93 replies to this topic

[VADiver]

Hey...where have you been? Diving I guess....

[Dive_Girl]

Hey...where have you been? Diving I guess....

yep - I'll call you later this week.

Back to the topic at hand!

Since ultimately we only have control (hopefully) over ourselves isn't self-reliance the key to remaining safe as a diver? If our attitude is that "I'm there for my buddy but I'm not counting on my buddy being there for me but I hope he is" wouldn't that be the best of both worlds?

This is most certainly how I feel when teaching and diving with someone I don't know very well. Very few people that I dive with would I truly completely trust and know without doubt they would be there johnny-on-the-spot, and even then it's impossible to maintain that 100% unless they spend their entire dive attached to me looking at me (and besides one of those buddies is often overseas every few months ). From teaching I learned that things can happen as quick as it takes to blink, literally.

[gracefulc]

"I'm there for my buddy but I'm not counting on my buddy being there for me but I hope he is"

That pretty well sums up my diving as well, with a few exceptions as DG said. In some cases (and I'm not referring to cases where I am in the DM role) I have definitely found that it is not only "I'm not counting on them" but its even so far as "I better watch them to be SURE they don't do something stupid/silly/crazy/BAD" which is frustrating as it makes it a lot harder for me to enjoy my dives. I try to avoid those buddies when I'm out fun diving but have been forced into a position of taking the best I can get (to a point) over here. However, a very positive result of that for ME and my personal training/experience, is I am MUCH more aware of my own diving, even down to the simple things like putting my gear on. I do all the little checks that I would occasionally let slide now before EVERY single dive - and I view that as a very good thing.
I even got into a bit of a pissing match with one guy who was adament that my planned turning point on air was not long enough- he wanted to go down to 60-70 Bar and then START his ascent (from 100ft). So I had to stand there and tell this guy who had about 2000 dives more than me, that I would not do that. Interestingly enough, his mates actually came to my defense and agreed that he should start his ascent with more than that. Score one for the American!

[NJBerserker]

Ok, I don't spend too much time on the forums and I haven't read every post in this thread completely so I apologize in advance if I make any redundant statements. I'd just like to go back to the original topic of the importance of self reliance and throw in my $.02. I have been fortunate (IMO) to have had self reliance beat in my head since OW. It seems to be that way throughout my region. One thing I feel that I have really gained from that approach is that even with my limited experience I feel as comfortable as I think I can in the water. If you splash knowing full well that you are prepared with skills and equipment for the dive you've planned it is much easier to concentrate on and enjoy the dive. We all dive because we want to see what's down there and enjoy, ergo comfort in the water adds to the enjoyment of diving. I look forward to gaining more experience and training as I feel it will add to my comfort and enjoyment as well as the dives I can participate in. I feel the self reliant approach has made me a happier and hopefully safer diver.