I started at 66 two years ago. I've got almost 100 dives, many of them over 100 feet. I've never wussed out on a dive no matter how high the waves are or how cold the bottom water was except for one time when I tore a calf muscle leaving the boat on the first dive. If the boat captain says we're going out, I'm on the boat and usually the first one off. I've seen a lot of them a lot younger than me puking over the side or complaining about one thing or the other and giving up dives. It's physical and mental conditioning, not age, that are the determining factors.
Diving after Fifty??
- Thread starter litlhouse
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Cajuncru Diver
Contributor
Life is a journey...........enjoy the ride.........I am 67 and dive on a regular basis......have advanced certification and 100+ ft. dives are no problem.
caymaniac
Contributor
My wife and I have dove with a couple that are in their 80's and they are still diving. We are both in our 50's too
Pirate Lady
Guest
As much as I hate to admit it...I'm over 50 and until the powers from above tell me I can't dive....
This was a really nice post from an earlier thread worth looking at again.
As for age and divers... There is not really much in the literature but here are a couple of things that might be of interest:
Mummery HJ, Stolp BW, deL Dear G, Doar PO, Natoli MJ, Boso AE, Archibald JD, Hobbs GW, El-Moalem HE, Moon RE. Effects of age and exercise on physiological dead space during simulated dives at 2.8 ATA. J Appl Physiol. 2003 Feb;94(2):507-17. Epub 2002 Oct 11. PubMed ID: 12391136 (my favorite
)
Smerz RW, Overlock R, Nakayama H. Hawaiian deep treatments: efficacy and outcomes, 1983-2003. Undersea Hyperb Med. 2005 Sep-Oct;32(5):363-73. RRR ID: 4054, 2004 UHMS Abstract RRR ID: 1427
Dear GdeL, Freiberger JJ, DeNoble PJ, Uguccioni DM, Moon RE, Vann RD. OLDER DIVERS AND OUTCOMES AFTER THE TREATMENT OF DECOMPRESSION ILLNESS. 2006 UHMS Abstract. RRR ID: 3667
Slosman DO, Chicherio C, de Ribaupierre S, Willy J-P, Allaoua M, Genton L, Pichard C, Annoni J-M, de Ribaupierre A. DIFFERENCES IN DIVING BEHAVIOR AS A FUNCTION OF AGE AND GENDER: DEMOGRAPHIC RESULTS OF THE GENEVA "MEMORY DIVE" STUDY. 2003 UHMS Abstract. RRR ID: 1381
As for age and divers... There is not really much in the literature but here are a couple of things that might be of interest:
Mummery HJ, Stolp BW, deL Dear G, Doar PO, Natoli MJ, Boso AE, Archibald JD, Hobbs GW, El-Moalem HE, Moon RE. Effects of age and exercise on physiological dead space during simulated dives at 2.8 ATA. J Appl Physiol. 2003 Feb;94(2):507-17. Epub 2002 Oct 11. PubMed ID: 12391136 (my favorite
)Smerz RW, Overlock R, Nakayama H. Hawaiian deep treatments: efficacy and outcomes, 1983-2003. Undersea Hyperb Med. 2005 Sep-Oct;32(5):363-73. RRR ID: 4054, 2004 UHMS Abstract RRR ID: 1427
Dear GdeL, Freiberger JJ, DeNoble PJ, Uguccioni DM, Moon RE, Vann RD. OLDER DIVERS AND OUTCOMES AFTER THE TREATMENT OF DECOMPRESSION ILLNESS. 2006 UHMS Abstract. RRR ID: 3667
Slosman DO, Chicherio C, de Ribaupierre S, Willy J-P, Allaoua M, Genton L, Pichard C, Annoni J-M, de Ribaupierre A. DIFFERENCES IN DIVING BEHAVIOR AS A FUNCTION OF AGE AND GENDER: DEMOGRAPHIC RESULTS OF THE GENEVA "MEMORY DIVE" STUDY. 2003 UHMS Abstract. RRR ID: 1381
EastEndDiver
Contributor
57 here been diving for over 30 years.my diving has ranged from deep northeast wrecks in cold water with drysuits and doubles off NY & NJ to the warm tropics.I have no intention of stopping any time soon.
Noboundaries
Guest
Here's the article.
Donald Sutherland tells how scuba-diving on the Great Barrier Reef at 72 almost killed him| News | This is London
All I can say on the age 50 limitation is Bravo Sierra (or for those with less nautical backgrounds.........Bovine Shoredeposit).
caymaniac
Contributor
Have you ever been on a Liveaboard? If you have then you'd know that the average age is 50 or above. This age group usaully have their kids out of the house and can afford a trip to wherever. If we would have to quit a 50, I'd be very dissapointed and would probably go anyway, in fact Id even lie about my age to go.......well I must be 49 already
Has this physician inquired from some of the experts like DAN? If he did I would think he would change his mind, then again he is probably trying to make someone feel good and be politically correct :mooner:
I agree with Noboundries.........Bravo Sierra!
Does this physician work for the New York Times or San Fransico Chronicle by chance? He is obviously connected in some way to Hollywood and who really believes that the Hollywood crowd is the way a normal person lives their life?
Has this physician inquired from some of the experts like DAN? If he did I would think he would change his mind, then again he is probably trying to make someone feel good and be politically correct :mooner:
I agree with Noboundries.........Bravo Sierra!
Does this physician work for the New York Times or San Fransico Chronicle by chance? He is obviously connected in some way to Hollywood and who really believes that the Hollywood crowd is the way a normal person lives their life?
diver 85
Contributor
don Francisco
Contributor
If your over fifty, your warrantee has expired and you need to take care of yourself.
But taking care of yourself doesn't mean giving up an active life, including diving. I woiuld be willing to bet that if one compared the life expectancy of divers over fifty, with that of the general population over fifty, the divers come out ahead. Meaning that the health benefits of diving & the physical regimen to support it, has health benefits that more than offset the risks.
Unless you have specific health problems that make diving risky, I would turn that dumb advice on it's head and suggest that no one should give up diving after fifty.
Anyway, given that the median age of divers is well above fifty, if we follow that doctors advice more than half the divers should quit while they're ahead. No way.
But taking care of yourself doesn't mean giving up an active life, including diving. I woiuld be willing to bet that if one compared the life expectancy of divers over fifty, with that of the general population over fifty, the divers come out ahead. Meaning that the health benefits of diving & the physical regimen to support it, has health benefits that more than offset the risks.
Unless you have specific health problems that make diving risky, I would turn that dumb advice on it's head and suggest that no one should give up diving after fifty.
Anyway, given that the median age of divers is well above fifty, if we follow that doctors advice more than half the divers should quit while they're ahead. No way.
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