What is the fundamental reason that prevents scuba diving from becoming popular?

[Dormant]

I believe you answered your own question. Liability.

 

[Wibble]

I believe you answered your own question. Liability.

Funny how it seems to come over as "do it my way". Be that the "must have a buddy" brigade; the must have loads of training mob (nothing to do with earning money out of divers...); must dive in a specific way with specific protocols...

Take care and enjoy it.

Obviously if you've your own kit then there's less for operators to meddle in. Better still if you've brought all the right equipment including gas.

The excessive cover their arses medical forms seem to be more relevant to training courses, not actually going diving. At the end of the day there's only one person responsible for your safety and it's not some agency or over-zealous boat operator.

 

[Cthippo]

(Warning: 2 am philosophical ramblings follow...)

I wonder if some of the lack of appeal to younger generations is a misperception of how we dive based both on media and also from seeing the people who do it. The industry really seems to be focused on the once-a-year tropical vacation diver and most of us (I'm 43) who know people who dive see them diving like this. Since I got certified back in April I have talked to 10 or 12 people I either already know or have met who dive and every single one of them has said something to the effect of "I only dive in warm water on vacation". I know there are other people who dive locally, but they seem to be pretty rare. This is in a coastal region minutes from both lakes and the ocean. I can't imagine what it's like in more landlocked areas.

In addition, the events that are offered by the LDS are either far flung (mostly) tropical vacations to places I will never be able to afford, or else guided dives with very little risk. I know it's just me, but going on a guided dive with a group in a dive park doesn't feel like an adventure, it feels like a senior citizens outing.

I came into the sport with a passion for applied history, especially around shipwrecks. For me it is about finding things that few, if any, ever visit and telling their stories. Putting a name and a history to a derelict hulk sitting out in the bay is one of my most treasured experiences. Now, I am getting close to being able to take that to the next level and do it underwater.

For someone with perhaps a milder interest who gets certified, how would they ever know that was an option? Who is going to tell them they can just go dive off the beach and see what's down there? Who is going to show them how to research new sites and track down historic vessels and structures which have now slipped below the waves? Hell, how are they even going to find a buddy who will go with them?

The dive industry, in it's quest to convince people that this activity is "safe" have managed to strip the adventure out of it and make it just another commodified experience. They have made it an adventure in the same way a trip to the theme park or a bus tour of a national forest is an adventure. True adventure is never safe and an activity free of risk can never be a true adventure. Except, we haven't removed the risk, we just lie to ourselves about it and deny that it is there. We deny people the adventure while also lying to them about how safe they really are. It's the worst of both worlds.

 

[Marie13]

(Warning: 2 am philosophical ramblings follow...)

I wonder if some of the lack of appeal to younger generations is a misperception of how we dive based both on media and also from seeing the people who do it. The industry really seems to be focused on the once-a-year tropical vacation diver and most of us (I'm 43) who know people who dive see them diving like this. Since I got certified back in April I have talked to 10 or 12 people I either already know or have met who dive and every single one of them has said something to the effect of "I only dive in warm water on vacation". I know there are other people who dive locally, but they seem to be pretty rare. This is in a coastal region minutes from both lakes and the ocean. I can't imagine what it's like in more landlocked areas.

In addition, the events that are offered by the LDS are either far flung (mostly) tropical vacations to places I will never be able to afford, or else guided dives with very little risk. I know it's just me, but going on a guided dive with a group in a dive park doesn't feel like an adventure, it feels like a senior citizens outing.

I came into the sport with a passion for applied history, especially around shipwrecks. For me it is about finding things that few, if any, ever visit and telling their stories. Putting a name and a history to a derelict hulk sitting out in the bay is one of my most treasured experiences. Now, I am getting close to being able to take that to the next level and do it underwater.

For someone with perhaps a milder interest who gets certified, how would they ever know that was an option? Who is going to tell them they can just go dive off the beach and see what's down there? Who is going to show them how to research new sites and track down historic vessels and structures which have now slipped below the waves? Hell, how are they even going to find a buddy who will go with them?

The dive industry, in it's quest to convince people that this activity is "safe" have managed to strip the adventure out of it and make it just another commodified experience. They have made it an adventure in the same way a trip to the theme park or a bus tour of a national forest is an adventure. True adventure is never safe and an activity free of risk can never be a true adventure. Except, we haven't removed the risk, we just lie to ourselves about it and deny that it is there. We deny people the adventure while also lying to them about how safe they really are. It's the worst of both worlds.

It really depends on the dive shop you get certified through and/or frequent. Some really are into local diving. My WI cave/CCR instructor is very into local diving and actually found a 1200 year old Native American dugout canoe on a fun dive (day job is maritime archaeologist) that was brought up.

 

[boulderjohn]

Since I got certified back in April I have talked to 10 or 12 people I either already know or have met who dive and every single one of them has said something to the effect of "I only dive in warm water on vacation". I know there are other people who dive locally, but they seem to be pretty rare.

I was such a diver once. For the first 5 years of my diving career I would have scoffed at the idea of doing anything but warm water diving. When your interest grows, you start looking for ways to branch out.

In addition, the events that are offered by the LDS are either far flung (mostly) tropical vacations to places I will never be able to afford, or else guided dives with very little risk.

As someone who worked for two such shops, I assure you there is no choice. If you offer anything else as an alternative, your trip will go unfilled, and you will lose money big time. Here is colorado, we joke that the state motto is that we are just a plane flight away from great scuba. We have no good diving in the state, yet we are annually in the top 3 states for per capita divers. We have many full time, dedicated dive shops, and travel to tropical resorts is a major part of their income.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Wow. Way to be a dick and encouraging. I told you what prevents me personally from diving and you label me a complainer. Not everyone has several thousand dollars in available funds to invest in gear and travel.

You call me a dick but I’m actually a pretty nice guy. If we were to cross paths on a beach somewhere whilst diving you would find that I would be very friendly and helpful.
I’m going to let you go here and bid you good luck.
I hope you get to blow bubbles soon.

 

[Marie13]

No one is grumbling. I made a simple statement that diving is cost prohibitive and I am landlocked. My other reply was that I disagree that is generational. I believe that to be an oversimplification. Another over simplification is to state that scuba diving is accessible to everyone if "you just want it enough". Diving is plenty popular but it is an expensive hobby that requires discretionary funds that many simply do not have.

I know a number of people who work second jobs in order to afford diving.

If you want it enough, you’ll make it happen is not an oversimplification. I can’t tell you how many people tell me they have very specific diving goals, usually tech related, but they don’t put in the time to get the needed dives. They don’t make it a priority. So despite all their talk, they don’t want it enough. If it was, they would make it happen.

There’s a reason Nike’s “just do it” slogan is a favorite of mine.

 

[Wibble]

Nice to dive in the warm locations. However, the cold locations have far more interesting wrecks and the visibility can be spectacular. Often the colder locations don't cost a fortune to dive either -- obviously depends how far you may have flown.

Would imagine the North East coast of the US & Canada has a lot of wrecks to choose from.
Edit: not forgetting the Great Lakes! (sorry @Marie13)

Certainly NW Ireland (Malin Head), north Scotland (Orkney/Scapa) and Norway are amazing. Plus the thousands of wrecks in the English Channel.

 

[Marie13]

Nice to dive in the warm locations. However, the cold locations have far more interesting wrecks and the visibility can be spectacular. Often the colder locations don't cost a fortune to dive either -- obviously depends how far you may have flown.

Would imagine the North East coast of the US & Canada has a lot of wrecks to choose from.

Certainly NW Ireland (Malin Head), north Scotland (Orkney/Scapa) and Norway are amazing. Plus the thousands of wrecks in the English Channel.

You forget the Great Lakes!

 

[Wibble]

FIFY!

You forget the Great Lakes!