Frustrations trying to gain experience

[SoccerJeni]

Obviously I can't go diving with you...but I just wanted to say this is exactly how I feel right now. The dive friend I asked to go practice with me in the pool recently was really more about playing around than skills. I just don't feel like there are many people near me that have the same desires to advance as I do. I feel like I have to take a big trip to get more experience. It is very frustrating and I hope it's not always like this.

 

[The Chairman]

Well Jen, there's always ScubaBoard's Coz trip in June.

 

[tstormdiver]

Obviously I can't go diving with you...but I just wanted to say this is exactly how I feel right now. The dive friend I asked to go practice with me in the pool recently was really more about playing around than skills. I just don't feel like there are many people near me that have the same desires to advance as I do. I feel like I have to take a big trip to get more experience. It is very frustrating and I hope it's not always like this.

If you ever find yourself in Western Kentucky, look me up. I will certainly dive with you. I love OW diving with beginners. I typically dive a quarry in SW KY. I'll be honest, I love to play a bit myself, but have no problems running drills either In fact, I like doing drills while doing the dive. Keeps it more real.

 

[SoccerJeni]

Well Jen, there's always ScubaBoard's Coz trip in June.

I know! It's such an amazing deal too! I just don't think I can swing it since I have a new house I'm investing in. But, it's not completely off the table. Btw...IF I were to get crazy and come, I would definitely have to do AOW with you!

If you ever find yourself in Western Kentucky, look me up. I will certainly dive with you. I love OW diving with beginners. I typically dive a quarry in SW KY. I'll be honest, I love to play a bit myself, but have no problems running drills either In fact, I like doing drills while doing the dive. Keeps it more real.

Oh yeah, I love playing and having fun...and really enjoyed the "horse (tank) ride" I took on the surface. But, I also feel like I need to get better. I want to be challenged. I would love to dive with you some day!

 

[karstdvr]

Sure there are: just like here!

Unfortunately, people love to second guess and sometimes bash. I posted a request looking for someone to do the Grand Traverse, and was second guessed at every level. "If you have to ask, you're not ready" was the one that really put me over the edge. I felt, and still feel, more than capable to do that dive. Sometimes you feel that people just want to harsh your mellow. Only ONE instructor reached out to me via PM offering to take me to full cave. Two non-instructors who offered via PM to buddy with me stated that they did not want to post that in the thread, lest people jump all over them. Yes, there were a few offers in the thread as well... but I have had person after person tell me that they are AFRAID of posting their dive trips (organizational and reports) here on ScubaBoard. That makes me sick.

Sorry for your frustration,but there is some basis behind it. Before the internet forums cave divers got their certification,but there was lot of mentoring that used to occur. Being told you weren't ready for a dive wasn't reflected negatively,but you appreciated the people mentoring you who kept you safe during the learning curve. I felt this a lot when I was coming up,but when I did the dive I felt more confident,better skill set,and the caves were less dinged up. Last summer I had to experience some of this myself. I was invited to do a deep wreck dive,and was very interested,but the leader of the trip told me just before the trip left,that I should reconsider because the conditions would be bad,and my wreck skills were very rusty.
Later when I heard from the people on the trip who are regular wreck divers about the problems they encountered,I appreciated not being there and hindering the trip since I would be the weakest link. There is never a reason to "bash",but there is some good advice that is given,maybe not in the best format,but ultimately I think everyone's goal is to be safe.

 

[BabyDuck]

cam, we'll be there through the 2nd or so, perhaps we'll run into you!

 

[boulderjohn]

Obviously I can't go diving with you...but I just wanted to say this is exactly how I feel right now. The dive friend I asked to go practice with me in the pool recently was really more about playing around than skills. I just don't feel like there are many people near me that have the same desires to advance as I do. I feel like I have to take a big trip to get more experience. It is very frustrating and I hope it's not always like this.

Jeni,

You describe your frustrations being in Missouri and trying to find someone to dive with.

Here in Boulder, CO, we have a very thriving outdoor-oriented community, with rock climbing, hiking, kayaking, camping, running, biking, etc. going on everywhere. There is a regular section of the paper devoted to these activities. Interestingly enough, the main article in that section the other day detailed the frustrations the writer had on her annual visits to her family in Missouri. She talks about how hard it is to find someone to do all those activities with her, or how hard it is even to find a place to do them there.

Amazingly enough, Colorado has among the highest number of certified divers per capita of any state in the union, and we really have no decent places to dive whatsoever. I think our official state motto is that we are just a plane flight away from really great diving. You at least have some caves (I'm told) nearby.

I don't think I offered you anything positive in this message, just an acknowledgment that you are not alone in desperately looking for something your area does not offer.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

We have almost the opposite problem where I live ... sometimes people get so focused on practicing their skills that their mentors have to tell them to get out of Cove 2 go dive somewhere else just for the sake of having fun ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[SoccerJeni]

Jeni,

You describe your frustrations being in Missouri and trying to find someone to dive with.

Here in Boulder, CO, we have a very thriving outdoor-oriented community, with rock climbing, hiking, kayaking, camping, running, biking, etc. going on everywhere. There is a regular section of the paper devoted to these activities. Interestingly enough, the main article in that section the other day detailed the frustrations the writer had on her annual visits to her family in Missouri. She talks about how hard it is to find someone to do all those activities with her, or how hard it is even to find a place to do them there.

Amazingly enough, Colorado has among the highest number of certified divers per capita of any state in the union, and we really have no decent places to dive whatsoever. I think our official state motto is that we are just a plane flight away from really great diving. You at least have some caves (I'm told) nearby.

I don't think I offered you anything positive in this message, just an acknowledgment that you are not alone in desperately looking for something your area does not offer.

Wow! I think I may have shed a tear reading that. :crying2: I believe the closest place for me to dive is 4 hours from here. Maybe you have the same thing there?

Sorry to threadjack!

 

[boulderjohn]

Wow! I think I may have shed a tear reading that. :crying2: I believe the closest place for me to dive is 4 hours from here. Maybe you have the same thing there?

Thursday afternoon we will pack a van full of industrial helium and O2 cylinders, all our tanks, and all other related gear. We will leave in the late afternoon, braving the Denver rush hour, and hope to arrive in our motel in Santa Rosa, NM by midnight. The next morning we will go out to a sink hole about 400 feet across and nearly 300 feet deep. There are no facilities whatsoever there--we will be in the open air on a prairie near the Pecos River. We will dive for three days and hopefully leave early Sunday afternoon, arriving back in Boulder about 10:30. On our last trip, we got back at 2:30 AM Monday morning.

That's about the best we can do this time of the year. In the summer we have a couple low viz options in the 20-35 foot depth range. How does that sound?