How often do you dive? How often is "realistic"

[filmguy123]

Title says it all. I live up in the Pacific NW (Portland, OR) - a few hours drive from most of the worthwhile dive sites. Is it realistic to expect with work and other commitments to go scuba diving (probably for a weekend trip) every couple of months?

How often do YOU dive? Being new to SCUBA and the community, I am not sure what is considered normal or average for frequency of dives. I am hoping to not become just a "vacation diver".

 

[fmerkel]

After watching NW divers for a couple decades try to get into the sport I'd say on average if you don't dive at least once every 2 months you not only will not make progress but your skills will deteriorate.
"Average" is a semi-meaningless value since the average is probably 4-6 dives/year....on vacation.
IMO an active diver spends time in the water at least monthly. At that level you'll make some progress, though pretty slowly.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

I don't think anyone can answer that as it depends on where you live, as that dictates what is immediately available to you. I'm in Seattle, and tomorrow after work I'll go on a 100 minute dive which I enjoy doing once during the work week every week or so. I dive also about every other weekend, sometimes more. But dive sites can be as little as 30 minutes away. Not so easy for you. Other folks not on the coasts have lakes, rivers, quarries, etc..

I'd recommend trying to get in one weekend per month for some diving. Though I don't know you and what your life is like in terms of commitments and desires. I do dive every so often at the Hood Canal. PM me if you'd ever like to meet up there, or if you go up to Seattle. I'm only familiar with Sund Rock on Hood Canal. I'm hoping to get more familiar with other sites this September.

 

[uncfnp]

I am hoping to not become just a "vacation diver".

I am a vacation diver. This year its Bonaire, Grand Cayman, Cozumel, West Palm Beach, Bonaire again and then finish up with another WPB trip. I expect to make somewhere around 100 dives from March to December.

 

[northernone]

I've averaged a dive ever 2 days for the past two years.

It is all to the degree that you can rearrange your schedule or find cracks in it.

Secondly I lowered my standards for what a worthwhile dive site is in order to increase my efficiency in predive checks and post dive maintenance so a two tank dive doesn't take a full day. Low viz muck dive isn't bad night diving training and anything looks different at night after work.

Family and other hobbies of course are a huge factor of how to make time.

But, for example, I've gotten up early on a Saturday, drove a couple hours, did a hour dive, drove back and did the yard work in the afternoon before a cook out with friends in the evening.

Nice thread topic, I've been curious myself! And welcome to the online community where diving is the norm!

Regards,
Cameron

 

[Steve_C]

Do you have a family?

Are you married?

Do you want to stay married?

Do you have other commitments of some sort?

How much time does your job use up.

Do you like long drives on weekends to go places.

Ignore the instructors who rack up a lot of dives teaching,

Personally I do about 30-40 dives a year. A mix of local quarry dives, dives at the NC coast (2.5 hours away), and some dives while traveling.

My wife does not dive and I have some other family commitments so it comes down to one to two dive trips a month.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

I'm fortunate to live with a few minutes of the ocean and my boat. I'm unfortunate that I go to work a little after 4:00 am. Because of work I only get to dive on the weekends. It's amazing how nice conditions are Monday through Friday before the surf picks up in time for Saturday. I'm hoping that when I retire the ocean doesn't find out about it so I can get in a few weekday dives.

 

[The Chairman]

Don't hate me because I live in the Keys. I dive fairly regularly, and then also go on Scuba junkets like our ScubaBoard Philippines invasion. Even then, I'm way behind most of the people on this trip. It seems my Achilles Tendon is trying to tear again. I'll try again tomorrow, but on a limited schedule.

 

[PfcAJ]

I go for quality over quantity. I'd much rather have 2 GOOD dives a month than a bunch of dives to fill log book pages.

 

[CT-Rich]

I have been getting in around 20-25 dives a year. I live a good to 2+ hours away from any decent diving. I will take my tanks in the car and hit the road dive two tanks, get one filled and make a night dive before heading home. The only problem is that I become a road hazard after three dives (I am very serious about that). I am teaching one daughter to dive and the other to drive. Hopefully, it will get better over time.....