Midlife Adventure Crisis!

[JamesBon92007]

Some of the dive boats in the UK have elevators at the stern to bring divers up to the deck from the water, I like that idea, but not compatible with the boats here, perhaps a small cherry picker to lift the gear out of the water would be a decent start though.

There may be a growing demand for geriatric diving equipment and accessories. Perhaps something like this might become available on dive boats (for an extra $500/day, of course):

Indigo Industries Nautilus GLH Scooter (DPV)

 

[Logan1891]

OK, so I'm a tiny bit over 50, and one of my pools recently shocked me by saying I now qualify for a senior discount. Horrors... but I'll take it! It occurred to me that according to PADI I'm now supposed to plan my dives as if they were 10 feet deeper. I started wondering, how do you progress as a diver and at the same time scale back risk? Part of me feels like I could risk MORE now... less time left, gonna die anyway, you know. So old guys, how do you approach this?

I think keeping the ego in check is key to enjoying diving (or life in general) at any age or health status.

 

[aquacat8]

I think keeping the ego in check is key to enjoying diving (or life in general) at any age or health status.

Ego in check is good, but confidence is good too. Despite my bravado I do find I worry about things more now that I’m older, and this could translate into... just staying home. It does for so many. How do you boost your confidence to go for adventures while being safe as the body ages? Clearly there are some old farts on here that have a lot of guts and still go for it!

 

[DavidFL]

One of the great things about kids, on the other hand, is they turn into adults and then make life choices that surprise you. My son got certified to dive at 13, and that gave me a really good excuse to refresh my gear while buying him gear. We haven't been able to dive much since he grew up, got married, and had a great life of his own in Atlanta, but now at this advanced old age (me, not him), has changed jobs, is working in Fort Lauderdale, has met lots of people with boats....

 

[Schwob]

Clearly there are some old farts on here that have a lot of guts and still go for it!

Not sure, some unqualified and un-called for stipulation:

Newton's third law?
"Farticious" propulsion?
"Lot of guts" = large factory generating the means of propuslsion?
End result being that "going for it" may just be less effort than "breaking" against all that generated thrust?

 

[dmaziuk]

How do you boost your confidence to go for adventures while being safe as the body ages?

Do not try to boost your confidence, instead, realize the truth: there is no "safe" .

(And learn kungfu.)

 

[lowviz]

...//... How do you boost your confidence to go for adventures while being safe as the body ages? Clearly there are some old farts on here that have a lot of guts and still go for it!

I'm 68. Is my response on topic?

Nothing to do with confidence, everything to do with getting up off the couch and putting one foot in front of the other.

I now have the excuse of the century, a badly torn rotator cuff. Daily challenging walk with my dog, spring rains and fertilized lawns (algae bloom) make for a rough stream walk. Second time for my dominant arm. Sucks.

The simplest, cheesiest, local, cupcake dive beats the hell out of the couch...

 

[aquacat8]

Yummmm cupcake dive!

 

[aquacat8]

Do not try to boost your confidence, instead, realize the truth: there is no "safe" .

(And learn kungfu.)

I love this!

 

[JamesBon92007]

Ego in check is good, but confidence is good too. Despite my bravado I do find I worry about things more now that I’m older, and this could translate into... just staying home. It does for so many. How do you boost your confidence to go for adventures while being safe as the body ages? Clearly there are some old farts on here that have a lot of guts and still go for it!

I've actually been thinking about your comment about "guts" since I read it yesterday. For me I don't think it's guts that keeps me going and doing what I want to do in spite of some aches and pains and locking knee caps etc. My fear is some day not being able to get up off the sofa and having regrets. I don't want to be laying on my death bed thinking about the things I should have done--that scares the crap out of me and motivates me to do as much as I can while I can.

I'm not looking forward to the day that I can't dive any more but I am preparing myself--I plan to put on a Cozumel T-shirt, drink some coffee from my Cozumel coffee mug, and watch my Cozumel videos. Then I'll put on a Hawai'i T-shirt.....

What is it that you worry about?