Changes that Senior divers make?

[Antient Marriner]

I'm 52, and don't count as a senior yet, but from knee issues (and sciatica) that have gotten worse as I've gotten older, I do SM and my trusty cart goes everywhere. My tech instructor got this photo a couple of weeks ago at the end of a class day. The photo was posted with others on her shop's website and at least one person asked where I got the cart. I dive LP85s for tech/cave and LP50s for recreational stuff.

View attachment 670438

OK! NOW, I have to ask-- where did you buy that beach buggy you use for gear hauling- I LUST AFTER ONE~!

 

[Marie13]

OK! NOW, I have to ask-- where did you buy that beach buggy you use for gear hauling- I LUST AFTER ONE~!

Here ya go! Worth every penny. I actually have to replace mine every year as I bump it up and down a curb and the 5” step into my apartment building.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B083HQR1TC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_5X15FTTD2P7BR550VEPQ

 

[EFX]

deleted.

 

[Marie13]

The link you posted doesn't do anything.

Fixed.

 

[Wibble]

I'm only 79, so I'm not sure that classifies me as a senior diver. Still, I have had to make changes. Cold water is out of the question, as are thick wet suits, so I limit myself to water temps no lower than 70F, fine for my delightfully flexible 2 and 3mm suits. I decided a few years ago when I hit 70 that I'd go no deeper than about 75 feet, but on my last Caribbean trip I succumbed to temptation and went down to 95 fsw. Still, most of what I like to see is in less than 60 feet. Multiple location dives are too tiring, even boring, frankly, so I try to stick with single tank dives when on holiday. Some operators permit unaccompanied dives from their shore locations, and these are often the most fun. Dealing with instabuddies is something I try to avoid. i find my patience and tolerance has diminished.

NJ wreck dives are in the past; it's too cold below the thermocline. I try to stay away from strong currents, and do most of my dives these days in fairly shallow NJ inlets. There are places that I used to do shore dives from that are too difficult for me to get to, so I now have limited choices. I often use a 40 cf cylinder with no BC, completely adequate for the 50 minutes or so of slack tides in local inlets, and much easier to carry. I do much more solo diving. In fact, I only do solo dives here in NJ. People I used to dive with are either dead or shuffling around inflicting pictures of their grandchildren on innocent bystanders. When I travel I always contact the potential dive operators to ask if they have a problem with someone my age. I do the same with the vehicle rental people. More than anything, it's an awareness of how other people react to me, and the assumptions they frequently make. There's also a slightly melancholy awareness that it's not going to get any better. Quite the contrary.

Very well written. Enjoyed that.

 

[Nemrod]

"Gracefully surrendering the joys of Youth"

I like that, yes, very good. We have to make compromises and adjustments as we get older. My doctor, who I try to see only once a year, when I turned 60, he told me that now is when things start to go wrong. My response was something like whatever, wink, wink. He was right, age takes it's toll and if ignored will exact a toll for having done so.

Die with my boots on doing the things I like even if the risk increases due to age or sit on a couch and complain about aching joints. Choice is simple for me. I plan to skid into the grave pretty much worn out. With saying that, with age also comes wisdom supposedly and we older folks can make adjustments. Quit diving, quit riding motorcycles, quit workong out, quit hiking, whatever! Uh, no.

Well, it is 1.5 mile swim day, time to head to the Y to get that painful bit of my day over with and it is supposed to hurt, if it is not, I go harder. I might need a nice nap afterwards, in fact I think I will take a nice nap, after.

James

 

[inquis]

The budget version of that cart:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Ozark-Tr...ng-Wagon-with-Oversized-Wheels-Blue/185648664

No idea how durability compares to the other, but you can probably check it out in a local store if interested.

 

[Antient Marriner]

The budget version of that cart:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Ozark-Tr...ng-Wagon-with-Oversized-Wheels-Blue/185648664

No idea how durability compares to the other, but you can probably check it out in a local store if interested.

Thank you, the hunt is on!

 

[blue sky]

These are some really great posts that made me think about may current and former dive practices.

I'm 77, 6' tall and 192 pounds. I'm a very active person, but don't have a regular regimented exercise program. I building a house addition all by my self and that serves as my physical exercise.

After being around the water all my life, I got my OW certification in 2006. I'm a PADI Master Scuba Diver and regularly do First Aid and CPR refresher courses. I've been diving nitrox 98% of the time since 2010. I continue to religiously keep a digital and paper dive log book. I have 360 dives and logged 210 hours under water averaging about 35 minutes per dive. I do a lot of underwater hunting; spearing, lobstering and stone crabbing. I regularly dive strong currents in low (15 to 20 feet) visibility with my buddy tethered to my side. I always buddy dive. I plan my dive and dive my plan.

What have I changed? I went from Cressi Reaction fins to Mares long blades four years ago. Why the change? A buddy left me in the dust on a long surface swim back to the boat. Not any more.

I designed an Excel log book page that has a lot of check boxes and contains the data that is important to me. It's printed on Rite In The Rain paper.

And my hand writing has gotten deplorable!

 

[Wibble]

These are some really great posts that made me think about may current and former dive practices.

I'm 77, 6' tall and 192 pounds. I'm a very active person, but don't have a regular regimented exercise program. I building a house addition all by my self and that serves as my physical exercise.

After being around the water all my life, I got my OW certification in 2006. I'm a PADI Master Scuba Diver and regularly do First Aid and CPR refresher courses. I've been diving nitrox 98% of the time since 2010. I continue to religiously keep a digital and paper dive log book. I have 360 dives and logged 210 hours under water averaging about 35 minutes per dive. I do a lot of underwater hunting; spearing, lobstering and stone crabbing. I regularly dive strong currents in low (15 to 20 feet) visibility with my buddy tethered to my side. I always buddy dive. I plan my dive and dive my plan.

What have I changed? I went from Cressi Reaction fins to Mares long blades four years ago. Why the change? A buddy left me in the dust on a long surface swim back to the boat. Not any more.

I designed an Excel log book page that has a lot of check boxes and contains the data that is important to me. It's printed on Rite In The Rain paper.

And my hand writing has gotten deplorable!
View attachment 676304

Interesting font you chose to print that page with

One of the great things of modern tech is being able to download the dive from the Shearwater to the phone and thence onto The Cloud where it's saved and available to all your other devices. A few words in the log and it's all done; no ink on fingers and no paper cuts

Then there's dive planning. Multideco's your friend; none of this copying of tables to a slate malarkey. Did that for a recent MOD2 course and it felt like I was diving with Cousteau rather than looking at the dive time + TTS and leaving when it reaches my runtime.