Active Divers over the age of 50

[Scott G. Bonser]

I really don’t know why, but SCUBA doesn’t have that ‘allure’ it did when I first got my certs. Now it seems to be a ‘nice feature’ on a tropical vacay or cruise. It appears interest is waning in some places. When I first took classes, my girlfriend, later wife and I had to wait for an upcoming class of 18 people to finish before we could register for one. Now, some classes are 3 or 4 students if any at all…..dive shops are offering special travel clubs to generate more classes for all ages.

 

[JMBL]

I really don’t know why, but SCUBA doesn’t have that ‘allure’ it did when I first got my certs. Now it seems to be a ‘nice feature’ on a tropical vacay or cruise. It appears interest is waning in some places. When I first took classes, my girlfriend, later wife and I had to wait for an upcoming class of 18 people to finish before we could register for one. Now, some classes are 3 or 4 students if any at all…..dive shops are offering special travel clubs to generate more classes for all ages.

Same feeling around here, although I live on the other side of the pond.

 

[Scott G. Bonser]

That's refreshing ! It's been a long while since I was called a kid.

…Yeah, my Dad tried out SCUBA back in ‘54. Loved it but could never find the time to actually take a class when he wanted to. I got certified in ‘77….still way too busy for ‘Dad’ to do. Finally before he retired for good from Pharmacy, he and some of his friends in Dunedin, FL decided to get SCUBA certified and went on easy dives in FL Springs and along the Gulf of Mexico shoreline out of curiosity…. He was 78 at the time. He required increasing assistance until the severe arthritis just prevented him from getting geared up and exiting the water without a lot of assistance. I didn’t mind helping him get in and out with all of his gear. Once immersed in water he was in free and weightless mode and little or no pain and had a blast. Finally, it was great to visit him in Florida and be dive buddies…at least for 4 years. A lot of great memories. He passed on at age 95. Sail on Cap’n George.
Sincerely,
Your Son….

 

[Scott G. Bonser]

Same feeling around here, although I live on the other side of the pond.

 

[Capt Jim Wyatt]

I am 68. Certified at 16. I actively cave dive several - say 10 times a month, never less - sometimes more. Depths to 100 ffw - bottom times 60-120 minutes with 20-40 mins of decompression on 100% O2.

After a day of two 100 ffw cave dives hauling doubles, a stage, a deco bottle I am exhausted and in bed by 8-9 PM.

 

[Scott G. Bonser]

I am 68. Certified at 16. I actively cave dive several - say 10 times a month, never less - sometimes more. Depths to 100 ffw - bottom times 60-120 minutes with 20-40 mins of decompression on 100% O2.

After a day of two 100 ffw cave dives hauling doubles, a stage, a deco bottle I am exhausted and in bed by 8-9 PM.

Touche’ Cap’n Jim. It’s nice to see active divers ‘still doin’ it’

 

[Scott G. Bonser]

Same feeling around here, although I live on the other side of the pond.

…oh, I forgot. I want to know if you know of anyone who restores older Technisub mid grip pneumatic spearguns. Nobody in US does this work anymore.

 

[JMBL]

…oh, I forgot. I want to know if you know of anyone who restores older Technisub mid grip pneumatic spearguns. Nobody in US does this work anymore.

Sorry, but I don't. Vintage diving exists in France but is far less popular than it is in the US and it's even worse concerning vintage underwater hunting gear.

 

[RSTARK17]

First certified 1986 in Townsville Australia. Was traveling from the USA and working. Dove in New Zealand that trip too. Next dive was in '88 in Belize, then life got in the way. Fast forward to 2021, my father had passed away at 96, I was one of his caregivers the past five years. He was a Pharmacists Mate aboard the Essex Class carrier USS Bunker Hill in WWII, and had many stories of the things he witnessed. I listened with great interest. When Jacque Cousteau first dove the wrecks in Truk in 1969 I was enthralled. So, after dad passed, I went to a local dive center, told them what I wanted to do. This February 2024 I will dive Palau for three weeks and then on to Truk for a week. Here at home in the Portland area I dive in Puget Sound and at the Oregon beach. Many dives in front of me. I am 69 years old.

 

[Scott G. Bonser]

Sorry, but I don't. Vintage diving exists in France but is far less popular than it is in the US and it's even worse concerning vintage underwater hunting gear.

Hey Thanks for the reply. Something I must do but don’t look forward to the oily mess on my Kitchen island counter ( SCUBA repair bench at home . Don’t laugh, it works.) there used to be a few folks who did it here but now they limit it to the ‘new’ stuff which really doesn’t hold up well at all. It made me switch over to spring powered guns. No popping power bands for me as I did that once.