Cost of Tec Diving?

[Dr Wu]

Silly people pay me to fly around the world to be funny (and/or) attractive.

When visiting this world I like to dive wherever I go.

Unfortunately, few of those places are in so called "shallow, warm water locations".

Therefore technical diving became a necessity.

As I age I have to admit this looks like a foolish endeavor. The logistics are just so difficult and time consuming.

Perhaps it's time for Golf?

 

[Peter Guy]

A different POV from a college graduate:

IF you don't want to "go to college" don't. OTOH, I firmly advocate getting an education but there are many ways to get an education:

a. College -- doesn't sound like this is what you want.

b. Technical School -- IF there is something you actually WANT to do, this might be the way -- oh, and yes, you can make a very good living depending on the trade. For example, Line Man -- there is an upcoming, if not existing, shortage of Line Man. Evidently, a significant number of Line Men were Vietnam Vets (they got priority as Vets going into the Union slots) and they are now retiring, or getting very close to retirement. In addition, there IS a demand for more lines being built so THAT is an area of good jobs and growth.

c. Military -- My Son-In-Law doesn't even have a high-school diploma (and won't get a GED!!!) but he got into the Navy and now works on helos. If he wanted (and if he had more ambition) he could learn a lot and go to wonderful places to dive -- all the time getting paid (and paid well in fact). Of course, IF he keeps his nose clean, he'll be able to retire with good benefits in another 10 years.

That written, I would NOT spend (blow) the college fund on diving or diving gear. At the very least, put it into some growth funds so that later there will be some real assets for real life.

 

[kierentec]

2. In the town where I currently live, a young man (not a college grad) recently left the service and purchased an established scuba shop using money he had saved--hoarded?--while he was in the service (Army, I think). He learned to scuba while he was in the service, and was able to dive at some amazing places while he was still active duty. He has owned his business for about two years, and is doing fine with it.


Ronald

I know this sounds terrible, I do support the services 100% (my father is a retired Army Lieutenant Colonel), but you have to make it out in order to use that money you hoarded. After just recently losing another very dear friend in Afghanistan, I counted em all up and realized i've averaged losing at least one friend a year to the armed services. Wanting to go scuba diving is not a good enough reason to take that risk. Only join the military if you feel a strong calling to defend your country.



OP- Don't go to school if your hearts not in it. You'll waste a lot of time and especially MONEY (which is the topic of this thread, right?). If down the road you find something you really are interested in, then go after it. There are certainly ways to work in the dive industry and be able to afford technical diving, it's not easy, but it can be done.

I went from a 6 figure finance job (with no college degree), to about 12k a year divemaster/instructor position. The biggest difference, though: 100k+ a year sitting in a finance office in Wisconsin for 13 hours a day is worth about 10 cents a year diving every day in the Caribbean. I consider myself a FAR richer man now. I'm now a captain as well, and have been lucky enough to work for an amazing shop, and have worked my way up to about 25k/year plus tips (totals around 32k) and spend at least 2 months a year traveling, and make at least 1 tec dive a week. how? I survive on around 1000 bucks a month, the other 1500 or so that I take home goes straight into a travel and gear account, anything left at the end of the year goes into long term savings (not much). I live in a small apartment, drive a beat up old truck, don't eat out, go to the bars MAYBE once every 2 or 3 weeks, and have absolutely zero debt (the biggest part).

My only regret is that I wasted 5 years of teens and early 20's sitting in an office and diving one week a year. Life is an adventure, don't waste it by trying to plan it all out, it rarely works out to plan anyways.

 

[ADeadlierSnake]

That written, I would NOT spend (blow) the college fund on diving or diving gear. At the very least, put it into some growth funds so that later there will be some real assets for real life.

Well most of my college fund is actually in stocks, so there is actually growth there all the time. Its not just sitting.

 

[Pullmyfinger]

I'd say go to college. The fact is diving is expensive, you have to pay for it somehow. Looking at the bigger picture, you have to earn your daily bread while still having money to support recreational activities.
Go to school and start working on the core courses, they will serve you well no matter what you end up doing. Or consider using your college fund to go to commercial diving school if that's what you really want to do.

You gotta do what you gotta do, if you wanna do what you wanna do.

-Mitch

 

[fire_diver]

My only regret is that I wasted 5 years of teens and early 20's sitting in an office and diving one week a year. Life is an adventure, don't waste it by trying to plan it all out, it rarely works out to plan anyways.

Could you have ever afforded to make that move if you hadn't spent those "wasted" years at that horrible $100K job? Probably not.

 

[kanonfodr]

Dude: go to college, learn a trade, don't blow your money on scuba diving. I honestly thought, post-OW, about becoming an Instructor (after I finished my last tour to Iraq, I'm in the Army) but having read more, learned more, and most importantly DIVED more: there's not much money in it.

I'm 25 now, will be 27 when I get out and start college. High school friends of mine are earning 6 figures, I've got dive buddies who are still young (early 30s) with PhDs that take them interesting places and they go diving lots. I, on the other hand, will be restarting my life for the...third, fourth time?

And ya, after 12 years of public school the least intriguing aspect of life is spending another 4 years in school. But after that, your life is very well set up, a full ten years ahead of me.

Peace,
Greg

 

[trident00]

For what its worth. I did the schooling and everything.....Graduated collage....Took some time to really find my calling.

I spent some of the money I didnt have while attending collage to start diving in Colorado. Everything was on a shoestring and I managed to get open water certified and buy some cheep old gear from people I met and the classifieds. I dove a few times and then spent a bit of time in pools working on bouyancy or whatever, while wishing I had nice tropical fish to look at.

I'm quite a bit older now (but not on my deathbed by any means).....and now dive quite a bit.

Life is full of change, as people have already said to you. People have also given you sage advice about your education. Your education is simply a means to demonstrate that you have the ability to see things through, retain information, learn concepts, etc....etc.

I went into my field for a brief time after collage, and then found that I just didnt care to be behind a desk. My education wasnt wasted, however, because it opened many doors for me over the years. You really need to consider this before giving up your collage funds.

I have made my hobbies my business on a couple occasions. I will say that initially, it is amazing. You will be on the fast track for sure. But after awhile you realize that your spending more and more time trying to hammer out a living, and the time to enjoy the hobby becomes less and less. You get to the point where you are teaching more and learning less.

Like others have said, making a living in the diving industry is tough. I have seen some very very good stores close during this recession. I personally have gone down with the ship on more than one occasion during my time working in my hobby fields. It sucks to say the least.

As life has its twists and turns, my life finally landed me in Florida. I work outdoors and have to fight the oppressive summer heat, but I am in a well paying trade. I was able to rekindle my diving hobby, but had to replace all my old gear. Diving definitely gets me through the summer. It really helps that I am within a little bit over an hour to the florida cave country as well as the Gulf. I am not too much further from the East coast, and I can make the keys driving after work with enough time to sleep before diving the next morning.

Since I got back into diving, I have taken a refresher course, nitrox, advanced open water, and am currently taking tech diving courses. I have met people through the internet and through work that are diving enthusiasts. I have a friend that has made it possible for me to get very good deals on some of my tech gear, to the point that I almost feel sponsored.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that you will probably enjoy diving more and stick with it longer if you dont put all your eggs in the basket right now. Give yourself time to explore all your options as far as making a good living. You just may enjoy your diving more if its your liesure passion as opposed to how you worry about making a living.

Good luck to you!!

Cheers, Walt

 

[kierentec]

Could you have ever afforded to make that move if you hadn't spent those "wasted" years at that horrible $100K job? Probably not.

Absolutely. I used the money I had put away to pay off my student loans (I tried school for a year) and the rest of my debt. I moved down here with literally only 2,000 dollars to my name, but did not owe a penny to anyone

 

[TSandM]

The thread has taken a bit of a turn from where I put my original post.

I still think the best way to enjoy something like diving, is to earn the money to do it, doing something else.

But . . . you are only young once. There is a golden period in one's life where you are largely unencumbered -- no wife, no kids, no house, no major debt -- and you have a ton of options. I think more people ought to seize the day, and go do something adventurous and different with that wonderful time. I wish I had. But don't jeopardize the money you have put aside for education. Do your adventure on a shoestring. Live, like my Cave 1 instructor did, four guys to a room, using hammocks Go chase your dream for a year or two. You will learn an enormous amount about what you DON'T want to do, and how you don't want to live, and you'll come back to college motivated and focused, knowing why you are there. Or you will end up living in MX and teaching cave diving, as my instructor did. Either way, you will know why you are where you are, and exactly what you gave away to do it.