Future Directions: Where Is Diving Going?

[TMHeimer]

That is in the USA where there is a definite anti-science faction in the population. Also the US is more on individual rights and freedom, many are going because someone told them not to go.

In other places, people are more willing to trust science and their government and are more focused on doing what is best for society than in doing whatever they want to do,

I think that is a good appraisal. I base this on all the winters we've been "snowbirds" on the FL panhandle, and that Trudeau is in favour of keeping the border closed at least until June 21 if not beyond, while Trump favors opening it sooner. I wish there weren't so many not social distancing in the U.S. so we may get the border open sooner (not that we don't have our share of idiots here....).

 

[BoundForElsewhere]

Is it too late for me to answer the OP's question and say, "down"?

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

I think a lot of this is regional.
Once this pandemic is declared over some places in the world will snap back and some will not recover.
For instance, our local scene has been on a steady downward trajectory for several years now. Not only did the 2008 recession severely damage it but then they closed abalone diving in Northern California which put the hurt on many local dive shops and put a main one up on the coast out of business. There was a huge international following for recreational abalone diving and the whole economy that surrounded it and now it’s gone. There still are some scuba divers (before Covid) around but not like I remember 20 years ago. I don’t know what effect Covid will have yet because they haven’t read-opened anything yet.
The coast was finally re-opened today though, yay!!

But then warmer water areas of the world from what I hear are doing fine and growing (pre-Covid)
I give this Covid crap another 4 - 6 months and after that it will be forgotten as fast as it came in. By next season in 2021 it will be like it never happened.
Humans have a very short memory.

 

[Marie13]

Some dive shops in the Midwest are being creative in order to get OW classes done. The pools they might rent space in (school or city pools) are closed. They are arranging to do confined water portions at some of the quarries.

White Star in OH (about 30 min East of Toledo) has installed a platform at 4-5ft deep for this use at the walk-in entry.

When I was at my local quarry, Haigh, near Kanakee, IL, on Monday (opening day) the owner told me that instructors had asked about using the beach entry (the old roadbed down into the quarry) for confined water sessions. It’s shallow for a good bit and has a gentle slope.

 

[HKGuns]

Really? Where can I get on a plane without TSA backscatter-irradiatiating my wibbly bits then?

Nice try, not taking your bait.

 

[kelemvor]

That is in the USA where there is a definite anti-science faction in the population.

That's not exactly what's going on. Although most of the media is firmly on one side of that debate so an outsider would never know the truth.

 

[greeniguana]

Most of this is already proving false in Florida. Gyms are busy, construction is booming, and there's more tourists on the beachside than even expected.

Flori-DUH motto is, and always has been: Every man for himself.

Our covid reopening slogan is "if you are scared, stay home".

Every crappy chain restaurant parking lot near my house has been packed for the past week. Why anyone would risk a respiratory virus for nasty plate of Applebee's puzzles me. Freedom tastes like riblets maybe.

 

[Saniflush]

Every crappy chain restaurant parking lot near my house has been packed for the past week. Why anyone would risk a respiratory virus for nasty plate of Applebee's puzzles me. Freedom tastes like riblets maybe.

To be fair the same people have probably been risking far worse eating at those places before all of this broke out. Hell's bells, now may be the safest/cleanest time to ever eat at one of those places.

 

[BoundForElsewhere]

new slogan for someone...

Freedom tastes like riblets

 

[Jcp2]

What I can be confident in is that all dive operators are going to be underwater sometime by the end of the year.