How do make a living out of Scuba Diving?

[Mako Mark]

and refers to his dive career as "the time he ran away to join the circus."

Actually while I was working as a dive instructor in Australia, I really did get a job at the circus.

 

[Lawman]

1. Become an instructor
2. Get a store
3. Get a law degree, hit on a few big judgments, take 1/3d of the money

 

[junior diver]

My uncle works as a commercial diver on the North Sea oil rigs. He really enjoys it, the pay is good, you have alot of fun + when you're in sat you get pratically anything you want for those long sat stays mostly without women. He also holds the record for a sat run (out the water, gear off and into sat). The worst part he says is when your doing the really deep dives and they pump hot water through your suit, you're so cold you don't notice how hot it is but when you get back up to the surface you're covered in blisters. I'd say this was my two cents but I used those up on my last post.

 

[Rick Inman]

Actually while I was working as a dive instructor in Australia, I really did get a job at the circus.

Do tell us more. Inquiring minds want to know...

 

[IndigoBlue]

1. Become an instructor
2. Get a store
3. Get a law degree, hit on a few big judgments, take 1/3d of the money

I would think as a store owner that you would be more of a ripe target for a trial lawyer rather than the other way around.

Many x-professional divers that I know, now own their own recreational stores. And when I talk to them, they lament how hard a life commercial scuba was.

So here is my list of suggestions:

1. Become an instructor
2. Get a store.

In terms of where to relocate, for your own store, the best place would be in the Florida Keys. Next best would be in Hawaii. Third place would be the Carolinas. Fourth would be Southern California. Fifth would be Texas. Etc.

 

[Mako Mark]

In terms of where to relocate, for your own store, the best place would be in the Florida Keys. Next best would be in Hawaii. Third place would be the Carolinas. Fourth would be Southern California. Fifth would be Texas. Etc.

Actually the best place would be colorado. Colorado is the state that has more dive stores per capita than any other state. Florida leads the way for ski shops. Why this is, is a mistery, except that the grass is always greener I guess.

 

[IndigoBlue]

Actually the best place would be colorado. Colorado is the state that has more dive stores per capita than any other state. Florida leads the way for ski shops. Why this is, is a mistery, except that the grass is always greener I guess.

If there is no coastline or Great Lakes, there is not much of a market for scuba. Dive travel will not sustain the business.

Therefore the realistic alternatives are the East Coast, the West Coast, the Great Lakes, and the Gulf Coast. I would not want to own a dive store in a land locked location. Roller skating would be more lucrative as an opiate for the masses unlucky enough not to have a coast.

 

[oceancrest67]

If there is no coastline or Great Lakes, there is not much of a market for scuba. Dive travel will not sustain the business.

Therefore the realistic alternatives are the East Coast, the West Coast, the Great Lakes, and the Gulf Coast. I would not want to own a dive store in a land locked location. Roller skating would be more lucrative as an opiate for the masses unlucky enough not to have a coast.

Indigoblue:

Why are there scuba stores in Colorado...a land-locked state? Scuba stores exist in CO because there is a ready market for scuba training and gear in CO. A market will exist where you have population, facilities, the avenues, the opportunities and the supply and demand of consumer choice and mobility...whether land locked or coastal. Just look at the substitute / complement high adventure market for sports such as skiing, mountain biking, climbing, camping, hiking...etc etc. People that are into skiing are also likely to be interested in scuba diving.

Seasons change and airport facilities exist for winter CO skiers to travel and become summer time island divers...moving from one market to anther. Isn't the free market wonderful? Now CO skiers can spend their land-locked dollars at some coastal island resort diving.

Don't forget that there are many lakes, quarries and other fresh water diving locations for land locked scuba divers to dive in and train in...land-locked divers can simply hop in the car and drive to the nearest, most accessible, or most interesting land locked water location for diving activities.

Think of all the broad opportunities creative minds can muster in a free and open market place whether land locked or coastal.

 

[IndigoBlue]

Indigoblue:

Why are there scuba stores in Colorado...a land-locked state? Scuba stores exist in CO because there is a ready market for scuba training and gear in CO. A market will exist where you have population, facilities, the avenues, the opportunities and the supply and demand of consumer choice and mobility...whether land locked or coastal. Just look at the substitute / complement high adventure market for sports such as skiing, mountain biking, climbing, camping, hiking...etc etc. People that are into skiing are also likely to be interested in scuba diving.

Seasons change and airport facilities exist for winter CO skiers to travel and become summer time island divers...moving from one market to anther. Isn't the free market wonderful? Now CO skiers can spend their land-locked dollars at some coastal island resort diving.

Don't forget that there are many lakes, quarries and other fresh water diving locations for land locked scuba divers to dive in and train in...land-locked divers can simply hop in the car and drive to the nearest, most accessible, or most interesting land locked water location for diving activities.

Think of all the broad opportunities creative minds can muster in a free and open market place whether land locked or coastal.

I would not want to try to make a store survive on quarry, lake, and dam diving. Especially in a land locked state that gets several feet of snow in winter. SKI & SCUBA might work, sure. But not exactly my ideal!

 

[O2BBubbleFree]

Indigoblue:

Don't forget that there are many lakes, quarries and other fresh water diving locations for land locked scuba divers to dive in and train in...land-locked divers can simply hop in the car and drive to the nearest, most accessible, or most interesting land locked water location for diving activities.

Think of all the broad opportunities creative minds can muster in a free and open market place whether land locked or coastal.

You've obviously not tried to dive in Colorado I grew up there (no diving) then moved to California (lots of diving), then went back to Colorado for six years(again, no diving). Being a Coloradan, I am mystified by the high number of divers there. I think it might have something to do with the number of high-tech transplantees from California

There is, really, no 'land-locked' diving that I could find. I'm not a demanding diver, just like to be able to read my gauges. All the reservoirs have no vis. Period. And most don't allow diving. There are some high mountain lakes that I heard about, but nothing I could get excited about. Hard to access, nothing to see, and very short bottom times.

All the cert. classes go to Blue Hole in NM? or Lake Powell.

I'm pretty broad-minded when it comes to diving, but 'just jump in your car' is a fairey tail in Colorado. And I can't afford to fly as often as I want to go diving.

Oh, and the quarries are dry. Likewise the caves. I think it has to do with the fact that you're 5000'+ above the water table

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE Colorado, and will always consider myself a Colorado Native, but I'm much more excited about fresh water diving now that I live in Austin, TX.

Actually, I did go on one dive while living in Colorado. On a trip to San Diego.