The slowly ageing dive population????

[lostdiver]

The title is going to confuse some people as to my intentions but I'd like to say, that it is not another article about being "diver fit", that's not excusing the massive number of old men who huddle round the burger van, smoking a fag moaning about the weather, the entry fees or how long it takes to get an air fill! But more to tackle the issue of a suspiciously low number of young people stepping in to diving.

I'm 19 as most of you will know I love diving! I dive in British waters all year round, with many different groups of guys and girls. I am finding though that a growing number of older divers find the need to take apart every tiny movement I make whilst on a dive trip (this is not saying all people, just a select few, I have encouragement and advice from so many people). I am not complaining about the divers that know me as they know my capabilities and know that if they need help I will not only be happy to help I will also probably have the knowledge for the job (just a bit of self praise there) .

I understand there is banter on dive trips and as you can see I dish out plenty so would be totally unfair if I wasn't willing to take any. This said there seems to be an air of fear surrounding the capabilities of someone much younger in the diving fraternity. Diving is full of all sorts of egos, but there are a huge number who want to be the ones who know everything and are outraged to find something they have said questioned, even if only for curiosities sake. The thought that a 19 year old could be fairly knowledgeable scares a lot of divers and I find myself at logger heads, even with relatively new divers.

Since learning to dive 3 years ago I have seen and experienced things I would never have imagined and diving has changed me massively as a person. It has taught me when the time to be serious is and has helped me grow out of a lot of childish traits (not to say I don't slip back in to them, now and again). I hope that people can see as much as diving is a very serious sport we have to bring fresh blood.

It is a sport dominated by older men and the older population of divers are slowly pushing out the bright eyed youngsters of the future. I don't believe it is intentional but with horror stories and over criticism the air of fun is being stolen from a hobby that is crying out for new blood. I hope people will argue with these comments and I will find there is a massive community of up and coming "young divers" but as far as I can see people want to limit what "younger divers' can achieve and keep them in the recreational window.

Thanks for reading,

Ben

[The Doctor]

Originally Posted by lostdiver

The title is going to confuse some people as to my intentions but I'd like to say, that it is not another article about being "diver fit", that's not excusing the massive number of old men who huddle round the burger van, smoking a fag moaning about the weather, the entry fees or how long it takes to get an air fill! But more to tackle the issue of a suspiciously low number of young people stepping in to diving.

I'm 19 as most of you will know I love diving! I dive in British waters all year round, with many different groups of guys and girls. I am finding though that a growing number of older divers find the need to take apart every tiny movement I make whilst on a dive trip (this is not saying all people, just a select few, I have encouragement and advice from so many people). I am not complaining about the divers that know me as they know my capabilities and know that if they need help I will not only be happy to help I will also probably have the knowledge for the job (just a bit of self praise there) .

I understand there is banter on dive trips and as you can see I dish out plenty so would be totally unfair if I wasn't willing to take any. This said there seems to be an air of fear surrounding the capabilities of someone much younger in the diving fraternity. Diving is full of all sorts of egos, but there are a huge number who want to be the ones who know everything and are outraged to find something they have said questioned, even if only for curiosities sake. The thought that a 19 year old could be fairly knowledgeable scares a lot of divers and I find myself at logger heads, even with relatively new divers.

Since learning to dive 3 years ago I have seen and experienced things I would never have imagined and diving has changed me massively as a person. It has taught me when the time to be serious is and has helped me grow out of a lot of childish traits (not to say I don't slip back in to them, now and again). I hope that people can see as much as diving is a very serious sport we have to bring fresh blood.

It is a sport dominated by older men and the older population of divers are slowly pushing out the bright eyed youngsters of the future. I don't believe it is intentional but with horror stories and over criticism the air of fun is being stolen from a hobby that is crying out for new blood. I hope people will argue with these comments and I will find there is a massive community of up and coming "young divers" but as far as I can see people want to limit what "younger divers' can achieve and keep them in the recreational window.

Thanks for reading,

Ben

W

[dry suit diver]

Originally Posted by lostdiver

The title is going to confuse some people as to my intentions but I'd like to say, that it is not another article about being "diver fit", that's not excusing the massive number of old men who huddle round the burger van, smoking a fag moaning about the weather, the entry fees or how long it takes to get an air fill! But more to tackle the issue of a suspiciously low number of young people stepping in to diving.

I'm 19 as most of you will know I love diving! I dive in British waters all year round, with many different groups of guys and girls. I am finding though that a growing number of older divers find the need to take apart every tiny movement I make whilst on a dive trip (this is not saying all people, just a select few, I have encouragement and advice from so many people). I am not complaining about the divers that know me as they know my capabilities and know that if they need help I will not only be happy to help I will also probably have the knowledge for the job (just a bit of self praise there) .

I understand there is banter on dive trips and as you can see I dish out plenty so would be totally unfair if I wasn't willing to take any. This said there seems to be an air of fear surrounding the capabilities of someone much younger in the diving fraternity. Diving is full of all sorts of egos, but there are a huge number who want to be the ones who know everything and are outraged to find something they have said questioned, even if only for curiosities sake. The thought that a 19 year old could be fairly knowledgeable scares a lot of divers and I find myself at logger heads, even with relatively new divers.

Since learning to dive 3 years ago I have seen and experienced things I would never have imagined and diving has changed me massively as a person. It has taught me when the time to be serious is and has helped me grow out of a lot of childish traits (not to say I don't slip back in to them, now and again). I hope that people can see as much as diving is a very serious sport we have to bring fresh blood.

It is a sport dominated by older men and the older population of divers are slowly pushing out the bright eyed youngsters of the future. I don't believe it is intentional but with horror stories and over criticism the air of fun is being stolen from a hobby that is crying out for new blood. I hope people will argue with these comments and I will find there is a massive community of up and coming "young divers" but as far as I can see people want to limit what "younger divers' can achieve and keep them in the recreational window.

Thanks for reading,

Ben

I think thats utter bollox.


you need to look at the current economic climate, and aslo the fact that a lot of younger people learn to dive abroad and only do it on hoiliday afterwards and are not interested in joing a club environment regardless of the age of the club members.


we are quite insular on YD and don't accurately represent the make up of british divers.

when I learnt 4 years ago I was the oldest on the course( with the exception of SWMBO) most of the others were 16- 25 and female, hardly your older men situation.


that said there is the argument that the oldies who are pulling in a pension (from wisely investing there wages instead of pishing it up a wall and expecting the govt/anybody to help them) have a lot more free time and cash than the younger generation.

diving is not cheap and we have all been told the lie of once you get your own kit all you need to pay for is air fills

[GLOC]

Ben, I would agree with you that there aren't many young technical divers. I can cite a few reasons that spring to mind:

1. Cost. Most young people don't a large disposable income and so have to sub off their parents who aren't going to give them lots of money. As you know, £400 for a torch is hard to justify to one's parents!!

2. Maturity. There are not many youngsters (especially males) who's egos wouldn't get the better of them if given the chance.

3. Time in the water. This is linked to the first. Most youngsters dive on holiday with their parents and so won't have the time in the water to build up to technical levels of diving, especially in this country where you definitely need a drysuit if you are going to stand the exposures in UK waters.

HTH

[GLOC]

Originally Posted by The Doctor

We could do with a new tea boy on the boat.

What happened to the last one?

[dry suit diver]

Originally Posted by GLOC

What happened to the last one?

there still trying to get stains out of him

[lostdiver]

Originally Posted by dry suit diver

I think thats utter bollox.


younger people learn to dive abroad and only do it on hoiliday afterwards and are not interested in joing a club environment regardless of the age of the club members.

diving is not cheap and we have all been told the lie of once you get your own kit all you need to pay for is air fills

Why do they learn abroad then and aren't interested diving here, Isn't that part of a problem then????

Oh yeah it used to be my job to tell people diving is cheap whilst emptying their wallets, lol

[Diving Dude]

Originally Posted by The Doctor

We could do with a new tea boy on the boat.

It would certainly make the trips more 'interesting' plus you could probably learn a thing or two Daren.

Originally Posted by Lostknobdiver

Diving is full of all sorts of egos, but there are a huge number who want to be the ones who know everything

Me thinks this sounds a bit like you.

By the way, what's an ego? because l've not got one.

[big_si]

Originally Posted by lostdiver

Why do they learn abroad then and aren't interested diving here, Isn't that part of a problem then????

Oh yeah it used to be my job to tell people diving is cheap whilst emptying their wallets, lol

Because it's "cold, dark, and there's nothing to see"


(Don't tell them otherwise or they'll fill the boats and the prices will go up!!!!)

[big_si]

Originally Posted by Diving Dude

By the way, what's an ego? because l've not got one.

Idiot! They're those plastic block things that you can build stuff with!!



You should know that being a builder!