Suitability..???

[kinetic]

My situation is, and this leads to my question, I am BSAC qualified but my training is now with PADI (as I am an ex pat in Luxembourg) and I'm a rescue diver, soon to be dive master...etc etc.

I have a fused hip (right side, from a car crash when I was 17, 17 years ago) and I have been an serious, active diver for many years. I'm always learning and pushing....

Right, from what I have read, i could never make it as a DIR qualified diver, fine, but what would the attitude be if I bowled up to a DIR course expecting not to get through....would that be acceptable, just to learn the skills etc.

Wondering....

Graham

[Tibbs]

Wouldn't see why not - get in contact with Andy Kerslake and see. He's a very approachable chap and very friendly.

Alternatively, just hire an instructor for the day. I've got no idea if you can do it, but I'm sure Andy or any other instructor would do an assessment for you, subject to expenses etc.

akerslake@gasdiving.co.uk

Chris

[Davey Willo]

Hi Graham

What does your fused hip stop you from doing? I can only imagine it's certain finning techniques, maybe frog kick, back kick etc... I'd be suprised if this stopped you from taking GUE training, can you describe what your limitations are for you to say that you could never make it as a DIR qualified diver.

Tibbs advice is good, Andy K is a really nice bloke and will answer all of your questions for you, hopefully that way we can hopefully miss the multipaged debate that is about to start courtesy of your question... lol... you know its true..

Best of luck mate
Dave.

[kinetic]

Dave,

Thanks for the reply....my frog fin technique is second to quite a few people...but it's good...reverse finning is very good...

Imagine your pelvis and your right thigh bone as one...well that's it.

Doesn't bother me much and I'm extremely capable, so my wife says (oops, jokes don't go in the DIR forum I'm told).

Anyway, it was just a question....I only wondered if DIR was so strict and pedantic.....as it seems to come across, but by your great reply it seems I shouldn't be so put off.

Many thanks...

Graham

[adam]

Hi Guys,

There is no problem attending a GUE course and not receiving qualification. In the case of the Fundamentals course, it is actively encouraged-you will learn a load, and it will provide you with lots of food for thought/room for improvement.

The qualification just states that you are able to go on to the next level of training-the actual learning goes on during the training and this is the area that is by far the most important.

I would recomend Fudamentals to any diver-on my course we had people with 20 or so dives through to people with 4000 dives-and everyone learnt lessons. Passing or not is not the point-learning is, and everyone is capable of that!

Hope that helps

Adam

[kinetic]

Adam,

That's exactly what I was hoping to hear....really appreciate it.

I would be happy, keen just to go on the course for the learning...a bit of paper at the end would be nice but if not...well, never mind.

Right...that's another course to go on next year...will I have time to work, see my wife and go to the pub?

Thanks again.

Graham

[Davey Willo]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (kinetic @ Oct. 04 2003,00:00)](oops, jokes don't go in the DIR forum I'm told).

Hiya Graham

Jokes are just as welcome here as anywhere else mate, I have to say I hate it when I see people thinking that DIR is up it's own arse cos it just aint true, what I would like peeps  to realise is that all of the guys on here and other lists who are DIR are just like everyone else, I mean didn't we all start diving and continue diving because we love it?, of course we did but some of us made a personal choice to follow what I/we believe to be an excellent system.. one of standardised equipment, gasses and reactions to emergencys situations, a system that is based soley on increasing the safety of the dive team/buddy pair, because of this decision we mainly have to endure accusations of being mindless clones or GI3 lovers or even of being sexist, racist, KKK, the list goes on and now appareantly we don't joke either but in reality what you'll find is we're just a bunch of people who love diving just like everyone else.

DIR get's a lot of bad press but it doesn't really come from those who have an understanding of the system and why it exists, no it mainly comes from those that 'do not' understand it and do not understand why it cannot be bastardised with personal preference changes, (should that happen then a system no longer exists) these same people tend to base their assumptions on what they have heard elswhere and then regurgitate it without ever understanding the reasons why.

When two or more DIR divers come together to dive, the whole system gells like you wouldn't believe, I've dived with complete strangers who are DIR and I can honestly tell you with my hand on my heart it's like diving with a long term regular buddy.

An example of this would be... three weeks ago, I'd arranged to meet a guy at Capernwray, a well known journalist who works for a well known dive magazine, we arranged to meet courtesy of a DIR list we are both members of.

During one of our dives we swam through a large container (I think it's known as the cave) he was leading and I was following behind, we were in an overhead environment and I decided without warning to hit him with a simulated OOA..

Just as he was heading for the exit hole out of the other end I started waving my torch beam irratically across the wall in front of him and he immediately spun around towards me with his hand already on his main reg, as soon as he saw me sawing my hand across my throat he had his reg in my face in an instant.. I took his reg and parked my own while he released the rest of his hose.. we now had seven feet of hose to play with...

Both of us were hanging there facing each other in perfect horizontal trim (important not to kick up any sediment at this point) he then unclipped his SPG and showed me how much air we both had to breath, I read it and gave him the ok, clipping his spg back in place he moved in beside me pointed in the direction we were to travel, took me by my upper arm and led me to the exit where we had to pass through in single file, so as trained to do I moved ahead and led the way out on the end of his long hose, he came out and moved back into position holding my upper arm and we moved off.. as slick as you like, we cut the exercise and he restowed his own long hose (he was able to do so because it wasn't bungied to his cylinders somewhere behind him) and off we went to complete our dive.

Now what I've just described isn't difficult and most divers are more than capable of achieving the same result, I have many friends on this board who would of gotten air to me just as quickly, the point of this story is to show that two complete strangers who'd never dived together before reacted as a team in what could easily have been a life threatening situation, it was done cleanly and efficiently because both divers were trained to know each others reactions and equipment, that to me is the beauty of DIR... any diver can dive with another and be as confidant of each other as two people who've dived together for a decade.

Sorry for the venting of my spleen there Graham, it wasn't directed at you mate, but little quips that people feel they have to use when talkiing about DIR or DIR divers just tends to grate after a while and I took this opportunity to rant.

Hope you forgive me..

BTW, have you noticed the other thread about the free DIR demo's being held at Capernwray by Andrew Georgitsis (Gue Training Director) and Michael Kane. I would urge anyone who might have a slightest interest to attend if at all possible, it's an excellent opportunity to have all of those doubts and questions answered by some of the main proponents of DIR, this guy would definitely be able to answer your querie Graham, I think you'll be pleasantly suprised, I hope to see you there.

By the way, I cannot back kick to save my life... what's your secret cos it's doing my bloody head in..

All of the best mate..

Dave

[kinetic]

Dave,

Thanks for the post....I suppose I did jump on the "have a small dig at the DIRs" bandwagon and you're quite right to point it out to me.

I must be honest and say that I would very much like to have a crack at DIR and get the skills, experience and knowledge and so I shouldn't be having a dig.

By the way, I saw the post on the Capernwray but I'm an expat and live in Luxembourg so it's a bit difficult...when I go back home to the UK it's to see my mum and to buy gear, hit the south coast and maybe squeeze a few courses in....which is why I'm looking at DIR for next year.

Back finning...well, I never ever was told to try it I just ended up doing it early on when I started diving when I was 17....my technique might not be text book but it works for me...imagine a limp wrist (lol) but then it's your ankle....and then imagine an oar, you pull your feet up as if you were cramping, on the back stroke twist your feet inward to slice back and repeat to fade etc....

I practice evertime in the lake and you can get a good speed up and no silting....but don't use it for a paniced diver situation...it's not that fast. I do some basic cavern diving (not qualified....booo) so it comes in handy...doing the TDI cavern course soon following postponement this summer.

Also, if you are interested...see planned trips BSAC Ice Course Feb 2004...someoene is organising a trip to the Alps for this course and because it's down the road from me (5hours) I'm planning to get some extra OHE experience....maybe you might be interested...my place in Lux is open as a halfway stopover if any UK punters are interested...and the wife is OK for people to sop over.

Anyway...

Best regards.

Graham

Thanks again and

Graham