Community Description and Demographics

 

 

The graph above shows the various age groups within this community.  There are aproximately 35 scuba divers connected to Pacific Watersports dive shop.  This number is only an aproximation due to the amount of people joining the community each year.  As of August, 2012, there was a total of 35 people.  Within this community of 35 people, four are between the ages of eight and 20 years old, five are between the ages of 21 and 30 years old, three are between the ages of 31 and 40 years old, nine are between the ages of 41 and 50 years old, and 14 are 51 years of age or older.  Based on the information shown, this is a hobby connected to time available, money, and interest.  Scuba diving is not a couple of hours of activity, it is a whole day, weekend, or week activity that many people under the age of 40 most likely do not have.  It is also a more expensive hobby to get in to and one needs the emotional interest to begin the open water certification due to the training taking about a month.

 

 

 

The graph above shows the experience levels in the community.  Each dive over 20 minutes, according to PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors), counts as one dive.  A diver needs a particulat amount of dives in order to take the next class on various diving skills.  The dive experience begins at four dives due to the open water certification consisting of four dives.  One will not pass the certification with completing these four dives.  In our community, two people have between four and 20 dives, three peopel have between 21 and 50 dives, 15 people have between 51 and 100 dives, 11 people have between 100 and 500 dives, and four people have over 500 dives completed and recorded.

 

 

The graph above shows the number of classes each diver has taken.  These classes consist of various skills for how deep a diver can go safely, night diving, drifting, boat diving, under water photography, etc.  There is a large number of classes a diver can take.  As described before, the open water certification is the first class in which a diver needs to complete in order to dive safely.  Including myself, our community consists of two people that have completed the first class, five people that have completed one to five classes, 16 people that have completed six to 10 classes, 10 people that have completed 10 to 15 classes, and two people that have completed more than 15 classes.

 

 

The graph above shows the number of dives completed in the past year by each diver in the community.  There are no divers that have completed less than five dives in the past year of 2012.  Four people have completed five to 10 dives, six people have completed 11 to 20 dives, 11 people have completed 21 to 49 dives, and 14 people have completed over 50 dives.  Dives have to be completed carefully.  Each diver has to make sure they stay above the water for a certain amount of time before going back in due to the amount of nitrogen in their system.  Most of the divers in this community average two dives per day for safetly reasons.

 

 

The graph above shows how many divers began as a couple and how many began on their own.  Diving is all about the buddy system because it allows divers to check and double check with their buddy of the safety checks before during, and after a dive.  I am one of the few who began the first class by myself only because my buddy, who is also my fiance, already knew how to dive.  The other members either dive as friends, as couples in relationships, or are experienced enough to dive alone.