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Rather than get into any kind of argument here, I'd simply like to make 
some observations.

As crew on the Wahoo, I see a variety of women on the boat, however most of 
the customers are men. A great number of these men have wives or 
girlfriends who don't come diving. The reasons they give for the absence of 
their S.O. are generally one of the following:
- she is not interested and I like it that way
- she will not dive in cold water (usually it is not specified whether or 
not she's ever tried it) - or - she only likes diving in tropical water
- wreck / ocean / cold water diving is too hard for her (I wonder who made 
that decision?)
- she's busy with the kids (I guess a sitter is out of the question?)

Most of these men also strut about crowing about how the wife is going to 
give them hell for spending all weekend on the boat / buying that new set 
of doubles / not mowing the lawn, etc.

Of the women I've seen on the boat, I have made the following observations:
- they are just as gung-ho as the men
- most of them come with husband / boyfriend or a friend
- compared to the men, equal percentages of women engage in wreck 
penetration, decompression diving, hunting for artifacts, lobstering, and 
spear fishing.

As far as the whole business with the P-Valve, it is unfortunate. I have 
instructions on making one (which I've given to Janet), but am reluctant to 
punch a whole in my own suit until somebody I know personally has tried it 
themselves and met with success. For an hour or less in the water (that 
generally only happens early in the season when it's cold here), it is not 
a problem. After two hors, I am somewhat uncomfortable by the time I get 
out of the water. For planned in-water times much more than 2 hours, I rely 
on depends. Most of the time, just knowing that I have the option of going 
if I have to relieves most of the discomfort. AFAIK, for many years, adult 
diapers were S.O.P for both sexes. Now that reliable p-valves are commonly 
available to men, the tried and true practice seems suddenly unacceptable 
to everybody. Obviously it is not ideal. But many things we have to do are 
not ideal. Life would be a lot easier if we didn't have to bundle up in dry 
suits, double hoods, heavy gloves, etc., etc. If we could dive naked and 
breathe through gills things everything would be much better. We do what we 
must because it's worth it to us.

----------
Maggie, who seems to be a northeast-wreck-diving-geek and boat monkee
mmowens@pa*.co*
http://www.maggieowens.com/

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