OP
Monkey_Gland
Contributor
What a stunning set of responses. We are getting dangerously close to a manifesto! I love it!
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Whilst we are at it:
9. Good looking.
10. Owns a boat.
I would love to be with (or one day be) a diver who can sort out a failing regulator, while untangling himself / someone else from an obstacle, while shooting a SMB, being narced, having had his mask kicked off and a burning fire in his bum from a Devil Firefish sting
5. Joy. To me, if someone meets all the other criteria but has lost the joy of doing this, they aren't a role model and they aren't great. A great diver can do his most challenging dives with skill and safety, but is also perfectly happy to jump into shallow water and play with friends.
6. Humility. I think a hallmark of truly great people in any discipline is that they remember that they were once beginners, and that they still put their pants on one leg at a time. Arrogance is a marker of insecurity. Generosity, and a willingness to reach out to others, is a mark of greatness.
A good diver is someone with the skills to get themselves out of just about any bad situation.
A great diver is someone who also has the judgment to not get themselves into that situation in the first place ...
a. Is aware of, and dives within, her limits;
b. Is aware of, and dives with, her strengths;
c. Has fun when she dives.
I was going to say situational awareness and the ability to correctly respond to it. Pretty much same/same.For me there are two aspects to it: Mindset, and ability.
For a totally recreational standpoint (e.g., look at the sights) that is true, but when you start adding tasks, be they laying line, collecting artifacts, recording data, fixing something, taking pictures, etc., there are then objective measures of a diver's ability and while not necessarily competitive, judgments as to a diver's "quality" become possible and sometimes important.People who aspire to be "great divers," for the most part, should come to terms with the humiliation of not making the high school football team and move on with their lives. Diving is a non-competitive pastime. Get yourself competent enough to safely do the diving that you enjoy and then go ahead and enjoy it.
Yes.The only thing people should aspire to is a clear understanding of their own limitations.
There is no "perfect" diver. Divers who know well enough to dive within their own limits have the optimum skill that they need.
Emphatically yes.A good diver is someone with the skills to get themselves out of just about any bad situation.
A great diver is someone who also has the judgment to not get themselves into that situation in the first place ...
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
As far as joy is concerned, I'd have to say, "Not really." I've known more than a few "great" divers that did not particularly enjoy diving (at least did not enjoy diving any more). They did it because one way or another it paid the bills, and that was about it.It's an interesting question, what is a great diver, and who should we look up to. For example, I'm amazed at the WKPP's unbelievable record-setting cave dives (and even more impressed by their safety record doing them) but I don't want to emulate JJ and Casey, because I have no desire to do that kind of diving. There are, however, some qualities of those divers that allow them to do the things they do, and would allow me to do the things I do more safely and with more enjoyment:
1. Knowledge. ...
2. Skill. ...
3. Judgment. ...
4. Diligence. ...
5. Joy. To me, if someone meets all the other criteria but has lost the joy of doing this, they aren't a role model and they aren't great. A great diver can do his most challenging dives with skill and safety, but is also perfectly happy to jump into shallow water and play with friends.
Again, I have to disagree. I'd suggest that a touch of arrogance is what keeps the vehicle of exploring the unknown moving, it's not the fuel, it's not the engine, but it is, perhaps, the spark plug.6. Humility. I think a hallmark of truly great people in any discipline is that they remember that they were once beginners, and that they still put their pants on one leg at a time. Arrogance is a marker of insecurity. Generosity, and a willingness to reach out to others, is a mark of greatness.
That "zone of safety" concept is critical, it is part and parsal of good SA. I am expanding way outside of recreational diving, but once again I really don't see what fun has to do with it (except that in the case you cite that may be the primary end goal).I have to go with the person who identified "Mental Attitude" as the primary characteristic of a "good diver." With the proper attitude, the rest of the stuff generally follows:
Proper Mental Attitude:
a. Is aware of, and dives within, her limits;
b. Is aware of, and dives with, her strengths;
As a result of this, she:
a. Does all she can to stay well within the "zone of safety" for that particular dive;
b. Stays current with knowledge and works on her skills;
c. Has fun when she dives.
That, to me, is a good diver.
Generous? Not a requirement. I've known some great divers who were always the last to pick up a tab, even if they were willing to share the last breath from their tank with a complete stranger.I like this list. But let me add:
7. Generous. He/she is the first one to offer to pay for gasoline, food, their share of expenses. They will let you handle your own gear, but are the first to pitch in and help if you need it. They will offer to change their dive plan to match yours. With whatever they have, they are willing to share.
Dependable needs to be on the list.8. Dependable. If they say they are going to be there at a certain time, they are early. If they say they are going to be prepared, they are. Their word is as good as gold before, during and after the dive.
Hummm, kinda hard to list something that has not been said just yet.............Perhaps I may add a few though.
Someone that doesn't ask if your "OK" every 10 seconds, but appears to be in panic protocol themselves, or someone who is not an engineer with a desire to tell you every 30 minutes that they are an engineer and why their diving is better because they are one, and lastly someone who would occasionally not be on your heals yapping like a pup hunting a bone following your every move. The more I think about it, the more I like solo diving. Lol Other than that, I think Rick and TS & M pretty much summed up what a perfect diver would consist of.
I should add though, that the one I have is:
Patient
Loyal
Understanding
Eager to learn
And occasionally does this 'Happy Dance" thing.............
Two points for the first one who guesses!
Kenny