AOW, but I don't think I'm any good- how to improve?

[DuboisP]

DuboisP- do you know anything about the FFESSM? I've heard a lot of conflicted opinions about it. When I did swimming, I saw a group of them at the pool every week, and I admit I'm not particularly interested in swimming laps in a shallow pool an hour a week in scuba gear. I mean, I'd do it if I had to, but...

there are 2 types of diving organizations in France
- commercial : you're a customer. you can follow training during short periods of time, from 4 days (Level 1) to a couple of weeks (Level 4, dive leader), and you can dive with. Commercial exist when there is a market, near Méditerranée, Atlantic sea or big lakes. Not a lot in north of France.
- non-profit : you're a member. training continue from sept-oct to may-june. often 1 or a couple of sessions each week, not mandatory (but needed to progress), in pool to do basic training and/or improve our physical condition, in deep pool (15-20 m) to do technical training. often have hardware to loan (bcs, regulators, suits, tanks)

i'm registered in a non-profit organization, also using commercial when travelling.
even during holidays, we have occasions to swim and dive
last thursday, i swam in a pond, and friday, went to the deep pool to review some technical, and also to refresh myself after a hot day.
after, go to the restaurant with the friends

it's generally recognized than be trained in a non-profit organization is better, because the training is longer.

Ok, "padi" drivers can be harshly received in non-profit organizations, some people are not open-minded about other training.
with your AOW, after your evaluation (checking what are your competencies), you will be able to be trained to the Level 2 (autonomy at 20m, supervised at 40m, deco diving, buddy assistance)

 

[DrScubaChick]

Hi Lisa...

You've gotten some great suggestions... I'd like to add a couple of ideas. I'd suggest that you keep your eyes open for women divers who look comfortable and competent. We are around. When you find such a woman diver, feel free to ask questions and find out what their experiences have been. You might also think about asking for a dive trip with a women's group for a Birthday or Christmas gift.

Feel free to pm me if you would like to chat more specifically.

Liz

 

[Peter69_56]

Liz,

There are just as many competent and comfortable women divers as men, and probably if you look at the ratio of female diver number vs their ratio of competent/comfortable and men diver numbers vs competent/comfortable the female number would be higher. One of the reasons I suspect is in the genes. Men historically are competitive, brash, arrogant, winner mentality etc etc and this gift (curse) has been given to us by nature to ensure only the best will win and father children. We may be winners but that doesn't mean we are well rounded and good and thus while we are aggressive that doesn't mean we are good divers (well maybe in our mind we are anyway).

Women on the other hand generally have no axe to grind or pride to keep polishing like men, thus if they take up diving its because of the experience and enjoyment etc. They therefore are not driven by a need to impress, but by a love of the sport.

So I think generally women make better overall divers generally and there are more of them by ratio. Women are generally more caring and have a mothering instinct that bodes good for those who need help. Men being competitive in nature either don't always have the same instinct to help, or if a female is wanting help spend more time oogling rather than giving productive advice.

Isn't nature a pig sometimes. perhaps a mix of the gene pool would bring out the best in us all. Ok after saying my opinion I expect to be shot, castigated, flogged and made to walk the plank and to dive to 400 metres without air and 400 kg ballast by all those men who now have damaged egos, sorry guys I just call it the way I see it. If I have bent your male pride (you lion you) sorry you will just have to live with it.

 

[rivers]

I'm going to echo what others have said. Join a local club. There, you will probably meet people a bit closer to your age. You'll have access to a pool to work on skills, meet some people to actually go diving with, and you'll get to go diving. Someone may even be selling some kit that fits, that you can afford, etc. The way to get better at diving is really to go diving. When I moved to the UK, I met a diver here on scubaboard. He introduced me to UK diving and became my mentor. Two years later, he's no longer a mentor, but a buddy.
What I'm unclear about is why you can only go diving with you dad.

 

[avengerki]

Lisa have you thought of looking on a social site like meetup.com to see if there is a group near you? Like others have said finding a local group would be helpful or even if they aren't too local they may still know other divers in your area who like to dive and maybe even places around to dive that you may not of thought of.

Just remember a web starts with but a single strand and an idea.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

In some locations the govt has rules that must be followed. France from what I have read and heard is one where a nanny state mentality is pretty prevalent.
The other issue is that the OP is a 17 yr old female. She may not be able to or permitted to travel without her parents. And when dad has little to no interest in diving other than on vacation or even improving his own skills she is kinda stuck. Short of telling him to take a flying leap and moving out on her own.
I have seen this with younger divers too many times where the parents are more of a danger and hindrance than anything else in the water. They think their skills are good enough when frankly they suck. And as a DM I once almost told a father that but the instructor stopped me. He didn't want to lose the once a year refresher or possible gear sales. Had I known I'd be leaving that shop in a couple months I would have said screw it and told dad what a menace he was to his son.
Sent from my DROID X2 using Tapatalk 2

 

[DuboisP]

In some locations the govt has rules that must be followed. France from what I have read and heard is one where a nanny state mentality is pretty prevalent.
The other issue is that the OP is a 17 yr old female. She may not be able to or permitted to travel without her parents.

that's true, but can be managed.
in our non-profit organisation, we have young women and men and are very careful with them.
take care of all.

 

[rivers]

In some locations the govt has rules that must be followed. France from what I have read and heard is one where a nanny state mentality is pretty prevalent.
The other issue is that the OP is a 17 yr old female. She may not be able to or permitted to travel without her parents. And when dad has little to no interest in diving other than on vacation or even improving his own skills she is kinda stuck.
Sent from my DROID X2 using Tapatalk 2

When I was 17, I was limited in what travel I could do without my parents' permission, but I was unlimited in the amount of extracurricular activities I had (as long as they didn't clash, if it cost money I could pay for it, wasn't illegal, didn't end up in jail etc). So I don't think joining a local dive club would cause an issue. Actually going on local trips may pose a bit of an issue if the OP doesn't have a job and mom and dad are selective in what they pay for.

 

[FinnMom]

Lisa,

You are in a country where CMAS is fairly prominent (France is CMAS's home turf). To my experience, a lot of CMAS diving is club-centred, which means if you join the club normal club activities (usually including regular get-togethers for a local dive) are free and much of the training & trips are highly club-sponsored. Whether CMAS or not, find your local diving clubs and join a club that seems a good fit for you (how active the club is, the ages of the active members or whatever criteria might be important to you). Then get out and dive. Be active, be open to constructive criticism, be positive, & be helpful (clubs are a lot about sharing the work for inexpensive diving).

Also... as a beginner, make a little bit of a habit of to staying quiet when you want to criticize others - the older divers you can learn the most from need to find nothing annoying in your behavior. Young people can sometimes be a little too quick to give advice to the more experienced, or in front of the more experienced. The older divers would accept the newbies more quickly and spend more time with them if the newbies were a little more quiet & humble. THIS IS NO comment on ANYTHING you have said, just an observation and general advice from observing in my own club, my own teen-twentysomething kids and many of my younger employees.

Do you live anywhere near the famous cave diving areas in France?

 

[lisa1234]

TSandM- There is a defined bottom, but it is often defined by coral And thanks for your detailed answer!

DuboisP- I'm in Ile de France, so fairly far from the sea, and may be moving even further for school. I'll consider it, though :s I want to go diving because I love the sea, and nature. I'm not eager to learn the tile patterns in a swimming pool by heart again, especially if I end up with very few chances to dive anywhere else. I suppose it's also cheaper? I'm also not sure about every week- I'd be willing to give up my holidays, but I'm starting post-secondary school, and I'm not sure about time).

I'm still interested in what I read on the divedir.com website about GUE (except, no solo diving, ever?)
(And if I stay in France, learning cave diving makes sense.)
Also, I'd love to get gear, and my parents have considered it, but are waiting for next year (they don't imagine diving anywhere but on holidays) and it's confusing! If I intend to do GUE or something later, it would be better to get that type of gear? But I don't know anything about it. Isn't it expensive? And dependent on where you dive? But I like the idea of the backplate (I read on the women's forum it makes fit easier too?)

And there's the whole budget for diving problem, if I don't dive with my parents, which would mean postponing everything till I get a degree/job. I'll be 18 soon, so traveling would be ok, except for the budget :s I can't really travel without them, for that reason. I don't have a job, don't know if I would have time for one with school, and if I had one, it might just go towards paying rent when I move out.

Anyhow, thanks so much for the replies- I have a lot to think about....