In the last 2 months, we have seen the entire world change before our eyes. One single event that directly affects the entire population of our planet has not occurred within our lifetimes. Almost half of the world is quarantined, schools are closed, business are closing and governments are panicking. Along with all these changes, it goes without saying that the dive industry is changing too. Many have lost access to dive sites or local shops have restricted access due to social distancing.
So what can stir-crazy divers do in the mean time?
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Service your equipment
With mandatory down time, now is the perfect time to service your gear. Inspect your hoses, change your o-rings, patch your wetsuit or drysuit, send your regs out for that service you’ve been putting off for the last 3 years, change out that hose that’s always been just a little bit too short, stock up your save-a-dive kit, leak test your BCD; there is always something that could use a little attention in your dive locker.[/span6]
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Learn Something
Are you an expert on decompression theory? Do you know everything about the ecosystem at your local dive site? Do you know how regulators work? Diving is such a complex sport, and there is always something new to learn. Instead of binge-watching Netflix, why not pick up a book, check out some of the excellent articles on diving available on from places like Shearwater and DAN or watch some of the incredible documentaries about our oceans, lakes, rivers and caves available online. There are tons of great resources available right from your couch.[/span6]
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Get in shape
There is a direct correlation between your physical condition and your risk of a dive injury. Even if you can’t get to the gym, or even go outside, there are many HIIT and bodyweight workouts you can do with no equipment even in a small apartment. With so much free time, there’s no excuse not to improve your dive safety through physical conditioning.[/span6]
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Organize your Media
Do you have hundreds of hours of footage from old dives taking up space on your old hard drive? Thousands of photos that you’ve never got around to editing? Now is the perfect time to edit and organize all of your photos and video, and delete the junk. Make them look good and share them with all of the other divers you know who can’t be in the water right now. Once this mess passes and you’re ready to get back in the water again, you’ll have more space to store the new ones.[/span6]
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Plan ahead
Sure, most of us are quarantined and can’t justify any excess spending right now, but that’s not going to last forever, and there’s no time like the present to start planning that next dive trip or course. Start researching dive sites you’d like to see, figure out how to get there and where you want to stay, make a budget, check out reviews on the instructor you are thinking about training with, ask around online for recommendations. You can do all of the prep work at home, and you don’t need to spend a dime to be ready to go when the world is back to normal again.[/span8]
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Support your local dive shop
Many shops have been forced to close, or closed because they can’t meet expenses. Have you had your eye on a piece of gear for the last few months? If you can afford it, give your local shop a call and buy it. Pre-pay a fill card, or register for a course and start the Elearning online now. Most shops are small business that may not be able to survive the next few months, and every customer helps. Imagine if when you were finally able to dive again, there was no boat to take you out, or no compressor to fill your tanks.[/span6]
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Sooner or later, the pandemic will be under control, people will go back to work, and we will be able to get back in the water at our favorite dive sites. Until then, its important that we stay positive, try and support those in our community (including your local shop) and use this time to improve ourselves instead of wasting it on the couch.
