DIR, an acronym for "Doing It Right", is an holistic approach to scuba diving originally 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 fundamental skills, 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. It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Backronym and Apronym (Discuss) Acronyms and initialisms are abbreviations, such as NATO, laser, and ABC, written as the initial letter or letters of words, and pronounced on the basis of this abbreviated written form. ... Whole redirects here. ... Scuba diving is swimming underwater while using self-contained breathing equipment. ... The Woodville Karst Plain Project or WKPP, grew out of a cave diving research and exploration group established in 1985 (by Bill Gavin and Bill Main, later joined by Parker Turner, Lamar English and Bill McFaden, at the time the chairman of the NACD Exploration and Survey Committee) to map... Global Underwater Explorers are a SCUBA diving organization. ...

Rationale

One of the challenges of scuba diving is that entry-level, recreational diving courses taught by large commercial firms can, in some opinions, 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 can 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 some feel they are often impractical and occasionally counter-productive for the recreational ocean or freshwater diver ("open water"). Many experienced diving instructors see DIR as a throw-back to the militaristic teaching methods of the 1950s and 1960s.

DIR diving also emphasizes the concept of "muscle memory" in that frequent practice of critical skills will bring a reflex action to emergency situations.

DIR diving blends safety, preparedness, teamwork and 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, more enjoyable dive.

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 ^{[citation needed]}. These critics feel that to dive DIR you have to buy their products, which is believed to be an excellent marketing strategy. Those who disagree with this point to the fact that DIR was developed at the beginning of the 1990's when no scuba equipment specifically conforming to DIR standards was available. However, GUE has since maintained strong links to Halcyon dive equipment.

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. The Woodville Karst Plain Project or WKPP, grew out of a cave diving research and exploration group established in 1985 (by Bill Gavin and Bill Main, later joined by Parker Turner, Lamar English and Bill McFaden, at the time the chairman of the NACD Exploration and Survey Committee) to map... Look up Polemic on Wiktionary, the free dictionary Polemic is the art or practice of inciting disputation or causing controversy, for example in religious, philosophical, or political matters. ...

External links

Training organizations

• Global Underwater Explorers Training, research and exploration (also home of the WKPP, Woodville Karst Plain Project)

DIR Communities

• DIR Explorers The largest GLobal Community of DIR Divers with over 2500 members form around the world.

DIR Dive Gear Manufacturers

• Halcyon: DIR Dive Systems DIR dive gear manufacturer since 2001.
• Dive Rite Pioneering creator of technical dive equipment for advanced, wreck and cave diving since 1984.

DIR info sites (non forums)

• Frogkick.nl (this site is partly in Dutch)

DIR dive forums

• DIR Forum on The Deco Stop DIR as it relates to Technical Diving
• DIR Forum on the Scuba Board Candid discussion about how to dive DIR in a dissent free environment.
• DIR Explorers - a global DIR forum
• Mareorizzontale - an italian DIR forum

DIR projects, clubs and local training

• European Karst Plain Project (EKPP)
• DIR diving Nederland
• DIR diving Italia
• DIR diving Denmark
• DIR diving Norway
• DIR diving Austria
• DIR diving Mexico
• DIR diving Czech
• DIR diving Slovakia
• DIR diving Cyprus
• DIR diving Japan