dive_lover88
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what can they do...for my class it was more of 25%...as i was the only one to continue diving...
Diver Attrition
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scratchmyback
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I just got my OW certification the first weekend in June. There were 11 in my class. I have now 10 dives under my belt and far as I know only one other person in my class has been diving. I realize this is only a few weeks since certification - but - we all belong to a local dive club and there are dives every weekend up till the end of September. There is one couple from my class who've signed up for a dive weekend in Kingston in August. My club is non-profit and offers air fills, gear rental and the cost of the dives themselves at the lowest cost around so there is no excuse not to get out there. By the end of September I will have at least 25 dives. I totally agree that new divers need to get into the water as soon as they are certified in order to keep up the interest and I also strongly believe they need to be certified where they live. I have yet to have a dive beyond 5 feet viz, most of them have sucked but I won't give up because I know that dive is just around the corner.
darylm74
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The general manager of our dive shop is fairly young, in his 20's and is one of my best friends. He is very outgoing and works hard to keep students diving after they complete their training. His first question after he shakes their hand and says good job is "will I see you next weekend here at the quarry?" He tries to keep their interest and he arranges very fun trips too. He also tries to take the time to go to have a drink with the people and do things outside the shop. He trained many of the SWAT guys here in Pittsburgh for the All-Star Baseball game this year, due to them patrolling the rivers close to the stadium. We would go shoot at the range with the SWAT guys to keep in touch with them and keep their interest peaked in diving, outside of their job.
This may all end once he gets older and settles down but perhaps it is important for the dive shops to keep someone enthusiastic on staff that can do these various things to keep the students coming back. Sales have also increased as well......build it (the relationship) and they will come...
This may all end once he gets older and settles down but perhaps it is important for the dive shops to keep someone enthusiastic on staff that can do these various things to keep the students coming back. Sales have also increased as well......build it (the relationship) and they will come...
jpsexton:
John ... I think it comes down to why you made the commitment. Many people make it as a spur of the moment "that really sounds cool" kinda urge. Once they purchase the course most people will at least finish it, even if they don't like diving. Going beyond that requires more than a spur of the moment commitment. It requires a real commitment, which is harder to come by.
My dive buddy is on an extended overseas-job surface interval, but she will dive again (and I'm looking forward to diving in Japan, too). Three out of four of her family members went to Coz right after their checkout, and they're all supposed to possibly maybe be coming over to Florida this weekend for some boat, jetty, beach, or spring diving. One other person from our class was in the AOW class I took, so I imagine they're still diving, too, but I haven't heard anything from the rest.
(As for me, I just printed up another big set of my own custom log pages so I'll have room to log my dives this weekend, so I dare say I'm not among the lost.)
(As for me, I just printed up another big set of my own custom log pages so I'll have room to log my dives this weekend, so I dare say I'm not among the lost.)
ItsBruce
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I think having your own gear will encourage you to use it. Having to rent is an excuse not to dive.
Also, lots of people dive only while on vacation. For a long time, I was like that. In fact, most of my diving is still while on vacation...good thing I go on vacation a whole lot.
There is tremendous attrition in lots of sports/hobbies. My other hobby is sailboat racing and the decline in the number of boats out racing is freightening. 25 years ago, on the day of a race, the whole yacht club would empty out. Now, we are lucky to see 10 boats leave the dock from any one club. Our research on the attrition rate suggests that whereas at one time, people had one or two main hobbies/interests, now they have many more, and must divide their time among those. Who here has passed up a dive because of a kid's football, baseball, basketball or soccer game?
Also, lots of people dive only while on vacation. For a long time, I was like that. In fact, most of my diving is still while on vacation...good thing I go on vacation a whole lot.
There is tremendous attrition in lots of sports/hobbies. My other hobby is sailboat racing and the decline in the number of boats out racing is freightening. 25 years ago, on the day of a race, the whole yacht club would empty out. Now, we are lucky to see 10 boats leave the dock from any one club. Our research on the attrition rate suggests that whereas at one time, people had one or two main hobbies/interests, now they have many more, and must divide their time among those. Who here has passed up a dive because of a kid's football, baseball, basketball or soccer game?
dive_lover88
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i'm part of the tempoary inactives...i have no time and money to dive now. Some "divers" i have seen just take the course and get the card for bragging rights to other and act like they are the professionals...that really irks me big time.(sorry was ranting)
All of the people I started diving with 25 years ago do not div e any longer....for whatever reasion. One thing that I have noticed and talked about over the years is this.
If your have had a hard time learing to dive and struggled throught it to succeed you stay in the game longer...I'm proof of that.
If you buy your own gear after certification you stay in the game longer...I'm proof of that too.
Note....I did say longer,not forever. There was a time period in my life where I stopped too but it was for health reasions and that was only for a period of 1 year. I know lots of people that dive once a year and that is usually for a 2 week vacation in the tropics.
I really have no answer but I am the only local person in this area that has been cert'd for 25 years,moved up through the ranks and am still diving. I know of no local instructor in my area that has been diving as long or continually as myself. Some might have gotten burned out. Others probably just got tired of the local conditions of 8 feet of vis and lack of good LDS management.
So to keep diving......keep learning and buying gear.
Ron
If your have had a hard time learing to dive and struggled throught it to succeed you stay in the game longer...I'm proof of that.
If you buy your own gear after certification you stay in the game longer...I'm proof of that too.
Note....I did say longer,not forever. There was a time period in my life where I stopped too but it was for health reasions and that was only for a period of 1 year. I know lots of people that dive once a year and that is usually for a 2 week vacation in the tropics.
I really have no answer but I am the only local person in this area that has been cert'd for 25 years,moved up through the ranks and am still diving. I know of no local instructor in my area that has been diving as long or continually as myself. Some might have gotten burned out. Others probably just got tired of the local conditions of 8 feet of vis and lack of good LDS management.
So to keep diving......keep learning and buying gear.
Ron
ItsBruce:
I have, but my daughter's soccer isn't a hobby of mine, per se. But then again, I thoroughly enjoy it, I'm on the Soccer Booster board for our high school team and I really look forward to watching her play. Yea, I guess it is a hobby. However, it has a limited life span. It will only be a hobby of mine for maybe 3 more years, 7 at most if she plays in college.
My only true hobbies, things that I actually participate in and do because I enjoy them, are scuba primarily, hiking, swimming, ballroom dancing and working out/fitness. Other than staying healthy and fit, scuba is my only true addiction.
It's a good thing more people don't dive - there are already too many of us at many dive sites.
As much as I enjoyed Cozumel, I could have done without the Disneyland-ish herds of divers drifting by in plastic-florescent gear colors. At our local Cove II, you can come by almost any Saturday and watch the swarms of divers quickly turning this beautiful cove into a mud shake.
Diving is supposed to be a peaceful visit into the natural, serene underwater environment. There should be solitude and quiet. I would hate to think what diving would be like if we just doubled the number of divers that continued to dive.
So, if 98% drop out, I say good (but then, I don't make my living in the dive industry).
As much as I enjoyed Cozumel, I could have done without the Disneyland-ish herds of divers drifting by in plastic-florescent gear colors. At our local Cove II, you can come by almost any Saturday and watch the swarms of divers quickly turning this beautiful cove into a mud shake.
Diving is supposed to be a peaceful visit into the natural, serene underwater environment. There should be solitude and quiet. I would hate to think what diving would be like if we just doubled the number of divers that continued to dive.
So, if 98% drop out, I say good (but then, I don't make my living in the dive industry).
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