statistical truth?

[Spencermm]

I read somewhere recently(maybe on this site- can't remember) that only 5% of those certified will continue to dive. Is this true? If so, I wonder why.
After my cert. I was in the dive shop making a purchase. The owner, who was also my instructor, commented that a few who took the class that I was in never followed up with their certification.
Spencer

 

[Coelacanth]

I guess thats why they advise you to buy some piece of gear after you get certified (plus the store will get more money, of course) I bought my as of yet unused BC, and even if I never wanted to dive again, which is certainly not the case, the BC and the money I paid for it would definately guilt me into getting back into the water.

But as for those people who do the pool training and then fly off to some wonderful tropical, lush diving site to do some real diving, its plausible that when they return home to intimidatingly colder waters they may never want to dive locally and put diving off until they end up in some magically warm waters again, which could be never.

 

[jbd]

The number that continue to dive after certification is low. As your instructor noted there are those that never actually get certified.

The reasons folks don't continue to dive after getting certified are many and varied. Some learned just for one trip. Some learned just to learn and thats the end of it. Some had initially thought of diving as a hobby and then never became truly comfortable with it so they give it up. Some decide its not all its cracked up to be and drop out.

For those that never get certified even though they took the class, IMO, they didn't get over the "fear" factor. In other words its just to stressful for them.

 

[Kunk35]

I think a whole lot of people just get into diving because they have some warm tropical trip coming up and they think it will be cool to dive while they are there. Then, after the trip, they just don't spend the money they need to in order to continue diving on a regular basis.

 

[Walter]

No one knows the % of certifications that results in active divers, but it is low. There are many reasons. Some simply don't enjoy diving as much as others. Some get sidetracked by life. Some take the fast and "easy" class and never truly get comfortable diving. They needed more time to learn, they needed to learn more skills, but never did. They never really feel safe diving and drop out for an activity in which they are more comfortable. I'm sure there are tons of other reasons.

 

[String]

Lots of people sort of think "Oh scuba diving, bet thats fun", they do it then lose interest.

You also get a group of thrill seekers who move onto bungee jumping or whatever after diving.

Another lot get certified for one particular trip or holiday and enver use it again, others simply just dont like it enough to keep doing.

Then you have the "spouse" group - learn to dive because their partner or friend does it but don't really like it and only do it to humour them.

A big issue here is people drop out either during training or shortly afterwards once they discover the cost of equipment.

Even the small % that do continue diving after certification a large number of those dive once or twice a year on their annual holiday and not regulary.

Scuba does have a very high amount of natural wastage.

 

[trucker girl]

So... doest that mean that for every one of us SB junkies (okay, okay, I've been off the board for a while- that doesn't mean I don't WANT to be here!) there are hundreds of non-junkies out there...? Who just never made it to the level of SB and scuba addiction that we seem to have attained?

 

[String]

Internet forums are a self selecting sample - only those with above average interest in a topic bother reading or commenting on it.

 

[spectrum]

Many get into scuba on a whim, like for a vacation or just to add a notch to their belt.

Many don't realize commitment to gear and involvment that it can take from being a rookie to where it becomes easy and fun.

Some just don't care for it after they have done it a little

Some never become comfortable as divers , it may be "them" or it may be poor instruction.

Then there is no buddy, or did it for someone else or medical problems

More thoughts here

In the end the 5% number is probably not too far from reality. It may be at 6 months or 18 months post cert but it's in the ballpark.

I think it's important to keep it in the perspective of the many many other sports and activities that people get involved with, perhaps in the company of someone else that also do not become life long or even long term situations. In that light it may not be as aweful as we make it seem.

Pete

 

[ClayJar]

If I ever make it to DM or instructor (they have a class on the calendar now, *finally* :biggrin, one thing I'd really like to do is to get the shop to work out a "pool party" time. For minimal cost, any certified diver can come to the pool one evening a month (or so) and just spend some time in the water. (I'd donate my presence, once I'm qualified to be "in charge".)

Around here, there just isn't any diving nearby. People get certified, but the four or five hours to get to diving water keeps them from getting wet at all, and without even a small dose of compression, diving leaves their minds. If we could get them to the pool, we could help them feel more comfortable (I know several divers who don't dive much because they're not yet happy in the water), and the act of actually diving will get diving to the front of their minds so they can start pining for the Great Below.

Plus, it'd be fun!