Can we start diving at 60?

Diving is an activity that is now accessible to a very wide audience. Some start the activity as early as childhood. Others discover it by chance and are among those who will start diving at 60 or older.

No worries, as long as one has the intelligence and common sense to adapt the activity to his age and/or his state of health.

Nelly was one of those who started diving “late” and never stopped. Faithful reader of the blog, she agreed to tell me how it all started.

Start diving at 60… by chance.

To start a new activity at almost 60 years of age is not always scheduled. Almost never perhaps. That wasn’t the case for Nelly.

At the end of 2005, the retirement is here. After a toe fracture, she was diagnosed with severe osteopenia. “Do more sports, now you have more time!” a doctor suggests.

So, because she can no longer jogg because of tendonitis, she started to swim. Especially since she has to heal a hand whose middle finger was broken.

One Saturday morning in February 2007, she meets a sailing buddy who knows that she can no longer practice sailing with her injured hand offers her a “try diving” experience. The following Tuesday, Nelly goes to the pool of the Military Prytanée whose depth allows the club to do exercises with tanks.

Nelly tried it so hard that when she got out of the water, she made the international gesture of the divers that said “OK!” while declaring “I think I’ll never stop!” 

It was the unique feeling of weightlessness, to master the material and its body underwater that was a new discovery. Like a conquest that grew her up.

Training at your own pace

Nelly then started her diving training,  which she had to interrupt due to a knee accident. Anyway, she’s determined. 

She will pass her first certification in the Atlantic Ocean, in cold water. The second, in a quarry close to Angers whose visibility is limited.

At 64, she already has 100 logged dives. But, little by little, she decides to desert the cold waters and the very heavy equipment associated with it.

Nevertheless, encouraged by her non-diver husband who helped her for the theory, Nelly moved to level 3 in Guadeloupe. Because at 65, it’s harder to wear the thick suit and the heavy weights needed for cold water!

On February 28, 2015, she is certified with a level 3 similar to a master scuba diver level !

Diving that makes you travel

Nelly tells me that she had the chance to film sharks and whale sharks in the Maldives and explore several times the depths of the Red Sea.

She particularly likes shipwrecks.

Of course, she’s been through stress, anxiety  and failure. Fortunately without gravity.

For the past 4 years, Nelly is fan of Mauritius island where she dives with a very familiar club.

Start diving at 60: the time to adapt

Two years ago, Nelly broke a rib when she got on the boat that started from the shore.

Today, she blew out her 70 candles. She never hesitates to cancel a dive if she doesn’t feel fit or if she lacks sleep.

She also does not hesitate to get helped:

“In all dive shops, there are always big arms that offer me help to carry my tank while I carry other equipment. (the advantage of wrinkles!) »

Nelly

In addition, as the diving manuals suggest staying in shape, Nelly also started riding a road bike and even took part in the “All in Strasbourg” event.

It’s clear that many much younger divers don’t make as much effort to maintain their physical condition.

Diving after 60 , why?

“We are often told to “live in the present moment.” What could be more intense than diving to be in the present time? For me every dive is a promise of happiness. »

Nelly

For Nelly, the first risk when diving is that of emptying her wallet. Because a diver always wants to see more. Like a drug, diving also encourages people to go further and discover more species and more places. But also to go beyond the borders of the country to discover the richness and colors of the aquatic world in warm waters.

Finally, through diving, Nelly met beautiful people and created lasting friendships. Today, with her husband she continues to travel thinking about underwater beauties.

Diving is an activity that is perfectly suited for people over 60s, even if they are just starting out. However, care should be taken to adapt it to the person’s health and/or fitness.

It is useful to follow some tips: Diving For Seniors Citizens : 10 Tips For An Exceptional Experience

Start diving at 60, good or bad idea?

Tell us this in a comment below

And above all… remember to be happy 🤗

Hélène