doing a paper on women in diving

[divinotter]

I have a several month course (UICC- an L.A. County dive course) and one of the requirements is to do a paper on any subject - I was thinking of doing it on Women and Diving- I haven't narrowed it down any more yet - I am wondering how many professional women divers there are and also what issues affect women the most. Is the hardest part getting gear that fits, training with new gear - ie lifting tanks, or just finding dive buddies? I'm trying to figure out what to include in my paper- any help with information or ideas of resouces would be most appreciated.

 

[ReneeC]

I don't know if any of those are the hardest parts. I think if your focus is on why there are more men than women it is likely to be due to social steriotyping and responsibilities. IMHO

Women are still less likely to see themselves as professional divers and they still have a lot of responsibilities that keep them out of the water. I have to make sure all my "wifey" duties are done before I can comfortably get away to dive and I have a fairly understanding husband....

How about doing something on how many successful professional women divers there are despite...

 

[divinotter]

And a good way to narrow my topic too- My husband also dives and yes- I find getting the housework done and work stuff done and some of his guy stuff done just so we can get away the hardest part too- I wonder how many would agree- I think I will do the topic mostly on professional women despite- now next question- does anyone know of how to track some articles down about them?

 

[Doc Intrepid]

If you have your choice of any topic at all on which to do your paper, you may want to reconsider.

It isn't that "women and diving" is a bad topic, per se, but its broad and you're going to find that empirical evidence in professional journals is going to be hard to find.

There are any number of topics that directly concern divers where you will be much more likely to find articles and studies published in professional journals. One category might be "Environment", to include the impact of global warming on coral reefs (afaik this is approaching a critical emergency stage for reefs across the planet) or the impacts of over-fishing on pelagic fishing stocks world-wide. Another example would be "Sustainability", to include fish farming in the open ocean and the impact it has on coastal oceans. There was an excellent article published last Spring on this topic involving new technology, and another on a company investing in the new technology was published in Business Weekly. Whaling is another controversial topic that you would be able to find a great deal of information published within the past 20 months or so, although a large amount of this would involve legal and political ramifications because there are treaty implications that have been discussed all year in various publications. In terms of "Frontiers" there are new species being identified using deep ocean probes and the continued research taking place around "black smokers" possibly identifying non-carbon-based lifeforms. An ancillary topic might be the Tsunami warning system which is being explored in the Pacific and Indian oceans, to try to mitigate a future tragedy like the last major Tsunami to hit off Indonesia last year.

In fact, there was even an interesting series of articles regarding some experiments and camera research being done in the deepwater canyon right off La Jolla earlier this year. That's less than an hour south of your location - you could even drive down there and check it out, and/or possibly interview one of the scientists who was involved with this effort.

You might want to do some internet searches based on political, technological, and economic developments in oceanography and ocean research just in the last twelve months or so. If you find a topic that resonates for you, it is more likely that you would be able to find associated articles about that topic using academic sources, publications, and journals than trying to find a great deal of empirical data published in studies regarding the role of women in diving.

FWIW. YMMV!

Best,

Doc

 

[CC1020]

Dear divinotter,
As of a month ago, I would not have had much to contribute to your post, but after attending the recent DUI Demo at Mermet Springs, IL, I do have someone I feel compelled to tell you about. Her name is Virginia Cross, and she was attempting her first dry-suit dives the same time that I was... I am 43, and I would guess (with all due respect to her) that she is in her 70's at least. She was a Public Safety Diver in the Seattle area, a NAUI Instructor, and at age 40 applied to the US Navy's UDT program. She was turned down due to their age limit of 35, but was told that she was definitely accomplished enough to have been accepted in their program except for that.
Ms. Cross had many amazing tales to tell of her life as a diver, but wanted the final chapter of her book-in-progress to be about diving in the Antarctic with a research team. She was there at the demo weekend, logging the first of the 20 required dry-suit dives that were needed to participate in the research project, and was utterly amazing in the tenacity she displayed in pursuing her goal. Ms. Cross sought no help whatsoever marshalling her gear, or getting herself and her equipment to the dock. I wish that I could say the same about myself, at what I am guessing is about half her age.
I don't know that this will help you with your research paper per se, but after reading your post, I felt compelled to share a bit of her amazing story, if only to convey to you that there are indeed some incredible women divers out there, and their stories are most assuredly worth telling. Please feel free to PM me if you'd like to hear more, as this is a story I truly want to share...inasmuch as I am able.
Cheers

 

[Sam Miller III]

LA CO UICC! Congrats!

When (and if) you finish the program you will be a Instructor, an LA County Underwater Instructor-Not a common SCUBA instructor -- there is a huge difference. (LA County Underwater program was established prior to the popular usage of the word SCUBA.) You will be pounded in to a diver, not a person who dives--and there is also a huge difference...(Just check this board for verification.) You are going to attend the most difficult, most demanding, the most gruelling, the most prestigious civilian diving course in the world; It is the first course that was established way back in 1954, it begat NAUI in 1960, PADI in 1969, the rest of the alphabet programs and is the basis since 1956 (navships250-538)for most military courses taught to day.

My only hope is in addition to your academic research activity that you are working out every day in every way with lots and lots of swimming, running and cardaic envolvement. The three plus months spent in this program will be one of the most difficult yet the most rewarding three months in your young life

Lets see now how I maybe some how I can assist you..

Books;

Treasure Diving Holidays, by Barney and Jane Crile, 1954, Jane began diving with her husband in 1930s. Both are diving in the big reef in the sky but three of the girls live in XXXXXXX XXXX and Barney Jr is a 60 minutes producer in XXX.

Dr. Hans Hass & his wife Lotte did every thing that the God of UW Cousteau did 10 years earlier and considerably better. They are now retired in XXXXXXXXX. Their books:
Diving to Adventure, 1953
Manta, 1953
Men and sharks, 1954
We come from the sea, 1959
Men beneath the sea, 1973
There are other Books by Dr.Hass but they do not involve Lotte

Dr. Eugenie Clark-curently at XXXX XXXX -last correspondence she had some health concerns -she is in her md 80s--but still dives!
Lady with a spear,1951 a classic & book of the month-common!
Lady and the sharks-1969 (rare)

Danger is my Business, John D Craig, 1938 (LA County UW instructor) some envolvent with Gloria his wife at that time-John also is in the big reef in the sky for about 5 years. His second wife, Millie Day Craig did live in XXXXXXX, XXXXXXX

Men under water, James Dugan 1965, section by Claire Booth Luce and others. Both have been in the big reef in the sky for a number of years

Marion Claton Link; She and her hubby are also in that reef. Not exactly diving but UW related.
Sea Diver,1958
From Sky to Sea, 1963

Fireside Diver, Bonnie Cardone 1992-ex editor of SDM, retired to XXXX XXXXX California,
It is a collection of short stories featuring Catherine Green, Bonnie Cardone,& Hillary Hauser

When women Dive, Erin O'Neil & Ella Jean Morgan, 1992 (LA County instructors), Lost track of Erin, Ella Jean teaches at the XXXXXXXX dive center in XXXXXXXXXX

Women in diving (????) not certain of the title or date published -by Jeanie Bear Sleeper (NAUI instructor) and Susan Bangasser, Phd --Jeanie is ome where in SoCal, Susan lives in XXXXXXX.


Persons.

Female LA County Underwater instructors;

Dottie Frazer, first female instructor in the world! A national treasure of the UW world. First LA County UW instructor in 1955-when she applied it was thought no female could survive the ordeal of LA County--she proved us all wrong! Currently a spry 80++++ is at her home in Baja; lives in XXXX XXXXX, California. Dives & still spear fishes at every opportunity (oh the horror of it all -- spear fishing!!! )

Barbara Allen, 1956, second female instructor in the world, lives in XX. Still very active in Aquatics, fantastic diver and instructor

Zale Parry ( her nom de plume may use he real name on LA Co lists) 1957 third Female UW instructor in the world-- Holder of world depth record for women & Sea Hunt fame- XXX (address restricted) -(e mail me)

Lyn (Yost) Chase, 4th LA County & female instructor in the world.
retired but still very active at 77, currently on a 2 week dive trip snapping away...She and husband Keith, also LA county instructor, lives in XXXXXXX.

Those are the early poineers, the women who lead the way for all the NAUI and later PADI- "SCUBA Instructors." If interested in contacting them drop and e mail on me and I will provide their E mails. I feel certain that they, like me, will be very willing to assist you in your course.

Others;
Hillary Hauser- wrote several Dive related books, now lives in XXXX XXXXX.

Norma Hansen, was a tender and later a diver with Al Hansen at Catalina. She may be in the reef.

Glen Egstrom, Phd, LA county UW instructor, wrote a book on Human performance in Scuba diving-- may have some information on felmale performance. Glen lives in XXXXXXXXX, XXX.

Tom Ebro, was the Senior Aquatics Specialist during the early days of LA County up to the formation of PADI & NASDS. He may be of assistance. He Lives in XXXXXXX.

Hope that his small peice of information assists you in some small way with the reseach paper--It is a killer--30+pages or original research, a defense, and a 20 minute presentation--but worth every moment spent on it--so better get to work!


If I may be of additional assistance please contact me off line.

SDM

 

[Ayisha]

Wow, Doc Intrepid and Doc Miller, what impressive lists!

 

[Cacia]

You could research the implications of decompression models based on 75 kg males (or whatever the standard was) and how women's physiology and anatomy might affect these assumptions.

Might not be much out there...but I don't know.

Oh..maybe you are doing specific women in diving.

your title says In and part of your post says

Women and Diving

 

[knotical]

Another potential source for leads:

Women Divers Hall of Fame

 

[Sam Miller III]

CORRECTION

correct title is "Women Underwater" by Bangasser and Sleeper, publication date:1979 (Good gosh that is 27 years ago!)

SDM