DIR diving

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DIR, an acronym for "Doing It Right", is an holistic approach to scuba diving developed by members of the Woodville Karst Plain Project. Its classes are taught by Global Underwater Explorers. Some of the defining characteristics of DIR diving include an emphasis on teamwork, environmental awareness, and the use of highly optimized and streamlined, yet simple and versatile, equipment configuration. The aim of the DIR approach is to improve safety by standardizing equipment configuration and procedures for preventing and dealing with emergencies, and out-of-air emergencies in particular. The DIR approach encompasses aspects of equipment choice and configuration, diving procedures and techniques, and diver fitness and preparedness.

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[edit] Rationale

One of the challenges of scuba diving is that entry-level, recreational diving courses taught by large commercial firms may,in some opinions, tend to rush students through the training. This may result in divers who have not successfully mastered basic diving skills, such as buoyancy control. This in turn may make their dives more stressful and less enjoyable. On the other hand, DIR diving methodologies were developed to suit cave diving in northern Florida and are often impractical and occasionally counter-productive for the recreational ocean or freshwater diver ("open water"). Also, the DIR methodology tends to address many issues beyond its scope, often making it unnecessarily inflexible.

DIR diving blends safety, preparedness, teamwork, a robust equipment configuration with totalitarianism and a penchant for 'chatroom debate'. DIR is often seen as an equipment system alone, but it also encompasses a general philosophy or attitude of how to approach scuba diving. Students of DIR work to master the fundamentals of diving. An example is the DIR approach to team diving, where the diver's buddy is actually a team member and more focus is placed on underwater communication. This makes separation much less likely, which in turn results in a less stressful dive.

[edit] Controversy

DIR is often a source of heated discussion. Many feel that the name itself "Doing it Right" implies that if they are not utilizing DIR, then they are "doing it wrong". While many people see advantages in DIR's gear configuration, techniques and approach, others have challenged this approach. This has spawned various pro-DIR, anti-DIR and semi-DIR communities. DIR advocates often start too enthusiastically and can cause upset. Equally, those who disagree with DIR often end up very anti-DIR, criticizing and antagonizing DIR divers. Some of the sources of the dispute stem from one of the vocal founders of the DIR system, George Irvine.

Another criticism by some is that DIR conforming equipment is mainly manufactured by companies that are at least partially owned or run by senior DIR advocates. So to dive DIR you almost have to buy their products, which is an excellent marketing strategy.

[edit] George Irvine

George Irvine was a member of the WKPP and subsequently became the project director of the group. His polemical style on the internet lead to many heated exchanges. George was certainly key to making DIR more widely known but he also put many people off the system.

[edit] External links

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