Experience DIR - An Opportunity for Newbies

[GLOC]

Having had a discussion about how to get new people interested in DIR diving with a couple of instructors, it seems that we need to get more people in the water than just talk about it.

I know that is easy to say, but sometimes it is very difficult to arrange. One solution which worked last year was to run some Nitrox dives on the same weekends at the DIR-UK dives which meant that some of the more experienced DIR divers could dive with the less experience guys. However, although I took on the mantle of trying to arrange these this year, there has been little take up because of the late notice of the dates and people have most of their weekends/fridays sorted already. I will try and address this issue for next year by getting the dates out earlier. There is also talk of having a mini-gig in the spring for next year but this is to be confirmed.

After chatting with the rest of Team Foxturd we have come up with an idea that will hopefully work. We will try and get at least 3 people who are interested in DIR and want to know more but don't have someone local to dive with, like a club, and meet up with them either somewhere on the south coast or at Vobster/NDAC and take them diving for a day/weekend.

This wouldn't be formal instruction but would be there to show people what the kit configuration is, demo some basic skills, talk through stuff in general and show people that we aren't demons who call everyone strokes. In effect, it would be something like a mini-DIRx gig but with 6 people instead of the 60 odd we should have at Stoney in the autumn.

This sort of thing already happens at a club level like Rich Walker's club and John Kendall's club but there isn't a 'club scene' like PADI or BSAC within the UK for DIR divers as you have to know someone to know when things are happening and it is sometimes daunting to make that first step. Consequently there are probably a few people who are out there who are interested but don't know what to do next and these are the people who I am writing to.

However, to make this happen we need to have people who are interested in seeing what DIR is all about and putting their names below. If we go to the south coast we can make a weekend of it, if we go to Vobster/NDAC, my house is 45mins from both and there is plenty of bed/floor space to use if you are travelling so not to worry on that front.

So, who's interested?

1. Gareth Wilson (gwilson) - work and dates dependent
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Once we have some names we can then try and arrange some dates which are mutually acceptable.

If you want more info and don't want to post here, just PM me, Garf or Howard

[gwilson]

So, who's interested?

1. Gareth Wilson (dates and work dependent)
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

[Howard Payne]

we aren't demons who call everyone strokes

Aren't we? Not even a little bit?

[Reikimaster]

1. Gareth Wilson (dates and work dependent)
2. ReikiMaster
3.
4.
5.
6.

[jimbob]

1. Gareth Wilson (dates and work dependent)
2. ReikiMaster
3. Jimbob
4.
5.
6

[lloydwatkin]

1. Gareth Wilson (dates and work dependent)
2. ReikiMaster
3. Jimbob
4. lloydwatkin
5. lloydwatkin +1 (as long as it's a weekend)
6

[yazzyfooty]

Originally Posted by lloydwatkin

1. Gareth Wilson (dates and work dependent)
2. ReikiMaster
3. Jimbob
4. lloydwatkin
5. lloydwatkin +1 (as long as it's a weekend)

6 Yazzyfooty (DIR curious) ooh sounds a bit like them funny personal ads!

[David]

when is this going to happen then ??

[JAG]

Early bird doesn't catch the worm in this case.. I hate shift working.

[GLOC]

1. Gareth Wilson (dates and work dependent)
2. ReikiMaster
3. Jimbob
4. lloydwatkin
5. lloydwatkin +1 (as long as it's a weekend)
6 Yazzyfooty (DIR curious) ooh sounds a bit like them funny personal ads!
7. JAG
8.
9.

We will see how this goes, but there is no reason why we can't run more that one session, so if you are interested add your name.

I will speak to the rest of the chimps and see what dates etc work out.