What are you willing to do to keep diving?

[Divin'Papaw]

I think we are the wrong group to ask that question of.

I'll put on a 10mm top with hood, drive 2hrs, view 60 degree water as really warm, wear a mask and physically distance while getting gas. (Just like normal except the mask stuff.)

Amen!

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

I think we are the wrong group to ask that question of.

I'll put on a 10mm top with hood, drive 2hrs, view 60 degree water as really warm, wear a mask and physically distance while getting gas. (Just like normal except the mask stuff.)

I know, I ask a question and all the usual hardcore show up.
I was trying to get the warm water jet setter people to answer. I’m trying to see if the warm water only people are willing to lower their standards to stay wet.

 

[Marie13]

I had a thread since the stupid plague started asking if the warm water vacation divers would be willing to dive locally/within their home country if they were unable to get to their usual diving spots overseas. @chillyinCanada was one of the very few who actually responded to my question. Southeast Asia (Indonesia?) is her preferred place for diving and she pretty much wasn't going to bother diving if she couldn't get there or something of that sort.

 

[Bob DBF]

I know, I ask a question and all the usual hardcore show up.
I was trying to get the warm water jet setter people to answer. I’m trying to see if the warm water only people are willing to lower their standards to stay wet.

They have probably shifted to other hobbies until dive travel returns to the new normal.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

I think it is a great question. I also think it's because those tend to not be the kind of divers active here on ScubaBoard. There are a few active here I'm sure but most of the folks actively using (ie posting to) ScubaBoard are hard core divers who may do plenty of travel but who also dive locally where they live.

 

[MichaelMc]

Maybe a poll:
As a *warm water travel only diver*, with travel and warm diving restricted will you:
- Think about pools
- Consider a local lake
- Take 5 hour road trip to warmer area
- Take 2 day drive to warm water
- Get a really thick suit
- Get a drysuit
...
- I dive cold water already, but still want to answer

 

[StefinSB]

Our local beach dives don't sound very exciting with 5-15ft visibility and 20ft depth but thats what it is and it's good. Wish I could go back to Mexico though to continue my cave training.

 

[rmssetc]

I’m trying to see if the warm water only people are willing to lower their standards to stay wet.

Warm water person here, starting from the assumption that diving is supposed to be fun.

To begin with -- would I do local (PA quarries, cold water/low viz) diving? No. First of all, I get cold in Cozumel during a single dive (5mm wetsuit, beanie hood, heated shirt), and I want to see the pretty fish.

What about going to FL and diving the Keys again?

My personal calculus is that right now, I feel that the increased health risk (however minimal) and increased hassle (huge) of every aspect of a trip would outweigh the enjoyable ~2 1/2hrs/day under water.

As much as I enjoy diving, I also enjoy the other parts of my vacations -- talking with strangers, exploring restaurants, etc. I can't see any of that being the same, even if the diving itself is unchanged.

This is all part of my personal risk management. For perspective, I'm not typically considered risk adverse -- besides diving, I motorcycle, rock climb, and enjoy things like street food in India, Mexico, Turkey, etc. So, what makes the COVID-19 situation different for me, and why is it changing my plans so much? I've given that a lot of thought, and the best answer is that I've always been OK when the high risk parts of an experience are also the fun parts. With COVID-19, there's now added health risk during the most mundane parts of travel, which used to be considered tedious and annoying but safe, and there's a tremendous added hassle doing simple things -- where can I get food, what surfaces can I touch, what's the level of cleanliness, etc, etc.

A diving vacation is the most highly structured trip I ever take -- beyond the details of the diving itself, managing my own gear, etc., this is the only vacation I do where I've got reservations for travel+lodging+recreation in advance. My motorcycle travel -- US & international -- is more typically "follow the blue sky" -- head towards good weather & interesting roads, with only reservations for a hotel near the airport & plane tickets.

I find the fundamental idea of making my travel less spontaneous (researching lodging, food, etc with concerns of social distancing and health) to be a major detraction from the prospect of any travel (not just diving).

I wonder if the mindset of cold-water & tech divers is more aligned with the greater degree of planning & attention to detail required for travel during COVID-19.

 

[Jcp2]

I would need to get and learn how to use a drysuit, which is doable, go to a quarry a couple of hours away, which is doable, but with the end goal of traveling to California to dive in kelp, which at this time seems not doable.
All this assumes that my dive partner would also be willing to do cold water diving, which would be a reach currently.

 

[Marie13]

I wonder if the mindset of cold-water & tech divers is more aligned with the greater degree of planning & attention to detail required for travel during COVID-19.

At the very most, I've traveled 10 hours or so - all by car - to dive in the past. That was from suburban Chicago to Tobermory (with an overnight in Toledo to meet up with the rest of the group and catch a ride). 8 hours to the Straits of Mackinac and Alpena. 6 hours to Sanilac (the side of Michigan's Thumb).

There were the two days drive up to Temagami, ON for ITT/ VIP with abnfrog (Steve Simpson) last summer - but that wasn't just "fun" diving (although it was fun). 15 hours each way. Drive did make for some awesome sightseeing.

My diving during this stupid plague is going to be 4-5 hours away at the most, unless I make it over to Sanilac. I know plenty of divers who are making the drive to dive all over the Great Lakes area, with the exception that you can't get into Canada to dive in Toby right now. There's no need to fly to dive here. It really doesn't make sense. You load up your vehicle with all your gear and go! Gear rentals are iffy, depending on location. Sometimes air fills are an issue, especially if you want something more than just basic air. So you quickly get used to taking everything with you.