Diving Families

[gitano]

As I have said in another thread most of my diving has been done with various family members. All of whom are male and that is simply how it was until I met my wife, also an apneist.

I would like to hear peoples experiences and thoughts about diving with family. Some examples for discussion might be...

-Do you feel safer when diving with family and is the feeling warranted or only based on familiarity only?

-Do you feel a closer bond with family members whilst diving togather, if so how is the bond tightened(herd mentality maybe)?

-Is comunication better or worse while diving and/or afterward with family?

-In your opinion is diving with family more rewarding?

-Lastly, have you formed bonds with other divers(not related) that is familial, as a result of diving togather?

I believe that there is an intrinsic bond that is gifted to groups of people when they enter alternate dimensions togather and would like to hear of as many points of view as possible.

Thank You

 

[TMcKee]

Not to bash my wife, but she still has to pinch her nose when she goes underwater...

She's learning though.

 

[thin_air]

i took enough convincing to get my mom to dive 60ft WITH a tank that i dont think i could convince her about apnea...
however, i do think that diving is good for my family, being as im spending more and more time out of the house (job, school, friends, training) when i get to go diving with my family (which sadly hasnt happened in a while) it definitly brings us closer together
i do feel safer when (scuba) diving with members of my family because i know what training they have had, i know how recongnize stress (yes even with a mask and regulator/snorkle ) and they can tell if something is up with me
the few times that i have done apnea training with my mother present, i felt safe because i know that she wasnt gonna let me out of her sight, and that if i didnt make my signals clear enough, she wasnt going to let me drown (learned that one the hard way, right in the middle of a good static head damn)

now if i just had some free time...

 

[TMcKee]

Actually, after I hit 4 minutes I was demonstrating breathing and whatnot for my dad. My little brother decided to challenge me, as all little brothers will. After his pretty good minute I sat up, stared at him and held for two more minutes. Not a very good breathe up but I still stomped him!!! I'd like to get him into diving.

 

[gitano]

competition!

I have found that I too will compete much more with the other men in my family than those not related to me. There is a limit though! I have seen two of my cousins(brothers) push one another to their very limits. While I too was there in the water I know that they are like this when it is just the two of them. Sometimes because of their competivie sense I feel they lose a bit of common sense. That would be great if you could get your brother in the water with you. You might want to be very aware of his limits as a beginner, little brothers will follow the elder anywhere!

 

[cdavis]

family

Good thread gitano

Watching my sons get into freediving is incredibly rewarding.

The 9 yr old"s first Bahamas trip, picking up conch in 5 meters, sharing his excitement.

When the oldest was 13, watching him do his first dive of any depth, 14 meters. I asked him, can you do it?? A quick look and an uncertain "yeah." Down he goes, slow and hesitant at first. I can read his mind, " Can I really do this?". Then more certainty, and he speeds up down to about 10 m then slows down and almost stops. "Its too deep, I can't do it, I can't do it" Then " I'll do it anyway!!" , as he speeds up, touches bottom, turns and jumps as he looks up "I can't believe how small dad looks, its forever to the top" Then the adrenalin rush back to the surface.

I have been blessed with many high points in diving, but that one is one of the very best. Diving with your kids is tops.

On non-family members, It is probably no coincidence that all but one of my long term close friends are divers.

 

[gitano]

I'm still waiting

It will be years before I will have any sort experience like that with my own children as I don't have any, but I am anticipating those moments. I think only then will I fully understand that look in my fathers eyes as he taught me to dive. Maybe you could start a thread about child divers. I think photos especially with child, as they can't hide expesions of joy, speak more than words. Something like a proud mother/fathers bragging corner.

Really nice description of all that you saw your son going through. I believe that very sixth sense between family members as you had described is what elevates the expeience for me whilst I dive with my family.

 

[zipy]

hi

cdavis you have brought tears in my eyes!!

Moments like that are burned in memory for life.
Have some of those with my dad...

Zipy

 

[btweikel]

careful

I remember reading Terry Mass' book "BlueWater Hunting and Freediving" and being impressed with his comprehensive discussion of freediving safety. However, in spite of his commitment to safety, his own son died in a freediving accident.

Freediving is the most dangerous for young males, due to their competitive drive. I love to freedive. I have a 2 year old son. I am still not sure how to approach this. If Terry Maas couldn't instill enough restraint in his own son, what makes me think I can in my own? I forsee that I won't be able to restrain myself from attempting to instill in my love for the sport in my son. I forsee that my son will be a freediver. But I am aprehensive....

 

[Tanya]

diving with family

This is Paul Streeter (The man behind the woman)

Actually diving with a woman that has reached 525 feet and has currently 3 world records is great. We are always out together and she always dives in my capabilities, which is a lot less obviously. I have to say that I feel no more safer with her than anyone else.
One of my greatest joys was taking my sons to HMS Dolphin in Portsmouth. I was there without Tanya and had intended to go in myself but had played rugby the day before and got pretty banged up (broken Nose etc) so could not go in. But got my two 18 year old boys in the tank who are at home in the about as much as jumbo jet. Never the less after a little coaching, threats and finally bribery they managed to get down to 65 feet and 55feet. Very pleased with them and they were stoked !! I think that was beginning and the end of any freediving for them but who knows.

 

[gitano]

Wow!!!

All I can say is that I am so excited to have had the Streeter family respond to one of my threads... One little thing was not clear for me though, Paul did you mean to say that you feel safest with your wife, or that diving with her is like diving with anyone else?

The level of diving that you guys do really amazes me.

 

[Tanya]

family diving

I have to say, and T will probably be pissed, but I do not feel any safer diving with her than anyone else. Although she tends to make me do more and deeper than I would with anyone else. Most of our diving tends to revolve around the records and spearfishing, we do not seem to get time for messing around anymore. When we are on location with the records we are normally there for at least 5 weeks doing deep training dives with our safety team. Each dive is a little deeper each day which is training for Tanya and for the team. I am surface support and generally once the dive is over, I am sorting out gear, bringing up the sled, dealing with the safety team and do not get to play on the line.

And for those who think that doing this professionally could make them some money, forget it. We do this for love, in fact Tand I could earn 3 times what we make now if we just went back to a regular job. Can't do this forever and the real world is calling !!! Kind of went of the track a bit.

Paul

 

[loopy]

Paul,

Hows Tanya going with her training anyways? Haven't heard too much since the big dive...

 

[Tanya]

family

Not sure if this is appropriate for this forum, but training is going well, mostly dry stuff in the gym at the moment and will step it up next month. Tanya's Mum has been very sick for the last 4-5 months and have been dealing with that. Been doing lots of media see Mens Journal, Mens Health, Stun mag in the USA and there will be a documnetary on Discovery Health next month and there is something currently on Nat Geo now.

Tanya recently signed with TAG Heuer in the UK and been doing some promo stuff with them and then of course there is the endless quest for sponsors.

Paul

 

[loopy]

Good to hear mate, all the best for the next attempt

 

[Pekka]

I have done most of my diving with my brother or father or my sister she is quite good diver as well.
I have done diving with other divers as well, but I feel that once in water I feel quite "connected" with the other people in water.. quite strange I guess but somehow I do feel different..

Originally posted by gitano
-Do you feel safer when diving with family and is the feeling warranted or only based on familiarity only?

-Is comunication better or worse while diving and/or afterward with family?

-In your opinion is diving with family more rewarding?

I find it quite rewarding to dive with family and I feel safer to dive with family for some reason.. I really don't like to dive alone.. there is no-one to share my findings with.. I really like diving with my dad as we dive simultaneusly.. using hand signals to communicate where to go, and I use my voice as well as I can shout underwater...
Then when diving at night it is an other "dimension" to diving as one can't always see the other person, but you "feel" that they are somewhere close... I gotta get diving again soon I have been on dry land doing my studies for...Way too long!!!!!
Safe diving!

 

[samdive]

none of my family dive.... I have to dive the Deepest Bear instead..
never mind, we are family!

 

[fatboyjim]

the bear twins

i thought i recognised a family resemblance
short, furry etc etc


just kidding xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

[samdive]

actually we are both getting so salt and chlorine encrusted we do look quite similar....

cheeky x

 

[aquadog]

hey everyone
i am real happy this year because my son who is 5 cant stand to be out of the water.this is only his first year with a mask and fins but i can tell i have a new dive partner
no bubbles no troubles
aquadog