Considering Hanging it up...but...what to do after scuba??

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Andrew Dawson

Contributor
Messages
674
Reaction score
306
Location
Kenmore, WA
# of dives
500 - 999
Greetings and thank you for reading.

I have been diving for just over 17yrs, have a little over 750 dives, certified to tec deep, currently a sidemount diver, and I have a degree in marine ecology.

Diving saved my life!!

I grew up with a lot of trauma...like many others...and at 25 when I was near finishing college, had no idea what to do in life...I somehow found scuba and it changed my whole world! I LOVED IT!!

However, the dive sites in my area I have done [many over 100 times]...I do not have a boat...there are no more charters in the San Juans...and I will have to drive an hour or more each way to new sites....and with 7 and 9 yr old boys [who are not into scuba]...I just do not really feel the appeal anymore.

So, before selling all my gear [a one way street]...I am reaching out to this community to see what was it that you did AFTER giving up scuba that filled you up?

I did recently buy an inflatable fishing kayak...that, I just now while typing this thought about maybe trying to dive off of...but, with SM tanks, might be a bit of a learning curve...which...might open up new things...

Anyway, any feedback on what you did after diving that kept you sane, is much appreciated!! My best to you reading this :D
 
Greetings and thank you for reading.

I have been diving for just over 17yrs, have a little over 750 dives, certified to tec deep, currently a sidemount diver, and I have a degree in marine ecology.

Diving saved my life!!

I grew up with a lot of trauma...like many others...and at 25 when I was near finishing college, had no idea what to do in life...I somehow found scuba and it changed my whole world! I LOVED IT!!

However, the dive sites in my area I have done [many over 100 times]...I do not have a boat...there are no more charters in the San Juans...and I will have to drive an hour or more each way to new sites....and with 7 and 9 yr old boys [who are not into scuba]...I just do not really feel the appeal anymore.

So, before selling all my gear [a one way street]...I am reaching out to this community to see what was it that you did AFTER giving up scuba that filled you up?

I did recently buy an inflatable fishing kayak...that, I just now while typing this thought about maybe trying to dive off of...but, with SM tanks, might be a bit of a learning curve...which...might open up new things...

Anyway, any feedback on what you did after diving that kept you sane, is much appreciated!! My best to you reading this :D

Just move to Florida 😂
 
I haven't totally given up on diving. Though I did sell a butt load of gear in January. I still have enough to outfit 3 or 4 rec divers or two tech divers plus.
I quit teaching because it wasn't fun anymore and it was getting too expensive. I am now into gravel bike cycling, flatwater kayaking, and photography.
Much lower overhead, less weight, and for me at this time, more enjoyable. Even though I fell on the bike in July and broke my hip.
I'm looking forward much more to getting back on the bike than back in the water. With 7 and 9 yr old boys you can have a lot of fun cycling.
Here's why I gave up teaching. I'm done with teaching. It's time.
 
I can't imagine me not diving. My life circles around diving since my childhood (been diving for 50 years now). I always made sure that I didn't live further than a 2 hour drive from the ocean or sea. The heck with a job or school or anything else if I had to move more than 2 hours from ocean/sea. In Libya, I am minutes away from diving but always drive further to visit different sites. In the US where I lived for over 30 years, I lived all of that time in the North East, New England to NY. Never more than 1 hour drive from dive sites. I often drove from NY to RI/MA to dive during weekends when I was in grad school in NY. I also drove to NJ and to locations in NY to dive.

I am into U/W photography and spearfishing. When I get tired from one, I switch to the other. I dive mainly from shore since I can't afford to own a boat to go further out. I am saving my pennies to buy a professional level DPV to be able to go further out from shore and/or further down the shoreline to expand my coverage area and to visit locations I couldn't reach using fins only. I can swim in full kit with fins on the surface for about 500 meters and swim much further underwater but it isn't far enough and gets old after a while.
 
i will be selling my gear soon. diving has dried up for me too.

i like the idea of you getting a kayak and maybe geting into fishng.

i bought a kevlar canoe and started doing some solo back country camping last year. i also was able to get out once with my son and my wife. i was also able to spend a few nights in a couple of cabins with the wife, my son, and our 3 yr old grand daughter. it was her first camping experience.

i am enjoying heading out into the bush for two or three nights on my own. got out a half dozen time this year plus two stays at a cabin. i am not sure how far i will push myself in the new hobbie but for now it gives me a lot of pleasure.

winter time will be the real test. i will def be getting back into the gym but not sure what other hobbies i could come up with.
 
Don’t know what to do “after” diving, nearing 68 and not there yet. Slow down, there are no goals, get a camera and look for stuff. An hour drive would be a dream, I do 3.5 just to shore dive.

I expect the next phase for me will be warm water only in another 10years.
 
Don’t know what to do “after” diving, nearing 68 and not there yet.

There is no "after" diving for you my friend, you are going to be diving for many decades to come!!
 
I thought I wouldn't return to scuba diving and just stick to freediving after a DCS injury in 2018, 36 years into the sport, and 29 years spent as an instructor. Returning to skydiving was something I was able to look forward to in my mind to keep me from eating a bullet out of depression. With my income severely impacted by my new conservative approach to diving, I began a new career at Vail Resorts. Learning to ski and maybe mountain climbing also have their appeal. I'm back to SCUBA, though. I found I can live without my girlfriend after she dumped me over the eye patch after 9 years, but can't yet live without diving. I grew up on horses, and if I wanted a relaxing hobby, I'd return to riding.
 
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