38 replies to this topic

[Dive_buddy]

I don't think some women would feel that they "can't" tech dive, ability-wise..but, it's like back in the 1970's...it wasn't feminine to play sports...now women are participating in many different sports: soccer, football, softball, basketball, etc

I may have been a bit vague there. I was not referring to a woman's ability. In fact, you said what I was trying to say, the mental attitude is why they "can't" dive tech. Other than the same reasons that would prevent a man from tech diving as well, I see no reason why a woman can not enjoy it.

[BabyDuck]

i can only tell you why i *do* want to - i want to be such a kick-ass diver, respected (and feared - mwah hah hah!) above & below water, and tech is the surest path to being good at diving.

so, give be a bit, kimber, and i'll be thrilled to be your buddy. cavern and maybe intro next week...

[BradfordNC]

because, everyone knows diving is a true man's sport.

and while for some reason there are few women who dive, they are confined to shallow reefs, where they can look at all the pretty fish, or whatever you find at a shallow reef.




lol, there.

consider the pot stirred and the fire stoked.

[normblitch]

Damn near THERE already!

...oh, & BTW, I DO know M o'L is now....

http://www.pbase.com/eanx/folks_pics

Have a WONDERFUL Trip, and remember, those who drag Consoles & Octo's (oops! Backup 2nd's) get to use the Head AFTER those who are streamlined!!

Norm

i can only tell you why i *do* want to - i want to be such a kick-ass diver, respected (and feared - mwah hah hah!) above & below water, and tech is the surest path to being good at diving.

so, give be a bit, kimber, and i'll be thrilled to be your buddy. cavern and maybe intro next week...

[BradfordNC]

Her "fear factor" had definitely changed, I'm guessing since being a mother...

Most women I know are more security conscious than men... and even among the (woman) divers, the women will hold back to a more "secure" pursuit of diving.

nope, i just can't see this as being true.

last spring i had the absolute pleasure of diving Bikini Atoll with a woman who must be the Grande Damme of Tech Diving, Evelyn Bartram Dudas.

she was the first woman to dive the Andrea Doria. And if she wasn't a teen when she did it, she wasn't more than a couple years out of her teens.

in the years between then and now, she has had several children and been bent a few times.

but when it comes to diving, she is as hard charging as ever. always ready to run off to some exotic place for some deep wreck or cave diving.

and as to the non-quantifiable "motherly instinct" you talk about.

all of her children are divers.

when she took one of her daughters on a wreck expedition, her daughter protested, "but mom, i'm not overhead certified yet."

her "motherly" reply was, "keep proper bouyancy, keep your fins up, don't silt out the passage, and know where the exits are, you'll be fine."

[ScubaDadMiami]

I think it is the heavy gear in part. My trimix instructor requires two of us to assist her out of the water when she sports her double 104s and two 40s for deco gas.

Of course, the rebreather thing could change all of this.

[drbill]

Did two dives at Farnsworth Bank today on the King Neptune. Every diver on board was a tech diver whether they were on rebreathers (the majority) or diving doubles with stages. You should have seen how much gear was on board for this group of very proficient (and nice) divers! Wow. Of course wait until tomorrow when another dozen non-techies come on board.

I was the only non-tech diver at the site and stuck to two simple deco dives to 100 ft, one with DM Tim as my buddy and the other solo. The rest of the crowd was all at 200 ft. I'm in awe.

[TekDiveGirl]

I think it is the heavy gear in part. My trimix instructor requires two of us to assist her out of the water when she sports her double 104s and two 40s for deco gas.

Of course, the rebreather thing could change all of this.

That isn't the case for all women though -- myself and I know others who do this just fine -- with no help at all... I have even done shore diving in this config as well as with 80s for deco.

But I can see how starting out -- seeing how AL80 seem so heavy -- unless you are goal oriented to go somewhere -- see something -- and have a damn good reason to add now 2-4 tanks to your back -- no way -- no how!!!

[TekDiveGirl]

(...feeling Froggy this AM so I will deny the Premise...)

Judging from the ratio in the Springs arena(s), I'd say that there are at LEAST the same proportions of Mars/Venus going, if not MORE fem Techs...

Gear is NOT heavier per se; Tech does NOT = dubs

the Math needed is at BEST linear Algebra

Tech does NOT = mandatory deco; just mandatory deco PLANNING and the ability to do theoretical deco planning...nothing here more complex than '70's - '80's mainstream OW Classes...

Look around at a nominal Cave Workshop around here...maybe you need to relocate!!



Norm
lovin' the Tech Ladies

He he he -- cute post there -- I see what you are saying --- in my world and where I want to continue on and the things I like to dive and want to visit more of -- deep wrecks in cold water -- the ratio is very skewed. My last dive I was on --- there were I think 12 divers -- 10 guys -- 2 girls.

And if I were to get into cave -- knowing me and where I would want to go --- I bet then the ratios would end up just as skewed as well. I would want to go to the lovely pristine areas --- where not everybody goes -- to the great out the way areas in the caves. A scooter would be in my dive kit.

As to relocating -- not for a long time -- and it wouldn't be for the caves... the ocean and the wrecks -- those do it for me ---

[TekDiveGirl]

Please see the thread regarding "when you gotta go"...

Just kidding.... but that type of thing is probably a minor factor. I would like to see more women in all areas of diving. I think tech is viewed as "macho", and many women resist anything that has that "flavor" to it. Wouldn't you think a higher proportion of women than men dive more for aesthetics (ie. scenery) and that men might be more predisposed to dive for "exploration" (wreck, deep, cave, etc.). I hate to bring up the stereotypes, but isn't that how the stereotypes came into existence? If I am wrong, please illuminate... but I've been diving a long time, and this is my observaton over the years dating back to when there were very few women diving. Hopefully, with passing time and the improvements in equipment availability and design, technology, training, gender roles in society... etc... there will be more women in all aspects of diving. But... who's gonna look after the kids??? (just kidding again...)


Do you cave dive?

Well - personally I have always been into exploring -- as a child we would go camping -- and I was always off in the woods exploring to see what I could find! My mother would never know what I would come back with! I guess it only follows suit!

As to looking after the kids -- well my ex used to -- now there are babysitters -- my mother -- there is always somebody you can find!

I am not cave certified -- but I have been down to High Springs -- Been to the Ballroom at Ginnie - and here and there -- I lived in Atlanta for two years but had a lot of medical kinda stuff go on so diving/training wasn't a good time --- and there aren't a lot of caves in So. Cal.

Kimber, Kimber, Kimber... just accept it and be happy! What I wouldn't give if the ratio of serious divers were strongly skewed in MY favor (meaning lots of intelligent, personable, humorous attractive and diving ladies). I need better odds than the Calif State Lottery if I'm going to "win."

He he he -- but it is nice to have other women around who you can discuss things with -- who understands the issues you have. Sometimes there are issues that guys just don't get. And when the v-berth is small and you want to put two in it -- there are no issues later when two chicks go lay down to sleep on the boatride out -- nobodies wife thinks you are trying to hook up with her husband -- no matter how innocent it was -- and despite you were wearing your ds underwear.

I think it's just because guys like to collect more "tech toys"

Crap -- am I a guy and nobody told me????

dives or more adventurous diving persuits. It was a big surprise, as she always seemed so full of readiness for pursuing a challenge... Her "fear factor" had definitely changed, I'm guessing since being a mother...

Most women I know are more security conscious than men... and even among the (woman) divers, the women will hold back to a more "secure" pursuit of diving.

Of the women divers you know or see, how many "older" (40+) women are becoming tech divers, as compared to the younger women (22-35)? I'll bet it is a fraction of the number of younger women. Pity if it is true...

I blow your theory all to hell -- I have three children -- 15yo, 10yo and 8yo

My daughter the 8yo -- her greatest ambition in learning to SCUBA dive -- is so that we can go dive with Great White sharks together.

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Edited by TekDiveGirl, 04 February 2006 - 10:16 AM.

[TekDiveGirl]

Not really the math, I hate it too. Basic Nitrox brought back nightmares of Jr. High algebra. I seriously doubt I will ever go tech because all those calculations and expense of additional gear take all the fun out of it. There would have to be a very good incentive why I would want to do that.

Well --- it isn't for everybody and there has to be a reason to make the dives.

I love to dive and don't make every dive I do a technical dive. Last summer I dove with sharks and my max depth was 20' -- unless you consider being in the water for hours - the chainmail suit -- the tubes for the mackeral --- the lines -- the divers cage etc -- etc etc -- nothing technical abou -- hrmmm --- damn --- now I am talking myself into a corner -- this is pretty technical stuff in itself.

Ok -- sometimes I go out on our charter boats to the Coranados Islands -- and dive for fun -- easy peasy no decompression diving. Other times -- to the kelp -- where max depth has been 40'-60'. I dive to see something -- I am goal oriented and plan dives because there are things I want to see in the water -- I know some divers here who are numbers oriented and they will get to a specific number in the sand -- just to see a number. I think that is just stupid. My last dive was to a submarine tower -- it happened to sit in the 200' range -- so I planned accordingly. I could not see it at 80'. There are many other things that I want to see at different ranges of depths. I was trained so that I had options -- be it shallow or deep and see these things for a reasonable lenght of time.

[TekDiveGirl]

i can only tell you why i *do* want to - i want to be such a kick-ass diver, respected (and feared - mwah hah hah!) above & below water, and tech is the surest path to being good at diving.

so, give be a bit, kimber, and i'll be thrilled to be your buddy. cavern and maybe intro next week...

That rocks --- I am excited for you!!! Enjoy your class! I can't wait to hear about your trip report!

I would dive with you anytime -- but I don't think you would dive with me -- I am not cave-girl. But I do have the coveted pink BP!

[ScubaDadMiami]

My daughter the 8yo -- her greatest ambition in learning to SCUBA dive -- is so that we can go dive with Great White sharks together.

Love that pink back plate. She is adorable.

[TekDiveGirl]

My daughter the 8yo -- her greatest ambition in learning to SCUBA dive -- is so that we can go dive with Great White sharks together.

Love that pink back plate. She is adorable.

Thanks -- I kinda like her too!

And I dig my pink bp -- who says just cause you are tekgirl -- you can't be girlie! He he he! (I have my name on my doubles in pink too)

[normblitch]

a Swing & a MISS!
Strike TWO!



Ask Marci (when she gets back from her Cavern/Intro class with MoL); the ratio is MUCH better than in the Vanilla Rec OW world....want Fem Full Cave Instructors? I know Ladies who are among the FINEST River Cave, Sump, and Scooter types...OK, not 50/50, but WAY more equality in N FL!

HEY PERRONE! Back me up here!!

Norm

He he he -- cute post there -- I see what you are saying --- in my world and where I want to continue on and the things I like to dive and want to visit more of -- deep wrecks in cold water -- the ratio is very skewed. My last dive I was on --- there were I think 12 divers -- 10 guys -- 2 girls.

And if I were to get into cave -- knowing me and where I would want to go --- I bet then the ratios would end up just as skewed as well. I would want to go to the lovely pristine areas --- where not everybody goes -- to the great out the way areas in the caves. A scooter would be in my dive kit.

As to relocating -- not for a long time -- and it wouldn't be for the caves... the ocean and the wrecks -- those do it for me ---