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The True Cost of Scuba Diving
Diver96 - 6/30/2014 4:51 PM
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Category: Educational
Comments: 4
The True Cost of Scuba DivingThere are a lot of excuses for not becoming a diver. Number one on list is the time required to get certified. The second runner-up is that diving is expensive. These are common objections that I often run into. Cost seems to be the major sticking point, or is it?

Diving is not cheap, but most adventure pursuits are not. In many places diving has taken on a status more in-line with "yachting" or "sky diving" than a something just about anyone participate in.

Is this perception keeping potential divers away? Is diving REALLY that expensive? Like many things, it depends. There is the cost of getting certified, acquiring gear, dive charters and travel to choice dive locations. All of these can all be had without breaking the bank.

Gear can be rented or picked up used from dive centers. Dive charters and expensive travel are not required. On the other hand, if you want to go first class you can spend some real money. When looked at objectively, becoming a diver is no more expensive than becoming a good golfer or skier.

Let’s look at Golf. Where I live in the mid-Atlantic region, 18 holes will run you around $120. If you want to do it well you should take lessons, get your own set of clubs and appropriate course attire. All this adds up. I can easily spend as much on a good golf set, lessons and attire as I would on a good diving set up. For a day out with a dive charter, you may spend as little as $60 or as much as $170 (or more...). That includes two tanks and in many cases the equipment.

If you own your equipment and have some good dive buddies, the equation changes. I have spent as little as $20 for a day of diving, which was the cost to fill my tanks. Perhaps Golf is a bad example. Let’s look at a more action oriented sport; Skiing. A day of skiing in Pennsylvania will cost about $120 to include ski rental. Lessons are additional, but many of the resorts have rental/lesson deals for first time skiers. You should also have your own winter appropriate attire, goggles, gloves etc. If you really get into it you will spend $1000 or more to get set up right.

The BLUF is this. SCUBA Diving is no more expensive than many other popular leisure time pursuits. So if the expense is not the real objection most people have, what is? Diving is time intensive. You are either all in or you are out when it comes to getting certified. You have to study. There is a degree of risk that many are not comfortable with. Divers, no matter how safe they are, take risks. We account for each other. You cannot say that about most recreational pursuits. Diving requires a level of commitment and accountability that most activities do not and that is the true cost of becoming a diver.

Ty- TDGG divinggearguide.com

Comments

Eric_R - 7/05/2014 7:03 PM
Great article.
Scuba is very affordable in dollars. One of the biggest problems is that it takes you into an environment that many can’t handle. How many people do you see still plug their nose to jump in a pool? I’ve seen many people that found out they were claustrophobic once they were wearing a mask in water. If divers had the same attitude as many golfers Ive seen I would have gotten out of the sport years ago. Sure there’s many levels of divers and their abilities but you can be pretty sure that each diver has at least met a certain level by requirement. This can not be said about a golfer. I have suggested diving to a few people but only the ones that seemed interested in the fact that I dive and only after I got to know the person better. It’s not a put it in the closet and get it out once a year sport.
Diver96 - 7/06/2014 7:03 PM
Diving requires some nerve... The underwater environment is foreign. There is no perceived risk with golf and a little with skiing. What always get to me is people who really seem into trying it but are not willing to take the first step. They will talk all day long with you about the experience but are not willing to face some fears and get in the water. When you meet a fellow diver you know you have a lot in common, aside from diving.
Diver96 - 7/03/2014 1:37 PM
I absolutely agree. diving is absolutely the least expensive adventure sport to get into. The big expenses are all up front costs. Local diving is cheap. Golf on the otherhand, is never cheap- With the greens fees etc. Thanks for the comment. This was actually an early draft I posted. The final just went out on my blog site- Ty
ScubaGrant - 7/03/2014 1:30 PM
When I started diving in 97 my instructor said it’s one of the cheapest adventure sports, cause once you own your gear you can dive for 20 bucks all day long (diving locally) if compared to other sports like golfing, a good set of clubs is over a grand, and everytime you hit the greens you’ll drop hundred bucks! Taking fishing, got to buy the fisihing equip, then a boat (if you’re serious) then everytime you go, drop another benjamin...SCUBA sounds pretty affordable to me!