what is DIR

[macstinator]

I see why they are put into practice! guys going several km into caves cant be wrong if they are coming out ok!

I try to emulate as i see fit as Mark says.

But - I have seen George's videos and he is, well, not as humble as Jarrod - hence the resistance. It is merely a new flavour of the dull BSAC/PADI nonsense is all im saying.

But in my own personal experience, GUE and DIR aside, I have found diving to be profoundly political - guys getting thrown out of clubs, agency slagging etc.

[lloydwatkin]

Met GLOC, Garf, Howard, and Wilbo @ the intro to DIR day at Vobster, you'll not meet a friendlier more helpful bunch of guys. Clearly their in the water because they love it and want to share it with people.

So if it's the personalities you've probably just been unlucky.

Oh, also their was Fiona, Clare, Phil Niknaks, also friendly helpful people (well apart from Phil, he's only friendly when you have your wallet out* ).

Lloyd

* That's not actually true!

[divingniknaks]

Cheers Lloyd

Macstinator, can you make Capernwray ? If so then there's another "Discover DIR" day there on the 10th November.

You will find all of the UK DIR people to be very laid back IMHO, they are nearly all very quietly getting on with whatever diving they enjoy, be it wrecks or caves.

I can't honestly think of anyone who I would describe as evangelical or "in your face" about GUE training here in the UK.

If people show a genuine interest then you will find loads of people prepared to take a huge amount of time to explain and in most cases go diving and show it in action.

HTH

[Garf]

I am some what anti DIR However I do not know that much about it

sigh. How can you be anti anything if you don't know much about it!

We could hardly be described as elitist. We pour scorn and derision on each other at every opportunity. We talk to every diver we meet with the intention of learning something from them, and showing them how the whole DIR thing works to remove some of the internet nonsense, not talking them into becoming DIR divers.

no, we don't do CCR. Not becuase we don't like them, but becuase they currently do not fit in with the configuration and procedure standards we use. That might change - I happen to be quite partial to rebreathers myself, I think they are the future. We don't use computers becuase we don't need them with the procedures we use, not becuase we think they are evil.

If you are anywhere around the southern half of the UK, I'd be happy to meet up one weekend day somewhere and do a day going through exactly what we do and why we do it, and show you how the whole concept hangs together. Then at least, you'd know all about it, and if you were still anti DIR at that point at least you'd have been given the information to make up your mind.

G

[Diving Dude]

Originally Posted by Garf

......loads of stuff by Garfie........

This is the problem nowadays, 'they' tend to spout reasonable stuff most of the time

It was much better a few years ago when some of them ranted on about how crappy the rest of the diving world was and that we were all going to die if we tied a boltsnap wrong.

We even have mixed boats now of decent divers and that mob.

Ok maybe not that much, l wasn't invited on the sailing ship project

[stevechesh]

Originally Posted by Diving Dude

l wasn't invited on the sailing ship project

I might be doing another trip out there early next year. . .

[Colin Marriott]

Originally Posted by Diving Dude

. . . Ok maybe not that much, l wasn't invited on the sailing ship project

I've been led to believe 'they' can be won over with a bunch of Bananas.



ColinM

[Buoyant Babe]

Originally Posted by Colin Marriott

I've been led to believe 'they' can be won over with a bunch of Bananas.



ColinM

...and a nice cup of PG Tips

[tonhil]

The video of George Irvine and the body bag as an essential piece of kit for non DIR divers could have come across as slightly arrogant :-)

Some DIR types have a LOT of dives.

I remember being a little despairing when I came across a bunch of "DIR types" well kitted out for cave penetration but without the skill base to deal with a 15m open water bimble.

However the whole idea is sound and you owe it to yourself as a diver to look into it as some of the ideas and procedures are great - a revelation.

[Colin Marriott]

Originally Posted by Buoyant Babe

...and a nice cup of PG Tips

Yep, here's the lads doing their daytime job




ColinM