Question How old are you and how long certified? Poll- please take part!

[Nosmosis]

43, diving since 2023. 225.

 

[Nosmosis]

43, diving since 2023. 225.

43, diving since 2023. 225.

Whoops I mean 43, 2020. 225.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

52, certified for 10 years, and hoping for 40 more!

 

[Dave Earl]

Not sure how to do the second question in the poll ?. Turned 44 last week, certified since 2006 (17 years, when I was 27). Around 5-600 dives (haven't bothered logging local shore dives for a decade). Looking forward to diving half my life soonish. 10yo kiddo just got his Open Water, he'll beat me to the 1/2 life diving mark, though.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Not sure how to do the second question in the poll ?. Turned 44 last week, certified since 2006 (17 years, when I was 27). Around 5-600 dives (haven't bothered logging local shore dives for a decade). Looking forward to diving half my life soonish. 10yo kiddo just got his Open Water, he'll beat me to the 1/2 life diving mark, though.

The age group is what I was most interested in. The length of time certified and dive count is just secondary just to see the level of experience and dedication for the age.

 

[Fred Tagge]

56 years certified, well over 6000 dives.

 

[Ce Stanley]

There’s another thread about old fart divers over 50, which spurred the question about the possibility of most of the divers on SB being over 50.
So I’m just curious to see what the age makeup of divers is here.
You can elaborate if you wish about age, how long you’ve been certified, how many dives, what type of diving, any other details you have to make it interesting and a good read.

CES:
I'm 64, soon to be 65. I was certified in 1986 at the ripe age of 28. I am certified drysuit, SCR, Nitrox, DM, Asst Inst. About 50% of my dives have been in Fresh Water in the Southwest desert. I've dove in the Atlantic a few times and the Pacific. My dives include Philippines, Vancouver Island, Montaray Bay and the islands of So. Cal. I got hit with migraines 8 years ago. One to three a day. Haven't dove since 2012. I couldn't imagine getting a migraine underwater!

 

[Scott G. Bonser]

If

Septuagenarians at 9% , and rising [a little].
I am the only one in this age bracket where I dive, that I know of, only met one close to my age in the last 2 years, and he was younger, a pup at almost 70.
Up to 10 dives this month, so I am slowing down.

you get a chance, check out Alec Pierce Scuba YouTubes. He just turned 75, I believe.
giantfroginthenpool
Scott G. Bonser, Harrellsville, NC

 

[tursiops]

As one of the only two people in the 80+ category, I thought it was time to reply.
I'll be 82 in a few months.
Learned to dive DH at a university in 1966/67, but no cert card.
Met Cousteau at a NATO Science Committee meeting in 1968.
Finally got a NAUI cert card in 1984 (40 years next year). Became a DM in 2000, Master Instructor in 2005, tech instructor in 2005.
Certified through Adv Trimix and Normoxic CCR.
Approx 3000 logged non-pool dives. Just returned from 28 dives in Bunaken Park in North Sulawesi, three more trips planned this year, some trips planned through 2025.
My favorite dive? "the next one," as Sylvia Earle told me in the mid-1970s.

Edited: NAUI in 1982, not 1984.
During the period 1966-1982 I made one open water dive, in Malta.
During 1982-1987 I made 87 dives, all in New England except for two in Hawaii and one in blue water in th middle of the Sargasso Sea.
During 1987-1998 I made two open water dives, in Nassau.
Most of my diving has been since 1999. I have some 30 years of diving spread over 52 years.

 

[Pressurehead]

Finally got a NAUI cert card in 1984 (40 years next year)

I have noted, a few of us older guys 'got a NAUI cert card' around the same time, 84 and 85, here you requiring one for gas fills.

And 'Nitrox' as it is called now, is not new, some of our early dives were on what was called 40/60 mix here.

Edit: Usual typos.