{AGE} are thay new or old timers ?

[Skeeter1097]

As I set on a boat and look around. I see most of the divers are my age more or less. I sometimes ask mysalf, are thay new at this like me or old timers. Some times I find out in conversation. But some times not. The question would be, Are there a lot of divers that start at 40 to 50,60. Or are most of this divers 50 and up been diving a lone time.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

I think a lot of divers start at 40-50-60 as they finally have the time. money and lack of family/child raising encumberances. A lot of divers also pick the sport back up in middle age for the same reasons. There are however divers who have also stayed in the sport the whole time.

For example, I'm 41 and have been certified for nearly 21 years and will have 30 years of diving by the time I am 50. A freind of mine is in his 50's and has been certified since the early 70's. He has a new girlfreind who is 50 and she will be starting open water class on March 10th.

Since the range is so broad, a more important consideration is what a diver has done lately. My 50 something freind only recently started diving again after a quarter century layoff and he still does not dive much or have much recent experience, so his skills in the water are only slightly more advanced than those of his soon to be certified girlfreind.

In some ways I am more concerned for him in the water than his girlfreind as the passage of time since a diver got their C-card is not always a positive thing if it has not been accompanied by experience and a progression in skills and abilities. All that perceived "experience" can lull a diver into an unjustified sense of security and competence.

 

[Tractor Tom]

...but quit diving for a LOT of years, while children, cars, motorcycles, houses and work got in the way. Finally got back into diving about 5 years ago and was sorry that I ever quit. On the positive side, the technology has really changed a LOT and diving now is safer than ever. With a computer, everyone wearing extra regs, it just has to be safer. My early days of diving, I wore a watch when I dove the reef. Didn't have pressure gauge, sometimes had a depth gauge, didn't have an powered BC, just dove until I ran out of air, pulled the reserve and swam to the surface. Ran tables to figure when I could dive again and how deep. Things are simpler and safer now.

Just my $0.02

Tractor Tom

 

[Walter]

Most don't stick with it, so the chances are most divers you see are relatively new, regardless of their age..

 

[Tom Smedley]

I started diving in 1964 and got certified in 1971. I have averaged 100 dives a year since I started diving. I have been an instructor since 1979 and see more than ever now folks starting to dive later in life. In my present class I have someone who was certified years ago and has been inactive for years. He is retaking the class along with his spouse and daughter who are newbies. We have more double and triple income families now than ever before who are making the big step to enjoy life to the fullest. One of our most active divers is 70 and I certified an 81 year old last fall.

 

[Dragracer]

I took my first underwater breath from a tank 2 years ago at age 48. Wish I'd done it sooner!

 

[fmw625]

I certified OW a little under 2 years ago at age 54. Like others I wish I had certified sooner. Time, money and opertunity just did not come together soon enough.

 

[idratherbedivin]

I just got certified about 2 months ago. I am only 16 and I hope to have 50 or more years of diving ahead of me. On the flip side of it. My mom got certified with me and she is 48 so I guess it just really depends when you get a reason to do it.

 

[cudachaser]

I learned to dive at 14. My 56th Birthday was yesterday and I still dive and teach diving very actively...I guess I'm approacing 50 years of diving now...so weird, diving has outlasted a career at NASA....I retired from them last April...but I'm still teaching diving and will be for a long while

 

[rickyd]

I took my first resort dive while in Maui celebrating my 50th, and was certified 2 months later. That was four years ago come April. I've logged 200 dives since. For the life of me, don't know why I waited so long.