58 years young--what can I expect ?

[Colliam7]

I'm 58 and in good physical and mental health. ... One part of me is saying " go for it...do it as much as you can while you still can" and another part is saying "you're no spring chicken, you need to approach this with more caution than if you were 30 or 40 years old". I realize that every diver is different regardless of age, but I'd also appreciate some words of advice from experts or others who have taken up diving later in life.

I will 'pile on' here. Like several others, started at 52, now Instructor, trimix certified, interested in lots of different types of diving (cave, sidemount, liveaboards - the list is almnost endless). Yes, I am not quite as agile as I once was, I am not as strong as I once was, I'm not as good as I once was (at a lot of things) but I plan to dive, teach and learn for a long time to come (and I want to think I'm as good once as I ever was.)

 

[Belmont]

I started at 56 and








i'm now doing my cave cert, if you have the time and money you keep in shape, go for it.

 

[cudachaser]

Well I'm kinda on the opposite spectrum...started diving at 16...I'm now 59 (well almost, my B'day is Sunday). I'm an active instructor...a side note, my teaching career outlasted my aerospace career...I retired from NASA 3 years ago...I got my first instructor rating less then a year after I started working for them in 1977

 

[Web Monkey]

I'm 58 and in good physical and mental health. Its not that I am specifically worried about anything in particular, its just that I am pretty compulsive and tend to really devour new interests. One part of me is saying " go for it...do it as much as you can while you still can" and another part is saying "you're no spring chicken, you need to approach this with more caution than if you were 30 or 40 years old".

Assuming you don't have any medical conditions that would stop you, there's no reason to not dive. In fact, if you do a little Googling, you'll find that huge number of us around here are "old farts".

Have fun!

Terry

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Hot young chicks will flock to you! :cool2:

They will see your wisdom and skill and sidle up to you and whisper, "you remind of my grampa, can I dive with you instead of those other guys! All they are good for is cheap, dirty sex, I'm glad you're not like that!":shocked2:

, young kids will think you are so cool,

your wallet will grow slimmer quickly


, and any hair you lost will suddenly grow back! Welcome to scuba diving!

 

[Gary D.]

I was just barely 14 when I started and today diving is a big part of my job at 62. Just dive within your limits. It may not the diving that causes problems but packing the gear to and from the site or boat.

Enjoy it

Gary D.

 

[J.R.]

I'm 58 and in good physical and mental health. Its not that I am specifically worried about anything in particular, its just that I am pretty compulsive and tend to really devour new interests. One part of me is saying " go for it...do it as much as you can while you still can" and another part is saying "you're no spring chicken, you need to approach this with more caution than if you were 30 or 40 years old". I realize that every diver is different regardless of age, but I'd also appreciate some words of advice from experts or others who have taken up diving later in life. What do you think ?
I do plan on continuing my diving education as much as is possible.

Thanks !

My wife is 59... got certified at 57... If you're in good physical shape... then "yes, you can..."... Now, she dives within her limits... no matter how much in shape we are at this age... we can't always keep up with the youngin's... but this isn't about keeping up... it's about buddies, taking your time and enjoying the view... and doing what makes ya' happy. When she and I dive together we move at her pace... we take a little extra time getting up and down boat's ladders and we're not bashful about asking for a hand... that allows us to dive and have a ball...

Although I was certified early in life, I had a long period where I had given up diving... I got back into it about a year before my wife decided to start... and just got my divemaster last year. I'm currently working on my Assistant Instructor... and just got Ice Dive certified.

Now... I'm a little overweight (workin' on it)... she has a little arthritus... (ignores it)... we were both in "good shape" (getting in better shape)... but we both realized that a little prudence and a lot of common sense makes diving a VERY doable thing... (the main tech at a dive shop in the area is 80 something... and a very competent diver...

So... if it hurts... stop. If you're tired... rest. Don't feel compelled to "keep up"... you'll do just fine...

Welcome to the pool....

 

[TSandM]

I started at 52, which was three years ago, and I'm cave certified and working on my Tech 1 class this spring. My husband, who had been certified years ago but had a long "surface interval" got back into diving at 58, and he's 61 now and full cave, will be doing Tech 1 with me, and is working on his PADI instructor rating.

If you're in good cardiovascular health, diving at our age is great. My knees and ankles just wish it didn't involve so much heavy gear

 

[Darnold9999]

I'm 54 been diving off an on for 25 + years - with any kind of luck I plan to be diving for another 25. Was on a liveaboard over Xmas - one of the divers would admit to being over 70, I suspect she was closer to 80. She was doing back to back 11 day liveaboards in Raj Ampat. Needed help lifting the tank to the rail of the tender before rolling in - but she was also 5 foot nothing so I suspect has always needed help.

Came up on the last dive of the trip in a squall on a shallow reef. Every diver had some issues getting back in to the boat, she probably had the least trouble of all of us. Knew what she was doing, knew her limitations (usually passed on one dive each day) and pretty much did her own thing.

She did her 1300 dive on the trip.

You have lots of catching up to do.

 

[gypsyjim]

Just behind you in age. Diving since 16 and no intention of quitting for a very long time.

The way I see it, I'll only live just so long, and We're dead for a very long time, so live while you still can!

GF gave me certificate for skydiving lessons for Xmas. This body may be a bit rough around the edges by now, and not quite what it used to be, but as long as I can still live my life as I please I intend to live it fully.