Goindrinkn
Contributor
DIR isn't just for cave divers... But you already knew this.
A little less than a year ago I sat in front of my computer and began to read some of the posts in this DIR forum. I am a Florida Diver from a little south of Tampa. I was in the midst of my Dive Master class, and by local standards a half decent diver. My dive buddy (wife) and I were always conservative and safe divers, and we were your traditional Christmas tree divers, prepared but overloaded. As I combed through the posts about why I was going to die, and the rest of the propaganda, I found some interesting information: A backplate and wing for a modular streamlined rig, a 7 foot hose, and taking only what you need. While it wasnt the way I was diving, I couldnt really shoot holes in these ideas. I wanted to see what it was all about. Even though we live just a few hours south of High Spring, I didnt find a lot of opportunities to try this stuff, or get more information other than the internet. But I wasnt one of those cave divers at Ginnie that needed the militant level of precision so I was never sure DIR was for me. And no one in my area really promoted any of the DIR ideas, in fact it seemed to be just the opposite for the few people that even knew what DIR was. Unfortunately, I think that is the way it is for a lot of recreational divers out there.
Working with some classes locally, I began to identify with some of the issues raised about the standard local openwater classes give by those big bad agencies that are just in it for the money... And after a lot more research decided that either these DIR people are crazy or they are not, and if they arent, what was I missing? I made the switch to a BP/W and immediately realized that it was for me. Crazy or not, the harness felt a lot better in the water than my BC. Well, if they are right about that maybe I should give them the benefit on some of this other stuff. I felt there was only one way to find out and that was to go all the way, right to the heart of it, and get extreme GUE-F! After all, the posts that arent answered with Youre going to die, are answered with take fundies! My wife decided shed have to take it as well, as she was afraid that Id come back and tell her how her diving was Doing it Wrong So in August we had our class
Theres plenty of posts on GUE-F so I wont waste time recounting the class. I took so much out of the class, but I will overly simplify it and say this In all my other classes I was told, Its important to have good buoyancy But what is good buoyancy? During the class I learned what it is. It was the first time that precision came into play. It wasnt about doing the skills good enough it was about doing them right... Since the class weve helped out in the pool a few times, done our basic 5 and OOG drills, and a few shark tooth dives. And we felt better, more comfortable and more confident.
But I told you all that to tell you this
This past weekend we went down to KL for a few dives. Just some fun dives with some friends. We were on what could arguably be called the SS Stroke, your standard cattleboat going out to do some 30-40 reef dives. We hopped in dropped to the bottom and hovered about a foot or 2 from the bottom. Got our bearings and began to swim. Kick and glide, Kick and glide. It was effortless, it was comfortable, it was amazing. Around us divers were attempting to reenact last Fridays bombing of the moon. Creating craters and sending plumes of debris in to the atmosphere. But we escaped unharmed one dropped right in front of me and with short backwards kick and a helicopter turn, we were back on our way.
In one split second diving became more fun. How could that be? We did a few more dives that day, and back on the boat at different times had a few people comment on our diving. That was the first time I recall that happening, but Im not trying to pat myself on the back. Later on the captain asked about my setup. He mentioned that he had a Halcyon rig, but quickly followed it up by telling me that he wasnt one of Those DIR divers he just liked the setup But wait, Am I not one of those divers now? It turns out that this was a great moment, I was able to pass on my experience that DIR divers are not just Those DIR divers, and that its much more than that. So dont believe everything you read on the internet.
So if you are researching DIR, realize that it applies to so much more than cave diving. Its not about drinking the Kool-Aid, or telling people how, when , and why they are going to die. As many people have pointed out, the education and skills that you take away actually make diving not only safer, but more enjoyable. You need not aspire to dive caves or deeper than 100 feet for these classes to be of great value. They say that it is the best class you can take, and that it will change your diving for ever; and it is and does!
And if you are a DIR diver, you are already aware of how you are viewed by most of the diving community, so rather than using your elite status and sometimes harsh words to turn folks away, use the skills and grace you have underwater to draw more folks into the circle. Help them to see the light in a positive way. And one day these practices may be seen as the norm rather than the small minority. To those who have helped me on my journey by sharing your knowledge and passion, thank you, diving has never been better for me!
A little less than a year ago I sat in front of my computer and began to read some of the posts in this DIR forum. I am a Florida Diver from a little south of Tampa. I was in the midst of my Dive Master class, and by local standards a half decent diver. My dive buddy (wife) and I were always conservative and safe divers, and we were your traditional Christmas tree divers, prepared but overloaded. As I combed through the posts about why I was going to die, and the rest of the propaganda, I found some interesting information: A backplate and wing for a modular streamlined rig, a 7 foot hose, and taking only what you need. While it wasnt the way I was diving, I couldnt really shoot holes in these ideas. I wanted to see what it was all about. Even though we live just a few hours south of High Spring, I didnt find a lot of opportunities to try this stuff, or get more information other than the internet. But I wasnt one of those cave divers at Ginnie that needed the militant level of precision so I was never sure DIR was for me. And no one in my area really promoted any of the DIR ideas, in fact it seemed to be just the opposite for the few people that even knew what DIR was. Unfortunately, I think that is the way it is for a lot of recreational divers out there.
Working with some classes locally, I began to identify with some of the issues raised about the standard local openwater classes give by those big bad agencies that are just in it for the money... And after a lot more research decided that either these DIR people are crazy or they are not, and if they arent, what was I missing? I made the switch to a BP/W and immediately realized that it was for me. Crazy or not, the harness felt a lot better in the water than my BC. Well, if they are right about that maybe I should give them the benefit on some of this other stuff. I felt there was only one way to find out and that was to go all the way, right to the heart of it, and get extreme GUE-F! After all, the posts that arent answered with Youre going to die, are answered with take fundies! My wife decided shed have to take it as well, as she was afraid that Id come back and tell her how her diving was Doing it Wrong So in August we had our class
Theres plenty of posts on GUE-F so I wont waste time recounting the class. I took so much out of the class, but I will overly simplify it and say this In all my other classes I was told, Its important to have good buoyancy But what is good buoyancy? During the class I learned what it is. It was the first time that precision came into play. It wasnt about doing the skills good enough it was about doing them right... Since the class weve helped out in the pool a few times, done our basic 5 and OOG drills, and a few shark tooth dives. And we felt better, more comfortable and more confident.
But I told you all that to tell you this
This past weekend we went down to KL for a few dives. Just some fun dives with some friends. We were on what could arguably be called the SS Stroke, your standard cattleboat going out to do some 30-40 reef dives. We hopped in dropped to the bottom and hovered about a foot or 2 from the bottom. Got our bearings and began to swim. Kick and glide, Kick and glide. It was effortless, it was comfortable, it was amazing. Around us divers were attempting to reenact last Fridays bombing of the moon. Creating craters and sending plumes of debris in to the atmosphere. But we escaped unharmed one dropped right in front of me and with short backwards kick and a helicopter turn, we were back on our way.
In one split second diving became more fun. How could that be? We did a few more dives that day, and back on the boat at different times had a few people comment on our diving. That was the first time I recall that happening, but Im not trying to pat myself on the back. Later on the captain asked about my setup. He mentioned that he had a Halcyon rig, but quickly followed it up by telling me that he wasnt one of Those DIR divers he just liked the setup But wait, Am I not one of those divers now? It turns out that this was a great moment, I was able to pass on my experience that DIR divers are not just Those DIR divers, and that its much more than that. So dont believe everything you read on the internet.
So if you are researching DIR, realize that it applies to so much more than cave diving. Its not about drinking the Kool-Aid, or telling people how, when , and why they are going to die. As many people have pointed out, the education and skills that you take away actually make diving not only safer, but more enjoyable. You need not aspire to dive caves or deeper than 100 feet for these classes to be of great value. They say that it is the best class you can take, and that it will change your diving for ever; and it is and does!
And if you are a DIR diver, you are already aware of how you are viewed by most of the diving community, so rather than using your elite status and sometimes harsh words to turn folks away, use the skills and grace you have underwater to draw more folks into the circle. Help them to see the light in a positive way. And one day these practices may be seen as the norm rather than the small minority. To those who have helped me on my journey by sharing your knowledge and passion, thank you, diving has never been better for me!
