Are we really the minority??

[El Orans]

I found out this week that several people at work are certified and many of them dive once or twice a year, and some haven’t been diving in years! Is that common? Do most people get certified just so they can dive once in a while?? I can’t imagine getting introduced to something so amazing and then letting years go by without diving or only diving on occasion.

Are we SBers really the minority??

Well...

I've been certified for four and a half years now and last year I only logged 25 dives or so. Work, lack of buddy availability etc. all conspired against me. The three years before saw me logging 70+ dives.

It also hasn't helped that my wife has turned into a WWW (I spoiled her with the Red Sea, Bonaire and Cozumel).

Hoping to get back to 50+ dives for 2008...

 

[Damselfish]

Lots of people try out a sport or hobby then find they don't really like it that much after all, aren't into it enough to bother, don't have time/money, etc. I know our house is full of stuff for things we don't do much (but mean to someday ) and I suspect that is true for lots of folks.

I know one couple that dives casually on vacations and has simply taken the resort course over and over again, which I don't get, but whatever. I know another that would like to dive more, but between finances and busy lives it's not that high on the priority list - they go on dive dedicated trips, but infrequently. I think lots of people in cold water areas aren't interested in their local diving and are either not into it enough to plan dive trips to warm places, or can't afford to.

But there is certainly a place in between holiday bottom churner and obsessed. For example, we gave up local diving after the first couple years for a variety of reasons and now we travel to dive 2-3 times a year. I get in 50-100 dives a year. I would consider myself a serious diver and the same for a lot of the divers I see when traveling (mostly on liveaboards or more dive-dedicated places) - they are good divers and very into it, just have different preferences (and possibly pocketbooks) than the person who goes to the quarry every weekend. Lots of these folks are quite knowledgeable about marine life and behavior and there tend to be a lot of serious photographers.

 

[boat sju]

There is truth to this. In the many decades I've been diving there were periods of up to several years where I didn't SCUBA dive at all (just free dove). However, I didn't describe myself as a "diver" during those periods. If someone hasn't dived for a few years, I hardly think they are justified in describing themselves currently as a "diver."

During my hiatus when asked "Do you dive?" I would answer "I used to". Now I can again answer, "Not enough".

 

[Oyster Diver]

I also don't buy the excuse that these people don't live near the ocean. Most of my diving is in quarries...some that are three hours away. I'm sure that even most landlocked states have diving options within 3-4 hours.

When I first started diving most of my diving was in quarries, but now I rarely dive in them. I think I don't go very much is because seeing a school bus, boat, or other junk that was intentionally sunk to make the site more interesting just doesn't appeal to me. I'd rather drive 3 hours to the ocean and see a wreck. Generally I will only go to a quarry to practice skills. I know there are other divers who feel the same way.

 

[Ana]

The part that I don't understand is how can "divers" live in landlocked areas?. I know that life is what happens while you plan and all that jazz, but why accept being away from water.

I've lived in 3 different continents, move around different cities/towns not all the time but mainly because of money/work issues. With all those moves not once did I ended up farther than a 45minute drive to and Ocean, Sea or like right now being the least favorite choice Gulf of Mexico.

I don't know how much money I could make in Kentucky, Arizona, Bolivia, Switzerland or Mongolia; it doesn't matter is just not going to happen. I'd live under a bridge before moving to a landlocked place.

So it doesn't surprise me that someone from Indiana gets certified while in vacation in a water destination and not dive again, what buggles my mind is that this person goes to a coastal town and doesn't put a for sale sign on his house the instant he's back.

 

[DeepSeaExplorer]

I found out that a guy a work is/was a diver. I mentioned to him that I had done a night dive the previous weekend. He goes, 'Oooh, you shouldn't do that. Diving at night is dangerous.' He was absolutely serious...

 

[boat sju]

Maybe we should start a thread : "Where is your favorite school bus dive?"

 

[almitywife]

My interaction with other divers primarily occurs through SB, my local diveshop, and the local scuba meetup.com group. As a result of this I was under the impression that natural progression is to get certified, then go totally dive crazy, spend all your summer weekends at the quarries, and take plenty of dive trips in the winter…or dive all winter if you have a dry suit.

I found out this week that several people at work are certified and many of them dive once or twice a year, and some haven’t been diving in years! Is that common? Do most people get certified just so they can dive once in a while?? I can’t imagine getting introduced to something so amazing and then letting years go by without diving or only diving on occasion.

Are we SBers really the minority??

I was diving with someone last week that only had 4 vaccay dives in 2 years..... her thoughts where when she dives she wants to enjoy it so warm water vaccay it is

quite a nice person (though a bit off with the pixies) and very good on air, sadly she had her boyfriend learning to dive in the tropics also and she already had him convinced that they will never dive in sydney because it wasnt fun and vaccay diving only it will be for him/them

what i didnt like to hear from her was her previous diving adventures that included deep and wreck penetration in some exotic location with no knowledge, training or procedures... just follow the guide and lived to tell the tale.

personally im in awe of the landlocked divers that go hours and hours out of their way to dive! i once dived with a far north canandian SB'er that would drive 4hrs to dive a lake with tree stumps (enchanted forest they called it).... i would be taking up a new hobby if it was that much work

 

[dvr4lyf]

I found out that a guy a work is/was a diver. I mentioned to him that I had done a night dive the previous weekend. He goes, 'Oooh, you shouldn't do that. Diving at night is dangerous.' He was absolutely serious...

Uhhhh..........:surprised

 

[Fish_Whisperer]

So it doesn't surprise me that someone from Indiana gets certified while in vacation in a water destination and not dive again, what buggles my mind is that this person goes to a coastal town and doesn't put a for sale sign on his house the instant he's back.

Some of us have to live where the work is, where our families are, and where our established businesses are. If it were that easy, I think most people would do it, but add in a mortgage, a spouse, children in school, pets, etc., and it's just not as easy as you seem to think it is.