For those of you who tech or cave dive . . .

TSandM · September 23rd, 2009, 03:13 AM

Did you have any female role models when you got started? If so, were they useful, helpful, or just inspirational? If not, did you care?

Texasdivechick · September 23rd, 2009, 03:20 AM

I'm not there yet... but so far you're my role model. I've never met you but have read your posts over the past 2 years. Everything you have posted has been thought provoking and of sound judgement. You're an inspiration to all women divers, especially to those who eventually go the tech/cave route, like I hope to do someday.

AbyssalPlains · September 23rd, 2009, 03:26 AM

Guy here, but I second that. Having never met you has not deterred me from thoroughly enjoying the well thought out and balanced view in your posts. I don't always agree, but what you write is a pleasure to read and usually full of valuable insight. Greetings from Arizona!

Cave Diver · September 23rd, 2009, 04:09 AM

Chickdiver

Taught me a lot, both as an instructor and a friend, as well as enduring my many stupid questions along the way.

debersole · September 23rd, 2009, 07:50 AM

Another guy here, but I'd think both Jill Heinreth and Mel Clark would be "role models" for women technical/cave divers as they are both incredible divers and wonderful people with a passion for teaching technical and cave diving.

SelkieDVM · September 23rd, 2009, 08:30 AM

Here's another vote for you, TSandM. I've never met you but I've followed your posts for at least a couple of years now. They are always very thoughtful and respectful, and you've been quite open with your own perceived shortcomings. I don't know if I'll progress any further, but I just signed up for Cavern and Basic, inspired in large part by your enthusiasm. I hope we can dive together someday.

tstormdiver · September 23rd, 2009, 08:58 AM

No, I can't say I have had a female role model to follow, myself as I am progressing through my technical/ cave diving. Female tech divers, while not unheard of seem to be of a rare breed & even more so here in the mid west. Look at how many divers go on to become technical divers,.... probably less than 2%, of that probably less than 20% are female. No, around here, it seems to be pretty much all males. Does it bother me? No. I feel that my instructor & those other technical divers at my LDS are knowledgeable, safe & helpful in assisting me in reaching my goals. I have been in other male dominated sports as well. I did martial arts for 15yrs & for a good portion of that, I was the only female. I frequently had to spar with men much taller & heavier than I. It was not absolute full contact, more of controlled contact, but still I got my clock cleaned a time or two. I just got used to it & did what I had to do. I eventually went on to become only the 12th black belt under the instructor & the first female black belt there (& my instructor had been teaching the martial arts for over 30 yrs at that point). It was something wanted to do, just like technical/ cave diving is something I want to do. To me, technical diving isn't so much male & female. Sure,.... there can be some big egos here & there, but you can usually find that about anywhere. I see technical diving as more of an art, in & of itself,... a honing of skills & control of mind & body. Yes, there are parts of technical diving that can be physically demanding, but when it comes down to it, the dangers are the same for male or female.

I will also throw in another vote that your posts have been very informative & helpful. To say I really appreciate your insights, is a huge understatement. I do hope to meet you sometime in the future.

BabyDuck · September 23rd, 2009, 10:17 AM

no, i have to say i didn't know any when i made cave my goal, but have met several since. jill heinerth, shelley orlowski, shirley kasser, my best buddy jean nelson, cathy lesh, evie duda, cris jones - all have been very nice to me even if only in passing.

i had a book about eugenie clark when i was little, but it was more about her wanting to study sharks and i don't remember any of it really being about diving. still, it was interesting & about a woman being something out of the ordinary.

and i'll put in a plug here for my mentors, even if they are guys. jason bone & bobby franklin, you've been great!

Saspotato · September 23rd, 2009, 10:51 AM

Edit: Oh woops I didn't read the title of this thread properly

I don't tech or cave (yet) so removed post

TSandM · September 26th, 2009, 02:59 AM

Thank you for the comments about me, but I really wasn't looking for personal kudos.

Chickdiver was one of my role models, as was Karen Cleveland; the two of them proved to me that cave diving was done successfully by women, and by women who worked iwth my chosen agency or their divers. And Heather is short, like me. (Nobody is as old as I am.) It was important to me to believe that it could be done, because it was a huge physical challenge, and because I had no local examples or leaders.

I had a long discussion with a friend the other night, and she didn't believe that there was any value in people knowing that she held an advanced technical certification. Her feeling was that people should look up to people, and there is nothing gender-specific about it. This made me curious about whether other women felt as I did, that it was encouraging or useful to know of other women who had done what they contemplated.

I have used Heather as a resource a bunch of times, and still do -- She's been amazingly patient and nice about answering my questions, and about spending time in the water with me, when I can get to Florida. I count that an extremely valuable resource. But the biggest value was saying to myself, "SHE cave dives, and dove with the WKPP. So it can be done, and I should be able to do it." (I ignored the 20+ years difference in ages, as I am wont to do.)