Average age of divers today???

[DennisS]

I started off reading about Beebe and watching Cousteau and Sea Hunt. Argosy and True Magazine had all these stories about treasure being found on the galleons off of Florida's coast. I wanted to go explore the oceans. I ran away from home the summer I was 14, just to be near the ocean. I was disappointed by the snorkeling off of OC Md, compared to what I'd seen on TV.

I'm in the 60-69 group. When I got out of the Air Force at 22, I got certified and used my GI Bill to go to a marine tech program in Miami, that made my diving free. I later got a job with the Univ of Miami that actually paid me to dive. I've been diving almost 40 years and enjoy every dive. I'm still looking for that galleon, straight lines and round rock, straight lines and round rocks.

 

[Insta-Gator]

Is there a problem? I'm glad the predominant age is 40+, 50+ would be ok too. Scuba is a "mature industry" - high entry cost, minimal innovation (in the sport itself, not the gear.) I would be curious to know if the population of certified divers was growing faster or slower than the growth of the general population. Would also be interesting if this were broken down by geographic region (global.)

 

[pjhansman]

I'm closer to 60 then 50 and I've only been diving a couple of years.

Time and money were two very big factors. Living in a spot where the water is frozen half the year didn't help either.

 

[knfmn]

I'm 35, and just finished my certification in January. My wife and I are fortunate enough to be in a somewhat different financial situation than most people our own age, otherwise there is no way I would be able to indulge in this sport. I'm sure that in a couple of years, when the kids start coming, my level of participation will have to taper off a little bit. In the mean time, I'm going to dive as much as I can for as long as I can!

Kristopher

 

[seaducer]

I took my OW when I was 17, but only did a handful of dives until I got out of the Army in my early 20's. Once I got a decent job and moved far enough along that I had extra cash I was able to start taking trips, that was my early 30's. Now I am 37 and things are looking better than I thought for this year...

 

[James R]

Great post, Fathom.

TraceMalin has posited here in the past that it's a lack of "macho" and "demanding" training, and that young people are drawn to such activities. As a young person who craves adventure, I do agree, (though the position is not popular).

It's nice to relax, especially in single tank with a solid buddy I don't have to worry about. I used to think diving was like the easiest thing - it comes very easy to me - but I didn't think of it lacking macho/difficulty/whatever as a bad thing.

Then I started taking Tec diving classes, and that changed my outlook 180 degrees! Just the first skills dive was 104min long and very demanding. It was completely new to have to try / concentrate that much! The cost, without a doubt, is a massive road-block for a lot of folks that would like to give it a shot.

But I think more importantly is that diving is competing with other activities and it can't market itself as attractively. Scuba is competing with horseback riding, dirtbikes, rock climbing, skydiving, and other "adventure sports". The problem is that diving is perceived as a "travel sport", that the only good diving is on vacation and you have to travel to do or see anything decent. Too little emphasis is put on local diving.

Great point there too. I see all the time people post (or hear them talking) about how bad local diving is. Some with the ego can't have fun in the Comal River b/c it's too shallow, Lake Travis is too cold/low viz, don't (can't) pay for the SCI-Diver class to dive at Aquarena as a volunteer, etc.

I mean, I can see not wanting to go out in the gulf b/c the conditions are hit and miss, but it can often be fantastic diving too.

 

[Qnape]

I answered the poll with my own age. I was 49 when certified in 2008, and got certified with my daughter who was 13 at the time. She is my dive buddy and we will break 100 ocean dives this June. I did a little uncertified diving back in the 70's, but don't count that. Money and time were certainly the issues that kept me away for so many years, along with a lack of someone else to dive with. It's tricky when your wife has no interest and your friends play golf or tennis and think your idea to go diving is a bit off the wall!

 

[seaducer]

TraceMalin has posited here in the past that it's a lack of "macho" and "demanding" training, and that young people are drawn to such activities. As a young person who craves adventure, I do agree, (though the position is not popular).

I saw where he said that. I wouldn't get too caught up in it. Trace says a lot of smart things, but like anyone else he says some dumb things too, and this ranks right up there.

SCUBA has always been an activity for the established adult, because it has always cost a lot of money.

Most kids today DO NOT want macho and demanding, that has been trained out of them by the feel-good-no-child-left-behind-no-wrong-answer-lets-not-keep-score-lest-the-losers-cry fluffy crap started just as I was getting out of my teens. It is a shame because if kids WERE challenged they would respond, and maybe we wouldn't have so many "emo" kid issues today. I liken it to Jurassic Park, kids want to hunt, they don't want to be fed.

BUT it is too late for this particular generation to be romanticized by macho and demanding, they would rather have an XBOX 360 and asprin for their carpal tunnel.

Although the military is alive and well so the fringe that I grew up with that did crave adventure is still there, so not all is lost.

Anyway, as soon as this generation has some combustible cash they'll be here, not to worry.

 

[billamp]

I may be on higher end of the scale but still doing my part to keep diving going. Our daughter dives and one grandson (10)is in the Scuba Rangers program and the other grandson (6) is a fish and can't wait to start too. (I swear he has gills).

 

[anbrundage]

I'm 24 and my husband is 30. My husband is a mechanical engineer and we are blessed to have him have a career that lets us be able to own our own gear, travel the world, and have fun (when we can convince grandma to watch the little ones that is LOL)

Ashley