Mailing List Archive Mailing List Archive
One opinion from one outside the fray. I am not a DIR diver and have no immediate expectation of becoming one. I am a Navy Diver and I do it the Navy's way regardless of my personal opinion. But mostly I do it exactly the same way every other Navy diver does it. We are all trained to the same set of tightly prescribed standards. We all use the same selection of equipment from the Authorized for Navy Use list. We follow the same set of operating rules. Is our system better than DIR? I doubt it seriously. But it works because it is a system - gear configuration, operating rules, and training (both initial and ongoing). We also strictly limit our gear configurations to the environments in which they are appropriate. I for one am sick to death of attacks on DIR because George and other DIRers are not nice people. OK they're not. George admits it readily. Hell I'd probably be hostile too if I had to pick up the bodies produced by others' dangerous stupidity. I have felt for a long time that much of technical diving (especially rebreathers) is beyond the capability of many if not most non-professional divers to handle safely. Not because they aren't smart enough or strong enough or can't handle themselves in the water. I suspect most people with a sport diver's mentality simply don't have sufficient discipline. The DIR approach emphasizes a disciplined, systematic and standardized approach. So although I am not involved in "technical diving" at present, if and when I do so I suspect the DIR approach will feel real comfortable. And if the instructors and other divers aren't always nice to me, I can assure you they have nothing on Navy instructors. But both really would have the same goal - train me to do it right or chase my dumb ass away! Just my opinion though. B.L. Flank -- Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@aquanaut.com'. Send subscribe/unsubscribe requests to `techdiver-request@aquanaut.com'.
Navigate by Author:
[Previous]
[Next]
[Author Search Index]
Navigate by Subject:
[Previous]
[Next]
[Subject Search Index]
[Send Reply] [Send Message with New Topic]
[Search Selection] [Mailing List Home] [Home]