Follow a Single Mom's Journey to Becoming a Commercial Diver

[Gary D.]

One of the reasons I turned down an offer to work for Standard Oil was I'd be away from home more than when I was in the Navy. That stuff gets old after a while and I didn't have any kids then either.

Gary D.

 

[Sas]

Sas, you take offense too easily. It comes off a little strident. That debate is over and most men just don't care as long as the job gets done. I'm not knocking anyone (woman or man) for wanting to pursue a goal but I don't believe in being PC and sugar coating reality either. Unless she is lucky enough to land that non saturation, 9-5, close to home commercial job she will have to face some uncomfortable facts.

I was not offended. I just find it funny that men show their uncomfortableness of women in the workforce by saying that women are going to struggle with the machoness of it all - "sweaty, macho men" I believe is how you described it - the horror!

The rest of your post is irrelevant to the original point I was making but I believe it is well thought out in regards to the problems she will face, with having to raise two children as well in particular. However, plenty of people have made things like this work.

 

[DaleC]

I was not offended. I just find it funny that men show their uncomfortableness of women in the workforce by saying that women are going to struggle with the machoness of it all

(I think you misquoted scuubaadoo there Sas... women and technology )

I wasn't showing anything of the sort BTW. I don't think a woman would struggle with the work itself but rather that she (might/might not) appreciate long confinment in a male dominated environment. Pointing out that she will have to face some uncomfortable facts does not equate to showing uncomfortableness with women in the workforce.

If I am uncomfortable with anything in the story it is her decision to choose a job that will take her away from her children in such an extreme fashion and the fact that some shop/schools have chosen to saddle her with a lot of debt for a carreer she has no real idea she can/will pursue.

I also think very few people make situations like that work (well). She will have to choose between doing a half assed job raising her children or a half assed job as a commercial diver but only a deluded, self centered, "I want it all" person would think they could have both.

 

[beester]

Raising kids is hard as a single parent... if you try combine that with following your dream... cudos!

However I believe she might have some misconceptions on the job she's trying to pursue... Specifically when she's mentioning snorkeling, clear water, fauna..etc...

If she would be a mechanic... a greaze girl... someone who likes to get her hands dirty... owns her own welding equipment... (and I do know a girl or 2 like that)... she might have a chance... Isn't being a sat diver first about your technical skills and in a distant second your diving?

But hey I'm just a guy doing this for my hobby... I like the low vis, dirty, cold water ... but I'm no underwater welder so what do I know...

 

[OnlineScuba]

Wow, I never expected this much information in a short period of time. I posted a request for Scuba related stories and Rosie among others answered as we are looking for human interest stories for our Blog at OnlineScuba. That said, she contacted me and told her story.

Now, I realize that it sounds like a dream without the realities of the above, long hours, travel, away from the kids, etc. but what I am trying to capture is her story, plain and simple. Yes we all have our opinions of what she should do, but at the end of the day her excitement is contagious and I am interested in how this story develops.

If it turns out that it is not what she wants to do, then at least she tried. Being a guy who is real close to the mid-40's rather than my 20's, I am at a point of my life where I occasionally reflect on what I would have done differently and following Rosie and her story, regardless of my opinion, is a bit of reliving that dream.

She would love to hear those comments good, bad, indifferent on the Blog. Thanks for your support!!!

 

[muddiver]

Raising kids is hard as a single parent... if you try combine that with following your dream... cudos!

However I believe she might have some misconceptions on the job she's trying to pursue... Specifically when she's mentioning snorkeling, clear water, fauna..etc...

If she would be a mechanic... a greaze girl... someone who likes to get her hands dirty... owns her own welding equipment... (and I do know a girl or 2 like that)... she might have a chance... Isn't being a sat diver first about your technical skills and in a distant second your diving?

As a diving professional the last thing I want to deal with is someone who wants time off to "take care of the kids". Talk about loss of productivity and lack of flexability.

Second, it is all about your construction and technical skills. Diving is just a fancy commute to the job site. I want to hear more about Rosie finding out what rigging is. It is not a diving skill, it is about lifting heavy objects using lines, cable, wenches, cranes and other finger eating mechanisms.

 

[Sas]

(I think you misquoted scuubaadoo there Sas... women and technology )

I know I know. Generally women's brains are not really cut out for technology so I really should have gotten a man to review my post. Shame on me

I wasn't showing anything of the sort BTW. I don't think a woman would struggle with the work itself but rather that she (might/might not) appreciate long confinment in a male dominated environment. Pointing out that she will have to face some uncomfortable facts does not equate to showing uncomfortableness with women in the workforce.

That is not what you said. You made a crack about her filing a sexual harrassment claim because of macho, sweaty men. How else is one supposed to take that comment other than that the first thing you think of when hearing of a woman about to enter a male-dominated industry is that they are going to want to file a sexual harrassment claim and are therefore going to be uncomfortable or unable to cope with working with men?

I also think very few people make situations like that work (well). She will have to choose between doing a half assed job raising her children or a half assed job as a commercial diver but only a deluded, self centered, "I want it all" person would think they could have both.

I am sure there are plenty of men who are commercial divers but who have children. I have not heard someone complain about them. Even in two-parent families it does not seem the best scenario to me to have one parent (male or female) doing long stints away from their children but few kick up a fuss when it is the male being absent, rather than the mother.

 

[DaleC]

I know I know. Generally women's brains are not really cut out for technology so I really should have gotten a man to review my post. Shame on me

Excellent reply Sas! You did not take the bait
(damn it ).

That is not what you said. You made a crack about her filing a sexual harrassment claim because of macho, sweaty men. How else is one supposed to take that comment other than that the first thing you think of when hearing of a woman about to enter a male-dominated industry is that they are going to want to file a sexual harrassment claim and are therefore going to be uncomfortable or unable to cope with working with men?

Again, if you read her story on the blog she makes several references to her work for human rights orgs. I was being somewhat flippant (true) but in truth, most women with that kind of background would find it hard to put up with the sexual advances/harrasment, off coloured humor, demeaning comments etc... that she would (most likely) unfortunately face. My comments aren't a judgement against women in the workforce in general (I've never been against it) but just about this woman, in this situation. I stand ready to eat crow if, in fact, she turns out to be a tough as nails, cracker jack commercial diver.

I am sure there are plenty of men who are commercial divers but who have children. I have not heard someone complain about them. Even in two-parent families it does not seem the best scenario to me to have one parent (male or female) doing long stints away from their children but few kick up a fuss when it is the male being absent, rather than the mother.

I would complain/comment about a single parent father choosing that carreer path just as much as a woman. It isn't about the gender of the worker but rather the abandonment of the children. How two parent families divide their time doesn't trouble me as much (at least the children feeled valued by one parent) but, like Gary above, I looked at, and rejected, a CG job because of the time I would have to spend away from my family.

PS. I think Steve 50 should be thanking me too as I provide a good foil for your point/counter points. After all, you can't have sweet without the sour, yin without the yang, Sonny without the Cher.

... Uhh, scrap that last one.

 

[Sas]

Excellent reply Sas! You did not take the bait
(damn it ).

I saw through your plan easily. Probably my superior female brain.

Again, if you read her story on the blog she makes several references to her work for human rights orgs. I was being somewhat flippant (true) but in truth, most women with that kind of background would find it hard to put up with the sexual advances/harrasment, off coloured humor, demeaning comments etc... that she would (most likely) unfortunately face. My comments aren't a judgement against women in the workforce in general (I've never been against it) but just about this woman, in this situation. I stand ready to eat crow if, in fact, she turns out to be a tough as nails, cracker jack commercial diver.

Well, fair enough. I did not take it that way but that is how you meant it I will take it that way now/ Actually, I would have thought working with human rights she would have a greater understanding of how to deal with treatment like that and be less likely to be bothered. However, that is just a matter of opinion and likely to vary from person to person.

I would complain/comment about a single parent father choosing that carreer path just as much as a woman. It isn't about the gender of the worker but rather the abandonment of the children. How two parent families divide their time doesn't trouble me as much (at least the children feeled valued by one parent) but, like Gary above, I looked at, and rejected, a CG job because of the time I would have to spend away from my family.

That may be your opinion but society in general seems to be more bothered by career mothers, than career fathers, be it with single-parent or double-parent families.

PS. I think Steve 50 should be thanking me too as I provide a good foil for your point/counter points. After all, you can't have sweet without the sour, yin without the yang, Sonny without the Cher.

If it makes you feel better, all my 'Thanks' are from sock puppets I have created for this purpose because more the 'Thanks' you have, the cooler you are, don't you know?

 

[ascoobydonot]

this is gotta be someone taking the piss for sure, who would call their kid panther?