oh god ! trying out for adv.class, i suck help!!!!

[hummer]

yes i do! i feel not big enough, everyone on the boat is always taller and or bigger than i am. i feel that what i know is not enough,everyone knows more,maybe b/c they do.i dive with men mostly,adv.divers and very advanced divers. if it sounds like i'm being a winer, well it's late, actually about 1:00am,i guess the way diving is done here, divers dive in two's, seems though, that they don't seem together, all seperate from the group, it's like you and your buddy went diving by yourselves without a group? maybe i'm expecting too much but i went diving with 4 other divers and my hub this one time and we all dove in together ,did drift dives as a group and actually socialized after.not saying that we never have been social with other divers ,my hub gets along with everyone he's a great conversationalist,me i'm a little quieter maybe thats the problem. maybe if i were more out going the group would seem closer more friendlier and i wouldn't feel like the stone around everyones neck. god i sound negative blah! yes, i guess i do feel rushed ,i am slower at getting my act together . not b/c im not well organized ,i have my bud and my gear all packed and together,make sure our stuff is tucked out of the way before and after our dives.not sure what to think but i know this much i think that before i go off another dive boat i will make i will try never to let what happened down south happen again! for me and my bud.

 

[lowviz]

yes i do! i feel not big enough, everyone on the boat is always taller and or bigger than i am. i feel that what i know is not enough,everyone knows more,maybe b/c they do.i dive with men mostly,adv.divers and very advanced divers. ...//...

Yeah, I figured something like that...


Let them all know that you and your buddy are on a different "time zone". You have to let all that is going on around you with respect to "better" divers just fade out. It is not your concern. The world is full of better divers, always will be.

Focus on yourself and your buddy and stay within YOUR "range". Your range will grow as you improve. You don't have to keep up with anyone or prove anything to anyone. An amazing person took my son and I aside and gave us that very same advice.

In memory, CDNN :: Scuba Diving Accident Kills Captain Zero



S__l__o__w _______ D__o__w__n.


stay safe.

 

[hummer]

wow read the article, he sounds like he was a great person and diver, it must have felt like a great privalege to have gotten to speak to him. i'm sadden by his death. but his words are great advice. i will keep them in mind. i guess b/c i am so aware of being a woman diver , i've read in some forum oppinions that maybe i should be more lets say rougher going . but i realize that is hard for me ,i'am feminin and very short.i will always have trouble with the lifting issue but i do contribute to the group in other ways.i just have to mentally realize this myself and slow down and enjoy the dive for my bud and me ,and then hopefully get with some buddies that would maybe realize having a woman aboard isnt such a bad idea. b/c when it comes right down to it, female or not, it just might be me that saves their but in the end .thanks for all the advise from everyone .

 

[TSandM]

Diving is not a competition, thank goodness. And as lowviz says, there will always be someone who is "better" at it than you are. But the only way you GET better is by getting instruction or mentoring, and by diving.

There may be places you will never be the "equal" of your male buddies. I can't pick up two sets of doubles and carry them around (I can barely manage one) but when it comes to the stuff that doesn't require STRENGTH, I can be a strong and solid teammate, and I work hard to do that. It's been my experience that people understand strength limitations, and they don't worry about them much, unless it appears that they're going to cause problems IN the water.

 

[hummer]

yes, i know what i have to do. but better than that i know how i want this to go. i was an l.p.n. before i had an illness, i had to stop work and never could get back to it .but being a nurse was always a first interest for me, and you know i still remember lots of skills, i think that can come in real handy in any sport! i relly want to dive well but mostly i want to enjoy the sport with friends. i can't imagine .not living next to the ocean ,everytime i go by it ,i ask myself "i wonder what's down there?"

 

[Selchie in LB]

Hummer you will find people to dive with that will take into consideration your concerns. In general, women will not as strong as men and I have found that there are plenty of men to help with lifting. Or if there is another woman you both can help each other with lifting! I think that woman tend to solve lifting issues differently than men. I have done a number of boat dives and more than once the DM or person at the ladder has grabbed my valve to help hoist me onto the boat.

As for the mental aspect of diving you clearly have that. Do not underestimate your value there. That in itself makes for a great buddy. Being aware of your surroundings, checking gear, watching air consumption, etc. are all useful skills. If you are interested in the physiologic aspects of diving there are plenty of resources available to you. You might want to consider Rescue diver training once you complete AOW. Check out DAN's website. I recently purchased a book from DAN Scuba Diving Safety by Dan Orr and Eric Douglas. Anything you can learn about diving will make you a better diver and you will intuitively know who you would like to dive with and who to stay away from.

 

[hummer]

i'm going to check out those things. when i get back leaving for n.s. tomorrow am going to dive shop to check out the undergarments. for my drysuit, not sure if i want to use a dry suit but am willing to try it out. i know the basics of how it's supposed to work but sounds like a pain in the ass, to deal with right now when i'm trying to deal with everything else. hmmm. today i got my bcd.and reg's back from dive shop cost me 308 $ to get them ready for the year ,they needed alot of work.my hub seemed to think this was money out the window b/c he says we don't use our dive gear enough to worry about getting them looked at every year even just for inspection.i think it's a safety thing ,his bcd has not been into the shop in 10 yrs or more and the only reason he gets his reg. looked over every spring is me doing it .other than that he has never had the seals checked or changed in any of his equipment .i'm not sure who's right.

 

[hummer]

well got back from halifax, guess my drysuit does not fit me ,and when i went to try on another suit, all they had were mens large ,they weigh a ton! their the neoprene type, not the soft shell like mine ,well all in all it would cost me about 2500.00 to get all my stuff then id have to pay for the class and travel on top of that, so ive decided on a bares wetsuit with a shorty cover over. i put my name in for the course. my suit was sized right there and if it doesnt fit when it comes i'll have a canary,hehee.it should be in by the end of the week. class starts july 20th. i have to learn how to use my puck computer egad! i tried to go online for the mares online class but could not use a pre paid credit card and did not really want a paypal acct. but no matter what, paypal wont let you use anything but their accts. to pay for the classes.so ill have to struggle with the pamphlet that it came with.

 

[hummer]

well my suit came, still a little long on the arms and legs but good enough, fits everywhere else good .went for a shore dive last monday. i sucked as per usual, but its been awhile since i have had to wear so much gear. the water temp was 55.brr i had on a 7m and a 7m cover over that ,i was warm enough, don't know about a deep dive though, i guess i'll see next month.well still studying the puck comp.took it out when we went on our shore dive but the water was so shallow at times it was useless ,i want to try it out on a real dive! My hub got a dive ladder made for our fishing boat for my fifty'th , i was shocked. didn't know what to say, had been wanting that dive ladder for a long time.Now i need some dive time in. have gone to the beach worked on navigating with the compass and going through work book so all in all i'm scared, stressed, but i'm like a dog with a bone, i'm holding in there and learning all i can. started working out again after having to get steroid shots in my tendons so i'm hoping the muscles will feel better to exercise more.i find when i see things coming together it makes me feel better about myself .