Have you reached a Diving "Plateau. "

[rx7diver]

Yeah I reached my plateau years ago now I'm in my "twilight" years of diving. I'm not as strong as I was I get winded easy because I can't run anymore MD orders after getting 2 replacement knees...

@AfterDark,

Have you thought about swimming laps and doing NordicTrack or elliptical as an alternative to running, for cardiovascular fitness?

What is your "Plateau?"

@Boston Breakwater,

My first open water class was in 1986, when I was 31 years old. Within a couple of years I had earned cavern and basic cave certifications, and a few years after that I was doing "Advanced Deep Air", "Extended Range", and "Technical Nitrox" dry suit, decompression dives on Great Lakes Shipwrecks. Shortly after I began my family in the early 2000's, I ceased doing this type of advanced diving.

I now really enjoy doing relatively shallow (< 60 fsw) recreational dives in MO and AR Army Corps of Engineers lakes, using simple, basic, minimalist gear (sometimes using a VDH-upgraded 1959-era double hose regulator, I purchased a couple of years ago). I never have relied on a DC, and I ceased using a BC a couple of years ago. I suppose I will have reached my personal diving plateau, finally, when I begin using a J-valve and pull rod! (I'm hoping to purchase these soon.)

My diving currently is on hiatus as I wait for some replacement "suspension parts." My planned surgeries have been rescheduled a couple of times because of the COVID-19 public health emergency. But, I expect to be back in the water by the end of summer!

rx7diver

P.S. Eventually I hope to purchase a digital camera body and U/W housing, and dust off and resume using my 15mm U/W Nikonos lens during these minimalist dives.

 

[AfterDark]

@AfterDark,

Have you thought about swimming laps and doing NordicTrack or elliptical as an alternative to running, for cardiovascular fitness?

Until last year I was in the gym doing just that 5 days a week. Then I needed shoulder surgery, got let go from my job resulting in retirement, (gym was at work), then before the shoulder was completely rehabbed I needed a new right knee. So of course I've also gained some weight I didn't have or need since then. Now the gyms around here are closed, so I walk the dogs, paddle my yak.

My main issue is Arthritis, so far it's resulted in 10 orthopedic surgeries since 1999 and it's probably in every joint in my body. I had to stop lifting "heavy" weights years ago, resulting in a lot of muscle loss. I had to start wearing neoprene gloves even the summer because my hands cramp up, I found the gloves help that.

I've been thinking I should have carried my tank, reg, BCD and weights down to the water, assembled it there then waddled into the water. Getting out the same.

I'm temped to go back there today solo and try just that, the wind still favors that site until tomorrow when it's forecast to shift to the S SW.

 

[Hank49]

Until last year I was in the gym doing just that 5 days a week. Then I needed shoulder surgery, got let go from my job resulting in retirement, (gym was at work), then before the shoulder was completely rehabbed I needed a new right knee. So of course I've also gained some weight I didn't have or need since then. Now the gyms around here are closed, so I walk the dogs, paddle my yak.

My main issue is Arthritis, so far it's resulted in 10 orthopedic surgeries since 1999 and it's probably in every joint in my body. I had to stop lifting "heavy" weights years ago, resulting in a lot of muscle loss. I had to start wearing neoprene gloves even the summer because my hands cramp up, I found the gloves help that.

I've been thinking I should have carried my tank, reg, BCD and weights down to the water, assembled it there then waddled into the water. Getting out the same.

I'm temped to go back there today solo and try just that, the wind still favors that site until tomorrow when it's forecast to shift to the S SW.

I used a Bowflex pretty steady for 15 years. Not so much stress like lugging steel off the floor.
Now I just do sit ups, planks, one leg balance and mild squat, and stretch. Would like to find a good yoga instructor.
Yeah man....bummer about your knees and shoulder. We do start to wear out eventually.

 

[Boston Breakwater]

Yeah, I get that. It's been suggested that if I get any more comfortable underwater that I would be asleep. Yes, I have fallen asleep during deco. I find myself diving without the benefit of a BC... often. It's no more a struggle to keep neutral as when I dive with one. Less cumbersome and I like that.

For many, that is their goal. I had different goals. Many have changed. I don't feel a need to improve anymore, but I love diving. I Zen. My heart rate drops to about 50 and life is grand.

That's awesome...

 

[chillyinCanada]

No, every dive I try to do better. I work on my breathing, my buoyancy and at the same time keep my eyes peeled for critters.

I like to play in the current so that I'm in charge. That doesn't always work as planned but there's a bit of improvement each time. I love that so many dives deliver little treats that I used to completely miss when I had less experience.

I don't want it to end.

 

[AfterDark]

I used a Bowflex pretty steady for 15 years. Not so much stress like lugging steel off the floor.
Now I just do sit ups, planks, one leg balance and mild squat, and stretch. Would like to find a good yoga instructor.
Yeah man....bummer about your knees and shoulder. We do start to wear out eventually.

Wear out is the word! Arthritis is the other word, I am loaded with it. That was my 3rd shoulder op "fortunately" it was the 1st one for that shoulder! My knees are working great! I've been tempted to start running again (counter to MD orders) in the dog park on the grass where the shock isn't so bad. The gyms here are due to open Tuesday so I'll go and see about joining one, with my health insurance I get FREE memberships at selected gyms, 2 of which are right in town. I was going to do just that until the Covid-19 arrived and closed the gyms.

I've also decided that kayak diving is going to become a staple of my diving. I've done it a few times it's a lot of work but so is carrying gear down and back up rock cliffs!

Time for action!

 

[Searcaigh]

I think I'm on a plateau of sorts and happy with it.

I love finding tiny critters and taking photos of them. A few years ago I realised that I should mitigate my ageing process by carrying a pony with 50% on dives deeper than 20m, not to do deco diving, but just to change over and reduce the N2 in my tissues for a safer dive.

Backtrack briefly to the mid-80s, I worked in commercial diving in the UK for a couple of years before I did a PADI recreational OW course.

Back to the 50% pony, one instructor friend told me he was happy diving with his dive op with it, but highly recommended I do an advanced Nitrox course. He was a good friend, and I think we had known each other about 15 years at that stage and not fishing to teach me the course when I asked him if he taught such a course, but he recommended someone who did.

Well in order to legalise me carrying 50%, which I could obtain easily anyway, I ended signing up to do Advanced Recreational Trimix (IANTD) with one of my buddies, and that lead to Normoxic Trimix and the rest is history. But all I really want to do is take photos of small critters, the courses I have taken just allow me to do that safer and have an opportunity to manage dives to various depths in order to do so. I'm not planning to go out to break any records.

I'm happy to dive and take photos that please me, I'd love to achieve the images that @MaxBottomtime does, if I get a couple of decent images on one dive, I'm really happy.

 

[AfterDark]

I think I'm on a plateau of sorts and happy with it.

I love finding tiny critters and taking photos of them. A few years ago I realised that I should mitigate my ageing process by carrying a pony with 50% on dives deeper than 20m, not to do deco diving, but just to change over and reduce the N2 in my tissues for a safer dive.

Backtrack briefly to the mid-80s, I worked in commercial diving in the UK for a couple of years before I did a PADI recreational OW course.

Back to the 50% pony, one instructor friend told me he was happy diving with his dive op with it, but highly recommended I do an advanced Nitrox course. He was a good friend, and I think we had known each other about 15 years at that stage and not fishing to teach me the course when I asked him if he taught such a course, but he recommended someone who did.

Well in order to legalise me carrying 50%, which I could obtain easily anyway, I ended signing up to do Advanced Recreational Trimix (IANTD) with one of my buddies, and that lead to Normoxic Trimix and the rest is history. But all I really want to do is take photos of small critters, the courses I have taken just allow me to do that safer and have an opportunity to manage dives to various depths in order to do so. I'm not planning to go out to break any records.

I'm happy to dive and take photos that please me, I'd love to achieve the images that @MaxBottomtime does, if I get a couple of decent images on one dive, I'm really happy.

View attachment 588006

You'd love to achieve the images that @MaxBottomtime does. I'd like to achieve images as good as the one you took and posted!

 

[AfterDark]

Yesterday I spent the day changing gear configuration. I've been toting a "safety" pouch for the past 10 years hardly used any of it during that time, that's gone it weighed 4lb. dry, heavier post dive when wet. I did find a new home on my harness for the knife that was in the pouch. I also went thru my old jacket BC and made sure that was still useable.

I think the B/P wing will be reserved for diving the IDs, dbl hose, and boat dives. For kayak and most shore diving I'll use the jacket. Even though the weight geared up will be the same the tank and jacket combo will be easier to handle on the yak and I think easier to deal with on shore dives where I'll need to carry gear piecemeal to the water.

I also put a shoulder harness (DIY version) on my weight belt because there will be more lead on it, using the jacket sans 6lb. B/P. I need to keep the belt off my hips any constraints around my hips causes a lot of pain when walking. I'm thinking the rest of the weight (soft weights) will go into the big deep side pockets of the jacket, this will give me some weight below the weight belt as belt will ride higher on my torso.

As for the safety items an SMB w/whistle, lift bag and signal mirror when I do dives where I may need one or more of those items I'll take what I need. For example when I dig Quahogs I use the lift bag to get the game bag to the surface or if I'm diving doubles with a wet suit I use the lift bag for alternate buoyance. If I charter dives off shore I'll bring it all because that's why I have the pouch in the 1st place.

Today I'm dragging the yak out and getting that ready to use as a diving platform. Changing Patterns

Changing Patterns, that was a Sea Hunt episode about an old washed up diver friend of Mike Nelson that couldn't accept the fact that he couldn't dive anymore.

 

[bjd001]

Such an interesting thread! Love reading all of the posts.

I've had a number of diving friends tell me they took up spearfishing or underwater photography because they got bored "just" diving. That's something I've never felt! With over 1200 dives I've never been bored. I've been diving since 1992. Since I didn't have any dive buddies to start with, I did accumulate a lot of PADI specialty cards from my local dive shop at first. Then I was an assistant instructor (YMCA and SEI) from 1994 to 2000. It was a lot of fun introducing new divers to the sport. I've traveled all over the world but still love diving my cold home waters in Monterey. But I've never been interested in tech diving or cave diving, so in that sense I've plateaued. Which is fine with me. I hope to get some longer trips in one I retire in a couple of years. Looking at Australia, and I'd love to dive Antarctica!