Age - Open discussion

[runawaylobster]

My birthday is in October, please wish me a happy 25th ....

LL

[RHolmesJr]

Old and decrepit?!?! See if I ever let you dive with me again!!

I was not referring to you sista! You only got me by a couple 5 years!! I was referring to a few of those old dudes I dive with with grey hair and beer bellies (which I myself am beginning to grow a pretty good one). I would be heart broken if you never dived with me again.

[RHolmesJr]

Cart? What do you do with a cart?

It's motorized and he uses it when he shops at Wal-Mart and picks up hot babes at the Ole Foggies home.

[sskasser]

I was not referring to you sista! You only got me by a couple 5 years!! I was referring to a few of those old dudes I dive with with grey hair and beer bellies (which I myself am beginning to grow a pretty good one). I would be heart broken if you never dived with me again.

Ok, I only got two out of the three (old dude, grey hair, beer belly)....so I guess I'll let it slide...speaking of...it's about time we did some diving, eh?

[Jay]

My birthday is in October, please wish me a happy 25th ....

LL

Sure, for the 6th time since I met you!

[BillBowden]

A couple of years ago I remarked to my doctor that I just couldn't do what I could ten years ago. He looked at me like I had two heads and said "that's right". I'm now 56. I don't drink, I don't smoke and I do exercise. I prefer to do one long dive, rather than two short ones, to cut down on the equipment handling.

The doubles went away several years ago because of back and knee problems. Today it's either rebreather or sidemount. I'm not shy about handing my bailout/deco bottles to boat crew before I climb the ladder onto the boat.

I swim slow, take my time and smell the rocks. Or I use a scooter.

When I'm on the breather, I usually do my open circuit buddy's deco- huge safety margin. On OC I do deep stops and come up the last 50' very slowly. Unless there's a reason to hurry, I like to take an extra 5 to 10 minutes after required deco. I'm underwater and breathing, why not?

Send me an email the next tiime you're coming to cave country, I'd be happy to dive with you. And remember the story of the young bull and the old bull...

PS: The older I get- the better I was.

[skip]

I'll chime in as an older guy. I'm 58 with a bit of beer gut. don't exercise if I can get away with it. never ride a bike or walk too far (unless it's to get to the sump, cave, or dive site). don't jog. drink beer (did i say that already). but I have a clean bill of health from the doc and ent, low bp, low on bad blood chem stuff and dive reqularly. twice a week or more year-round. I teach open water through tec so am often dealing with teens and older and so far my experience has managed to keep me up with their youth.

Seems like the younger they are the more wimpy they are. I rarely do one dive in a day, mostly two deco dives, but go slow and "smell the rocks" as one poster put it. and keep a nice long sit with lots of water between dives.

Barring health/physical issues I plan to dive until I can't.

I did once meet an old geezer, 84 years old, helping to load tanks on the dive boat. i thought he was just helping out, but turned out that him and his "young" wife of 78, were diving with us! I asked him and her how they managed and he said, "We choose our dives carefully." They did one dive of two possible, were totally satisfied, and helped unload the boat at the end of the day. They were going out for dinner and dancing that evening. I couldn't help but smile and silently wish the same for my wife and me at that age. Warm water, good viz, loving woman, a bottle of wine and a bit of a dance. Now that's old age!

-skip

[MichaelAngelo]

After reading this thread I just have to say "Man I dive with all the old guys" and each one of yous are a fine buddy to dive with. Thank god I use greison Formula in my beard. And Bill I will dive with you anytime and gladly help you out of the wheel chair and down the steps at Devils. I do remember the after dive dinner we had in Gainesville where I told the waitress the its my dad's 70 th birthday and could the staff bring out cake singing.
I love you all
MA

[RHolmesJr]

Ok, I only got two out of the three (old dude, grey hair, beer belly)....so I guess I'll let it slide...speaking of...it's about time we did some diving, eh?

Yeah Mama we need to get wet soon. I know of a couple of old farts that will be down this weekend diving at the spot. Unfortunately I will not be with them, Terry wont share his f'ing cart (ahole) and he's pissed about me ragging him about his AARP discounts that he also refuses to share in a time of financial struggle. Must be my social skills and lack of respect for my elders. If your interested you know how to find me. It will be a few weeks before I may be able to get down your way. Talk to you soon.

[Squirrel Girl]

Oh, yeah, if anyone wants an example of a dynamo of an older guy diving:

John Buxton

That guy's AMAZING!