Why aren't more people taking up scuba diving?

[RJP]

Perhaps I didn't explain my thinking correctly as to why I DON'T think this liveaboard example is skewed. It it had been a Hard core boat in say Truk or the Glapagos then I would agree.

In market research we call what you saw a "convenience sample" in that it was convenient to access them - you simply looked around. But no one else in your sample falls outside the sub-population of divers comprised of people with the money, time, and desire to do a liveaboard trip.

Therefore, it's a skewed sample.

 

[sheeper]

so my observations on "barriers to entry" for scuba are simple:
1) it's expensive. most younger people can't afford the cash outlay for equipment followed by ongoing significant cost to actually dive. Unless you are lucky to live in a dive paradise, there can be significant travel.
2) when you can do it only a couple/a few times a year it does not become a "habit"
3) you need a buddy. so a friend or significant other that can deal with #1
4) too often we see the sport promoted as "dangerous".
5) there is little cohesion within the industry. I was formerly in the skiing and mountaineering world (also "dangerous" and expensive) and found that vendors, schools, instructors, etc all worked well together. They play the outdoor, nature, fun aspect well. I have not seen this to the same extent in the dive industry. I see too often that dive agencies/instructors set the skill bar too high for new divers. Here you can take a class and be told that you need more classes to be safe and have fun. More classes means more $$ (yes...I do like more $$). But that approach deters divers from sticking to the sport. How about an OW class that actually teaches solid skills, a love for nature, and an appreciation for the sport with the knowledge that it's "easy to be a diver"?

I'm not suggesting that we lower any standards. They need to be more realistic. I was with an new OW student who was very confident in the ability. What the person almost totally lacked was an understanding of "why" specific skills were important and how those skills made diving more fun (and safe).

 

[widget]

I just got back from PNG and Australia and talked with dive operators there as to market conditions. They state that many dive operations have gone out of business and those left are looking at other revenue streams. i.e ocean kayaking, wind surfing, bird watching and other activities due to the decline in diving customers.

Indeed, after over 30 years in the industry I pretty much know a few people in most parts of the world who make their living from diving, not one is positive of a future made solely from scuba. All of them have already been forced to or are planning on adding other revenue streams to simply stay in business and pay the bills.

I have said it before and I stick by it, diving is not something most people can do daily, hence the investment in time and resources is out of proportion of the return they receive, people can come home from work, pull on a pair of cheap (in comparison) shoes and go jog around their neighborhood, they can go cycle with their kids or spouse, they can pop a few golf balls at the range, or Rollerblade around the park or go to the local gym. Their investment is returned daily in quality time. Diving unfortunately is equipment and site intensive and for most it takes a lot more effort and planning, an investment that most people today are simply not prepared to put in anymore.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Indeed, after over 30 years in the industry I pretty much know a few people in most parts of the world who make their living from diving, not one is positive of a future made solely from scuba. All of them have already been forced to or are planning on adding other revenue streams to simply stay in business and pay the bills.

I have said it before and I stick by it, diving is not something most people can do daily, hence the investment in time and resources is out of proportion of the return they receive, people can come home from work, pull on a pair of cheap (in comparison) shoes and go jog around their neighborhood, they can go cycle with their kids or spouse, they can pop a few golf balls at the range, or Rollerblade around the park or go to the local gym. Their investment is returned daily in quality time. Diving unfortunately is equipment and site intensive and for most it takes a lot more effort and planning, an investment that most people today are simply not prepared to put in anymore.

I agree.
However, there are a few places, but very very few, that a person could simply strap on some gear, cross the road, go down some stairs to the beach and go in the water for a shore dive after work. A few select places in Southern California or Catalina Island would be a few along with a small handfull of other places world wide, but in the real world diving involves at least a car ride or boat, plane, whatever to get wet.
For me where I live I leave the house at 6:00 AM and return by 4:00 PM and managed to get in two single tank shore dives worth about 2 hours bottom time max. Then after I get home I clean gear. That's a lot of time, gas, park fees, etc. for two dives in cold murky water with not the best conditions sometimes.
What was once a marginal sport at best to get people around here to dive locally is almost obsolete now.
Most of my friends that I dove with 15 years ago moved on, and the once fairly vibrant local dive community by in large has dried up. With world wide travel most of the divers seen now are the same ones that were there 10 years ago with very few new divers replacing the ones who left (so I am told, I can't afford to travel), or they retired out, got too old, don't have the money any more, or whatever other reason.

All the reasons I've seen posted why more people don't get into scuba diving are reasons a person doesn't get in once they learn about the details of scuba. New people aren't even getting that far to know ANYTHING about scuba. They're just flat not coming through the door into the dive shops to learn the first thing about the sport, so how would they even begin to know what it costs or what's involved?

The core problem lies in the fact that the sport is invisible to most people that aren't already somehow involved. There is nothing in the form of any awarness/ad campaigns, media stimulus, about diving to capture their interest to even inquire about it.
We can sit here and argue all day that the reason dive shops aren't making is is because they are more expensive than the internet and don't carry BP/W. That's not it, there aren't the people anymore to support it.

I know the world wide recession had a huge impact on diving and a lot of other leisure activities because people were just trying to survive.
But scuba had already stagnated and was showing signs of decline before that. Scuba is one of those specialty sports that requires a lot of commitment and water adaptability besides money. Not everybody likes the water. Harley's cost a lot of money too but I'm sure not seeing a decline in ownership or ridership.

 

[TMHeimer]

I can't recall--was there ever a survey/poll done on SB about the numbers in a possibly declining scuba world?
Side note--I have found lots of places both here in NS and on the FL panhandle where you can park and not even cross a road to enter the water, many within a half hour's drive or considerably less. Don't even need a car at our house here or the condo we'll rent in AL this Jan.

 

[Hank49]

You want more divers if you don't want to end up in a situation in which you can't do any diving because the dive operators have gone out of business:

I have had more than a few dive excursions canceled at the last minute because not enough people signed up. I will take a crowded dive boat over sitting in a condo trying to think of something to do any day.

I think there will always be operators in good diving areas. The numbers of them may not increase and actually may decrease but there will always be enough divers to support some of them. The best managed ones will roll with the tide and make necessary changes.
if you live in the midwest or somewhere and only dive when you travel, gear maintenance may become more difficult.

 

[boulderjohn]

I think there will always be operators in good diving areas. The numbers of them may not increase and actually may decrease but there will always be enough divers to support some of them. The best managed ones will roll with the tide and make necessary changes.
if you live in the midwest or somewhere and only dive when you travel, gear maintenance may become more difficult.

You are in Belize. The first time I stayed on Amerbris Caye, I stayed out a few miles from town. A water taxi was needed to get there from town. The place I stayed had its own dedicated dive operator. I was there a week, and on two of those days I went down to the boat only to be told that the dives were canceled for the day--not enough divers.

I stayed 1.5 months in south Florida last year. On at least 5 days I got a call the morning of the dive from an operator telling me the dives were canceled--not enough divers.

 

[Hank49]

You are in Belize. The first time I stayed on Amerbris Caye, I stayed out a few miles from town. A water taxi was needed to get there from town. The place I stayed had its own dedicated dive operator. I was there a week, and on two of those days I went down to the boat only to be told that the dives were canceled for the day--not enough divers.

I stayed 1.5 months in south Florida last year. On at least 5 days I got a call the morning of the dive from an operator telling me the dives were canceled--not enough divers.

Yes, but you still could have dived Belize. Somebody was diving that day.

 

[boulderjohn]

Yes, but you still could have dived Belize. Somebody was diving that day.

Not out where I was.

 

[Kairoos]

I'm afraid I can't add much more to the conversation but reiterate location, cost, and accessibility. I live in South Florida so I can dive all year round. I can drive 5 minutes to my local marina and get out on a dive charter. Or I can do a shore dive. Extremely accessible. I used to live in New Jersey and I see a lot of divers on these forums from NJ, but I can tell you I would probably gone my whole live without touching scuba gear if I still lived there.

Cost is going to be a big factor for a lot of people. If people look at the cost of scuba, and the cost of other hobbies, I have a feeling a lot of other hobbies will take the cake. Accessibility factors into that big time, if you're only going to scuba dive a few times per year, investing thousands into the hobby probably won't seem like a great idea. So lowering the cost of entry is going to be the only way to get some of those people.

The instructor that certified me owns his own boat and doesn't have a retail store, or even an office. I pay $275 for my OW class, same price for my girlfriend (took the course together). If it would have cost me $400 each I would never have picked that phone up and called them. To people who certified with him (OW) his 2-tank dives are $75 with all equipment, and the equipment is decent quality stuff. I don't think it can get much cheaper, especially considering it's an awesome boat (30' island hopper that's only a few years old). I have all my own gear, but my girlfriend doesn't and she probably won't in the foreseeable future, so at that price diving every weekend is reasonable.