Question for all female divers

[GinaRae]

On a trip to Cancun after graduating from nursing school in 2002 I tried the BOB (Breathing Observation Bubble) I loved being underwater and thought it would be fun to learn how to scuba dive. Unfortunately work, life, etc got in the way and I didn't really think about it again.

Then, in January of 2012, my boyfriend mentioned he wanted to go diving during our vacation in May. He suggested that I do a referral OW class so I could get certified while on vacation. Instead I signed up for a class here, in Puget Sound, and got my OW cert in March. It was 39-47° outside and the water was 43-47° on the 2 days of OW class.

On vacation I dove at the reef, a short boat ride from the hotel, then did 2 (amazing!) dives in Cozumel.

When I returned home I couldn't handle the idea of a 7mm John/Jacket wetsuit for the water here after diving in just a skin. I bought a dry suit! Just did my first dives in it this past weekend, the weekend before I had my dry suit orientation in the pool. In open water I'm having issues with buoyancy and "floaty feet" so this weekend I'm trying ankle weights.

I've definitely been bitten by the diving bug.

I have 11 dives so far and 2 more planned this weekend. I guess my boyfriend is just a vacation diver, he has a little over 30 dives in 10 years. I'm sure I'll hit at least 20 by the end of the year, I just wish I didn't have to work so many weekends!

 

[Thiad]

This is an old post brought back to life, but heck, why not?

I almost drown when I was a kid and for years, stayed out of the water. I'd only get wet when forced to. But, I believe if tackling fears head on so when I was asked to go on a trip where the only thing to do was dive, I took up diving.

That was almost two years ago.

I'm pushing 200 dives now (I'll hit 170 this Friday when I hit the water at 10 am). I've worked my way up through Rescue and am (slowly) working on my DM. I have no idea where I want this to eventually lead - I only know that want to see amazing things and meet amazing people.

And both of those things have happened bringing me to the best time of my life. Life is fantastic and I celebrate every moment!

My only regret? I wish I had done this 20 years ago.

 

[jewelofnile69]

Great thread to be revived since I'm new to this forum. I almost got certified back when I was on active duty but passed up the opportunity. Then I met my now husband back in 2005 and he and many of his friends were divers (one of his besties is a dive master who has been diving since he was 14 and has done crazy things like 300-500ft dives with the Navy!). Anyway, so I got certified in 2007 and then didn't actually dive (other than my OW test) until we went to Bonaire for the first time in 2011...been back there twice now. I've now done a few more dives in lakes and even dove dry. We're heading to Key Largo over Labor Day weekend and then back to Bonaire again next February. We have a bunch of lake/quarry dives planned this summer in Wisconsin. I love me some diving!

 

[srkmrd]

I did a resort course in Cozumel in 1993, loved it and decided to get certified the next summer in 1994, married my scuba instructor 21 feet deep in Lake Travis in 1997, reached my instructor status in 1997. Back then I was making around 100 dives a year, mostly lake dives with some blue water. I only taught a couple of years but hubby taught up until a few years ago. We do not make near as many dives as we used to but we go as much as possible, still do the lake diving and manage blue water at least once a year. We have a dive club that has been active since 1994 that has an event every month, althought weather and drought causes a lot of those events to be on dry land. Our next planned blue water trip is back to Curacao in December, we were last there over 10 years ago. We love Cozumel, Honduras, Caymans, Belize, Bonaire, I guess the most exciting dives were schools of hammerhead sharks off the coast of Texas in the Flower Gardens and Whale Sharks in Roatan, Honduras.

 

[girldiverllc]

I was living in Colorado and decided I didn't want to work in a cubicle the rest of my life. So, I looked at the options for a career with some pizazz..and...decided being a scuba instructor looked pretty awesome. White sandy beaches and a little grass shack, right?

So, I moved back to the Seattle area (thinking I would need the water nearby) and began training....in February. (Did I mention I'm almost allergic to the cold???) It was snowing during our certification and the water temp hovered near 40 degrees. I was miserable. I realized...I was NOT going to be a scuba instructor.

However, I'd already signed up and paid for the Advanced class. So...I took the final course I had paid for...thinking about other career options. But during our dives, the water was clear, the life abundant....and in a moment when my buoyancy was spot on, I thought, I KNOW WHY DIVERS DIVE!!! Yes, the gear was heavy and the water cold, but I was determined to figure out how to do this thing.

From there, I found a need in the scuba world for a female focused company and a need in the Northwest for a "gentler" form of scuba. I spend my days running our dive center...evenings and weekends teaching and travel in my job for Cressi. I lead dive trips around the world...checking out those white sandy beaches, where perhaps, one day, I will eventually land.

We bloom where we're planted...and for me, it's in Seattle. (for now...)

 

[MerMomDiver]

I was certified 3 years ago. I had just gone through a divorce, and somehow through that process became more aware of my bucket list. Scuba diving had intrigued me a long time, and it was time to follow my dream. My son was 11, and he certified along with me. We were both excited about having something outdoorsy and fun to share together on vacations, as he got older. Certification was a bit arduous, but we managed it in 6 months. Worth it! I began dating a wonderful man who is an advanced diver 3 years ago, and since we have been to Cozumel, Mexico 3 times for diving weeks. Last summer, I introduced my son to Cozumel drift diving. What an absolute and sublime feeling of accomplishment I experienced gliding along the beautiful reef in his wake while we three soaked in the experience together. Just got back from another "family" trip down there with us 3; paradise.

 

[rbristow]

I just became certified in January 2012! My parents had started diving and I thought it had always looked cool and fun. I went to a scuba experience in summer 2011 to try the whole "breathing underwater" thing and loved it. I immediately wanted to get certified, however, I was in college at the time and was returning for the semester in less than a month. Another catch: my family was leaving for a dive vacation to Curacao January 2, 2012 so I needed to get moving if I wanted to dive! I found a NAUI open water course held at a local university in Pittsburgh during the fall semester and completed my pool and class work prior to the vacation. I had the time of my life diving the reefs and the Superior Producer and can safely say I've had a healthy dose of the Kool-Aid and dive once or twice a month now that I've graduated from college.

 

[Sheri SGR]

I got certified in 1992 with my ex husband, my brother was a navy seal and I was hooked from the get go. Still loving it 20 years later, will dive anywhere anytime...poor visibility its OK there is always something to see.

 

[tracydr]

1995. I was on a med-school army rotation at Ft. Sam Houston in San Antonio, TX. I'd wanted to dive ever since I'd dated an Army SF guy who had been a commercial diver, back in the mid-80s but life had gotten in the way.
OW was in Canyon Lake, TX. I knew I would love it, I've always been a swimmer.
I didn't get to dive again until my internship in Tacoma, WA but then I made up for it. I loved diving Puget Sound and hope to get back up there someday. I spent my free time During internship (oxymoron ) diving the sound in a wetsuit. Brrrr!
My ex-husband was a scarey diver, certified in the 70s, typical vacation diver.
I got in the lake by my house every chance I got (yes, solo, sorry) when I was stationed in OK from 1998-2004. Air was over 50 miles away but the lake was only 2 miles away. We did quite a few trips to Hawaii, Mexico, CA.
After my divorce,I signed up for a trip to Pemba Island, Africa with the dive shop that I did my OW with in TX. During that trip, I signed up for a Galapegos trip. After Pemba, I met my new husband ( on e-harmony). He's a PADI staff instructor. We went to Galapegos for our honeymoon trip.
now, I'm doing PADI Divemaster. I just took the knowledge exam and I'm doing skills/swim test tomorrow.
After DM, I hope to do some Tech stuff. My real goal is to do cave diving. Ever since I saw my first Cave video ( Agnes, RIP) I've been hooked. I could watch them all day.

 

[kimbalabala]

I got OW & drysuit certified at the same time in March 2010. Mostly I did it "for my husband". I hated the cccccold water in the quarry (and the air temps were pretty chilly too) - and the weight I had to carry. I'm 5' and about 115 pounds and at the time I was 48 - not in good shape (meaning "wimpy") - so it was a real struggle for me. However, that spring we went to the Keys and I got to dive in warm water and began to really, really like it. Last year we went to Grand Cayman, I got down to 100 ft and became completely enamored with the sport. (I'm also AOW). I only have a little over 60 dives but we try to find time to get away to get wet. My last kid is going off to college in August so we might be able to free up time for local dives too.