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

[boulderjohn]

Reading this makes me a bit sad. I think that when the time comes, I will throttle down gently, over time--you know, return to diving very simple gear (e.g., small cylinder on a plastic backpack), shallow, local, rather than quit cold turkey. Snorkeling, but with a scuba cylinder.

rx7diver

Being a senior diver myself, I believe honestly evaluating your current diving capabilities as they diminish with age is one of the hardest things to do.

Four years ago, Alert Diver published an article titled something like "Guidelines for Senior Divers." In it, the author gave enough clues to make me understand that he and I were within months of being the same age. He said that in view of his age, he limited his depths to a maximum of 80 feet for a maximum of 40 minutes. I wrote to Alert Diver immediately, telling them I was the same age as the author, and on the day I read the article, I had dived to 276 feet (IIRC) for about 2 hours total. I asked what they would have done if I had submitted an article with that same title and recommended the dive profile I had done that day as a guideline for limits for people of that age.

They published my letter and gave an interesting reply. They said that guidelines are up to the individual diver. In other words, they said that "despite the fact that we just published an article promising guidelines for senior divers, there is no such thing as guidelines for senior divers."

That was four years ago. How much have I changed in those years? Should I be cutting back? As Alert Diver told me, my guidelines are up to me, and it is hard to make an honest determination.

 

[Ana]

There are many activities I like to do when not able to dive, but they get dropped rather fast for a dive.
I wouldn't say never but not sure I won't let go of ocean diving easily. If it does become impossible, I'll be ok with just going to the shore and putting my face in the water every other day.
The only constant in my life has been diving, never more than an hour away from water (sea or an ocean) not by luck but by design... Bigger opportunities didn't feel big enough if they were away from a shoreline. The goal was always to be closer to the water and set my life around diving. I'm realistic about aging so together with my husband we've been trying to plan ahead for the days when physical limitations start interfering with diving.
Let's face it, as long as one WANTS to dive, the main issue is to get out of the water, and there are ways to make that happen even if your knees and hips are shot. Technology is available, I'm planning to use it.

Now very close to my retirement, the dream is to dive more, not the extreme dives of my youth but I'd like to do a dive each weekday with good seas and chill on weekends. Tinker with stuff when the seas are rough.

 

[Boarderguy]

Now very close to my retirement, the dream is to dive more, not the extreme dives of my youth but I'd like to do a dive each weekday with good seas and chill on weekends. Tinker with stuff when the seas are rough.

I believe it was @Tracy who posted about the elevator he added onto his dive boat. When knees get old it may be time for hydraulics. Depending on the transom you may be able to add it to your boat?

 

[Ana]

I believe it was @Tracy who posted about the elevator he added onto his dive boat. When knees get old it may be time for hydraulics. Depending on the transom you may be able to add it to your boat?

Our boat is too small for an elevator. The stuff we are considering is along the lines of a swing arm davit with a small electric winch. We already have a very nice ladder. The current plan is for the 1st phase to lift the gear only, remove the gear at the surface while going up the ladder unattended. In the 2nd phase, the device will be used for the gear and the diver (separately), adding some sort of harness to wear while being assisted up the ladder.
Honestly designing the system is fun too. The plan is to have the final design (including a parts list) ready before submitting retirement papers, just in case we get carried away and need to work a month longer.

 

[Boarderguy]

Our boat is too small for an elevator. The stuff we are considering is along the lines of a swing arm davit with a small electric winch. We already have a very nice ladder. The current plan is for the 1st phase to lift the gear only, remove the gear at the surface while going up the ladder unattended. In the 2nd phase, the device will be used for the gear and the diver (separately), adding some sort of harness to wear while being assisted up the ladder.
Honestly designing the system is fun too. The plan is to have the final design (including a parts list) ready before submitting retirement papers, just in case we get carried away and need to work a month longer.

Maybe add a semi floating chair made of webbing and you can just sit down while being hoisted in or out. Kind of like the handicapped swim chairs I've seen at local public pools, except made with webbing instead of a solid plastic seat.

 

[Ana]

Maybe add a semi floating chair made of webbing and you can just sit down while being hoisted in or out. Kind of like the handicapped swim chairs I've seen at local public pools, except made with webbing instead of a solid plastic seat.

The wheels start turning, don't they?

See what I mean about having fun designing the system. Then you start making force diagrams with estimated weights of the items to be lifted, sideloads of potential wind, and the motion of the vessel. So you add more horsepower to the winch.... and before you know it the sun comes up and you have to go to work.

One thing husband and I refuse to calculate is the deployment of the diver, we should be able to backroll and splash until the last day alive. That's the initial sign that life is good.

 

[Mrs. B]

Just for you

 

[Ana]

Just for you

View attachment 753925

See, there's a downside of diving solo. There's no one to take a pic of me doing that. I get pics of my flag being towed or the splash from topside.

 

[Pressurehead]

Four years ago, Alert Diver published an article titled something like "Guidelines for Senior Divers." In it, the author gave enough clues to make me understand that he and I were within months of being the same age. He said that in view of his age, he limited his depths to a maximum of 80 feet for a maximum of 40 minutes

It's about this time [4 years ago] I started to limit my diving to around that depth [only been to 100' less than 10 times and not for long in that time].
I will be 73 soon and believe I know my limits, like boyle's Law, age increases, ego [and risk] decreases, well it has for me, don't know about others.
I am now retired from teaching scuba [paid up Emeritus NAUI Instructor] a couple of years ago, taught SCUBA from 1985 until not long ago, 6 years PADI and 30+ years NAUI
It's all easy diving in easy to put on and take off high end gear now.
Off for 5 days diving here, only 7 dives planned and a few swims with a 'dorkel', mask and fins on the surface.
Heron Island Scuba Diving

Don't give it up, do it easy and enjoy life. Snorkels are now dorkles [as you look like a dork].

 

[LarryCap737]

Pickleball is a great community sport with minimal investment. All levels of play are welcome at any facility. Your boys would get a kick out of the sport as well. If you were an instructor, then you could even get to a level to instruct the sport to tap into your teaching skills. The downside; the scenery just isn’t the same