All students, no Divers?

[spthomas]

I've noticed a trend in divers. In the freshwater places I dive, there are mostly students in classes. A few divers, but the majority are students. So where are the experienced divers? I didn't see this in the blue water dives I've done over the years, but I guess that's to be expected. But here domestically, it seems we train a lot, but they don't dive. Is this a bad sign?

 

[diverbrian]

Actually, I am more sensitive to this as a relatively recently trained DC who watches our instructors turn most trips booked by the shop into part of their classes.

Some of it is actually that I am getting out of the trend of diving in the same area as the students are at. It seems that I dove in the same areas for my classes or class assists. I reflected on it today when my charter for an advanced dive blew off and I opted out of staying around and doing the next two days on recreational dives that I have done several times over the last little while. Face it, diving off boats takes up vacation time and money. I am getting more selective about using either/both commodities on dives to new sites instead of the same 30 ft.- 80 ft. wrecks that I have been diving for the last two years.

So, some of it is probably that there are just some sites more suitable to students and the dive pros (who seem to be diving alot) and students see so much of those sites that they get a little weary of them. I personally dive quite a bit, but with all the classes available now (and tri-mix classes and classes like Adv. Nitrox which are far and away from a traditional AOW class), it seems that many of us find ourselves in these courses.

 

[cornfed]

So where are the experienced divers?

We're the guys at the quarry sitting on the our tail gates chewing the fat while we wait for the classed to finish up.

Seriously though, there is a group of us that meet at the quarry to practice regularly and I've noticed similar things. It seems like everyone else is part of class. I could be wrong but I think they're all working on their speed diving speciality -- the first person to make two dives and pack up his gear wins.

I think it has to do a lot with the shops around here. The don't do a very good job of promoting local diving. I've heard them say, "don't worry, you'll never have to wear a heavy wetsuit again because after your check out dives there is no reason to go back to the quarry." Or tell people to take a refresher course before the big biannual trip. It seems to me the best thing to do would be to encourage people to dive regularly and by cultivating the local dive scene. *sigh*

 

[Rick Inman]

Right. Around here, there are a handful of divers who dive locally every week, and even less during winter (in fact, I would guess that less than 10 of us in all of Spokane dive throughout the winter locally). So, the masses go through the classes, and then either become vacation divers (annual or bi-annual), coast divers (4 or 5 trips per year to the Puget Sound), or get a couple of cold-water, dark, silty, fish-less dives in and then quit.
Nothing wrong with that.
All is right with the world...

 

[baltimoron]

i might be slipping into that mode right now. for a guy like me that doesnt have a car, and uneager parents unwilling to haul *** to ocean city only for a day, there is not much opportunity for me to dive around Baltimore. it really sucks. however, with southwest i can fly down and visit my grandfather in miami and dive Key Largo! buts thats only about four times a year if i am lucky. it really sucks- beacuse i feel i really can get good at scuba diving- but i have no room to grow!

i need advice!!

 

[miketsp]

I've noticed a trend in divers. In the freshwater places I dive, there are mostly students in classes. A few divers, but the majority are students. So where are the experienced divers? I didn't see this in the blue water dives I've done over the years, but I guess that's to be expected. But here domestically, it seems we train a lot, but they don't dive. Is this a bad sign?

Depends. I found that once I accumulated a good number of dives in fantastic locations I got a bit spoiled so I am far more selective. I did a few trips in the last couple of years where nobody on the boat had less than 100 dives, most had far more.
I still do trips closer to home to keep in practice. I never like to go for more than 6 weeks without diving. On these trips the majority are students.

 

[Far_X]

i might be slipping into that mode right now. for a guy like me that doesnt have a car, and uneager parents unwilling to haul *** to ocean city only for a day, there is not much opportunity for me to dive around Baltimore. it really sucks. however, with southwest i can fly down and visit my grandfather in miami and dive Key Largo! buts thats only about four times a year if i am lucky. it really sucks- beacuse i feel i really can get good at scuba diving- but i have no room to grow!

i need advice!!

Do your parents dive? Can you hook up with a local buddy who does have a car?

 

[spthomas]

I guess you're all right, it really depends on the location. For all my prior dive experience over the last 20 years, I've nearly always been at a blue water travel destination, and there were mostly experienced divers. Now that I want to just get wet more (I finally REALLY caught the bug last year), now I have to dive in quarries, and they are mostly training sites.

=Steve=