Do you have friends who are interested in your diving adventures, and are asking you about the sport?
Do you encourage them to try it? What sort of response do they give you when you do?
As a Happy Hour Planner here in DFW, I'm always pointing out that we should be inviting our non-diving and dive-curious friends to those events in order to meet them and answer the kinds of questions they may have regarding our wonderfully wild sport, and to have a good time doing while so.
(Remember--at one time you were that dive-curious one asking those questions!)
It's occurred to me that maybe we should also encourage them to come to our site here and ask questions in a non-judgemental place where we can make them welcome and comfortable enough to join us in recreational diving and subsequently dive events and trips around the world.
What do the rest of you think? Should we as a membership make an effort to increase our numbers, or is it just too much trouble?
Platypusman
...SEVEN days untill the Next DFW Happy Hour...
Do you have a dive-curious friend or friend(s)?
Started by
Guest_PlatypusMan_*
, Jan 20 2006 10:20 AM
10 replies to this topic
#2
Latitude Adjustment
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I spend too much time on line
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Posted 20 January 2006 - 10:40 AM
I have friends who will never dive for one reason or another but can't wait to see my slides (OK they aren't really slides anymore) and trip videos.
Since there has never been a happy hour near here inviting them is a mute point.
Since there has never been a happy hour near here inviting them is a mute point.
I, Latitude Adjustment (insert log in name), do hereby swear, (politely), that I shall not hold SingleDivers, (SD), nor any SD poster, (real or imagined), liable, nor shall I seek legal restitution, (real or imagined), for any perceived, (real or imagined), offenses I may incur, (or Incurrrrrrrrrr on talk like a pirate day), that may or may not be posted on this or any SCUBA related board, (real or imagined), by anyone, (real or imagined), anywhere, (real or imagined). Further, I void any right to privacy, (real or imagined), as it may, or may not relate to any posting, (real or imagined), about me, to me, for me, because of me, all about me, my dog, my cat, my bird, my monkey, my family, (real or imagined), my friends, (real or imagined), or my world, (real or imagined).
By all that is wet, I do hereby swear, (politely), and attest, upon pain of never diving again, (real or imagined), that I understand and affirm, that I agree to the above.
_________________________________________(log in name signature)
Signed and Dated
By all that is wet, I do hereby swear, (politely), and attest, upon pain of never diving again, (real or imagined), that I understand and affirm, that I agree to the above.
_________________________________________(log in name signature)
Signed and Dated
#3
cmt489
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I spend too much time on line
- Location:Vancouver, BC
- Gender:Female
- Cert Level:AOW, Nitrox
- Logged Dives:75+
Posted 20 January 2006 - 10:49 AM
My BF expresses interest but never seems to get the certification done. Now that he is on break I might very well book him into an OW class giving him no room for excuses!
#4
Guest_PlatypusMan_*
Guest_PlatypusMan_*
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Posted 20 January 2006 - 11:13 AM
My BF expresses interest but never seems to get the certification done. Now that he is on break I might very well book him into an OW class giving him no room for excuses!
Do it! He'll thank you later!
Platypusman
...SEVEN days until the next DFW Happy Hour....
#5
mechanical31
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Meeting folks
- Location:Southeast Missouri
- Gender:Male
- Cert Level:AOW, Nitrox
- Logged Dives:40
Posted 20 January 2006 - 11:16 AM
Yes I have several dive curious friends that always ask about where I'm diving next and how was it. Yes, I encourage them all to try it. One friend that is about my size I even told him he could use my spare set of gear and he said maybe someday. I told him if he waits he will regret it. As far as happy hours go I'm in the same boat as Latitude....none around here for divers except my weekly private one.As far as inviting them here I will, but I doubt it will do any good. Most of them are just too willing to let life pass by....(Sigh)...Sad for them.
Hey CMT if he won't just trade him in on a newer, already trained model. I have a few ideas who. J/K, he will do it if he really wants too.
Hey CMT if he won't just trade him in on a newer, already trained model. I have a few ideas who. J/K, he will do it if he really wants too.
I'mA riddle so strong, you can't break me.
Alice in Chains
Alice in Chains
#6
cmt489
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- Member
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I spend too much time on line
- Location:Vancouver, BC
- Gender:Female
- Cert Level:AOW, Nitrox
- Logged Dives:75+
Posted 20 January 2006 - 11:40 AM
Hey CMT if he won't just trade him in on a newer, already trained model. I have a few ideas who.
LOL!! At the very least, I can use the threat!
#7
Brinybay
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I spend too much time on line
- Location:Seattle, Wa.
- Gender:Male
- Cert Level:Rescue, Nitrox
- Logged Dives:580
Posted 20 January 2006 - 12:01 PM
Hey CMT if he won't just trade him in on a newer, already trained model. I have a few ideas who. J/K, he will do it if he really wants too.
I pretty sure if she decided to do that, there would be no shortage of applicants.
Edited by Brinybay, 20 January 2006 - 12:02 PM.
"The cure for anything is saltwater--sweat, tears, or the sea." - Isak Dinesen
"A good marriage is like an interlocking neurosis, where the rocks in one person's head fill up the holes in the other's."
"A good marriage is like an interlocking neurosis, where the rocks in one person's head fill up the holes in the other's."
#8
drbill
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- SD Partners
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I spend too much time on line
- Location:10-200 feet under, Santa Catalina Island
- Gender:Male
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- Logged Dives:who's counting, definitely four digits
Posted 20 January 2006 - 03:42 PM
I have a lot of dive curious friends here on Catalina. That's why I created my "Dive Dry with Dr. Bill" local cable TV show. It gives them all a chance to see what is present in our waters without the need for a wetsuit or cold water. I'm just finishing a new 30-min episode on mating squid (R rated).
#9
annasea
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I spend too much time on line
- Location:Vancouver, Canada
- Gender:Female
Posted 23 January 2006 - 03:29 AM
I have a couple of friends that express a mild curiosity in diving but due to time, cost and lack of serious interest, I know they'll never do anything about it.
A more common reaction when I tell people I'm interested in diving is they see it as something akin to going to the moon. Seriously!
A more common reaction when I tell people I'm interested in diving is they see it as something akin to going to the moon. Seriously!
#10
Desert_Diver
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- Charter Member
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Everyone knows me
- Location:Dallas, TX
- Gender:Male
- Cert Level:PADI AOW, TDI Nitrox (does it really matter to you??)
- Logged Dives:130 something
Posted 24 January 2006 - 10:07 PM
I have shots from previous trips as a random screensaver at work. The Fiji pix are particularly heartbreaking... and guaranteed to get comments. Daily. I periodically change my background image to a prior trip shot just to keep the novelty up. I also use the ShoreDiving.com calendar backgrounds to get comments. Hmmm. There's a missed market: SD.com wallpaper! Subliminal advertising at it's best!
If they're REALLY interested, I'll burn a CD or DVD of photos and video, then talk with 'em about it before and after they've seen it. Only one guy actually ran out and got certified, mostly due to his girlfriend, possibly a little bit of my coaching. He's a good kid, and I think he'll do well.
Some of my shots are a turn-off to non-divers, particularly the ones with sharks. They may have a horrified thrill at seeing one on TV, but they do NOT want to imagine rubbing shoulders with 'em in the water. I removed a lot of the shark shots for that reason. There's no sense in scaring 'em off in advance, especially with the bad press sharks get from the news.
It costs $500+ more to get certified in Phoenix than near the coast 'cos most shops want you to have real ocean experience. Only a few will get you the initial cert in a lake. That's a big put-off to a lot of folks, as is the hard-sell by the shops to get newbies to buy ALL of their gear immediately. Add it up, and newbies here are looking at around $1300+ to go diving. If we could lower that number, more would go for it. If the shops would lay off the 'you really want all your own gear' line, they'd certify more folks and then reel 'em in after their first trip or two with dicey rental gear. That's the route I went. Didn't like the rental regs, didn't like the rental BCs, eventually bought the best regs I could get my hands on and a decent BC. I got certified in Maui for $150 total, then spent a few thousand on good gear over the next two years. At least I got opinions from a lot of different divers before I bought, rather than buy whatever the shop was dumping that month.
Of all the folks that enjoy the photos and videos, only the one guy that got himself certified would have cared about a Happy Hour. I've talked to a few other possible divers, but I could tell they were only vaguely curious after seeing the underwater shots. I nearly got another convinced, but he's got a family to feed and could barely afford the cert, let alone a nice trip.
Might get a couple of other divers I'd met on trips interested in an SD Happy Hour, 'cos they're an easy sell if they've had a couple of trips that weren't stellar. Disgruntled divers are willing converts, and it doesn't cost 'em anything extra to try. A bunch of smiling faces is all it takes....
B<g
If they're REALLY interested, I'll burn a CD or DVD of photos and video, then talk with 'em about it before and after they've seen it. Only one guy actually ran out and got certified, mostly due to his girlfriend, possibly a little bit of my coaching. He's a good kid, and I think he'll do well.
Some of my shots are a turn-off to non-divers, particularly the ones with sharks. They may have a horrified thrill at seeing one on TV, but they do NOT want to imagine rubbing shoulders with 'em in the water. I removed a lot of the shark shots for that reason. There's no sense in scaring 'em off in advance, especially with the bad press sharks get from the news.
It costs $500+ more to get certified in Phoenix than near the coast 'cos most shops want you to have real ocean experience. Only a few will get you the initial cert in a lake. That's a big put-off to a lot of folks, as is the hard-sell by the shops to get newbies to buy ALL of their gear immediately. Add it up, and newbies here are looking at around $1300+ to go diving. If we could lower that number, more would go for it. If the shops would lay off the 'you really want all your own gear' line, they'd certify more folks and then reel 'em in after their first trip or two with dicey rental gear. That's the route I went. Didn't like the rental regs, didn't like the rental BCs, eventually bought the best regs I could get my hands on and a decent BC. I got certified in Maui for $150 total, then spent a few thousand on good gear over the next two years. At least I got opinions from a lot of different divers before I bought, rather than buy whatever the shop was dumping that month.
Of all the folks that enjoy the photos and videos, only the one guy that got himself certified would have cared about a Happy Hour. I've talked to a few other possible divers, but I could tell they were only vaguely curious after seeing the underwater shots. I nearly got another convinced, but he's got a family to feed and could barely afford the cert, let alone a nice trip.
Might get a couple of other divers I'd met on trips interested in an SD Happy Hour, 'cos they're an easy sell if they've had a couple of trips that weren't stellar. Disgruntled divers are willing converts, and it doesn't cost 'em anything extra to try. A bunch of smiling faces is all it takes....
B<g
#11
Dejah
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I spend too much time on line
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Posted 25 January 2006 - 09:45 AM
Well the closest I can come to this would be my brother, he's told me of his adventures of diving with others in the past but never being certified.. 
So lately I've been trying to get him to take a class along with my sister-in-law as well and get them both certified then dive somewhere local. Unforunately, no luck on this yet since their more into Wine Making right now and I certainly have no problem with that one.. 
but would still like to get them diving at the same time.
So lately I've been trying to get him to take a class along with my sister-in-law as well and get them both certified then dive somewhere local. Unforunately, no luck on this yet since their more into Wine Making right now and I certainly have no problem with that one.. but would still like to get them diving at the same time.
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