What is the fundamental reason that prevents scuba diving from becoming popular?

[tarponchik]

You have some very valid points. One of my other hobbies is photography. I try to do at least one trip per year dedicated to landscape photography.

There is one location known as the "Mesa Arch" that has become quite famous. The first time I went there, the "common wisdom" was to get there about 30 minutes before sunrise so that you aren't rushed as you set up. The last time I was there, I arrived more than 2 hours before sunrise and there were already people there and set up. (We spent those 2 hours shooting the Milky Way.) About 20 minutes before sunrise, 2 tour buses unloaded about 100 tourists who were pushing and shoving to try to get the shot. The Mesa Arch has gone from a spot known to Landscape Photographers to a "must shoot" location for anyone with a smart phone and an Instagram account.

View attachment 667084
The image of the Mesa Arch at sunrise with the glowing red-orange sand stone with a sunstar has become an iconic photo.
In the roughly 10 years that I have been going there, it has gone from 1 or 2 photographers to well over 100 on any given day.

The recent popularity of this location has put increased pressure on the trail to it. Where it was once a location treasured by photographers hoping to capture its unique beauty, the increased traffic has resulted in litter being strewn everywhere.

Tour busses at Mesa Arch? Disgusting...I was there once, back in 1992.

 

[TMHeimer]

Tour busses at Mesa Arch? Disgusting...I was there once, back in 1992.

I assume this is in Arches Natl. Park Utah?

 

[Hoag]

I assume this is in Arches Natl. Park Utah?

Canyonlands National Park actually. (Just a little down the road from Arches, but still in the Moab area.)

 

[WeRtheOcean]

Perhaps I would understand it if I grew up with computers, but I didn't.

Well, I did grow up with computers, and video games. I was an ace at Atari (and still recognize some SB users' avatars as Atari characters). Then Nintendo came along, and my fingers got too confused by that many buttons (maybe because I still one-finger type?), and I decided that I preferred real-life experiences that my body knew how to do. Playing "Pitfall" just cannot compare to actually exploring a tropical rainforest.

 

[WeRtheOcean]

Imagine if all it took to scuba dive was a smartphone.

For context, just look at all the GoPro freediving videos on YouTube. Seems like pretty soon, everyone will be doing that.

 

[TMHeimer]

Well, I did grow up with computers, and video games. I was an ace at Atari (and still recognize some SB users' avatars as Atari characters). Then Nintendo came along, and my fingers got too confused by that many buttons (maybe because I still one-finger type?), and I decided that I preferred real-life experiences that my body knew how to do. Playing "Pitfall" just cannot compare to actually exploring a tropical rainforest.

Good point. Like what I was saying before--you have to go a long way back to find those (like me-- and Bob) who didn't grow up with video games & even computers (we got our first one in 1997). So I don't think that factors in very much with the OP's question.

 

[J-Vo]

Just yesterday my wife and I were watching some YouTube cave diving videos. In most of the videos the dangers are always exaggerated and dramatized for affect. This goes as far as continually quoting statistics from the 70's and 80's ("Worlds most Dangerous Sport", "1 out of 10 rebreather divers die"). And these quotes from people who make a living teaching diving. This was not making my wife feel comfortable with my upcoming rebreather class.

I realized reading this thread that pretty much anything on TV that focusses on the diving rather than the wildlife does the same thing ("Sharks!", "DCS!", "Narcosis!", "Lost at Sea!").

The general public must think we are all out of our minds when in reality the most dangerous thing in the water is ourselves. No wonder people don't want to dive.

 

[tarponchik]

Just yesterday my wife and I were watching some YouTube cave diving videos. In most of the videos the dangers are always exaggerated and dramatized for affect. This goes as far as continually quoting statistics from the 70's and 80's ("Worlds most Dangerous Sport", "1 out of 10 rebreather divers die"). And these quotes from people who make a living teaching diving. This was not making my wife feel comfortable with my upcoming rebreather class.

I realized reading this thread that pretty much anything on TV that focusses on the diving rather than the wildlife does the same thing ("Sharks!", "DCS!", "Narcosis!", "Lost at Sea!").

The general public must think we are all out of our minds when in reality the most dangerous thing in the water is ourselves. No wonder people don't want to dive.

To the contrary, higher risk should attract more divers.

 

[Bob DBF]

To the contrary, higher risk should attract more divers.

There are less adventurers now, and the ones that want high risk are BASE jumping.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

There are less adventurers now, and the ones that want high risk are BASE jumping.

There are less adventurers now, and diving is culturally irrelevant.