Diving is Not a Sport???!!!

[paperdesk]

Underwater smoking? That sounds competitive!

 

[Fouremco]

What if you lack skill and physical prowess?

If I didn't have any diving skills and physical prowess, I'd restrict my enjoyment of the sport to watching Cousteau re-runs!

 

[Scububbs]

My dive buddy (my wife) and I view it as a lifestyle, not something as insignificant as a sport!

 

[Fouremco]

Underwater smoking? That sounds competitive!

It's not the smoking part that's hard, it's rolling your own in those 5mm gloves that I find challenging!

 

[yukoneer]

diving is a competitive sport, depends on who you're talking to.

people try to have the longest bottom time, people try to have the deepest depth, people compete to identify unidentified wrecks, et cetera. same goes for skin diving, depth and length of underwater.

 

[Kevrumbo]

Scuba Diving is not a Sport --it's a Discipline to be competently Learned and Practiced (The Right Way). . .

 

[FredT]

Anyone who doesn't believe diving is competitive needs to come to a Hell Divers Rodeo, or any other spearfishing tournament.

 

[texdiveguy]

I consider SCUBA a sport and hobby.....and a bottomless money hole!

 

[BHB ScubaTroll]

Alas, it all comes down to definitions, doesn't it?

The New Lexicon Webster's Dictionary defines "Sport" as:

"the playing of games or participation in competitive pastimes involving physical exertion and skill, esp those played outdoors"

Under such a definition, the only criterium which diving does not qualify as a sport is that of "competitive".

For I think most of us would agree that diving can involve physical exertion, always requires skill, and with the exception of indoor pools and aquariums, is definately "played outdoors."

Now, of course, this begs the question...if you and your dive buddy are attempting to blow the most perfect air ring...wouldn't that be competitive and while diving itself is not a sport...blowing air rings would qualify.

Further, if you and your buddy are in a continous struggle against each other to see who is going to surface with the most air in their tank and lowest SAC rate...then while divng may not be a sport...then is breathing while diving? (I usually lose is this feriously competitive "sport" with my wife/DB)

But maybe the more important aspect to think about is the concept of "competition". If everytime we dive we are competing against an ever increasing standard of being the best diver we can be...then of course diving is a sport...and against an awfully tough opponent, too.

For what it's worth.

Jan

By your def: Basket Weaving, knitting are sports where people compete to increase their proficiency to be the best weaver, knitter they can be. As well, they can compete for the best basket and quilt.

 

[Skull]

yea well sunday I dove ie swam under water for 55 mins my first dive and 1 hour and 5 mins my second chasing lobsters in 30 fsw with surge, current and surf. I consider that a sport by any understanding of physical activity.