DIR-F Tokyo, Thanks and Kudos...

[jagfish]

A successful DIR-F class was held in Tokyo over the last few days, with diving in Atami.

Many thanks to the instructor, Richard Johansson who came from overseas to teach the course. His vast experience and insights into diving, combined with his keen sense of humor made for a weekend that was both a rewarding and enjoyable experience. We look forward to seeing him here in Japan again soon.

I'd also like to thank the organizer Thomas Jonsson and his wife Eriko, for their tireless efforts to arrange the course, get participants up to speed with skills, and make sure everyone had all their diving and living needs for the entire weekend.

Congratulations to the participants who were afforded a peek at a new way of diving, and in the process passed the course:
Larry "Homes"
Steve "Let me design a tatoo for you"
Matt
and yes even me, the lowly bottom-dwelling Jagfish

 

[TJO]

Well done everyone! I have attached the group photo. More pictures will be published at:

http://www.underwater-explorers.com/

We will go to Atami Aug 28-29 for some training dives...

Thomas

 

[Kim]

Congratulations!
I hope you'll all still talk to the rest of us!!

Hey Jag, does this mean no more solo's for you! (I wonder how many people on the planet have both the solo cert and DIR-F - the air must be getting pretty thin!!)

 

[jagfish]

Hey Jag, does this mean no more solo's for you! (I wonder how many people on the planet have both the solo cert and DIR-F - the air must be getting pretty thin!!)

Yeah, that's gotta be a rare combination...

Nothing but great things to say about my course buddy, Steve. A highly competent buddy under any conditions. Just don't let him design your tattoo...

 

[Mar Scuba]

Well, I had a great time and we had a great course.

The title of this message "Arch, Baby!" (course participants may have heard this differently) was when we were doing practice kicks on land. The instructor's message was to arch our backs, look up, and keep those knees up and off the reef.

I think that we (Mar Scuba) will start to hold a kind of "DIR Demo Day" for people who are not interested in taking the course (i.e. KimLeece, a smoker) but who are interested in the equipment, gas planning, and philosophy of the DIR way of diving.

Hope to dive with you all soon,

 

[Kim]

I think that we (Mar Scuba) will start to hold a kind of "DIR Demo Day" for people who are not interested in taking the course (i.e. KimLeece, a smoker) but who are interested in the equipment, gas planning, and philosophy of the DIR way of diving.

Hope to dive with you all soon,

Thank you for remembering us Matt!! It would be quite interesting if Tokyo wasn't so far away - but who knows, maybe next year.(As long as it was combined with a totally non-DIR beery meet as well )
Actually I've had a long hose for the last 4 years - it was part of the training for the IANTD Overhead Environment - along with hovering/bouyancy, kicks and modified kicks, gas planning, working with reels, lines,and shooting lift bags. It isn't rigged DIR though - it's rigged for the octopus, although I'm considering swapping it around. I don't have a canister light though, so I'd have to move my knife to get the routing together, and I don't really want to as I'm very used to it where it is. You're right though - I do think some aspects of DIR are sensible, but I'd never be a DIR diver as it's too much of an all or nothing philosophy for me. I just enjoy some things that are definitely taboo - the occasional solo for instance. (If any of you guys don't need your pony's anymore let me know!!! )

 

[Mar Scuba]

That's exactly the problem. Where is your knife now?

People without cannister lights were allowed to tuck the hose under the belt. For the course I use a right hand pocket in order to keep the hose wrapped, although I have a cannister light.

The DIR philosophy encompasses the embrace of the long hose, most people think that being wrapped around their neck it will kill them.

Old habits die hard. When you're in the course, you donate the primary. With PADI, you are always supposed to blow bubbles, that prevents an air expansion injury. But a DIR-F diver has buoyancy control so there is no change in depth. It took a while for me not to blow bubbles...

Like the instructor says, you dive this way for the course, but on Monday, there won't be anybody to tell you to do it that way anymore and you can do it however you want.

 

[Kim]

Now my knife is on my belt just to the left of the buckle. That way I can reach slightly across my body to draw it - and can easily see the sheath to put it back. I used to have it on the right side - but I found that to be more clumsy. I wouldn't have a problem with a hose around my neck but I consider the most important part of that is to have a long hose somewhere (primary or octo) that is available to be donated. There are different schools of thought as to which rig is better - I don't take sides, a 6 foot hose is a 6 foot hose! If I was diving with you and you needed it - you'd get the long hose!!
I agree that some habits die hard - luckily though, not all old habits are bad ones!!

 

[Mar Scuba]

I don't want to start a long discussion about the basics of DIR in this forum, but you are wrong about the hose.

A 6 foot hose stuffed is much worse than doing it DIR.

BTW, correct length hose is 7 foot. 5 foot length is for open water (no need to wrap under cannister light or right hand pocket. Even for me, 6 foot would be too short to wrap. Even in open water I prefer the 7 foot hose.

If you wish to discuss further, feel free to post in another forum such as the DIR forum.

 

[Kim]

Wow - lighten up Matt!
I have no idea about DIR - I have only posted about my setup what I was taught by an IANTD instructor. It works for me (and many other people).
Please don't turn into one of those who starts to tell me that I'm doing everything completely wrong!!
Meanwhile - congratulations on doing a course that you wanted to do, enjoying it, learning something, and passing!!