What is it with divers?

[grazie42]

I subscribe to the "in the moment" rationale...
Being able to let go and just dive is enough of a reward in and of itself.

Also challenging yourself by doing things on the edge of your comfort zone, leaves at least me, with a feeling of accomplishment that is sort of like winning a game or scoring a goal in other sports.

To me at least, extreme sports, are adrenaline driven.
Unlike things like mogul (or offpiste) skiing, mountainbiking or rockclimbing, I rarely feel my blood pumping or get that "supercharged" feeling while diving...Which is just as well as that would propably ruin my airconsumtion and shorten the dive.

 

[ASUPaula]

As a brand new, avid diver, I'm amazed at how devoted I can be to something just one month, 24 dives, one trip to the Florida Keys later. All of the effects (except the one on my pocketbook) are positive, and I haven't broken a law yet to achieve the thrill. There's definitely a meditative quality that's so appealing. There must also be some serious endorphins released. This is not to mention the fact that nearly everyone, even the folks who are intimidated by the idea, are impressed with diving. There's a definitely "cool factor."

 

[MyDiveLog]

I certainly don't consider diving to be an extreme sport ... it's safer, statisticaly, than many other sports ... but I think a lot of non-divers tend to lump it into the 'dangerous sport' category, probably partly because of the movie 'Jaws.' Think about how many times we are all asked questions about sharks by non-divers.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

But at least they are fully legal - and FREE!

FREE ???

I was organizing my receipts last night, and I've got about $12,000 invested in my scuba habit just so far in 2004.

I think I could support a crack habit for a lot less than that ... :11:

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Unlike many other sports, diving allows just about any human being to be proficient with little physical effort and socialization. Therefore diving becomes very important in their lives and allows them to feel as if they've accomplished something. The physical effort and embarrassing mistakes present in, say, whitewater kayaking, don't really exist, so as a sport it's pretty easy on the ego.

... and then DIR happened ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[simbrooks]

FREE ???

I was organizing my receipts last night, and I've got about $12,000 invested in my scuba habit just so far in 2004.

I think I could support a crack habit for a lot less than that ... :11:

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Firstly, what on earth have you bought with that much money??? Most dont have that kind of disposable income to splash out.
Secondly, i would have stopped counting a long time back if i were you

I reckon we have only spent about $6k so far this year on the two of us, including entire gear set-up, more instruction and plenty of short day/weekend local trips.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Firstly, what on earth have you bought with that much money??? Most dont have that kind of disposable income to splash out.

Scuba instructor class, plus insurance, plus all the necessary items to become an independent instructor (O2 kit, dive buoys, reels, and other teaching props) ... plus all the requisite instructor guides to teach OW, AOW, and several specialties ... plus the requisite gear for diving doubles (cylinders, bands, manifold, four APEKS regs, wings, BP, harness, etc.) ... plus DIR-F class ... plus dive trips to Vancouver Island (three, so far) and Bonaire (paid for, but not yet taken) ... plus ... well, you get the idea.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[DeputyDan]

My non-diving wife says we are all obsessed...

 

[baitedstorm]

I can't be bothered to think about this, as I am currently busy thinking about how I might shoehorn a dive into the upcoming family time weekend. Even just one shallow, short one is better than a weekend spent dry.

Seriously, I don't understand it either. I just know that your observation is true, at least when it comes to divers who actually dive. We think it about diving almost constantly. I know that I personally think about it multiple times per hour throughout the day, then once I get home from work I spend most of the evening on the net reading about diving, or playing with gear, etc. Maybe there is a shrink out there who could help explain it?

I agree with you!!!! I'm currently covered in Sealice from diving Thursday,Saturday, and Sunday and I've been checking the tide report and seeing if I can convince someone to come down to Phil Fosters with me (hubby says the park is still to dangerous, although many efforts are being made to clean it up, to go all alone for now)
Sealice and all I'll be there tomorrow, just found out my instructor is doing a private OW class so I wont be all alone outside of the water......


WOOHOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Nay]

I'm very much liking the medatative and in the moment comments.

What's funny is that I hate the get wet, I have long hair and the water in CA is cold but once I'm there it just doesn't matter. I was going to get certified with my dad but then my husband (who wasn't interested originally) heard us talking about it non-stop he took the class with us. Third dive he popped up, and yelled "that was so cool!"
He's now more obsessed than I am, and that's tough. He even got a new job so that he wasn't working nights and weekends so we could dive.

Or it could be the heroine in the air....