Outliving your buddies

[Sam Miller III]

There is a Beginning, a Middle and an End to all events and friendships-recreational diving is certainly no exception, matter of fact recreational diving is often based on very fluid relationships.

Long before majority of you were engaged in this noble activity there was a publication titled "Skin Diver magazine (SDM)." Every five years for a period of twenty years SDM conducted a reader survey. The results of the five year surveys were restricted to the dive industry and key diving personnel and never made public. I was fortunate to have been in the distribution loop and still have copies of the surveys.

Originally the longevity of a SDM reader/diver was in excess of 5 years, vs the last survey which indicated less than two years diver longevity. I suspect it is considerably less now with all the resort courses. the on line courses,etc; there is just no commitment to the sport, other than completing a series of classes and becoming a card carrying diver.

Therefore, I would assume that all who have posted and remain with the sport will have many many diving buddies during your diving career
SDM

 

[TSandM]

I seriously doubt I'll be diving in 20 years . . . that would make me almost 80, and no one in my family keeps their brain that long . . .

I've really enjoyed reading the stories and insights from those of you who have been diving for far longer than I have. It's funny -- my other sport is horseback riding, and I have quite a number of friends I met when I first got into that here in Seattle, 24 years ago, who are still at it. Diving seems to be different.

 

[Hank49]

I seriously doubt I'll be diving in 20 years . . . that would make me almost 80, and no one in my family keeps their brain that long . . .

I've really enjoyed reading the stories and insights from those of you who have been diving for far longer than I have. It's funny -- my other sport is horseback riding, and I have quite a number of friends I met when I first got into that here in Seattle, 24 years ago, who are still at it. Diving seems to be different.

I know you northwest divers love your conditions up there....but I would guess a lot of people try it there and think, "f**k this...it's too cold". I would. And I love the water.

 

[Bob DBF]

I know you northwest divers love your conditions up there....but I would guess a lot of people try it there and think, "f**k this...it's too cold". I would. And I love the water.

I don't know about loving the conditions necessarly, but we do love diving. And yes, between the cold, waves and surge, and kelp a lot do drop out or just vacation dive.



---------- Post added March 8th, 2013 at 01:31 PM ----------

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I seriously doubt I'll be diving in 20 years . . . that would make me almost 80, and no one in my family keeps their brain that long . . .

I've been told that it's my lack of brains that keeps me at it; in addition, I ran across an 80+ WWII fighter pilot diving a BP/W a couple of years back, so there is hope.

I've really enjoyed reading the stories and insights from those of you who have been diving for far longer than I have. It's funny -- my other sport is horseback riding, and I have quite a number of friends I met when I first got into that here in Seattle, 24 years ago, who are still at it. Diving seems to be different.

Diving has quiet time where you can reflect on the alien environment you are in. You don't have to think about how easy it could be to drown,if something went wrong, while riding a horse. Water jumps are bad, but not that bad.



Bob
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I may be old, but I,m not dead yet

 

[MaxBottomtime]

I seriously doubt I'll be diving in 20 years . . . that would make me almost 80, and no one in my family keeps their brain that long . . .

I've dived with Frank Farmer a few times. He's in his 80s and still dives frequently. He's the guy in the Fiat ad.


Also, Zale Parry still dives, and she's well past puberty.

 

[Nemrod]

Pick more durable buddies or get used to solo. And there is your husband Peter .


N

 

[manni-yunk]

My father-in-law is 95, and I have thought a number of times about what it would be like to outlive...... your children. .

One of my biggest fears.....

 

[dumpsterDiver]

I seriously doubt I'll be diving in 20 years . . . that would make me almost 80, and no one in my family keeps their brain that long . . .

.

So... you just stop doing that CRAZY ratio deco math in your head and follow a computer.. give you another 10 years at least...

 

[Farback]

I've been diving since the '70s. It's one of a number of pursuits, so some years I dive more than others, but I'm still at it. Much of my cold water (local) dives over the past ten years have been PSD work, so my fun diving now tends to be resort stuff one week a year. My current dive buddy, a fellow fire service diver and I still try to get out a few times a year in the frozen north.

Dive buddies are a special relationship if they last a long time. Life changes, kids, jobs, fitness, interests etc. take a toll on these, which is only natural. I recently (at 56) got my ass back into shape after years of steady weight gain and increasing sedentary lifestyle, and am looking forward to pursuing diving, firefighting, kayaking and other 'age-inappropriate' activities well into my second half-centuary.

Kirk

 

[Bob DBF]

One of my biggest fears.....

Everybody's biggest fear.


Bob
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I may be old, but I'm not dead yet.