First off, I just joined SCUBA Board, but have spent the last few months reading and re-reading through all the wonderful "Sea Hunt Era" threads. I have decided that this is where I belong for reasons which will become apparent to anyone making it through the rest of this post. So, with that said, thankyou for the replies thus far.
Thanks for the offer, Rick. I live in California's Central Valley north of Sacramento, so I guess we'd better save the gas money for shorter trips.
Actually, therein lies part of the reason I posted this thread to begin with. I'll get back to that in a bit.
I guess I confused my scenario by saying "solo diver", which would imply a diver who is characterized by....diving solo. What I meant was a diver who dives solo by default, but who would rather have the additional security of a buddy. I posted this thread out of curiosity because I feel that scenario potentially happening to me. Here's why...
Until this afternoon, I had never dived solo. Since day-one of SCUBA training, it has always been drilled into our heads,"Never swim alone...Never dive alone!", second only to "Never hold your breath while breathing compressed air at depth." O.K. up until recently- No problem. Now I live in the Sacramento Valley of California- several hours and many gas bucks from salt water and a multitude of dive buddies. So, here lay all of my nice, old gear itching to get baptized again. Well, as any diver would do, I started frequenting the only LDS. After a few visits I started to hear the dogmas of the owner..."Anyone who dives using a J-valve is STUPID" among others.(He wanted to disable all of my J-valves!) So, pretty soon I decided to pop the big question..."So, do you teach DIR in your classes?". Well, I was momentarily relieved when they didn't understand the question, until I had to define DIR and they said (paraphrased)"Oh, yes. We definitely teach that the SPG has to go here, and we insist that they use a pony bottle (strapped on in this particular configuration) as a safe second, etc." I guess we're all cave divers now!
O.K. Here's my thing with DIR. I was certified in 1985. Yes, we were taught a uniform gear configuration. It really is a good idea. However, whenever I was diving with someone with a configuration different than mine, I never had trouble plugging that mental note into my brain for a whole whopping hour while we were diving together. I would never have told the guy,"You are not Doing It Right!". So, now I get sideways glances from techie newbies when they see my twin-38s and analog gauges, or that my BC (when I use my jacket BC) actually has some color to it!
I considered joining the local dive club to help me find local buddies, but I inferred from my conversation with the store owners that they will not allow any other gear configurations in their pool at their special events. If this is so, then I know they have also brainwashed all of their students (therefore, most of the local divers) into thinking that there is something grossly wrong and unsafe about any diver who does things differently. I'm not about to follow the current fad and buy new gear each time ideas change, although I'm sure the LDS would love it if I would (read "could").
What is "Right"?! With regulators, first the alternate air was in your buddies mouth. It was something I vaguely remember being called "buddy breathing". And the SCUBA gods said, "It is good". Then came the mighty octopus being dragged along in tow on a longer hose, and that was your and your buddy's alternate air source. And the SCUBA gods said, "It is good". Now, with DIR, you are sinning if you don't have three miles of hose to your primary/buddy's secondary coiled around your body, and your personal secondary stapled to your neck. Seems like "right" changes with the wind; And, now, those taught the "right" way somehow think all the others are Doing It Wrong. Forget the theory of relativity. Something may be relatively better for some reasons, but that doesn't make the older methods wrong! And tomorrow, some poor DIR guy may die because of some flaw in the configuration. Then some new "right" way will be dreamed up and the next batch of new divers can sneer at the DIR guys for a change (Oh, I'm sure someone will come up with another clever term for the newer and safer way). As I see it, DIR is ruining SCUBA as a sport. There is nothing wrong with good ideas- just don't become pretentious, dogmatic and elitist about them.
Anyhow, with the locals brainwashed and the ocean a distance to be reckoned with, I've contemplated the alternative of solo diving for the time being. Boy did I feel guilty just thinking about it! But, actually, my first solo dive this afternoon was very nice. I didn't spend a third of my time keeping track of a buddy.
I dove a J-valved 72 and backpack over my wet suit top in the Feather River. My "buddy" was the surface, a mere 15 feet up, and my primary a USD Aquarius. No problems. Found a set of dog tags, retrieved an anchor from a sunken boat, caught some crawdads just for fun, and just watched the fish do their thing. Just nice.
Next time, I may dive my DA or DW. One thing's for sure, though...when I do find a local dive buddy or two, I'll break them in using my BC and full Oceanic spaghetti rig before I pull out the trusty, shiny USD radiator caps. Then later I'll bring out the DA with an octopus and "lose" my BC (if river diving, anyway) if they are still with me!
Speaking of being with me...
As I said, I'm new to the board. I had some built-up frustration to vent related somewhat to vintage type diving (IMO). "Thanks" if you are following this first thread of mine. I promise I won't bore anyone with my SCUBA-life's story and ranting and raving again!
I was just wondering if I was alone in my frustration, since I apparently "Do It Rong" (DIR)!
