The Rule of Fun: what do you do when you aren't having any?

[The Chairman]

My Rule of Fun states that you can call a dive at any time, for any reason with no questions asked and no repercussions. It's all about knowing your limits and then honoring them before you exceed them. You should always be in control because being out of control is just no fun. Since we dive for fun, there's no need for us to simply grit it and continue on. We need to stop and figure out why we're not having fun and call the dive(s) until we can figure it out.

So what does it mean? What does it mean to you? How should it affect your diving?

 

[Steve_C]

I agree with the philosophy but not sure about the no reprecussions part. If my buddy after dive one decides that the viz was less then he liked and sits out the second dive he can do that but if the boat requires buddies and my options are not so good and I wind up with an air sucker on an AL80 I will be friendly with my buddy but I may not buddy with them again. Same for canceling a dive at the last moment to mow their yard or some such. Same for if they thumbed the dive just because they got bored with the dive. I always find something interesting to look at.

 

[bowlofpetunias]

For me it has a lot to do with buddies.
Any dive I do with hubby is better than a dive I do without him. I tend to be quite social in that I enjoy sharing experiences with others. If my buddy isn't having fun... I am not having fun.

Inexperienced divers are fun because their enthusiasm at the newness of it keeps me from taking things for granted. Inexperienced buddies who don't respect the environment or buddy procedures are no fun I'd rather sit out or call the dive.

Being still, hanging weightless and watching the critters is the most fun of all. Finding a new creature at our local dive site, working out it's territory and watching it over a period of time is wonderful.

Diving for me is an escape to a magic kingdom so few get to see. I don't want to work too hard .. I just want to be in the moment and go with the flow.....

 

[kafkaland]

It depends on my buddy. If I'm sensing that he isn't having fun, either, I'd put it a small a question (thumb up, question mark), not a demand. If he's obviously into it, I suck it up as long as I'm still a safe diver. On a guided dive where I was the only paying customer I simply turned the dive when it wasn't fun. My call, obviously. And when I'm solo, the question doesn't even arise. If I don't feel it, I end the dive, or don't even splash to begin with.

 

[bowlofpetunias]

I agree with the philosophy but not sure about the no reprecussions part. If my buddy after dive one decides that the viz was less then he liked and sits out the second dive he can do that but if the boat requires buddies and my options are not so good and I wind up with an air sucker on an AL80 I will be friendly with my buddy but I may not buddy with them again. Same for canceling a dive at the last moment to mow their yard or some such. Same for if they thumbed the dive just because they got bored with the dive. I always find something interesting to look at.

You got it .... imho buddies should add value not take it away! I guess I think of my diving which is primarily shore diving. If the airhog newby displays infectious enthusiasm.... I would probably do the second dive if not.. find another buddy

Last minute cancellations better have a good reason and chores that should have been considered before the commitment don't cut it!

Calling a dive for boredom.... ?????that happens??????

 

[lowviz]

Being a true solo diver by nature/choice/whatever (there must be a gene for that) I just get out of the water and go to my GPS.

Poke in "Attractions". All attractions. Pick something random. I have seen the most amazing off-the-beaten-path little museums.

A RE-EXAMINATION OF THE ISLAND FIELD SITE (7K-F-17), KENT COUNTY, DELAWARE on JSTOR

I even know Jay Custer, having met him in person. I found a spear point (projectile point, sorry Jay) while digging footers for my deck. He identified and dated it for me. I follow up on things.

Not having fun can turn interesting. Up to you...

 

[TMHeimer]

I am lucky in that I almost never have to call a dive for poor viz or other conditions. Being retired, you can pick your dive days. Dives are most fun when I find a worthy shell or poke spear a tasty flounder, but otherwise I get a sense that I've done something a select number of people do. If conditions change and it looks like zero viz or really sketchy otherwise, I cancel as the fun is gone.

 

[diver0008]

I can only recall twice when I did not have fun.

The first is when I decided to try a dive in the lake at my cottage. In Quebec. 5mm hooded wetsuit, boots, gloves, good to go. Or so I thought until I hit about 15-feet.

The second was on a group trip, in which I ended up on a boat comprised primarily of inexperienced divers. Dive times were preposterously short and the pace and clustering were very unpleasant.

Solutions?

I have reverted to just swimming in the lake, close to the surface.

On the dive trip mentioned above, after a couple of days of mayhem, I raised the issue, and was put on another boat with experienced divers. A little assertiveness helped get my money's worth, and I now make inquiries and requests in advance to ensure compatability with other divers in a group.

So far so good with both.

Of course there's been the occasional equalizing issues, but I've learned how to manage them for myself. I think the more experience you get, the more fun it all becomes.

 

[2airishuman]

So what does it mean? What does it mean to you? How should it affect your diving?

Hmm, well, what is fun, and why dive. Sometimes I continue dives that aren't fun.

Sometimes I hold out hope that a dive will improve, or I take steps to improve it by moving to a more interesting or comfortable area or depth.

Sometimes my dives have longer-term objectives. Occasionally I continue a dive that is not particularly fun because I'm exploring an area to more fully ascertain its "fun potential" so I can have this information in hand for future dive planning.

Sometimes I'm on a skills dive or a gear shakeout dive, or a purely utilitarian dive to retrieve a previously lost object, none of which is necessarily inherently fun, depending on the circumstances.

Some dives have boring segments. I was recently on a dive with a ~10 minute access swim in the shallows and weeds to and from. I would imagine that deco dives are similar in that they also have boring segments that are part of the overall experience.

I take the long view in general though and see gear setup, teardown, maintenance, travel, etc., as a pleasurable part of the overall dive experience.

 

[Marie13]

Quit.