Posted by MHK on August 30, 2001 at 09:32:23:
In Reply to: DIRers when to dive NonDIR posted by maddiver on August 30, 2001 at 08:43:01:
If you start from the premise that DIR is much more about an approach and a mindset you are in the right direction. For certain no one that I know who dives DIR would entertain the thought of doing any type of advanced or technical dive in some ad hoc fashion. So I'll assume that we can keep the focus of this discussion centered around simple recreational dives that pop up unexpectedly. For example, I'll be in Australia next month and I'll be predominately on business, however it's very likley that I'll get in some diving. Accordingly what I have done is sent several e-mails to local shops indicating to them that I have a DIR philosophy and as such I don't want to get buddied up with anyone that isn't capable of accepting that notion. It took a few e-mails but I finally got a shop that has a DM that claims to be DIR. We exchanged a few e-mails, and based on those e-mails, I get the feeling that for a few recreational dives he'll be OK. For sure, you go into a dive being self-reliant and self-sufficent, but I'm sure I'll do this diving a little closer to the vest then I would say for example if I were with Walker or Terry.. I'll keep dive 1 to under 60', see how my buddy does and then take the rest of the week from there.
To the extent that prior planning isn't an option, I would suggest that you stay well within recreational limits, I wouldn't even dream of overhead environments and I would plan the dive as if I had no one around and err of the side of caution...
Later