Opportunity or maybe I should say lack of
What is the BIGGEST OBSTACLE TO DIVING?
- Thread starter jason.elias
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I think there is a lot of confusion as to both the time and cost.
Of all of the dive shops that I had visited before being certified, I only had one that said For $375 you will be certified to do open water dives up to 60ft in depth (YMCA). Unless we run into some unforeseen complication. This price included books, pool, rental gear and the open water dives again with all gear included.. The only thing not covered was a wetsuit for the pool if you find it too cold. If the open water required more dives for the instructor to be comfortable with the student, no extra charge.
Every other dive shop that I visited did the alacarte pricing which is very confusing. And to take the class and pool in January then wait six months for the open water seemed too long. I wonder how many never complete their open water? My classes were two weeks in April, another class went in May and we all did our open water in June. Bam!! I had the rest of the summer to play!
Like in the previous post. Getting all of the money up front is an incentive for people to complete the course. When you stretch it out too long people have now done scuba even if only in a pool, maybe the thrill is gone? Sort of a been there, done that type of thing. Honestly just being able to breathe under twelve feet of water is a HUGE accomplishment for the mildest of thrill seekers.
Jeff
Of all of the dive shops that I had visited before being certified, I only had one that said For $375 you will be certified to do open water dives up to 60ft in depth (YMCA). Unless we run into some unforeseen complication. This price included books, pool, rental gear and the open water dives again with all gear included.. The only thing not covered was a wetsuit for the pool if you find it too cold. If the open water required more dives for the instructor to be comfortable with the student, no extra charge.
Every other dive shop that I visited did the alacarte pricing which is very confusing. And to take the class and pool in January then wait six months for the open water seemed too long. I wonder how many never complete their open water? My classes were two weeks in April, another class went in May and we all did our open water in June. Bam!! I had the rest of the summer to play!
Like in the previous post. Getting all of the money up front is an incentive for people to complete the course. When you stretch it out too long people have now done scuba even if only in a pool, maybe the thrill is gone? Sort of a been there, done that type of thing. Honestly just being able to breathe under twelve feet of water is a HUGE accomplishment for the mildest of thrill seekers.
Jeff
diver 85
Contributor
Fear of the dark unknown........
A lot of people, when they find out I dive, immediately say, "Oh, I could never do that, I'm too claustrophobic." I'm not sure what there is about floating around in a huge body of water that's claustrophobic, but apparently the image is to a lot of people.
I really don't understand the many, many people I've met who got certified and never dove. Some never did a single post-certification dive!
I do understand why people would choose not to dive where I dive, or where a lot of inland folks dive. The heavy exposure protection, the massive weight, the reduced visibility, and the knowledge that most dives will end with you cold and uncomfortable are good reasons not to pursue our local diving, despite the richness of the underwater environment.
I wonder if another barrier is that most other things are things you can try without committing to a class. You can rent skis and go skiing with an experienced companion and give it a try, and take your lessons later if you want. You can't do that with small airplanes, but not that many people fly. Unless you're somewhere where "Discover Scuba" is available, you can't do it with scuba diving, either, and I think people are sometimes reluctant to part with the costs of a class when they aren't sure they're even going to like diving. I know I felt that way.
I really don't understand the many, many people I've met who got certified and never dove. Some never did a single post-certification dive!
I do understand why people would choose not to dive where I dive, or where a lot of inland folks dive. The heavy exposure protection, the massive weight, the reduced visibility, and the knowledge that most dives will end with you cold and uncomfortable are good reasons not to pursue our local diving, despite the richness of the underwater environment.
I wonder if another barrier is that most other things are things you can try without committing to a class. You can rent skis and go skiing with an experienced companion and give it a try, and take your lessons later if you want. You can't do that with small airplanes, but not that many people fly. Unless you're somewhere where "Discover Scuba" is available, you can't do it with scuba diving, either, and I think people are sometimes reluctant to part with the costs of a class when they aren't sure they're even going to like diving. I know I felt that way.
DeputyDan
Contributor
I think this is excatly right - Fear of "fill in the blank"
robint
Contributor
Cost - of vacations and gear...................this has got to be the number one reason. We would be gone diving every day if we could afford to do it. Gotta work sometime though. 
As far as why most newly certified divers don't continue --- I think many of them get certified on a whim, or because they are going on a cruise, or they have already booked a trip somewhere with water. I think those people DO NOT have a good experience the first time diving after certification. Either they go someplace with lousy diving, or the dive op was lousy, or they just didn't enjoy it. So for them, it is easy to quit.
My husband is an instructor and we keep track of all his students. Most of them are very excited after getting certified with him, they can't wait to get in the ocean. I bet 80-90% of them just don't have the dives they expected on that first trip. We always call or e-mail them to ask how their trip went and this is what we find out usually. Sad but true. We always try to encourage them to get out and dive with us again locally, some do, most don't.
As far as why most newly certified divers don't continue --- I think many of them get certified on a whim, or because they are going on a cruise, or they have already booked a trip somewhere with water. I think those people DO NOT have a good experience the first time diving after certification. Either they go someplace with lousy diving, or the dive op was lousy, or they just didn't enjoy it. So for them, it is easy to quit.
My husband is an instructor and we keep track of all his students. Most of them are very excited after getting certified with him, they can't wait to get in the ocean. I bet 80-90% of them just don't have the dives they expected on that first trip. We always call or e-mail them to ask how their trip went and this is what we find out usually. Sad but true. We always try to encourage them to get out and dive with us again locally, some do, most don't.
Interesting, Time and Money. I have some wealthy students/former students complain either about cost or time.
I'm running a nitrox course this coming weekend and the wealthy people complained about the cost and cost of materials and one not so wealthy diver complained it would take too much time...yet two very new divers just said what time and how much? No questions asked.
I would like to travel more and get cave cerified. Its time and money for me too,when I have the time the money is for something else and when I have the money I don't have the time. My money also goes for operating costs so I guess the money goes to diving anyway.
Ron
I'm running a nitrox course this coming weekend and the wealthy people complained about the cost and cost of materials and one not so wealthy diver complained it would take too much time...yet two very new divers just said what time and how much? No questions asked.
I would like to travel more and get cave cerified. Its time and money for me too,when I have the time the money is for something else and when I have the money I don't have the time. My money also goes for operating costs so I guess the money goes to diving anyway.
Ron
ehuber
Contributor
I dive fewer times than I'd like to due to a lack of dive buddies.
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