If you’re like me, your chief complaint about being a diver is the simple fact that you don’t do it enough. Unless you’re one of those who is lucky enough to live in many parts of Florida or a tropical destination, you’re just not diving quite as much as you would like to. Having said that, how do the rest of us who either live in a place with cold seasons or land all around us get to enjoy diving more. Well, over the years I have found 3 ways to perhaps increase the number of enjoyable dives you log. Of course, not all of these will apply to everyone so pick and choose the ideas that you can use. Sound good? Ok, onward!
Be Social
With online communities like Scubaboard, The Cave Diver’s Forum, The Deco Stop, and others, we have plenty of opportunity to discuss diving and be social with other divers from the comfort of our couch. In addition, there’s also social media! With that in mind, use these resources to not only talk about diving or discuss that hot new regulator that has just hit the market, get to know other local divers and plan a dive! If you’re not a social media or online community type of person, get to know the folks at your local dive shop or dive club. Some of the most active dive communities are places where the winters are coldest and the dive sites are scarce!
Reduce Your Cost
One of the biggest factors in reducing the amount of dives you log is the cost. Yes, diving can be an expensive sport but oftentimes there are ways to save a few bucks and stretch your diving dollar. Have a local dive shop? Do they offer “punch cards” for reduced cylinder fills? How about discounts on multiple classes? Free gear rental when you tag along on a shop sponsored trip? While dive shops need to make money, the good ones take huge steps in keeping divers diving. Don’t see a discount advertised? Just ask! You may be pleasantly surprised!
Extend Your Local Dive Season
If you live in a place that has local diving but some cooler(or cold) offseasons, take a look at your equipment. Would a better wetsuit or even a drysuit extend the dive season for you? While there is a cost involved, an investment in a piece of equipment like a drysuit would allow you to dive more, and often among less crowds, and even in better visibility. Think about it, more dives logged means you’re using your gear more which means generally a lower overall cost per dive.
Of course, there are more ways you can increase your diving and extend your dive season, but these are the one’s commonly overlooked. In conclusion, take a close look at your local diving options, be active in the dive community(both online and locally), and always look out for ways to get underwater(I’m known for tagging along for OW pool sessions in the winter). You’ll quickly find that there are plenty of ways to dive more!