DIR- GUE We got bullied today :(
- Thread starter Dogbowl
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KevinNM
Contributor
Ayisha
Contributor
Dogbowl, a couple of our Toronto area clubs have a lot of GUE members practicing in the pool and our gear is a common sight; but many of our clubs are predominantly not bp/w/long hose wearing or familiar with it. They're usually polite and don't say anything, but once in a while, you can hear someone ask, "Why are they wearing drysuits in the pool?" or "How long do you have to stay still for?" or "That hose is realllllly long".
The great thing about it is that you're an ambassador and there are often students/new divers there as well who sometimes ask how they can dive like that. We see the students watching and sometimes trying to emulate. Once, at the surface, a student asked her instructor how she could dive like us, and the instructor told her, "Oh they're tech divers. That will take a lot of experience and training". Actually, we were both single tank divers, but we didn't say anything of course. Sometimes the students will ask us in the change room about our training, so you know they're absorbing what they've seen. That's the beauty of mixed diving groups...
The great thing about it is that you're an ambassador and there are often students/new divers there as well who sometimes ask how they can dive like that. We see the students watching and sometimes trying to emulate. Once, at the surface, a student asked her instructor how she could dive like us, and the instructor told her, "Oh they're tech divers. That will take a lot of experience and training". Actually, we were both single tank divers, but we didn't say anything of course. Sometimes the students will ask us in the change room about our training, so you know they're absorbing what they've seen. That's the beauty of mixed diving groups...
Dogbowl, a couple of our Toronto area clubs have a lot of GUE members practicing in the pool and our gear is a common sight; but many of our clubs are predominantly not bp/w/long hose wearing or familiar with it. They're usually polite and don't say anything, but once in a while, you can hear someone ask, "Why are they wearing drysuits in the pool?" or "How long do you have to stay still for?" or "That hose is realllllly long".
The great thing about it is that you're an ambassador and there are often students/new divers there as well who sometimes ask how they can dive like that. We see the students watching and sometimes trying to emulate. Once, at the surface, a student asked her instructor how she could dive like us, and the instructor told her, "Oh they're tech divers. That will take a lot of experience and training". Actually, we were both single tank divers, but we didn't say anything of course. Sometimes the students will ask us in the change room about our training, so you know they're absorbing what they've seen. That's the beauty of mixed diving groups...
I get that. Nothing wrong with curiosity, comments and questions along those lines. In fact, I welcome it, if brought forward with a proper attitude. I’ve been wearing “different-looking” gear long before taking a GUE course and am used to comments and questions that you speak of. I have done the spiel explaining to others that we were not cave divers nor tech divers, but that our gear is similar to what those types of divers wear.
Unfortunately, the dude that was “hounding” us was definitely bullying us. Not just condescending and negative, but he literally told us to to get out of his pool, which we had every right to be in. And he succeeded in doing that! Nothing “friendly” about his demeanour.
So, I’m sorry but I’m not sure what to take from your post except it sounds a bit like downplaying our negative experience. Maybe I’m just not understanding your point.
Ayisha
Contributor
Dogbowl, if you look at my first paragraph, I'm basically telling you there are GUE-friendly and not so friendly clubs. We've already established that the person's interaction was inappropriate. You can choose to be beat by that or you can go for the purpose you went for, and also see it as a learning opportunity for others. Can't make it any clearer than that.
I wasn’t able to discern this ^^^ meaning from your original post. So I guess it wan’t as clear as you claim it was, at least not to me.
Nowhere did you “establish that the interaction was inappropriate.” Just thought I’d point that out.
Why are you assuming that I am choosing “to be beat by this”? That’s an assumption I disagree with. I did and will continue to go for the purpose I went for, unless and until it becomes unbearable, at which time I will raise my concerns with club executive.
My original post was a rant. People rant when they experience something negative.
That sucks that you had such a negative experience with an uninformed nut.
My wife had a similar experience last june well on a trip to point traverse.
She is a quite accomplished technical diver and instructor. She has no gue certs however she was cave trained by Larry green . Yah the same Larry green who certified Jared as an nacd cave instructor (oh the horror) back in the day when Jarrod lived in a single wide and drank PBR.
Anyway the Saturday was cold and miserable we got our dives in, but conditions were challenging.
A couple on the trip were newly minted fundemtals graduates. The husband was diving doubles with a 40 and a dry suit. and the wife was in a in a wet suit and rocking an eclipse wing with an aluminum 80 ( hands town my favorite rig to dive ever)
After a tough day on the water we all met back at the cottage for cocktails and a low fat project approved supper.
My wife had changed into her favorite comfy red GUE sweater when the couple asked her who she did her gue training with. She replied no one.
Well then why are you wearing that shirt? They asked." Cus its comfy" my wife replied. But the couple wouldn't let it go. For the next hour they kept at her almost offended that such a stroke would dare to put on that shirt.
Last I checked the only credentials you needed to buy a sweater from EE is a credit card and a tolarance for Doug Mundry.
During the dives that day my wife looked better in the water and managed the conditions with ease well the couple struggled to complete a simple recreational dives.
That couple left the next morning despite the improved conditions perhaps humbled by the abilities of my wife and the stab jacket wearing divers who were also on the trip.
This experience still resonates with us as it made her feel extremely uncomfortable.
My wife had a similar experience last june well on a trip to point traverse.
She is a quite accomplished technical diver and instructor. She has no gue certs however she was cave trained by Larry green . Yah the same Larry green who certified Jared as an nacd cave instructor (oh the horror) back in the day when Jarrod lived in a single wide and drank PBR.
Anyway the Saturday was cold and miserable we got our dives in, but conditions were challenging.
A couple on the trip were newly minted fundemtals graduates. The husband was diving doubles with a 40 and a dry suit. and the wife was in a in a wet suit and rocking an eclipse wing with an aluminum 80 ( hands town my favorite rig to dive ever)
After a tough day on the water we all met back at the cottage for cocktails and a low fat project approved supper.
My wife had changed into her favorite comfy red GUE sweater when the couple asked her who she did her gue training with. She replied no one.
Well then why are you wearing that shirt? They asked." Cus its comfy" my wife replied. But the couple wouldn't let it go. For the next hour they kept at her almost offended that such a stroke would dare to put on that shirt.
Last I checked the only credentials you needed to buy a sweater from EE is a credit card and a tolarance for Doug Mundry.
During the dives that day my wife looked better in the water and managed the conditions with ease well the couple struggled to complete a simple recreational dives.
That couple left the next morning despite the improved conditions perhaps humbled by the abilities of my wife and the stab jacket wearing divers who were also on the trip.
This experience still resonates with us as it made her feel extremely uncomfortable.
LiteHedded
Contributor
Jack Hammer
Contributor
Yes, and arguing over pool diving...
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