Diver Life Cycle

[gcbryan]

This is a little tongue in cheek but what do you think?

Start out diving with 80 cu ft tank.
Move up to larger tank for more time/depth.
Become more cautious and add redundancy with a pony bottle.
Decide might as well add redundancy by going with doubles.
Use Trimix for most dives.
Decide a Rebreather is the way to go. Reduces Trimix costs and doubles are starting to break your back.
Realize that a Rebreather is overkill for most of your diving.
Return to the simplicity of an 80 cu ft tank.

Does this happen often I wonder?

 

[SwimJim]

Maybe you finish off with a steel 72 because you require less air (comes with experience) and they have better dive characteristics then a aluminum 80.

Jim

 

[Mr.X]

This is a little tongue in cheek but what do you think?

Start out diving with 80 cu ft tank.
Move up to larger tank for more time/depth.
Become more cautious and add redundancy with a pony bottle.
Decide might as well add redundancy by going with doubles.
Use Trimix for most dives.
Decide a Rebreather is the way to go. Reduces Trimix costs and doubles are starting to break your back.
Realize that a Rebreather is overkill for most of your diving.
Return to the simplicity of an 80 cu ft tank.

Does this happen often I wonder?

Yup. I can see that. I think the three factors affecting this evolutionary process are:

* age ( I don't know better and man is this S&*T / equipment cool!)
* diminishing levels of testosterone (as a result of age)
* finances - why bother diving at all when I can be having a really, really good meal (with less hassle) with a loved one.

 

[diverjed]

How's this?

1. Walk into your LDS, receive that first dive bug bite. Let's do it!

2. Forego the investment into the new car, keep the clunker for now, buy the mask, fins,and booties, book, training.

3. Ah honey, re-doing the basement and the internal pint job, well, can we wait till next year? I really want to do this scuba thing, and I NEED this reg, BCD, wet suit, to get started. I mean, If i have my own gear, I save on the rentals over a long period of time!

4. 2 years later: Doing some advanced stuff: Night Diving: Need that Light; Wreck diving: Need that wreck reel (sheesh!), jonline, pony bottle for my 1st venture into redundancy, maybe a steel 120, need that security; other gadgets.

Ah honey, I promise, I got everything now. The basement, the painting, the landscaping project, the new car, the plumbing, come JAN 1, it will be winter, I can't dive, I'll get started.
YOU'RE THE BEST. I LUV U HONEY!!


COME THE NEW YEAR
5. Right, well, honey, did I ever tell you how beautiful you are, you are aging like grace! Well, today, I was down at the shop, and some of the guys are planning this trip down to a place in the.....uh.....South Pacific.....no......South Pacific Ocean, not passifist, uh......place called Truk Lagoon.......

......but honey, God forbid, I could be faced with a terminal illness next year or the next, I want to say I've lived, and experienced, what is out there in the world.....
......didn't you say you were interested in getting certified this year......(dunk, clash, loud noise) ..........sorry.

LDS SCENE:

1. Hey Dirk, yeah, really interested in this trimix thing, after seeing you guys do the Saratoga, I mean, I got to do it.

Need any help at the shop? Could use a second job here. BTW, get me a qoute on what I'll need for class.

SEVERAL YEARS LATER

VISIT FROM A FRIEND: yeah, Sold off the house, the car, the 5 acres, living on Dirk's boat here.........huh, yeah, I miss her every now and then, but being here, I get these incredible deals on charters and gear.....I mean, ya can't beat it!

 

[diversmarts]

How's this?

1. Walk into your LDS, receive that first dive bug bite. Let's do it!

2. Forego the investment into the new car, keep the clunker for now, buy the mask, fins,and booties, book, training.

3. Ah honey, re-doing the basement and the internal pint job, well, can we wait till next year? I really want to do this scuba thing, and I NEED this reg, BCD, wet suit, to get started. I mean, If i have my own gear, I save on the rentals over a long period of time!

4. 2 years later: Doing some advanced stuff: Night Diving: Need that Light; Wreck diving: Need that wreck reel (sheesh!), jonline, pony bottle for my 1st venture into redundancy, maybe a steel 120, need that security; other gadgets.

Ah honey, I promise, I got everything now. The basement, the painting, the landscaping project, the new car, the plumbing, come JAN 1, it will be winter, I can't dive, I'll get started.
YOU'RE THE BEST. I LUV U HONEY!!


COME THE NEW YEAR
5. Right, well, honey, did I ever tell you how beautiful you are, you are aging like grace! Well, today, I was down at the shop, and some of the guys are planning this trip down to a place in the.....uh.....South Pacific.....no......South Pacific Ocean, not passifist, uh......place called Truk Lagoon.......

......but honey, God forbid, I could be faced with a terminal illness next year or the next, I want to say I've lived, and experienced, what is out there in the world.....
......didn't you say you were interested in getting certified this year......(dunk, clash, loud noise) ..........sorry.

LDS SCENE:

1. Hey Dirk, yeah, really interested in this trimix thing, after seeing you guys do the Saratoga, I mean, I got to do it.

Need any help at the shop? Could use a second job here. BTW, get me a qoute on what I'll need for class.

SEVERAL YEARS LATER

VISIT FROM A FRIEND: yeah, Sold off the house, the car, the 5 acres, living on Dirk's boat here.........huh, yeah, I miss her every now and then, but being here, I get these incredible deals on charters and gear.....I mean, ya can't beat it!

Hey.......a man's priorities are a man's priorities! You will be rewarded in diver's heaven!

 

[Hoosier]

Yup. I can see that. I think the three factors affecting this evolutionary process are:

* age ( I don't know better and man is this S&*T / equipment cool!)
* diminishing levels of testosterone (as a result of age)
* finances - why bother diving at all when I can be having a really, really good meal (with less hassle) with a loved one.

I totally agree with your list.....
I was told that most tech diver has started a tech diving at over 32 years old because of the finance reason. You need to have some disposable money for the tech field. And a hassle due to the age..... It won't be fun to carry double 130cf on the back.... How many elderly golfers are walking instead of riding a cart? Not that many.....

 

[dive_lover88]

Start out diving with 80 cu ft tank.
Move up to larger tank for more time/depth.
Become more cautious and add redundancy with a pony bottle.
Decide might as well add redundancy by going with doubles.
Use Trimix for most dives.
Decide a Rebreather is the way to go. Reduces Trimix costs and doubles are starting to break your back.
Realize that a Rebreather is overkill for most of your diving.
Return to the simplicity of an 80 cu ft tank.

I think i am at the 3rd step...

Become more cautious and add redundancy with a pony bottle.

 

[spectrum]

That list is of the fortunate diver who found the right path and followed it. Maybe the one in a thousand diver.

I don't see myself doing steps 5-8 (you never know) but I'd add end up skindiving.

Pete

 

[Mr.X]

I totally agree with your list.....
I was told that most tech diver has started a tech diving at over 32 years old because of the finance reason. You need to have some disposable money for the tech field. And a hassle due to the age..... It won't be fun to carry double 130cf on the back.... How many elderly golfers are walking instead of riding a cart? Not that many.....

For me the short list make sense. I guess it's a confluence of factors that makes it's all happen. All I know these days is that I have to work much harder to keep the same level of conditioning I had when I was in my 30's. Sometimes there is nothing quite like taking it easy. I get a bit of a smile when I see young tech wannabes throw their experience around those who pioneered the sport in the late 80's and early 90's.

 

[Rick Inman]

... end up skindiving.

Or snorkeling. How ironic it would be if, in the end, we all end up using a snorkel and PADI was right.

Probably have MOF, too.