Diver Archetype Series

This diver disappears the moment the descent starts. They may nod along during the briefing and agree to be your buddy, but once underwater, they drift off, explore alone, and rarely look back. They do not mean harm. They just do not realize what buddy diving is supposed to look like.

They are not being reckless on purpose. They often think they are still close enough, or that staying “in the same area” counts as diving together.

Strengths

• Self-reliant and unlikely to panic
• Doesn’t slow others down
• Often relaxed and focused underwater

Risks / Blind Spots

• Leaves teammates without support
• Becomes a liability during any failure or emergency
• Unaware that they are the problem
• Builds frustration or mistrust in team-focused divers

This diver collects certifications like trophies. They love courses, especially quick ones, and are often more focused on accumulating credentials than mastering the skills behind them. They may have impressive-looking logbooks and dozens of specialty cards. But very few hours of deliberate practice.

They often believe more certs equal better diving. What they are really gaining is structure and novelty, not proficiency.

Strengths

• Highly motivated to learn
• Willing to invest time and money into education
• Often has exposure to many environments and techniques

Risks / Blind Spots

• Overestimates ability based on certifications
• Lacks retention and depth of skill
• Prioritizes novelty over refinement
• May use certs to deflect criticism or avoid feedback

They only dive on vacation. Maybe once a year. Usually in warm, clear water with guides doing most of the work. Every dive is fun. Every dive is new. But there’s almost no time for real skill development or consistency.

They often forget the basics between trips, rely heavily on rental gear, and trust the dive operator to make every decision. They aren’t careless. They’re just out of practice. Sometimes dangerously so.

Some divers have no choice. Travel is expensive. Time is limited. Not everyone can dive year-round or find a reliable local buddy. That doesn’t change the risks. But it does explain them.

Some Vacation Divers cope by pushing back against others. They may roll their eyes at people with full kits, long hoses, or backup lights. It’s a quiet defense. A way to protect self-worth by dismissing anyone who seems “too into it.” They rarely say it aloud, but it shows.

Strengths

• Loves diving and is enthusiastic to go
• Brings a relaxed, fun-first attitude
• Usually willing to follow the guide’s plan

Risks / Blind Spots

• Forgets procedures and signals between trips
• Lacks comfort or control in even minor complications
• Over-relies on divemasters or group dynamics
• May panic in unstructured or unexpected situations
• Dismisses more prepared divers to protect identity or comfort zone

This diver is focused. Maybe too focused. Once the camera comes out, the team disappears, the surroundings fade, and everything revolves around getting the shot. They may not notice they’ve kicked a reef, silted a wreck, or shoved another diver out of the way.

Some are careful. Most aren’t. Especially newer photographers. The camera becomes a distraction that magnifies existing control issues. Good trim turns sloppy. Breathing control goes out the window. Buoyancy is lost to tunnel vision.

It often gets worse. Some start poking at animals, repositioning creatures, or grabbing coral to steady themselves. All for the photo. And often without even realizing the harm.

But hey, if you buddy up with one, they might take your picture too.

Strengths

• Passionate about capturing the underwater world
• Brings enthusiasm and creativity to the dive
• May help document dives for teams or operators

Risks / Blind Spots

• Tunnel vision causes loss of situational awareness
• Buoyancy and trim often deteriorate under task load
• Commonly collides with divers, wrecks, or the environment
• Can create resentment when acting entitled to the best position
• May harm marine life while trying to get the perfect shot

This diver owns everything. They have multiple regs, computers, backup lights, redundant buoyancy, and a gear locker that rivals a small shop. They are constantly trying new setups, tweaking harnesses, swapping bolt snaps, and posting their latest build online for feedback.

Oh yes. This one is me. I own it. I deal with it. I’ve spent hours dialing in trim weight, re-rigging clips, comparing inflators, and chasing the perfect spool.

And honestly? None of it is wrong. Good gear matters. But gear alone doesn’t make a diver. The trap is believing that new equipment equals better performance. Many Equipment Addicts focus so heavily on their setup that they never get truly comfortable in the water. Their gear is always evolving. Their skills never settle.

Strengths

• Technically curious and mechanically engaged
• Often up to date on new tools and configurations
• Carries spares and backups for most situations

Risks / Blind Spots

• Over-focuses on equipment at the expense of execution
• May struggle with consistency due to constant changes
• Can be critical of others who use simpler or cheaper gear
• Treats gear problems as reasons to stop instead of adapt

This diver has read it all. Every forum post. Every agency standard. Every argument on Reddit and ScubaBoard. They know the DIR guidelines by heart, have opinions about every fin design, and can tell you why your backup light placement is “wrong.”

They think they are helping. But most of the time, they are just repeating what they’ve read. Often without any real experience in the situation. And when they do have experience, they act like their way is the only way. They confuse volume for value. That’s the definition of an internet bully. Also known as a jackass.

And yes, Dive Otter lives on the internet too. It shares opinions. It critiques training and culture. It publishes advice. So what’s the difference?

The difference is intent. Dive Otter is built on personal experience, tested ideas, and a willingness to say “I don’t know.” It is about learning out loud. Not posturing. Not performance. Not clout. Just clarity.

I started this site partly because of this archetype. I was tired of watching new divers get shut down or misled by people who had more opinions than dives. This one pisses me off the most. Loud isn’t the same as right.

Strengths

• Deep reader of standards, gear specs, and theory
• Often helpful when interpreting technical details
• May challenge weak teaching or outdated advice

Risks / Blind Spots

• Overconfidence based on secondhand knowledge
• Lacks experience to back up strong opinions
• May argue instead of listening or learning
• Struggles to work within a team or follow a plan
• Shuts down discourse with arrogance instead of clarity

This diver is always performing. Their gear, their photos, their logbook — all curated for social media. Every dive is content. Every shot is a post. They know the lighting, the hashtags, the angles, and the timing.

They aren’t bad divers. Most are perfectly safe. But they’re not really here to dive. They’re here to build a brand. The focus shifts from experiencing the underwater world to creating moments that look good online. Practice, growth, and feedback often take a back seat to visibility.

This is why Dive Otter deliberately avoids that path. Even though it means reach and growth will take much longer. This site is not about followers. It’s about showing up, improving, and doing things for the right reasons, even if no one is watching.

Strengths

• High energy and excitement for the dive
• Often documents trips in visually compelling ways
• Helps promote diving to broader audiences

Risks / Blind Spots

• Prioritizes optics over immersion and growth
• May skip debriefs, briefings, or skill development
• Often dives solo in mindset, even with a team
• Spends more time building a brand than becoming a better diver

This diver treats their local shop or training agency like a sports team. They know the slogans, the branding, the colors. They refer to "our agency" like it’s a badge of honor. And they get uncomfortable when someone critiques how that agency teaches or what gear their shop pushes.

Loyalty isn’t the problem. Blind loyalty is. They’ll defend bad instruction, weak standards, or overpriced gear just because it came from "their" shop. They confuse familiarity with quality. And they’re quick to dismiss outsiders who do things differently.

Strengths

• Strong sense of identity and community
• Reliable participant in shop events and group travel
• Often motivated to keep learning and stay involved

Risks / Blind Spots

• Overlooks flaws or gaps in their training
• Dismisses constructive feedback about their agency or instructors
• May discourage others from seeking better alternatives
• Pushes one-size-fits-all advice that may not apply outside their circle

This diver doesn’t ask what works. They ask what’s best. Then they assume that’s what everyone else should be using. They turn gear choice into a form of superiority. They mock jacket BCDs, scoff at split fins, and roll their eyes at anything bought in a bundle.

Here’s the thing: sometimes they’re right. Better gear can cost more. Some brands really do produce junk. The problem isn’t their standards. It’s how they treat people who make different choices. Not every diver has the time, money, or interest to chase perfection. And that doesn’t make them less of a diver.

The Gear Snob forgets that we all started somewhere. Diving isn’t about having the best kit. It’s about what you do with the kit you’ve got.

Strengths

• Committed to high-performing, reliable gear
• Often has strong mechanical understanding
• Can help others troubleshoot or upgrade their kit

Risks / Blind Spots

• Confuses gear choice with actual competence
• Dismisses divers who are newer or on a budget
• Reinforces toxic gatekeeping in dive communities
• May ignore context and needs in favor of purity

This diver loves checklists. They talk about them in briefings. They recommend them in forums. They share laminated versions on boats. And then they don’t actually use them.

It’s not that they’re lazy. They believe in the idea. But they confuse talking about checklists with doing them. They skip steps in the water. They half-check gear on the surface. They rush when it’s inconvenient and blame others when it’s missed.

I’m a checklist preacher. I believe in them. They absolutely work. They’re absolutely better than not having one. But that only matters if you follow them. A checklist isn’t a theory or a signal of being thoughtful. It’s a tool. And like any tool, it only works if you pick it up and use it.

Strengths

• Believes in preparation and process
• Often advocates for better team coordination
• Brings structure and intention to dive planning

Risks / Blind Spots

• Doesn’t practice what they preach under pressure
• Undermines trust by skipping steps after talking them up
• May value the checklist more than the actual check
• Performs preparedness instead of living it