"Ignorance Is Strength" - 1984 - G. Orwell...

[Erik Il Rosso]

I admit it, maybe things are not going Ok during the last few weeks and I start to see things rather "Dark" but I cannot stop thinking about it...

What I'd like to talk is about the pleasure we receive from diving...

I mean, I see many people who are extremely happy after diving while I tend not to be so happy lately...

These people don't mind if they lose their buoyancy, they don't mind if they cannot shoot a bag, they don't mind to have their tanks moved around by DMs, they don't mind to touch the up line while resurfacing, they don't care to fin with the right technique and they don't even mind to kill some critters with their fins...
Apprerently, these people are the one who always enjoy their dives and I can see it from their faces while we are on the boat returning to the diving center...

I do not why I care so much about learning to frog kick, take care of my configuration, trying to able to shoot my bag without losing my buoyancy, trying to help others, trying to resurface without touching the up-line and many other little things...
The problem is that if I am not able to do these kind of things my dive is ruined, I have got 200 dives under my belt and I am still learning and I sometimes still look stupid while underwater...

I do not know why everyone is happy with their OWD/AOWD while I had Nitrox, Rescue and I am seriously thinking about taking a DIR-F class...

I wonder why I am doing all these things and why at the end od the dive "They" are happy while I am frustrated...

I started to think that maybe I would be a much more happy diver if I stopped after AOWD or maybe I am unable to progress although I try...

Sometimes I think that "Ignorance Is Strength"...

Ciao Erik Il Rosso

 

[garyfotodiver]

What was that Clint Eastwood line... "A man has got to know his limits."?

Perhaps these divers of whom you speak, understand and have reached their limit. Or perhaps they are so excited and intrigued with their glimpse of what is known as the "Silent World" that they have no need to delve further.

In any event, perhaps we experienced divers might just learn something from them about the joy and wonder of diving.

 

[Mrs.Prages]

I'm not perfect, I know my bouyancy needs work, I know that I need to practice more with my finning and so many other things, but I also try to remember that with every dive I do I am doing something fun and interesting and I try to find the simple pleasures that I think you may have forgotten.

As a friend of mine said not too long ago, "We are breathing underwater. "

We are doing things that other people don't get to do, yes, I try to work on my form and practice my skills, but I also try to remember the good stuff that goes with diving.

While I am sometimes guilty of this myself -as we are not all perfect - maybe you need to not look down on others so much, it may not be ignorance, it may just be the learning curve that we are all trying to get ourselves on.

 

[Goober2]

I guess I am one of those imperfect happy new divers that is just happy to get under and see the amazing things you can see. I am not wreckless, always aware of where my fins are and where the underwater life is... Other than that though, i keep an eye on my gas and just enjoy the scenery.
Maybe you are a perfectionist? are you like this in every day life with other things?

I hope you find more enjoyment in diving in the future and stop worrying about looking dumb underwater. After all, is there any modesty in diving anyway? Haven't you ever surfaced with a snot attached to your chin?

 

[mjh]

Without a doubt all of us can always work on our skills and you can't argue against wanting to improve your knowledge base. After 20yrs of diving sometimes I have to remind myself as others have said, "you’re breathing underwater". I see too many people getting caught up in the "gear" or the rush from OW to a Fundies class. Maybe I am a simpleton but I just love going to 60ft and looking at the pretty fishes.

 

[The Chairman]

Why do you dive?

Is it to see the wonders below, or is that secondary?

It sounds like skills have become your primary motivation, so when you "fail" at a skill your dive has subsequently failed.

While I consider skills to be important, they are NOT the reason I dive. I dive to have fun. My skills facilitate this. If I miss a skill, then I see it as an area to work on.

As for killing marine life: that is unacceptable at any skill level. It sounds that they need a refresher or buoyancy course.

 

[Steve Ash]

Erik, it sounds to me like being a perfectionist and we all have it to some degree I guess. I used to be that way with golf, if I didn't hit the ball where I wanted it to go I got down on myself. I always had a hook, I got so mad at myself that I wrapped a 3 iron around a tree once.....that made me realize I was taking golf way to seriously and that I should enjoy it only if it makes me happy ( I don't golf anymore ) Point is, try to enjoy the sport of diving and don't be so hard on yourself....my .02.

 

[EastEndDiver]

I've been diving for almost 30 years now.I may at times hold onto the up line while hanging for a safety stop,I may "lose" my buoyancy from time to time,I may not look like the most graceful person underwater.....SO WHAT.....I enjoy ever single dive I make ,I have dove deep wrecks in the northeast which require deco and using a dry suit and doubles, I have also dove shallow caribbean in less than 30 feet To me they all put a smile on my face. I stopped logging dives at about a 1,000 many years ago.Diving is not a competitive sport I always thought it was meant to be fun .I really don't care if someone on the boat thinks they know it all and tries to "share" his/her knowledge.I am comfortable in the water using just about any gear configuration and just enjoy diving.To me diving takes me out of the mundane and OPENS my eyes to so many wonderous sights.It still puts a smile on my face !!!

 

[joe rock]

Why do you dive?

Is it to see the wonders below, or is that secondary?

It sounds like skills have become your primary motivation, so when you "fail" at a skill your dive has subsequently failed.

While I consider skills to be important, they are NOT the reason I dive. I dive to have fun. My skills facilitate this. If I miss a skill, then I see it as an area to work on.

As for killing marine life: that is unacceptable at any skill level. It sounds that they need a refresher or buoyancy course.

I think NetDoc hits the nail on the head, why do you dive. I want to be the most skilled I can but that's not WHY I dive. Stop and enjoy the view :blinking:

Joe

 

[ianr33]

Erik, seems to me that you have seen the light . You need to dive with people that have higher standards and aspirations.

I was getting bored with diving a few years ago before I started heading down the technical route. One of the attractions of cave/deep dives is that you HAVE to do them well (at least if you want to continue doing them )

Feel free to flame away......................