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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Rationale

One of the challenges of scuba diving is that entry-level, recreational diving courses taught by large commercial firms tend to rush students through the training. This often results in divers who have not successfully mastered basic diving skills, such as buoyancy control. This in turn makes their dives more stressful and less enjoyable.

DIR diving blends safety, preparedness and teamwork with a robust equipment configuration. 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.

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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. An example of one of these offshoots is a UK-based group that decided to rephrase the "Do It Right" slogan as "Do It Simple", forming the acronym DIS. They are seen as a semi-DIR group, having only embraced some elements of DIR.[1]

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