Am I too old to get certified?

[DizzyDallasDi]

I have done 2 dives without ever taking a real class. The first one was in the late 80s in Puerto Vallarta. Did approx. 15 minutes in a 4 ft. pool at the hotel property with their DM evaluating whether I could breath with a regulator and use fins properly. It all came very naturally to me. Then, I did a 60 ft dive and was hooked. The other couple on our boat were shocked that was my first dive...they thought I acted like I'd been diving for years. :blinking: Ego boost deluxe but my ears bothered me for a couple of days after.

The next dive was in Maui in the late 90s. I had a "refresher course" at a picnic table in the dive shop reviewing the basics. During the descent I started experiencing a great deal of pain in my ear so I headed back up. The DM saw me and grabbed my ankle motioning that we were going down. I responded with, no, I'm going up and pointed to my ears. The idiot DM grabbed my ankle again and was trying to force me to continue descending. I kicked him off and continued my ascent. That dive resulted in a perferated ear drum. The Maui doc had a pre-packaged med pack for people with this affliction...he "sees it all the time."

I've never gotten over my desire to scuba dive but now I'm 58 and want to take classes so I can learn the proper way to dive. Am I too old to start and do I have any hope of ever being able to get my ears to cooperate? I've got very sensitive ears and even know when a plane is beginning its initial descent 15 minutes before it's announced. I swore off scuba diving after the Maui incident because I thought I had weird ears but I've been reading posts that have renewed my hope that I can overcome.

Is 58 too old to start and can I master the ear equalization techniques?

Thank you!

 

[Bonairetrip]

58 is not too old.

This issue isn't really how sensitive you are to pressure changes as it is how readily you can equalize that pressure. You might start with an exam from an ENT doc familiar with diving issues. He or she could evaluate any anatomical issues for you.

There are many techinques for equalizing -- there is a video link around here somewhere on that very topic.

 

[mbalmr]

If I am not mistaken there are several people on the board here who were certified in their late fifties or older and haven't looked back. I agree that you should see an ENT before deciding anything though. I wish you the best of luck, and remember your are only as old as you feel... oh boy that was cheesy

 

[LBHeyman]

Not too old...go for it!

 

[Dirty-Dog]

I asked our instructor (Alvaro at AlwaysDiving.com) about the oldest person he'd certified. Turns out it was a mexican national who had sold his business, retired, and was fulfilling the terms of his will: "Being of sound mind, I spent it all before I died."
He was 72.

 

[tstormdiver]

I taught my father to dive last summer & he was 63 then, & loves it! No, it is not too old. I was also on a liveaboard where an instructor had certified his father & the father turned 80 while we were on the trip. If your ears are a problem from your past experiences, you will probably want to get them checked out by a specialist (preferably one who dives & understands the effects of pressure on the ears) first to make sure there are no real problems. You can call Diver's Alert Network (DAN) & they will give you a referral at 1-800-446-2671. As long as you are in reasonable health, go for it. Be aware if you are being treated for anything medical, you'll probably have to get a physician's clearance first. Some people have small Eustachian tubes which can make equalization difficult. If cleared by an ENT specialist, you may be able to learn other techniques

 

[Diver0001]

Is 58 too old to start and can I master the ear equalization techniques?

Thank you!

58 is absolutely not too old. My opinion is that if you want to dive you can. There's nothing that will stop you from learning at your age (ear issues are not normally related to age) and diving is a perfect sport for us as we age because you'll always be able to find places to dive that match your physical abilities/limitations as you get older. Some people dive well into their 90's, which is basically to say that it's a sport you can enjoy for the rest of your life.

R..

 

[SharkSafaris]

I think I read in Undersea Journal a few years ago that PADI certified an eighty-something year old.




____________________
www.sharksafaris.co.za

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I certified my boss and his wife last year. Both of them were 62. A good idea to get checked out anyway but it is also possible that your previous experiences were perhaps the result of descending a little too fast and without equalizing often enough. There are a number of techniques and some were better than others depending on the person. With new divers I advise a MILD effort to equalize on every breath in the pool. Overkill perhaps but it works very well.

 

[PullmanSCUBA]

If your doctor does not have any concers you should be ok.