Average age of divers today???

[Divedoggie]

My regular dive buddies run the spectrum from late 20's to early 60's. I'd like to have a couple in their teens, but I don't think I can get the students from this spring back in the water until school lets out

Diving, as it is promoted today, is for the majority of people a travel activity. Travel is expensive and requires time. Young people don't have much money and often don't have much vacation, either.

If you are lucky enough to live where I do, diving is a local, relatively inexpensive and year-round activity, which is much easier for young people to get into. And then they marry and start families, and the TIME becomes the limiting factor, and at best, they are vacation divers for a number of years. (That was my husband's trajectory, too.)

In the last three months, Peter has certified at least six people under the age of 20. There IS interest in that age group!

My college Scuba classes are full every semester. That is 5 OW classes per semester, plus Scuba 2 (a very comprehensive AOW Course.) Fall 2010 plus Spring 2011 totaled about 250 students between the ages of 18-23.
At the recent PADI update, we were presented with figures which showed the largest number of new certifications world-wide between the ages of 19-29.

IMO the most active divers do tend to be middle aged due to more leisure time, more disposable income, and because diving is fairly cerebral and less physical, which enables the athletically declining to partipate on an equal playing field.

 

[robbcayman]

I'm 27 and hope to be doing this until I'm in my 70's!!

 

[koozemani]

That's because the average age of the people that can afford to dive, go places and dive, is 40's+.

Jax, love the new avatar.

I have to agree with jax on the time and money issue. A recent thread asking about what most diver's occupations were revealed alot. Most were professionals in well established careers, very few were students. Or at least that was my perception...

I started in my mid thirties when I received ow lessons as a present. Had it not been for my gf who knows if I ever would have picked it up. I'd love my boys to pick it up when they're older. they're lucky enough to have a dad who has no problem pissing away their inheritance on hobbies and vacations. At 6 and 8 they've taken up backpacking and constantly want to know where we're going next. They've shown interest in diving, but time will tell.

 

[k ellis]

your age is nothing but a number in my opinion. Its what you know that counts.

I used to think that way about relationships. Now if I were single again there would be an absolute minimum 25 years of age :cool2:

 

[Nemrod]

IMO the most active divers do tend to be middle aged due to more leisure time, more disposable income, and because diving is fairly cerebral and less physical, which enables the athletically declining to participate on an equal playing field.

I have been an active diver since I was a child. However, it is true, most divers that have the time and money to travel tend to be older, 40 plus. Just a mater of economics, leisure time.

As to the more cerebral and less active part, I go full out at everything I do, always, I will relax when I am dead, hopefully if I don't fall off my bicycle anymore, that will be a long time from now. In any case, I do notice a trend, divers are getting older and I see fewer and fewer replacements for them. There are many reasons including the rapidly lowering life quality here in the USA and most of the western world. This is the first generation of kids that have been told from the beginning how great they are and low and behold, hardly a job for them to prove it any where to be found. Going on dive trips cost money, imagine that.

There is another reason, the increasing girth of people, young people included, precludes an active lifestyle, sitting on the couch and playing video games is real enough I suppose.

N

 

[Griff..]

I used to think that way about relationships. Now if I were single again there would be an absolute minimum 25 years of age :cool2:

Unfortunately being so young, a lot of people seem to share this view.. fortunately I look older so can taylor my age to fit the woman at the bar..

ha!

 

[k ellis]

Unfortunately being so young, a lot of people seem to share this view.. fortunately I look older so can taylor my age to fit the woman at the bar..

ha!

LOL Its all good some like older some like younger me I Just avoid bars all together. LOL I went to a bar a couple times and some mother tried to throw her 15 year old on every guy that walked in the door (And to think you had to be 18 but no one cared)

Then there was a time I went to a bar in Mo. and some girl was trying to climb the wall. I used to respond to fights at bars all the time and well they proved to have some of the most interesting people there too. Depending on the type of bar that it was it always proved to be an interesting sight.

I just think Ill stick to my old enough to know better and to wore down by age to care to go out age group

 

[haumana ronin]

I wonder if diving is often a Mid-Life thing:hiding: that got way out of hand...

:zen:

 

[haumana ronin]

duplicate

 

[herbdb]

I started in my mid thirties when I received ow lessons as a present. Had it not been for my gf who knows if I ever would have picked it up. I'd love my boys to pick it up when they're older. they're lucky enough to have a dad who has no problem pissing away their inheritance on hobbies and vacations.

I like your attitude. I started diving at 61 after retirement. Since my checkout, I have financed checkouts for three family members (oldest son, financed his own, good boy).
Its great to have family dive buddies. Our dive trips together are worth a lot more than an inheritance.