WtF: The Decline in Scuba Participation

[Diving Dubai]

Scuba isn't declining - it's just moved on. Every time this subject comes up, the evidence for participation in the US always gets extrapolated across the world. That simply isn't true.

(Pre Covid) Travel has never been easier - it's cheaper than ever to visit far flung parts of the world. People are time poor so tend to spend that time to the best effect. People no longer need to tolerate poor vis and cold water temperatures when (for most of the world) Indonesia, and Egypt are easily accessible.

The way people have gone about it has changed. The Brick and mortar store has given way to the internet, both for gear and for travel. The club scene has shrunk for sure, people tend to have limited free time and want to make teh most of it. The advantages of club diving can also be its achilles heal

One cannot dispute however the sad decline in the reefs. There are little oasis out there if you know where to look, but generally because of their popularity they command a significant chunk of change to visit

That said there are more boutique operation popping up all over, catering to the more discerning diver - off the beaten track. However if you're expecting an all inclusive with all you can eat buffet meals, then these aren't for you

One big thing I've noticed, especially with the younger generation it that they're more about experience than possessions, hence happy to travel light and rent gear at the destination, and watch with some bemusement as some of us lug large packs with our gear around the world

 

[ginti]

@tursiops what a life! Hope you enjoyed Italy and "pasta col pesto"

My point is that the shows on TV had nothing to do with my lifelong passion. They may have been motivational for some, but clearly were not essential.

Can't agree more. Personally, I love fluctuating against gravity, and in this regard, a cold and muddy quarry, a swimming pool and the Maldives are exactly the same.

A lot of people dream of flying - I (used to) fly every weekend underwater

 

[Esprise Me]

When I lived in SoCal I recall seeing (young?) surfers out there awfully early. But it's possible they were older guys and I was just assuming. Any idea how surfing is doing as a sport nowadays? Surfing, like scuba, takes some dedication before it becomes fun.

I tried surfing as a teenager. Never got the hang of it. I mostly dive at places that are not popular with surfers, but La Jolla shores has a surfing section and a swimming/diving section, so I pass surfers on my way out. I'm not great at guessing ages, but I don't think many of them are much younger than me. But that's not much of a sample size.

 

[Julius SCHMIDT]

There are also so many surfers on any good day out there that they get into territory turf (surf) wars over waves. It’s not unheard of to see two guys fighting over waves

 

[Lorenzoid]

I tried surfing as a teenager. Never got the hang of it. I mostly dive at places that are not popular with surfers, but La Jolla shores has a surfing section and a swimming/diving section, so I pass surfers on my way out. I'm not great at guessing ages, but I don't think many of them are much younger than me. But that's not much of a sample size.

I did my OW cert dives at La Jolla Shores. No, not much of a sample size.

Anyway, maybe my thinking there are parallels between scuba and surfing is way off. Surfing is probably more like free diving, which is thriving.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

I did my OW cert dives at La Jolla Shores. No, not much of a sample size.

Anyway, maybe my thinking there are parallels between scuba and surfing is way off. Surfing is probably more like free diving, which is thriving.

Yes freediving is huge too.
Not so much up here right now because they shut down ab diving but overall in the state young water people are freediving. Freediving is relatively inexpensive compared to scuba and doesn’t require any formal training, plus most freedivers are after food and for youngsters that’s a bonus. Fish tacos. There’s kind of a surf, dive, love of the ocean, natural world type of culture happening with a segment of the population. Of course that’s geographical too, goes without saying. In Colorado they would probably be into hiking and rock climbing, here they hit the coast. Airline travel and expensive all-inclusive scuba diving packages are not what they do. To them it’s all here now, make use out of what you have at hand, create your own culture, do it on the cheap with minimal cash, hang out with your best buddies, camp out, sit around a fire and drink some local micro brew. Local freediving totally fits that bill.

 

[Esprise Me]

Seems there might be some tension between the desire to see the sport grow among younger folks with limited free time and money, and the desire to see every new diver get the better, more intensive training many of us sought out after finding out OW courses lacking.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Seems there might be some tension between the desire to see the sport grow among younger folks with limited free time and money, and the desire to see every new diver get the better, more intensive training many of us sought out after finding out OW courses lacking.

Marketing scuba to younger folks means selling them on expensive complicated gear that never seems to end with the amount of crap “they” say you need now. Plus the cost of training before you can really do the sport. There’s storage of the stuff, there’s transportation of the stuff, there’s boat fees because it’s heavily sold as a boat diving sport. In the case of SoCal, Catalina is pushed, you have the ferry, transport to Casino Point, the diving, the lockers, etc. It sounds like a pain in the ass to me.
Scuba is a little overwhelming to someone living life on a shoestring. Life in general cost a lot more now, it takes a substantial amount of cash just to exist.
Scuba is something older more established people take up.
Then you mention the underwhelming training that’s happening. That would be the second thing they would encounter once the logistical, financial, and time commitment is met to scuba dive.
Unless they are trust fund babies, the youth of today is having a much tougher time then I had for example at that age. There was no cell phone Bill, internet bill, big car payment, rent was way less proportionate to income, gas was cheaper, food was cheaper, everything was cheaper and there were less frivolous toys that have somehow crept into our lives and become mandatory now.

 

[Bump_Head]

Does anybody else recognize the amusement of a thread populated by Boomers attempting to dissect what is effectively a Gen X, Y, Z issue?

 

[DBPacific]

Does anybody else recognize the amusement of a thread populated by Boomers attempting to dissect what is effectively a Gen X, Y, Z issue?

Hey I'm just glad people are recognizing the financial difference without the thread being dominated by 'young people are lazy' this time around

I'd call this issue more of Gen Y and Z than X-Z. Gen Y/Millennials are fully in the job market and were probably hoping to buy a house or looking into it but still less financially secure. Gen Z is me and younger, so early job market and/or still in university at the oldest. Gen X would be like my dad - well established and generally financially secure enough to pursue expensive hobbies. For him it's carpentry and robotics.

Most of the people here read/feel younger than Boomers to me though.