reasoning? The brass snaps have a tendency to cut fingers that have softened in water. Stiff fins are recommended. The reasoning? Some of the softer or split fins do not perform all types of kicks well. It is almost impossible to do a back kick wearing split fins.
Why would a recreational diver want to know how to use a back kick? Suppose you see some tiny little creature pop into a hole in the reef. You swim over to check it out, and instead of putting your hand on the coral to stop yourself; you do a back kick instead. Now you can just hover in place and watch without causing any harm to the coral. Suppose your buddy suddenly signals out of air. As you swim rapidly towards him, a quick back kick will keep you from running into him as you deploy your regulator.
DIR encompasses so much more than I have mentioned here. This is just some of the basics. If you wish to learn more about equipment configurations, or specifics on why one thing or not the other, please feel free to ask me. I will do my best to explain it to you as I feel that knowledge is best when it is shared.
I would also encourage you to consider reading the book "Doing It Right: The Fundamentals of Better Diving." which is available from GUE. It goes into great detail on many of the things I have mentioned. You should also consider taking a DIRF course if possible. While many people initially think that the class is expensive way to relearn basic skills, I have yet to meet anyone who still felt that way after completing it. Everyone, regardless of skill level seems to take something away with them from a DIRF course. For a better understanding of what a goes on in a DIRF class, here is a sampling of trip reports:
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/basic-scuba-discussions/22200-list-dirf-class-reports.html
I hope this gives you some idea of what DIR is and isn't about. Please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have. If I can answer them for you, I will. If I can't, I will do my best to find someone who can.
What is DIR?
This is a question I see asked often, and usually results in a heated debate. Strong feelings on both sides of the fence usually cause a breakdown of good discussion and leave many of the participants confused and misinformed.
One of the biggest elements of misinformation is that this style of diving is only useful in certain types of diving. Many people dismiss it by saying it doesnt work for recreational, or anything other than Cave Diving without ever really looking at whats involved. It has been used just as successfully on a 60 reef dive in the Caribbean as it has 2000 inside a cave in Florida. The location or type of dive is not as important as the mindset towards it.
In light of this fact, I am going to attempt to explain more about DIR in a way that I hope takes some of the mystery out of it and will encourage questions. Some of this information will be based solely on my own beliefs, interpretations and ideas. Some of it will be based in fact from other sources.
I am not, nor do I claim to be an authority on DIR. My own path to it came solely by accident. I feel that a good diver should always be learning, and after running across some rather controversial posts on the subject I was curious as to what could possibly inspire such heated emotions. The resulting article is a just a small part of my findings and I readily admit that I still have much to learn on the subject. Hopefully you will find this to be a good starting point for your basic questions.
Before we discuss what is or isn't DIR, we need to look at where the phrase comes from and what it means. I read that a reporter originally coined the term DIR during an interview with George Irvine III, the former project director for the Woodville Karsts Plains Project. When asked how come the WKPP was able to successfully dive with no accidents under conditions that were considered by many to be very extreme, George responded, "Because we do it right!" Supposedly, the reporter put this in his story and possibly even used it for the title.
That led the type of diving done by the WKPP to be called Doing It Right, or DIR for short.
It was recognized that many divers were lacking not only the proper skills and mentality for the extreme types of diving done by the WKPP, but also in basic skills such as buoyancy control and buddy awareness. The lack of these skills at the recreational level can be mere annoyance, but as one progresses into more advanced and technical levels they are an absolute must. A need was recognized for a training agency that was able to produce better, safer, more responsible divers at these advanced levels. This need led to the formation of Global Underwater Explorers by Jarrod Jablonski, one of George's diving partners in the WKPP.
GUE offers a DIR Fundamentals course, which explains the basic principles of DIR diving. It was originally a non-certifying course, and actually more like a diving seminar. It has since been changed to a pre-requisite for the more advanced Tech 1 and Cave 1 classes and now has a pass/fail rating. In this class you learn that DIR is a holistic approach to diving. There is no one single important aspect, rather several important things, which must be blended together to achieve the final result. The focus of the class is on equipment considerations, diving skills, and buddy/situational awareness.
Sadly, many of the debates that rage over DIR get mired in the equipment considerations and foster a "Simon says" attitude among its followers. The opponents to the DIR philosophy often equate the advocates to be lemmings or members of a cult, which is due in large part to a few outspoken individuals who embrace the concept without understanding it. There is nothing in DIR that I have been introduced to that uses an explanation of "because Joe Diver said so." Quite the contrary, every single recommendation is well thought out and stands on sound reasoning. Unfortunately, those few outspoken individuals foster a self-righteous, holier than thou attitude which tends to turn people away from a sound concept.
So, what exactly is DIR? Well, it isn't actually just one thing. It's a holistic approach that encompasses many different aspects. It encourages a diver to be both physically and mentally prepared to dive by having the right attitude and degree of fitness to complete the dive safely. It focuses on diving as a buddy team which allows you to share the experience, as well as providing the redundancy of the most important piece of safety equipment; the brain.
Having the proper mindset is a key point to DIR. All of the training or equipment in the world wont help a diver who has an unsafe attitude. Thats why the primary tenet of DIR is dont dive with unsafe divers. DIR teaches you to cultivate good buddy skills, attitudes and diving habits, which enhances the dive and increases the safety for everyone involved.
Perhaps the most widely known and most often discusses aspect of DIR is the equipment. The equipment is based on a Hogarthian setup. This set up, although popularized by GUE, has been around for many years before they ever came into existence. The Hogarthian setup is named after William Hogarth Main. Bill was always working on his gear configuration, trying to find an optimal setup for convenience, reliability and streamlining. It involves diving with only what you need, and placing your gear in the same place every time, no matter what type of diving you are doing. This facilitates responses in an emergency as a diver will always know exactly where not only their gear is, but where the gear of their buddy is as well. Consistency is the key here. The minimalist approach with optimal placement and function is at the heart of the DIR equipment configuration.
This setup revolves around a back plate and wings setup. The wings are preferred because they allow the diver to stay in a horizontal position much easier. A horizontal position gives the diver much greater control and quicker response to a situation. An example would be in the situation of an out of air buddy. In order for a diver in a vertical position to respond to an OOA emergency, they would first have to get horizontal, and then swim towards their buddy. By maintaining a horizontal position, precious moments can be saved when responding to an emergency.
The horizontal position also helps to keep the fin blast from being directed downward as if often the case in a vertical diver. In a cave situation, a downward blast could produce silting. In open water, that same downward blast could stir up sand, or cause a diver to inadvertently destroy coral that took years to form.
While it is possible for a diver to maintain horizontal trim wearing a jacket style BCD, it is much easier to accomplish using the BP/Wings setup. Another advantage of a BP/Wings setup is it is much more streamlined than a BCD and is much simpler and cheaper to maintain or fix than more conventional setups. The harness consists of a single piece of continuous 2 webbing, a few stainless steel d-rings and a stainless steel buckle. The entire harness including webbing and hardware can be replaced for as little as $30. In contrast, many other BC systems use plastic buckles and proprietary straps which in the event of a broken strap, etc. can easily cost twice as much to replace and have to be special ordered.
Other controversial gear selection revolves around the use of a long hose on the primary regulator with a backup regulator bungeed around the neck. The benefits of this style of diving are:
Rapid deployment in case of OOA situation
Bungeed backup readily available by simply ducking head
OOA diver knows they are getting a working regulator because you were just breathing off it.
7' hose allows divers some separation with less chance of regulator getting yanked out of divers mouth.
Supports face-to-face ascents, which may be a calming factor during a panic situation.
7' hose worn in the DIR fashion is easily deployed and stowed by one person vs. using a "stuffed" long hose.
Dan Volker wrote an excellent article, which contains illustrations of the Hogarthian gear configuration. It can be found at August Issue under the title "Doing it Right Part Two." Another excellent source on configuration can be found on the GUE website at Equipment Configuration | Global Underwater Explorers
Another focus of DIR is skills. They believe that proper trim and buoyancy control must be second nature. By ingraining these skills into the diver's habits, they are not fighting to maintain them during an emergency. Instead the entire focus of the diver can be concentrated on resolving the emergency. One of the ways they achieve this is by practicing all skills while hovering in a horizontal position. Mask clearing, air sharing, etc. should be accomplished with virtually no change in horizontal positioning or moving up and down in the water column. Streaming video examples of these skills can be seen on the following website: www.frogkick.dk (click video, under multimedia in the left-hand menu).
DIR also places a high emphasis on buddy and situational awareness. If your buddy is not close enough to assist you in the event of an emergency, then what is the point in diving with one? Additionally, if your buddy does stay close, but does not keep in communication with you, then they are still not displaying good buddy skills. You and your buddy also need to be aware of your surroundings. Are you stirring up silt? Are you damaging coral? Has the current shifted? Are you maintaining planned depth and times? Are you monitoring your air supply? Do you know your present position in relation to your exit point?
Good communication and awareness is a major key in diving safe and having fun. Proper skills enhance that, as well as proper fitting equipment that enhances, rather than hinders your diving. When all of these things work in harmony, diving is fun. DIR teaches how to make all of those things happen by emphasizing specifics.
Unfortunately, it is those specifics that a lot of detractors fail to understand and focus on as a point of dissension. DIR advocates the use of a back plate and wing setup. They do not require that it be a Halcyon, or any other brand. As long as the equipment meets the basic requirements it can be of any brand or color as you wish. All of the requirements that they place on gear are there for specific, safety-oriented reasons.
Stainless steel snaps are suggested over brass. The reasoning? The brass snaps have a tendency to cut fingers that have softened in water. Stiff fins are recommended. The reasoning? Some of the softer or split fins do not perform all types of kicks well. It is almost impossible to do a back kick wearing split fins.
Why would a recreational diver want to know how to use a back kick? Suppose you see some tiny little creature pop into a hole in the reef. You swim over to check it out, and instead of putting your hand on the coral to stop yourself; you do a back kick instead. Now you can just hover in place and watch without causing any harm to the coral. Suppose your buddy suddenly signals out of air. As you swim rapidly towards him, a quick back kick will keep you from running into him as you deploy your regulator.
DIR encompasses so much more than I have mentioned here. This is just some of the basics. If you wish to learn more about equipment configurations, or specifics on why one thing or not the other, please feel free to ask me. I will do my best to explain it to you as I feel that knowledge is best when it is shared.
I would also encourage you to consider reading the book "Doing It Right: The Fundamentals of Better Diving." which is available from GUE. It goes into great detail on many of the things I have mentioned. You should also consider taking a DIRF course if possible. While many people initially think that the class is expensive way to relearn basic skills, I have yet to meet anyone who still felt that way after completing it. Everyone, regardless of skill level seems to take something away with them from a DIRF course. For a better understanding of what a goes on in a DIRF class, here is a sampling of trip reports:
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/basic-scuba-discussions/22200-list-dirf-class-reports.html
I hope this gives you some idea of what DIR is and isn't about. Please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have. If I can answer them for you, I will. If I can't, I will do my best to find someone who can.
Last edited by a moderator:
