Women Who Tech Dive Emma Barrow -

Emma Barrow

Women beyond diving limits

Name
Emma Barrow

Country of origin
Finland

Where you live
Finland

Dive club / dive center
Ojamo Mine Divers

Highest diving certifications
Occupational CCR Scientific Diver, TDI JJ CCR Mixed Gas and TDI CCR Full mine

How was your first dive?

My first-ever scuba dive was in Thailand, and it blew my mind. I knew instantly that this was something special. I was 31 years old and our first child with my husband was 9 months old. One-and-a-half-years and another child later, I did my Open Water course in Finland, as I wanted to anchor myself to this hobby where I lived, and not just on tropical holiday. With young kids at home, diving became a weekly time off where I could be outdoors, challenge myself intellectually and have fun with new friends.

What made you transition from sport diving to technical diving?

The cold and murky diving conditions in Finland are relatively challenging no matter the depth and that made me seek redundancy from quite early on. The Baltic Sea is full of old shipwrecks from hundreds of years of naval trade between nations, and due to different wars. These wrecks are my passion and most of the more pristine ones are in deeper depths. Nowadays I dive with JJ CCR and with a normoxic trimix gas as diluent.

What type of technical diving do you enjoy the most, and what draws you to it?

I love diving a rebreather and I am spoiled as Finland offers both wrecks and mines. They contain a lot of engineering and historical curiosities. Lately, I’ve been learning 3D photogrammetry and participating in projects to model wrecks and mines. One memorable project allowed mining museum visitors to experience the inside of a mine through virtual reality. Diving is an endless learning experience, and I enjoy every challenge it brings.

What do you consider when looking for technical diving training?

I am quite tough with my expectations as I am ready to put a lot of effort and time into learning and training. I choose an instructor with a high level of skill and solid reputation within the industry.

Besides formal training, what other skills do you think are essential for technical diving?

Two things: good physical and mental fitness and both can be learned and trained. Diving, especially in harsh conditions, can be straining for your body and mind. I have always been sporty, but only through my passion for diving have I grown an interest in neuroscience and psychology. Especially how to grow awareness, build resilience and other mental capacities. Like diving, this is an eternal source of curiosity and opportunity for training.

What challenges have you faced as a woman in technical diving?

Excellent question. Many of my challenges have come from my own mind. I’m grateful to my buddies for treating me no differently.

My mind has sometimes told me that, as a woman, I should toughen up—especially in moments when I feel, this isn’t cool anymore, yet my team keeps pushing forward. That discomfort is my signal: this is the most important decision of the dive.

When I’ve signaled to turn back, I’ve only received positive feedback—often, my buddies were thinking the same but hadn’t spoken up yet. It was pivotal to realize that they wouldn’t—and shouldn’t—be upset about stopping but would instead appreciate my judgment, ability to set healthy limits, and willingness to speak up. This builds trust within the team.

Why do you think technical diving is still a male-dominated sport?

I believe this is because technical diving is physically demanding —not just hauling heavy gear but also enduring dark, cold, wet and slippery conditions. Women often excel in communication and relationship-building, which many seek in hobbies. Underwater, communication is limited, and in that sense, you are truly on your own there. I would love to hear other women’s perspectives on this.

What message or advice would you give to other women considering technical diving?

I would absolutely encourage anyone interested to give it a go. Take a course and see what it has to offer. Technical diving doesn’t mean you have to dive deep, far and stretch your personal limits, it means learning tools to progress at your own pace. I have heard from several male divers that they prefer women as dive buddies because women are more considerate in many aspects: in planning, in communication, in water and with the post-dive stuff. Isn’t that a beautiful compliment?!

What has been your most memorable dive so far?

My first dive on my very first maritime archaeological expedition in 2020. We were studying a nearly 300-year-old shipwreck where diving is limited due to its cultural and historical significance. The first team couldn’t locate it due to poor visibility (~1 m), so my buddy and I gave it a try. Minutes felt like an eternity despite being busy with the reel. When we finally found her, it felt like we were the first ones ever aboard. Visibility was clearer at deck level, allowing us to document it with cameras. Having the wreck to ourselves made the dive deeply emotional —I felt connected to those who had once sailed it, and contributing to its research was incredibly meaningful. Later, I participated on other expeditions to this wreck.

Have you faced any really difficult moments while technical diving? How did you overcome them?

Yes, some. One story is from a winter mine dive with an open circuit. The mine entrance has a significant drop. After having fixed the reel to the main line I noticed I couldn’t breathe enough and my drysuit squeezed. Stop, breathe, think. The more I concentrated on deep breathing, the more my suit felt uncomfortable. I thought of narcosis and added air to my suit and rose a few meters. Now my suit had too much air. Then a sudden urge to throw my mask away was a clear sign of distress. Instead of fixating on my breathing, I focused on the good qualities of my buddy: his calmness and experience. This shift of focus from negative events to positive helped me to regain control. Everything took only a few seconds, but it was crucial as an emergency ascent wasn’t an option with the frozen quarry above.

What places in the world would you love to dive in, and why?

The Baltic Sea has countless wrecks to explore, and I doubt I’ll ever get tired of them. Diving here feels like stepping back in time. The darkness sharpens focus, and each kick reveals more as the light cuts through. Surfacing feels like being reborn, as if returning from another world.

What are your next goals in technical diving?

My current goal is to just enjoy what I am doing right now. I love practicing and am quite ambitious in being smooth in handling gear and situations, so training and just diving is a pleasure itself. My next goal is to learn to use the underwater scooter as it will allow further access inside mines. I have been dreaming about this for two years and have not been in a hurry, as I think it is also important to just enjoy what you already have at this moment.