Why is Scuba Diving a Transitional Sport?

[Lorenzoid]

"Transitional" to what? I don't understand the question. From the context, maybe you mean "transient"?

 

[tursiops]

Hello All,

Sam Miller 111 wrote a post in the thread Percentage of divers who go beyond openwater?.

Bob DBF followed that thread with What is your highest certification?

In synopsis format, Sam mentioned Skin Diver magazine and their 5 surveys over a 25 year period. Those surveys seem to prove that scuba diving is a transitional avocation. The average term was 2.9 years.

2.9 years is where I started having issues with the sport and specifically dive operators.

Three years ago I was very close to being a scuba diving drop-out. My wife was farther along in the drop-out cycle than I was. I still had hope.

Why is scuba diving a transitional sport?

Is 2.9 years the average for most avocations?

How did you find your niche in scuba?

thanks,
markm

i don't exactly know what you mean by "transitional." Do you mean temporary? Is your thread about why people stop diving? To me, transitional simply means one evolves/moves on...possibly to other aspects of scuba diving, without any connotation of quitting, as you seem to imply.

 

[Rob9876]

He means why do people stop diving? I think most people go through phases with their hobbies -- start something new, get passionate for it and buy equipment, then life gets in the way or a new hobby emerges. Even more so if money/travel is a factor, especially if your significant other is not also into the same hobby.

 

[markmud]

i don't exactly know what you mean by "transitional." Do you mean temporary? Is your thread about why people stop diving? To me, transitional simply means one evolves/moves on...possibly to other aspects of scuba diving, without any connotation of quitting, as you seem to imply.

Hi tursiops,

I used the term that Sam Miller 111 used. I understood it to be a "soft" term for "quit the avocation." Why do people quit diving? Does that help?

Unfortunately, the format is not conducive to publishing a list of terms and their definitions.

cheers,
markm

 

[markmud]

He means why do people stop diving? I think most people go through phases with their hobbies -- start something new, get passionate for it and buy equipment, then life gets in the way or a new hobby emerges. Even more so if money/travel is a factor, especially if your significant other is not also into the same hobby.

Hi Rob,

Right on. You explained better than I did.

markm

 

[lowviz]

He means why do people stop diving?

I read it that way also. For me, skydiving (never got past parachuting) was a transitional sport. Transitional as in 'moving through'. It was high-adrenaline fun until I compressed a vertebrae.

My recovery period gave me time to weigh effort and expense vs. 'fun time'. I would assume that scuba diving would be similar for some people. For me, no. Scuba stuck.

 

[tursiops]

He means why do people stop diving? I think most people go through phases with their hobbies -- start something new, get passionate for it and buy equipment, then life gets in the way or a new hobby emerges. Even more so if money/travel is a factor, especially if your significant other is not also into the same hobby.

But the poll was about why did you continue diving? Not about stopping....

 

[Rob9876]

But the poll was about why did you continue diving? Not about stopping....

The OP (markmud) confirmed a few posts above this. Why continue/why not stop -- 2 sides of the same coin.

 

[Snoweman]

But the poll was about why did you continue diving? Not about stopping....

Would people that have already quit still be paying attention to this board?

 

[jadairiii]

Certified in 1975 and my progression was "slow and steady". Always advancing. I would push my boundaries then look for an instructor to "fix the rough spots". Ventured into DM and teaching in the 80's while at UF. Did a year of tech diving in the mid 90's then realized I really need some instruction and after 5 years of that realized I would kill my self if I continued to dive air deep so found my mix instructor. Now I've ventured into cave. Always, a progression.

But, my real love is the water. This summer I spend most of my time free-diving, it is just the point of getting out there.

But that is why scuba is transitional, you really have to love it to put up with the gear, rough weather, blown out conditions, poor visibility, etc. It is a LOT of work. So people do it, check off that box and move on.