Gonna learn to dive

[cschulz]

Hi. The name is Charles and it is time for this old dog to learn a new trick. In 2015, I am going to learn to dive along with my 16 year old son.

I love your site. thanks for letting me join.

[Penopolypants]

Welcome to the board, and to the addiction! Have you set a date for certification yet?

[cschulz]

We have to wait for his high school swim season to finish, so we will start the process in March...
If I can last that long!

[Penopolypants]

That's not too much longer. It's great that your son is getting certified with you, it's nice to have a dive buddy in the family.

[cschulz]

Thanks polypants. I'm really excited. I'm already learning tons by reading this site.

I'm curious though, have you known others who picked up the sport at 50? Will I need an underwater walker? (kidding)

[Norris]

Ha ha there are plenty that start this one late. Partly due to not being able to afford to dive in their 20s 30s

So we have a few divers and I am getting close at 46 years of age

[Penopolypants]

Lol! Plenty of people pick it up at that age. There was a man in his late 40's with his teenage son getting certified in my class when I learned, so you're not alone. If you are relatively fit it shouldn't be an issue. I would recommend you use the time between now and then to work on your fitness level though, regardless of where you're at now in that department.

[LCF]

I got certified at 51 (almost ten years ago now!). My husband, who was recertifying after a long interval, was 57. Today, he's an instructor and I'm a divemaster, and we both are avid cave divers and hold technical certs. As long as your general health is good, this is a great sport, and it's wonderful that you will be able to share it with your son.

Where in the area are you? Have you decided where to do your class?

[Linedog]

I'm pushing 56 and still dive as much as I can!

[GearHead]

I got certified three years ago at 49. Since then I have improved my overall health and my back strength in particular. Where I initially felt overloaded with a steel 100, I now carry double steel 72s or double neutral Aluminum 80s without feeling like I've overdone it. This is thanks to Scuba and Yoga training.

I fell in love with the underwater world and now have over 260 dives under my belt. I'm going to Thailand in March to finish my Full Cave certification, and will begin the Dive Master program with one of our local shops in February. I hope to keep this up as long as I can stagger down to the water line.

[Grateful Diver]

Thanks polypants. I'm really excited. I'm already learning tons by reading this site.

I'm curious though, have you known others who picked up the sport at 50? Will I need an underwater walker? (kidding)

I got certified at age 49. I've been teaching scuba now for almost 11 years, and have gone on to get trained in cave diving, wreck diving, and deep diving. Did my deepest dive about a year and a half ago to over 250 feet in Lake Superior and recently went to 210 feet in the Red Sea. I'll be 63 in three weeks, and coming up on 3500 dives since I got certified. Plan to keep diving till I'm too feeble to get the tanks on ... maybe another 15 years or so.

All it takes is keeping your body healthy and fit enough to get into and out of the water ... once you're there, it's relatively easy.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

[cschulz]

Thanks everyone. I'm relieved to know I'm not picking this up too late in life.

I live in Portland. I don't think it is exactly dive central, but I'm sure there are options.
I'm envious of those of you in the Seattle area. So many places to dive...