Why aren't more people taking up scuba diving?

[Joe Underwater]

I would hide that photo before the kneeling naggers find it

So there are people that have a problem with divers kneeling on sand nowhere near coral? Wow.

 

[Lost down under]

So there are people that have a problem with divers kneeling on sand nowhere near coral? Wow.

To be honest I despise it, quickest way to screw up the vis. Fair enough in this case but normally I hate it there's just no need.

 

[Joe Underwater]

To be honest I despise it, quickest way to screw up the vis. Fair enough in this case but normally I hate it there's just no need.

I think it depends on the bottom composition. Here in Thailand it is just fine sand so if done without any fin kicking involved and the vis is unaffected. But you're right, in some places, like in the rock quarry back home, it quickly turns the average 10ft vis into basically a night dive without a light.

 

[captain]

Look around your neighborhood on Christmas morning, see any kids outside playing with toys, riding new bike,etc. No, they are inside playing video games. Life now takes place on a video screen not the real world.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

All you would have to do is somehow convince the young'uns that diving is better than sex, drugs, or any video game and you'd have a stampede to your local dive shop.

 

[Lost down under]

Look around your neighborhood on Christmas morning, see any kids outside playing with toys, riding new bike,etc. No, they are inside playing video games. Life now takes place on a video screen not the real world.

Currently struggling to get my brother off his computer and in the fresh air, I'm losing.

s better than sex

There is absolutely no reason you cant have both... apparently

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

There is absolutely no reason you cant have both... apparently

Some people have been successful at both, at the same time..... I heard.

 

[saramonkees]

Speaking as a new diver, I think one of the reasons there is a lot of falloff (new certs not diving more than once) is because I felt like training was inadequate. Maybe it's because I'm more cautious (or read Diver Down), but we hardly had any time with buoyancy, emergencies, etc (we cleared our masks and found our regulators, thankfully, but we barely practiced emergency assent or anything like that).

I've wanted to dive since I was a kid, but finally certified with a friend because we were going to Australia and a few of our friends wanted to "snorkel" the great barrier reef. I was like, "Forget that." So, one of my friends decided to cert with me so we could be buddies at the reef.

My first dive after certification was with a random group (she couldn't come) and the buddy the divemaster teamed me up with swam away and I never saw her again (I did tell her I was nervous and it was my first dive, guess she didn't care). I admit, I was too busy keeping up with where everyone was and trying to keep my buoyancy in check to even notice if we saw any wildlife. It was no fun at all. In Australia, the friend that I trained with knocked my mask and regulator off because she was having buoyancy problems and then grabbed at me and knocked my fins off too...obviously we were well trained (the divemaster on that trip said I did well, because I calmly found my reg and mask and he was awesome with his one on one help, but still...seriously, I think we should have been better prepared).

The divemaster who trained me said comfort comes with more experiences, and I couldn't expect to be comfortable after just the class, and I do agree with him there, but they let me dive pretty deep at the GBR with just one other real dive. I did dive at Epcot last weekend in their aquarium where I felt fairly safe and it was a lot more enjoyable because I felt like I had time to play with buoyancy, etc than on a "real" dive where I felt like if I turned around, I would be stranded in the ocean. Being "stranded" in an aquarium isn't scary. If I hadn't always wanted to be a diver, I probably would have already given up, because it's really a lot harder than the class makes it out to be, imho. But, I don't plan on giving up. I have a trip to the Caribbean planned in March!

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Speaking as a new diver, I think one of the reasons there is a lot of falloff (new certs not diving more than once) is because I felt like training was inadequate. Maybe it's because I'm more cautious (or read Diver Down), but we hardly had any time with buoyancy, emergencies, etc (we cleared our masks and found our regulators, thankfully, but we barely practiced emergency assent or anything like that).

I've wanted to dive since I was a kid, but finally certified with a friend because we were going to Australia and a few of our friends wanted to "snorkel" the great barrier reef. I was like, "Forget that." So, one of my friends decided to cert with me so we could be buddies at the reef.

My first dive after certification was with a random group (she couldn't come) and the buddy the divemaster teamed me up with swam away and I never saw her again (I did tell her I was nervous and it was my first dive, guess she didn't care). I admit, I was too busy keeping up with where everyone was and trying to keep my buoyancy in check to even notice if we saw any wildlife. It was no fun at all. In Australia, the friend that I trained with knocked my mask and regulator off because she was having buoyancy problems and then grabbed at me and knocked my fins off too...obviously we were well trained (the divemaster on that trip said I did well, because I calmly found my reg and mask and he was awesome with his one on one help, but still...seriously, I think we should have been better prepared).

The divemaster who trained me said comfort comes with more experiences, and I couldn't expect to be comfortable after just the class, and I do agree with him there, but they let me dive pretty deep at the GBR with just one other real dive. I did dive at Epcot last weekend in their aquarium where I felt fairly safe and it was a lot more enjoyable because I felt like I had time to play with buoyancy, etc than on a "real" dive where I felt like if I turned around, I would be stranded in the ocean. Being "stranded" in an aquarium isn't scary. If I hadn't always wanted to be a diver, I probably would have already given up, because it's really a lot harder than the class makes it out to be, imho. But, I don't plan on giving up. I have a trip to the Caribbean planned in March!

I see this is your first post, welcome to scubaboard.
Good first post BTW.
The quality and content of training is always a hot button topic around here. It's good to hear an honest and pure opinion from a new diver and a first time poster.

 

[mdb]

When I was first certified in 1973 the class was 12 weeks long. Lots of pool work, five open water dives.

After certification the instructors offered N/C fun dive weekends to expand open water dives.

At the end of the year I had over 150 dives and was hooked; still am.