DIR-F report: This ain’t no Clown College

[headhunter]

Well…I would have been doing pretty well if this were the entrance exam to Clown College!

This is not going to be a blow-by-blow description of the class, since that’s been documented many times in the past. I just want to share my personal impressions of the whole experience.

I absolutely loved the class and am very glad I participated in it. I considered the content of the class very well organized. It presented us with the perfect opportunity to find out which areas of our diving we needed improvement in. As it turns out, the areas that I need to work on are… well… all of them.

As I’m sure you all can guess, I received a <I>provisional</I> rating. I can say to those of you that have already taken the class that I won’t be thinking about going downtown anytime soon.

I have a whole new level of respect for anyone who has passed this class and is able to perform these skills well. However, what impresses me the most is the level of situational awareness that is taught and expected throughout the class.

I think we were very lucky to have two very gifted instructors teaching together. While I found their styles to be quite different, they were a very nice complement to each other. Their ability in the water was really something for people to aspire to. Words that came to mind when watching them perform menial tasks were “grace” and “poise”.

To both Michael Kane and Brandon Schwartz, I offer my sincere thanks for sharing their knowledge with us.

It reminded me a lot of the classes that we had back in the 70s and early 80s. A great deal of emphasis was placed on proficiency and skill back then. Although, the classes themselves were very different, what I mean by “the same” was the level of intensity. I may be wrong, but I believe that BSAC still teaches classes in this fashion.

The best thing about going through an actual class like this as opposed to gathering information second hand was that it really helped to demystify everything. This stuff is not brain surgery. It’s not easy, but just requires a commitment to practicing what will ultimately add to our diving enjoyment at any level. I have no doubt that over time, anyone who was in that class has the ability to learn everything that was taught. After all, it’s not a race and the prize goes to everyone who is willing to put forth the effort.

I can see how continuing to develop my diving ability will lead to increased safety for my team, and myself. In addition to increased safety will be the part that I really look forward to… more fun!

Speaking of fun… there were many memorable moments from our class.

Here are just a few of the moments that I’ll remember for a very long time.

The first night in the city of Avalon on Catalina Island, we went to dinner as a group to Ristorante Villa Portofino. We had a wonderful time getting to know each other and listening to stories of diving in places that some of us hope to visit someday.

When attempting to do the backward kick, I kept imagining what I must have looked like. It was such a comical vision that I kept laughing and flooding my mask. I continued to try to do the kick while clearing my mask, which made me laugh even more. I never did go backwards. The bottom line is that the dog finally died and I stopped trying once I was exhausted.

Normally, getting in at the dive park on Catalina Island is as easy as it gets and is like walking into a lake. Well, on Sunday the wind had really whipped up some sizable breakers. For those of you who are familiar with the location, some of these breakers were actually going over the top of the stairs as well as over the breakwater with a bit of force.

One of the members of our team had a fin ripped off by one of these waves and unfortunately had to sit out the rest of that dive. Another member of our team managed to find the fin after the dive. At first, we didn’t realize that it was a member of our group looking for the fin or that this was what he was actually doing. At the bottom of the stairs that lead into the water in the middle of the breaking waves, he looked like a killer whale doing a show at Sea World. At one point Michael asked, “Is that guy in trouble?” It was hard to tell, but a couple of seconds later his seizure stopped and he held up the lost fin! The whole crowd standing on the breakwater who was watching this display of… well…I really don’t know what to call it… began to applaud and cheer the fin recovery.

Besides that one piece of gear, we all managed to get in and out of the water without incident. Even the one who lost his fin wasn’t really having a difficult time. It’s just that the fin got sucked off of his foot. It was really just a matter of timing. It actually looked much worse than it was.

Then there was the dive where as part of a team of three my mask was removed to simulate a “no vis” environment. Once my mask was gone, another teammate was told to be “out of air”. Then the last member of the team had kelp wrapped around their legs just to keep it interesting. I love those kinds of exercises!

Of course, the video sessions were something to remember, but it loses something in the translation to try to describe that in words.

I would recommend this class to anyone who wants to advance their diving to a new level of enjoyment and understanding. I’ll just leave you all with the attached picture of myself coming out of the water and talking to some people about our class. I am now in my official 30 days of quarantine before being allowed to tell any non-DIR divers about why they should consider this training. :D

Christian

[jb2cool]

it's posts like this that really make me want to book up and do my DIR-F. I think i'll getthis done next year when it's a bit warmer and i have a little more of my kit sorted out.

[Clare Gledhill]

Thanks for posting - glad to hear you had the best thing of all on your DIR F - fun :D

[vid]

a good post and insightful

Quote: (Originally Posted by headhunter)

I may be wrong, but I believe that BSAC still teaches classes in this fashion.

i think all agencies do, it just depends on (1) the instructor and (2) the trainee (too many times I see people who just want to be able to dive, without the considerable effort that you've highlighted)

vid

[neilh]

Good post, looks like you enjoyed it though and that's the main thing

[Sterny]

Great post, fella! Sounds like it was a good experience, and good luck on upgrading to a full pass sometime soon!