Retirement

[rexman24]

To the retired divers out there, how did you know when it was time to hang up your fins for good?

I hope I have hundreds left, but one never knows.

 

[lexvil]

I’m retired from that “work” thing, almost 13 years, from diving not yet but assume when the work exceeds the joy that may be the time.

 

[Johnoly]

I've seen it ALOT. Diver's that used to do 150, 100 or even 75 tanks per year in the past, now do 2-4 tanks per year. That's retirement - you ain't dead, but you're not enjoying dive life. I see it most often during Florida's lobster mini-season. People show up at the shop/boat a day prior > haven't had their gear wet in 2 years and not serviced in 5yrs. The IP pressure is 190 and they are banging on the octo saying it's OK to dive for lobster in 95 deep.

I think @lexvil said it best...when the work exceeds the joy, you have retired ( you just didn't tell anyone )

 

[tursiops]

It's not just work>joy, it can also be pain>joy.

 

[rexman24]

I've seen it ALOT. Diver's that used to do 150, 100 or even 75 tanks per year in the past, now do 2-4 tanks per year. That's retirement - you ain't dead, but you're not enjoying dive life. I see it most often during Florida's lobster mini-season. People show up at the shop/boat a day prior > haven't had their gear wet in 2 years and not serviced in 5yrs. The IP pressure is 190 and they are banging on the octo saying it's OK to dive for lobster in 95 deep.

I think @lexvil said it best...when the work exceeds the joy, you have retired ( you just didn't tell anyone )

Good input, I'm in Asia now, doing 150,-200 dives a year. I hope it lasts for a long time. Cause I'm loving it!

 

[lexvil]

It's not just work>joy, it can also be pain>joy.

So when you can no longer work through the pain…

 

[azstinger11]

To the retired divers out there, how did you know when it was time to hang up your fins for good?

I hope I have hundreds left, but one never knows.

When you can't haul your tank/gear down to the site (excluding temporary injuries and such), can't hike the trail to said dive site, when you feel you can no longer safely handle the currents relevant to your local conditions, when the doc says you are no longer pushing it but asking for it. Talked a to a few divers that are in this boat, many of them still co-teach with younger instructors or do some of the pool (and maybe confined open water). Tons of knowledge, amazing stories, and useful insights to be passed along.

 

[NW Dive Dawg]

For me, "retiring from diving" is, and will be, more of a transition than an event.... more of a dimmer switch as opposed to an on/off switch. Unless of course something acute happens that would make me hang up the fins for good. I definitely don't dive as much as I used to and I've definitely increased my warm water tropical diving and decreased my cold water drysuit diving. That'll probably continue. Hope to keep going for as long as I can and hope that I will be smart enough to recognize and self respect the changes in my abilities and limitations as I get even older.

 

[tursiops]

So when you can no longer work through the pain…

No, not exactly. I don't find diving to be nearly as much work as I find it to sometimes be painful....back, sometimes legs...
I have found that "working through the pain" is not always a good idea; the pain is a message...don't ignore the message.

 

[TMHeimer]

At almost 69, I have cut down on dives that require anything much more than walking from the car over pretty flat land maybe 30 feet to the shore. And days when I'd have to fight bigger surf/surge. I will cut down on winter diving next year after I reach 1,000 dives (Aug.?). My financial adviser said in retirement you have to have goals. I suppose I'll get to the point where it's just too much work to cram on the thick wetsuit & other stuff just to see the same old stuff in N.S. Maybe just some tropical diving, money allowing?