This is my first post on the board and I pray that I don't truly regret it. I've been curious about scuba for basically my entire life. I'm a 50 something man in pretty good shape who grew up watching Jacques Cousteau and other nature series on TV and I've done a fair bit of outdoor sports and exploring on my own, not to mention spending 30 years doing conservation law enforcement. I'm not an over the top risk taker, but I AM adventurous and I'm not a "scaredy cat" about anything. I've snorkeled quite a bit, mostly in northern waters (PA and NY) and I've had exactly one "beginner's dive" at a Dominican resort that I'm sure wasn't certified by any organization. I've been reading this board for a few weeks and I've occasionally picked up scuba magazines when I've seen them for most of my adult life. The bottom line is that I have almost zero experience and I'm not in a position to tell anyone on this board or anywhere else what they should think about solo dives, safety considerations, certifications or anything else.
All that said, I am going to give my personal observations because I feel compelled to and because it may help to offer some perspective for some of you experts who have been diving for decades. Perhaps it will encourage others in my situation to offer their opinions or to ask logical questions. Frankly, after reading the entire 6 pages of this thread (and many other threads on the scubaboard), I'm left wondering how I feel about the whole thing. I'm not sure if I'm put off a bit because it now seems like a monumental task to get properly trained at my age, if I feel like some members of this board simply think of themselves too highly (and believe me, I'm involved in a LOT of hobbies and sports and that would be an absolutely common and normal occurrence), if maybe the sport isn't completely right for me after all or if I'm right on track and still really want to get certified and learn to dive.
I guess this topic hits me on a somewhat personal basis because I tend to be an introvert anyway and because many or most of my hobbies and pursuits are solo ones because I typically seek solitude in nature and in my endeavors. I enjoy being with my wife and kids, but honestly, they aren't as jazzed about the possibility of getting scuba certified and diving as I am and I'm sure I'd find myself in the position of constantly going by myself or just going on a trip and ending up buddying up with some other loner like myself (who may or may not be serious, may or may not be well-trained, may or may not be concerned for my welfare, etc.).
I really don't know what this pursuit may end up costing me for equipment, certifications and dives, but I'm of the belief that it won't be inexpensive and I say that with a pretty high confidence level.
I'm hoping to retire soon, but my wife probably won't be able to retire when I do and I don't often travel with others (although I do have friends and family that would also be interested in diving). I live near enough to Lake Erie, the Finger Lakes, the Thousand Islands and some other waterways to get some diving done I suppose, but I suspect that most of my logged dives or certification dives would come at resorts in the Bahamas, Central America, the Florida Keys, etc. and I honestly can't afford to be making 2 or 3 of those trips every year (maybe I could if that's all that I ever did, but I have other loves (fishing being one of them) and other family responsibilities).
I guess my point being that to get to the 100 dive minimum to even consider getting some sort of solo dive certification so I could occasionally enjoy this pursuit on my own might take me a lot of years and a ton of money. Now, to be clear, I do respect the serious nature and the inherent dangers of scuba diving and I'm not suggesting for one minute that I feel compelled or able to just wing it, go my own way and solo dive without following the proper steps. I'm just trying to point out the confusion that I feel and that many first time divers probably feel when reading stuff like this. I'm sure that some board members will say, "Hey, there are no shortcuts and if you want to end up dead, do as you please" and others will suggest, "Ah, relax, it's not as bad as it sometimes appears when you read these long threads and some of us are too self-important and think we know what's best for everyone". I really hope I can find a way to get appropriate training quickly enough to enjoy this as a retirement hobby without breaking the bank.
Just throwing it out there and thanking everyone for the discussion as I have enjoyed it.
