NWUE Buddy Group

[ljjames]

Who we are....

http://www.nwunderwaterexplorers.org/NWUE/Home.html

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nwuebuddygroup

Come DIVE!!!! IF you are local or just in town for a weekend and looking for some DIR-centric dive buddies to check out the local waters with, explore some 'new' site, or be mentored by, please check us out!

Cheers!

Laura

[LCF]

Just to add . . . If there's anybody out there who is curious about what we do and why, or just wants some help with learning the frog kick or something like that, come join us for a Tuesday tweak (and find out we don't have horns or fangs, but just Jet fins . . . ) :-)

[dsteding]

I'll also say this: I know DIR is somewhat of a bad word in these circles, but we aren't about the past issues or internet bull$***.

One of the reasons I've stuck around this board even though my dive philosophy clearly makes me an outsider is that I share this board's enthusiasm and joy of diving.

If you are a new diver and want some bottom time, this is a great opportunity. Forget about anything else you may have read or think about unified team diving. I'll promise we'll be inclusive, non-judgmental, and if you want to learn, we are willing to mentor.

Join this list, come dive with us, I'll buy you a beer and I'll confront the myths and misinformation straight-on.

-Doug

[Layner]

The concept from the site seems pretty cool. Are y'all planning to put out a book on the dive sites you've found eventually? I'm just a full-on noob at this point (13 dives and counting since OW in June), but maybe once I've gained some more experience/skills I'll get a dive or 50 in with you guys (the beers are a nice teaser too). :occasion5:

[dsteding]

The concept from the site seems pretty cool. Are y'all planning to put out a book on the dive sites you've found eventually? I'm just a full-on noob at this point (13 dives and counting since OW in June), but maybe once I've gained some more experience/skills I'll get a dive or 50 in with you guys (the beers are a nice teaser too). :occasion5:

I doubt we'll ever get a book together, it is enough effort to plan things. We do want to expand the site with reports so others can go out and dive the cool stuff we find . . .

As for being a full-on noob, no worries, we've all been there-don't wait 50 more dives, come out and join us when you can.

[LCF]

I particularly love diving with new divers, as I try to pay forward the grace shown me when I was new and absolutely and utterly incompetent To date, I've never dived with anybody new who is as bad as I was, so if anybody's feeling shy because they think they aren't good enough to come out and dive with us, think again!

[Tangfish]

What about crusty divers who are set in their CC ways, can they come?

I like beer, btw Doug. :occasion5:

[Sockmonkey]

All,

Did you folks know that there isn't any sort of contact info on the NWUE website? At least none that I was able to find... However I could have just man-looked. I would suggest a link to the yahoo group (which I just joined) somewhere on there.

Hopefully I'll see everyone on Tuesday.

Thanks much!

-Eric

[LCF]

Anybody is welcome, Calvin, although I think a lot of us would be pretty uncomfortable at buddying up with a CCR diver, because we don't know anything about them, how to troubleshoot, or how to rescue somebody using one. Because I make a real compact with anybody I dive with, that I will do my darnedest to help them out of the water, I have to date declined to dive with rebreather divers, because I don't feel as though I'm really good help for them. Maybe you could educate me differently.

[ljjames]

At this point, I humbly request that CCR divers bring/arrange another CCR diver to dive with. Currently we are unable to comfortably supply you with a 'like gear' dive buddy, and I do not know of anyone in our 'leadership' group who is savvy enough with CCR to do pre-dive checks and trouble shoot the gear. You can work on the 'arranging' on the list or via your own lines of communication.

I am hoping that CCR divers who are considering attending are doing so because they want to learn more about a style of diving and meet some new peeps/put real names-faces to Avatars, and not just to see 'our' reaction.

I apologize that we cannot automatically offer you a buddy option.

Happy diving!

Laura

[butters]

I'll also say this: I know DIR is somewhat of a bad word in these circles, but we aren't about the past issues or internet bull$***.

One of the reasons I've stuck around this board even though my dive philosophy clearly makes me an outsider is that I share this board's enthusiasm and joy of diving.

I just did a google search and got some confusing results- what is "DIR?" And why is it a bad word?

[scottsax]

I'll also say this: I know DIR is somewhat of a bad word in these circles, but we aren't about the past issues or internet bull$***.

One of the reasons I've stuck around this board even though my dive philosophy clearly makes me an outsider is that I share this board's enthusiasm and joy of diving.

I just did a google search and got some confusing results- what is "DIR?" And why is it a bad word?

I think to divers with an open mind, it's not a bad word. It's just that like any belief, it inspires passion, which has in the past (here and elsewhere) inspired vitriolic speech on both sides of the aisle. Start here for a basic description of DIR principles: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DIR_diving
The GUE site http://www.gue.com has a lot of useful, educational info, too.

And I say this as a (currently) non-DIR diver...

[ljjames]

there are about 5,642 threads out there with 'us vs. them' DIR info. I do not want this thread to go that direction, if you want to talk about that stuff, and why we use the gear, do whatever one way or another, show up in person and we'll chat human to human. No internet discourse. That time is past.

This thread is for finding dive buddies who dive in a similar manner, or meeting new dive buddies who might not be exactly like your current ones. NWUE is inviting the community at large to come dive with us if you are curious about DIR as a style of diving.

Happy diving!

Laura

[LCF]

It IS, however, a little difficult to be curious about it if you haven't ever heard of it and have no clue what it is :-)

You can find tons of stuff, legitimate and wacky, about DIR on the internet. But what it comes down to is that it's a diving system that uses a lot of standardizing of equipment, gases and procedures to make things smoother and hopefully safer underwater. There is emphasis on strong personal diving skills and a heavy emphasis on diving as a team. The system is set up so that you can begin as a single-tank recreational diver and proceed through advanced technical or overhead diving without having to change much of anything you own or do.

If this intrigues you, come out and dive with us, and see how it actually WORKS.

(The bad name comes in part from the fact that one of the original proponents of the system was very abrasively vocal on a variety of internet message boards. His attitude has been generalized as being the attitude of everybody who uses this system, which is NOT true. Come meet us and find out.)

[scottsax]

So...say someone wanted to come out and dive with you all in a couple of weeks. Where would he find you?

[butters]

there are about 5,642 threads out there with 'us vs. them' DIR info. I do not want this thread to go that direction, if you want to talk about that stuff, and why we use the gear, do whatever one way or another, show up in person and we'll chat human to human. No internet discourse. That time is past.

The first result I got from google was the Texas Department of Information Resources:

http://www.dir.state.tx.us/


And some other junk like the california Department of industrial Relations, etc- scrolling down, I ran into some wikipedia page about this deal. Sorry if I asked the wrong question, but I'm starting to see why my OW instructor told me to stay the hell away from the internet if I wanted to learn about diving. Everyone else- thanks for the information and messages.

[Kalatin]

As another lurker on various DIR forums, I admit that I am intrigued by DIR diving. It helps that the major proponents on this board also happen to be very open and kind about diving in general, and their philosophy in particular. The reason I have avoided DIR divers (to the point of checking out people's gear for positive identification so I could run and hide if I spotted one) is that I read various postings that DIR divers ONLY dive with other DIR divers and various other postings that made most DIR folks seem to be outright jerks. Based on kind offers to dive with me and numerous reassurances that DIR folks do not actually bite new divers, I am now going to forgo my prior strategy of running and hiding from DIR divers. Plus, I kept having an image of myself trying to crawl under my jeep with full gear on to avoid anyone who looked like they were wearing a regulator on a necklace, throwing my back out, getting stuck, and then having to call 911 for assistance and trying to explain the whole fiasco without feeling like a complete moron. I have my pride.

That being said, I am headed out to dive with you folks and I have to admit some nerves about the experience. I think that it mainly arises because all of you sound so "put together" when it comes to your diving. That can be a bit intimidating to anyone like me who has only 15 dives, little buoyancy control, dives a traditional BC, has multi-colored equipment, and has a variety of gear without a clue of where to put it (see my earlier thread on how to wear a dive knife, which is also well worth the read for the sheer genius of the thread hi-jack http://www.nwdiveclub.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=5086).

I have watched videos of DIR divers who appear to have Jedi-like dive skills and it is difficult for me to see how I get from where I am at (http://www.nwdiveclub.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=5152) and that level of skill. What I would love to hear is how you folks went from unskilled newbies to Jedi masters. How did you get involved with DIR diving? What made you decide to pursue that philosophy? What reaction do you get from the rest of the dive community? You don't really bite new divers, do you?

Kate

[Sounder]

You don't really bite new divers, do you?

Don't bite... and we have cookies.

[Nwbrewer]

Kate, you really need to read LCF's blog on becoming a diver.

I've never been bitten by a DIR diver, and every one who I've ever met actually DIVING has been very nice. DIR divers on the net can be a different story, and keep in mind you never know the experience level of those on the other side of the keyboard.

To achieve jedi like skills the most important thing is to deciding that those skills are something you want, and then seeking out the training to achieve those goals. It's not for everybody for sure, and GUE triaing is not the only way to get there, it's just one way. I have no DIR training, but I have sought out training and buddies who dive in a similar fashion.

To steal from Spatman's sig line and quote our own Mr. stiq -

[Some divers] take a moment to squint outward from their own silt cloud and realise that there is so much more to be had than simply blowing bubbles, and they accept the commitment and criticism it takes to reach that better place. - Fishstiq

It's not all about bolt snaps and bungeed regs, it's about being a better, safer diver.

Jake

[Joshua Smith]

(to the point of checking out people's gear for positive identification so I could run and hide if I spotted one)kept having an image of myself trying to crawl under my jeep with full gear on to avoid anyone who looked like they were wearing a regulator on a necklace

Just a quick fyi- The backup reg on a necklace/ long primary hose configuration is the standard tech-diver set up, aka "Hogarthian", and it does not automatically mean that the person wearing it is a DIR diver- virtually every DIR diver wears one, as far as I know, but not everyone who wears one is DIR.

[CaptnJack]

What I would love to hear is how you folks went from unskilled newbies to Jedi masters.

No Jedis, more like a Padawan

How did you get involved with DIR diving?

By accident. At the time I became interested in deco diving there were a few options locally. I gathered some recommendations and chose GUE (the agency). Somewhat a backwards approach you should really chose instructors in many cases. Even just 5 or 6 yrs ago there was little recreational "DIR" going on. It was primarily a path into deco (aka tech) and cave diving. Only in the past few years has DIR been accepted as more of a recreational endpoint on its own.

What made you decide to pursue that philosophy?

Its only a "philosphophy" on the internet.

What reaction do you get from the rest of the dive community?

Online: they think we're mindless drones following guidance from the mothership in High Springs FL.
In person: I look like most other deco trained hogarthian cave divers with a scooter and don't raise very many eyebrows.

You don't really bite new divers, do you?

Just Nailer

Seriously, there have been at least 3 posts in this thread in the time its taken me to write this. None by anyone that (I'm aware of) have taken even a basic "DIR course" (which nowadays could be from a couple places). Which is ok, kinda how this board goes. But it doesn't provide a very coherent picture for you. So it would be great to have you dive with us next week. Between LCF and myself you can see whats-what from a friendly face We are both cave trained by GUE and I also have deco training with them, so we can probably answer whatever "why this? or "why that?" questions you might have.

Cheers,
Richard

[LCF]

Jedi master? Yeah, that's a good description of my cave instructor (and probably of MOST cave instructors!)

How'd I get interested in diving this way? I got "adopted" by Bob Bailey as a 20 dive hopeless klutz, and I went diving with him and took one look at somebody quiet, solid, streamlined and horizontal, and leaving no silt trail, and said, "I want to learn how to do that." Bob worked with me and sent me off to Fundies.

At the time, I had no idea that there were LOTS of people in the world with those skills who were NOT DIR divers. I've since learned that, but I still stay with the system because I like it. For one thing, I've traveled to a LOT of places where I've hooked up with similarly trained people and been able to jump in the water and feel as though I was diving with an old friend. That's worth a lot to me.

How'd I get the skills? I WORKED AT IT!!! I was in the "remedial" group in Fundies (the ones the instructor didn't think had an ice cube's chance of passing, which I didn't). But I hooked up with a fellow student, who has since become a very dear friend, and we went out and we practiced. We laughed at ourselves and each other when we screwed things up, and over time, we got better. I also did a TON of non-practice diving, always keeping the things I was working on somewhat in mind. A lot of buoyancy and trim and propulsion stuff is something you practice with every dive! Six months and 100 dives after Fundies, I was a completely different diver, and passed the class.

None of us was born neutrally buoyant, remember that :-) We all had to learn, and most of us I think remember some of the process. There's no shame in being new and awkward and unskilled. Diving is a skill, and like all skills, it has to be developed. For some people the process is faster than others, but everybody has to put some time in.

I hide my fangs

[LCF]

So...say someone wanted to come out and dive with you all in a couple of weeks. Where would he find you?

Follow the yahoo link in the original post -- it'll take you to an e-group where the dives each week will be posted. I think we're going to try to move them around some, tides and currents depending, of course! This upcoming one is at the Alki Pipeline.

[Joshua Smith]

Just Nailer

Which explains my constant regimen of tetnus shots, and why I always have a cattle prod in my hand.

[Tangfish]

and why I always have a cattle prod in my hand.

Man, I thought that was your bailout regulator - thank gosh I've never needed it!