What is the fundamental reason that prevents scuba diving from becoming popular?

[Belzelbub]

Anecdotally I have seen more threads from SBers about finally going out to try diving locally as opposed to old habits of waiting for a dive trip. I wonder how that balances out with landlocked divers/those of us who couldn't access dive sites because of travel restrictions and local ordinances

And those that regularly dive local had other challenges last year. Normally, I dive a lot locally nearly year round. Last year, I had an unusual gap from June to November locally. The problem was that everything else was shut down. Bars, restaurants, movie theaters, beaches, etc. were pretty much temporarily closed. The boat ramps were open, though. So they were packed.

I dive primarily from my own boat, so this was a problem. The ramp I normally use is great. Lots of ramps, and a pretty good sized parking lot. Even that was not enough last year. One day, I tried three different ramps, and just couldn’t get the boat launched. That was a high W 0 F day.

Generally, though, the w is usually much smaller on a typical dive day. The gear prep before the dive is work, but not bad. The boat ride is enjoyable for me. The dive, is of course enjoyable. Boat ride back is also enjoyable for me. It’s rare that we don’t see a turtle and/or dolphin during those boat rides. About the only thing I don’t enjoy on a typical trip is the cleanup afterwards, but even that is not terrible. Diving is definitely worth it to me.

 

[Regulatrix]

Really interesting numbers -- thanks for finding that. Obviously, diving generates a relatively small amount of revenue compared to a lot of other activities.

On the other hand, I would certainly say that diving is popular. Millions of people dive every year. You could pick any number of Olympic sports that have lower participation rates, but about which people are still enthusiastic and for which companies still make equipment. (How many lugers or modern pentathletes do you know? Fencing is a complicated sport with expensive, finicky gear, but still has many thousands of dedicated participants.)

Diving was certainly popular at a local quarry last weekend. We were lucky someone was packing up when we arrived -- we would not even have gotten a picnic table to set up on.

The "James Bond" appeal of diving has certainly waned, I suppose. If you watch some early Cousteau TV shows, some of those "exotic" locations are regular diving spots for tourists now.

Amen on fencing! You can drop some serious cash on it. But if you love it, why not?

 

[WeRtheOcean]

Other non-divers I’ve talked to have indicated it’s fear, even if they don’t actually admit it.

I'll admit it. All the stories about what can go wrong -- especially getting bent -- are scary. I'm a strong swimmer, and comfortable in the water -- on the surface. But yes, fear is a factor in my hesitancy to go below. When I watch a freediving video on YouTube, and I see the diver swim through an underwater tunnel (solid ceiling between her and the surface), that looks terrifying.

 

[TMHeimer]

I'll admit it. All the stories about what can go wrong -- especially getting bent -- are scary. I'm a strong swimmer, and comfortable in the water -- on the surface. But yes, fear is a factor in my hesitancy to go below. When I watch a freediving video on YouTube, and I see the diver swim through an underwater tunnel (solid ceiling between her and the surface), that looks terrifying.

I always like telling this. I too am (well was) a strong swimmer. Was never really afraid of scuba and took it up age 51 only because we moved from far inland to the coast. Prior to that, we were on a cruise and they had what is called Discover Scuba class on board. But when I heard of the limited instruction, I opted not to do that and snorkel instead. Figured like you, lots that can go wrong down there. Being so comfortable in water, nevertheless there is always at least a bit of anxiety when you first descend to even 20' during the course (even though I'd free dived almost that deep often before).
Here's the rub-- I've been down to 130' and often 80-100'. Other than being keenly aware that you use your air up way quicker that deep, I had no anxieties about it. But if I go swimming from a beach and in water that even approaches being over my head I get a bit of the willies. If I jump off a boat to swim in 100' deep water, no hebebjeebees. All mental obviously.

 

[chillyinCanada]

I always like telling this. I too am (well was) a strong swimmer. Was never really afraid of scuba and took it up age 51 only because we moved from far inland to the coast. Prior to that, we were on a cruise and they had what is called Discover Scuba class on board. But when I heard of the limited instruction, I opted not to do that and snorkel instead. Figured like you, lots that can go wrong down there. Being so comfortable in water, nevertheless there is always at least a bit of anxiety when you first descend to even 20' during the course (even though I'd free dived almost that deep often before).
Here's the rub-- I've been down to 130' and often 80-100'. Other than being keenly aware that you use your air up way quicker that deep, I had no anxieties about it. But if I go swimming from a beach and in water that even approaches being over my head I get a bit of the willies. If I jump off a boat to swim in 100' deep water, no hebebjeebees. All mental obviously.

Isn't it because you can see what's below and you can breathe on scuba?

 

[TMHeimer]

Isn't it because you can see what's below and you can breathe on scuba?

Maybe part of it. Yet I have snorkeled for decades diving down to 10-15 feet when I can neither breathe or see the bottom. It may have something to do with having fins on? I dunno, but there is no logical reason why being in 5-6 feet of water with just a bathing suit should bother me. It doesn't in a swimming pool. Maybe it's because I know the ocean gets deeper if I keep going.
When I fish in the Hudson River and get snagged I'll wade out to unhook it. Once I get to that 5-6 feet depth I think uh oh, not too much further (though I know I can easily dive down to unhook it). Of course there is always the danger of stumbling upon Jimmy Hoffa.

 

[Bigbella]

We simply live in an increasingly ersatz culture, which promotes ersatz adventure and ersatz entertainment, via a passive, mind-numbing twenty-four hour entertainment bombardment cycle -- billions spent on video games (USD 158B, in 2020), many of which simulate some actual sport, which is, ironically, never played -- some twenty-six hundred times what the entire scuba industry received in 2020.

Why even leave the cool of the basement? Why any effort? Just join that increasing horde of the morbidly obese, busily fellating churros, and overflowing their motorized scooters at Disneyland.

It's not just the activity of scuba diving that may wax or wane in popularity; it's any number of other sporting activities that can be and are impacted. Why any potential risk when a simulation is a computer monitor or amusement park away?

I attended a pre-covidiocy party and a couple old college classmates were discussing, in exhaustive detail, having played Spyglass Hill (Pebble Beach, Carmel), during their last outing. I had mentioned that they had come an awfully long way, from our days of pub-crawling; getting ferociously lit, and launching a bucket full of balls, at a driving range in San Bruno (close to San Francisco -- and the closest I'd ever get to golf) -- having heard that the green fees at Pebble Beach were then 550.00 per day; 45.00 per person, for a cart; and 95.00 per bag for a caddy, not including tip. Upwards of 800.00 a day -- crap.

The two sheepishly admitted that they were talking about a video game they had been playing -- and that neither were in any shape, nor had any desire to play actual golf; that their bags were long gathering dust in closets or garages . . .

 

[Bob DBF]

For my own two cents, we just live in an increasingly ersatz culture, which promotes ersatz adventure and ersatz entertainment, via a passive. mind-numbing twenty-four hour entertainment bombardment cycle---

Well said. A buddy's, that retired from diving, kid actually got certified but never went diving again, even though I had enough gear for the two of us and wanted to dive with him. He wnnt back to his room and plays video games. Perhaps I would understand it if I grew up with computers, but I didn't.

 

[OTF]

This is an anecdote from one instructor friend. Not sure what it means if anything. May not be universal, but sorta interesting nonetheless.

His observation is that far fewer people come to him for certification / gear sales these days, but FAR MORE people come to go on guided hand-held dives with an instructor in rental gear as a packaged experience. His business is doing fine. People want safe, no-fuss, one-off "experiences" (plus the instagram pic!) not commitment to a whole expensive sport/lifestyle. That's actually quite understandable given the lack of storage space, free time, and disposable income that young people have these days.

 

[divinh]

He wnnt back to his room and plays video games. Perhaps I would understand it if I grew up with computers, but I didn't.

My first interaction with a computer was a game called Del Mar on a Commodore PET. It was a simple horse racing game. You picked a number and watched a bunch of numbers go from left to right, with the leader changing frame to frame. I later played Atari, Intellivision and Colecovision. At some point, I became more interested in making my own games and graphics. I was so wrapped up with doing things on computers that I would get yelled at for not coming to dinner on time. Now, my whole career has been doing stuff on computers, something my parents did not understand at the time and didn't see any value in. Anyway, you never know where things lead...