Value of the DIR approach

[The Horn]

So over the course of the day I have read the post.......good thing the rye and wine did not run out.........

DIR, PADI, NAUI......ooooo don't put us on the same line.......ahhhhhhhgggg

who cares. The root of the training is the instructor/student. Get what you will out of the course you take. DIR is an attempt to get back to the basics of diving (golf clap...) other orginizations have watered down the approach to get people$ diving.....yeeee hooo...?

I think DIR approach has got alot of people outside of DIR looking at technique and gear configuration and up grading or changing to what "they had believed" was a good way to dive. As was stated earlier the debates do have people thinking.

Tech/Rec....all diving should be safe. The basic priciples of a dive are the same for any further more "in depth" diving.

P_ADI NAUI DIR ITAND.....I don't think the acronym means spit when it comes to good, safe, resposible diving.

Does DIR have anything to offer the diving community at the different levels........depends: are your skills lacking, do you need further training, do you wish to dive with an instructor..........

 

[Thalassamania]

well i asked on my local site about dir fundies (because i am truely interested) and all im getting is crotchless halycon knicker jokes

Let's hear the jokes! Please? Pretty please? Pretty please with a cherry on top?

 

[jim T.]

I have scanned most of the 39 pages here but I wish to add that Lynne has been one of the most giving and informative and kind people/divers I have ever met on a board and in person. She accompanied me and two other DIR/GUE divers on a dive at Edmonds Underwater Park.
I'm not going to mention the other divers by name without asking them (although a search would reveal all) but all 3 DIR divers were welcoming, encouraging, demonstrated the advantages of their gear configurations and made suggestions to me on how to improve my own. They very generously loaned me equipment. They did not
proselytize or intimidate (as I was afraid they might) just demonstrated and shared by example.

I am taking TDI training along with some SSI training but I immediately saw great value in, and have already adopted:
The long hose. Necklaced 2nd, diving doubles, reduced my weighting, etc.

If there were more DIR divers in my immediate locale to constantly have available to drill and practice with, I might lean more in that direction. It's far too early for me to tell.

At this point in time, I have generous tech diver buddies who have trained with my present TDI instructor and are available to drill and practice with
me,locally. So, that is the route I am exploring for now.

I've read/heard before, that PNW DIR/GUE people are generally more open and less intimidating than a lot of DIR
folks in other parts of the country (world?) and I have seen this to be true.

One of my biggest "fears" was not being invited to dive with these wonderful people again because I'd heard that DIR divers would not dive with non DIR configured divers, but I have, happily, been invited to dive with them again some time.
This is the kind of positive experience that a lot of DIR divers choose not to extend to non DIR divers
but those who do, are, I'm guessing, winning a lot
more divers seeking instruction and gear configuration over to the "dark side" than their more
stringent counterparts.

The most advanced of the three divers above, outlined clearly what skills he thought I should attain before persuing tech training and I am working on those now.
These people demonstrate the value of the DIR approach whether or not I or anyone else decide that's the only approach for them. They are passionate about the system and represent it well.
So I guess the "value of the DIR approach" (like any approach) depends on it's ambassadors.

 

[Adobo]

I've read/heard before, that PNW DIR/GUE people are generally more open and less intimidating than a lot of DIR
folks in other parts of the country (world?) and I have seen this to be true.

Objection your honor!!! That's pure conjecture.

 

[daniel f aleman]

Originally Posted by jim T.

I've read/heard before, that PNW DIR/GUE people are generally more open and less intimidating than a lot of DIR folks in other parts of the country (world?) and I have seen this to be true.

Not to mention: overly educated, emotionally soft, and with way too much time and money on their hands. Hello, wifi at Starbucks...

 

[Rick Inman]

Not to mention: overly educated, emotionally soft, and with way too much time and money on their hands. Hello, wifi at Starbucks...

Now that's funny!

 

[cool_hardware52]

I've read/heard before, that PNW DIR/GUE people are generally more open and less intimidating than a lot of DIR
folks in other parts of the country (world?) and I have seen this to be true.

Glad to hear you had a good experience. What I see happening is a the "2nd wave" of DIR taking hold. Much of the past bad feelings, load personalities, intra agency pissing matches has been set aside. Dare I say a degree of maturity has begun to prevale.

Are there still "Alpha Males" and recent converts who are a bit more zealous than necessary? Of course there are, but in the large part the people I encounter aren't **********s.

At the risk of being called an agency basher I think much of the explaination for this trend is the current state of basic scuba training. There is "pent up demand" for better, more complete training and DIR is one obvious answer.

Tobin

 

[Jasonmh]

...
This is the kind of positive experience that a lot of DIR divers choose not to extend to non DIR divers...

Very glad to hear about your positive experiences. But, without taking away anything from the people you praised in your post, I think this happens alot more often and in more places than people realize.

 

[dsteding]

Not to mention: overly educated, emotionally soft, and with way too much time and money on their hands. Hello, wifi at Starbucks...

Starbucks is a clear rule 6 violation.

 

[ScubaJewel]

Dir diver boys are all so cute ';-)