on a subject I know very little about. I've learned a lot.
FWIW, I think the dive industry is not the same as the LDS
industry. LDSs concentrate on first instruction and first equiptment. The diving "industry" provides travel, boats &
experiences for divers. The travel part of the industry seems to be doing OK. Small stores whether they be the corner pharmacy or LDS are hurting in an age of internet sales and large discount
stores. Perhaps the future is for LDSs to break away from just teaching/equiptment and become specialty travel agencies as well. Not just a Saturday at Lake Muddy, but regular agencies selling and promoting that particular kind of vacation. Part of the problem now may be that diving has spread into areas where it doesn't thrive. I live in the Great Lake State with water everywhere. Still, diving here is either deep and cold or clams and perch. Not much fun. It's hard to expand interest where your nearest reef is 1200 miles away. Bottom line: this is a coastal sport that has gone inland. Inland LDSs will have a hard time reguardless of pricing for equiptment.
FWIW, I think the dive industry is not the same as the LDS
industry. LDSs concentrate on first instruction and first equiptment. The diving "industry" provides travel, boats &
experiences for divers. The travel part of the industry seems to be doing OK. Small stores whether they be the corner pharmacy or LDS are hurting in an age of internet sales and large discount
stores. Perhaps the future is for LDSs to break away from just teaching/equiptment and become specialty travel agencies as well. Not just a Saturday at Lake Muddy, but regular agencies selling and promoting that particular kind of vacation. Part of the problem now may be that diving has spread into areas where it doesn't thrive. I live in the Great Lake State with water everywhere. Still, diving here is either deep and cold or clams and perch. Not much fun. It's hard to expand interest where your nearest reef is 1200 miles away. Bottom line: this is a coastal sport that has gone inland. Inland LDSs will have a hard time reguardless of pricing for equiptment.
