What identifies someone as a "good" diver?

[cool_hardware52]

What actually "makes a good diver" and what are "indicators" i.e. easily observable behaviors of a good diver, are not the same IMO.

I suspect that the OP is asking how does one more or less "at a glance" make a judgement.

I'd suggest that under those limited conditions the list of reliable indicators is pretty short.

Tobin

 

[seeker242]

As a new diver, from my POV, one who doesn't skimp on safety. If you go jump in the water without allowing me to do a proper buddy check, etc. I don't care how experienced you are, how many dives you have logged. It wouldn't matter how perfect your finning is or good your buoyancy control is. You're not a good diver! To me a "good diver" still takes ALL the proper safety precautions on every single dive, even after 500 dives with no incidents.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

As a new diver, from my POV, one who doesn't skimp on safety. If you go jump in the water without allowing me to do a proper buddy check, etc. I don't care how experienced you are, how many dives you have logged. It wouldn't matter how perfect your finning is or good your buoyancy control is. You're not a good diver! To me a "good diver" still takes ALL the proper safety precautions on every single dive, even after 500 dives with no incidents.

I would put that in a category of a bad dive buddy, as they may have great skills, but they will push people beyond their limits (comfort, training). And if you are not a solo/self-reliant diver, they are not going to notice when you need help. You will be on your own.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I ran across this shirt: Archimedes (Eureka!) T-shirt design, printed on demand at weadmire.net that I hoped to wear when teaching OWSI students, but I was informed it could violate harassment policies. Oh well....

What? Where? The only harassing thing about it might be if your candidates were trained poorly to begin with. Or their buoyancy and trim suck. If the latter they shouldn't be in an instructor course to begin with. Or open water at all for that matter.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

Buoyancy control.... LOL.. that is not even on the list... Why not say "knows how to set up his own gear"? Buoyancy control is a given, even in a marginal diver.

When I learned to dive, the metric was productivity. How many lobster and fish you could bring up without getting yourself in trouble.

Of course if you kick up the bottom and destroy the visibility for no good reason, then you are a dork, but probably the simplest definition is a diver who knows their limits, dives well within them and has fun.

You can be a "good diver" and never venture into cold water, strong currents or deeper than 50 feet.

Another important attribute of a good diver is that they maintain some "reserve" in their "tank". I don't mean air, I'm thinking about excess physical stamina and watermanship skills that are NOT called upon during a typical dive but CAN be utilized should things go south. It is really implied within the concept of diving within your own limits.

 

[Centrals]

Are we looking for good diver or perfect diver?

 

[CptTightPants21]

As a new diver, from my POV, one who doesn't skimp on safety. If you go jump in the water without allowing me to do a proper buddy check, etc. I don't care how experienced you are, how many dives you have logged. It wouldn't matter how perfect your finning is or good your buoyancy control is. You're not a good diver! To me a "good diver" still takes ALL the proper safety precautions on every single dive, even after 500 dives with no incidents.

Wait, so a person isn't a good diver if they don't allow YOU to check their stuff?

 

[Chugwhump]

Are we looking for good diver or perfect diver?

After reading the criteria some have thrown out in many of the posts here......
apparently I am neither.

Oh well.

Chug
Not dead yet,
and apparently dives with crummy divers a lot.

 

[seeker242]

Wait, so a person isn't a good diver if they don't allow YOU to check their stuff?

If they don't follow proper buddy safety procedures, I would say yes, they are not a good diver.

 

[uncfnp]

If they don't follow proper buddy safety procedures, I would say yes, they are not a good diver.

I understand where you are coming from but that is more "good buddy" then good diver and yes, if they are buddy diving, then good buddy skills would be part of a good diver. But remember, many of us do not always buddy dive.