Survey Results: Scuba Divers’ Snacks, Rituals & Lucky Gear
The Unique Culture That Shapes Our Scuba Diving Community
This light-hearted survey went diving into the fun side of our community.
InDepth Magazine and the Business of Diving Institute collaborate on a series of scuba diving industry surveys to better understand where we stand on dive industry issues, identify workable solutions, increase awareness of opportunities, and, most notably, fuel discussions among dive professionals.
We thank the following scuba diving industry leaders for directly supporting this initiative: Shearwater, DAN Europe, and GUE. We also thank all of you who took part in these surveys and studies.
This post is part of our Dive Industry Compass series by the Business of Diving Institute and Darcy Kieran, author of:
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Do you have a “lucky” piece of gear?
Dive day ritual – what’s your go-to?
(choose one)
Answers by those who selected “other” and provided information about it:
- Hydralite first thing in the morning to avoid cramps
- I listen to a diving podcast to get in the mood
- After-dive tea preparation
Best boat snack you’ve ever had?
(choose one)
Answers by those who selected “other” and provided information about it:
- zoopers (frozen ice blocks)
- snakes – it’s a gummy type sweet, I now have to have them after a dive
- oreos
- sushi
- ceviche
- for a 2 dip charter, I am ok/prefer nothing; GF shortbread cookies a good settler if need something; fruit good on way back to shore
- cornish pastry
- jelly sweets
- hummus
Worst meal you’ve been served on a dive trip?
(choose one)
Answers by those who selected “other” and provided information about it:
- boiled rice that tasted like rubbing alcohol
- peas with octopus
- tilapia fish
- plain rice with boiled vegetables – tasteless, but I ate it all up and was grateful
- sushi
- never really had a bad meal on a dive trip – lucky me
- don’t like sushi or raw fish of any kind
What’s always in your drysuit pocket or gear bag?
(choose one)
Answers by those who selected “other” and provided information about it:
- paçoca (Brazilian peanut-based candy)
- spare mask
- defog
- Reflutin against reflux
- Hydralite tablets
- Survival gear: mirror, whistle, ALU blanket
- backup stuff
- baby pouch with apple sauce
- tool for glows
- water (mentioned twice)
- milk coffee drink
- writing slate
- extra light
Weirdest item you’ve packed for a dive trip?
(choose one)
Answers by those who selected “other” and provided information about it:
- Tabasco
- dive sticks (boy am I learning I am boring!)
- The North Face mountain slippers with goose feathers, Helikon Tex poncho liner
- Paper Airplane to take pictures of while on the plane for my husband’s work group who were tasked with making one for a group project lol
- A tent for the head to prevent AC from hitting my head while i am sleeping
- folding table
- fan
- Tutus
- drone
- weights
- my lucky stone
- Very little – I pack as little as possible to keep the gear more portable
- only pack essentials
How many times do you usually check your gas before descending?
Do you talk to your gear underwater?
(choose one)
Funniest surface interval activity you’ve done?
(choose one)
Answers by those who selected “other” and provided information about it:
- softball game
- Jumped in when we saw dolphin in Galapagos – no a deep dive but it was like “get in!!”
- Fruits while standing on a sandbank
- Diving from Upper Deck of Boat
- Surfing and end up quiting second dive because the surf was too good
- Too busy throwing up from seasickness
- Work phone calls, pretending to be working
- n/a – I guess I am boring 😉
- strip bar
- Watching baby blacktop sharks in shallow water off beach
- Wearing funny sunglasses
What’s your favorite guilty-pleasure post-dive food or drink?
(choose one)
Answers by those who selected “other” and provided information about it:
- coffee
- try to eat clean—especially if diving next day
- seafood empanadas
- Chinese food (I’m a Jew. We all like Chinese food)
- Starbuck’s chocolate cream cold brew
- pork pie
Who participated in our fun scuba diving survey?
162 scuba divers participated in the survey.
- 61.7% were tech divers
- 53.1% were dive professionals
How long ago was your first dive?
- less than 5 years: 9.9%
- 5 to 10 years: 14.8%
- more than 10 years: 75.3%
Age groups of survey respondents:
- 1946-1954 (Boomers I): 11.1%
- 1955-1964 (Boomers II/Generation Jones): 16.0%
- 1965-1980 (Generation X): 39.5%
- 1981-1996 (Millennials): 27.2%
- 1997-2012 (Generation Z): 6.2%
Country/region of residence of survey respondents:
- United States (including AK & HI): 29.6%
- Western Europe: 27.2%
- South Pacific, Indo-Pacific, Other Tropical Asia-Pacific Region (incl. Maldives): 9.9%
- Canada: 9.9%
- Australia, New Zealand: 7.4%
- Mexico, Central America, Caribbean, Tropical Atlantic: 6.2%
- Other regions: 9.8%
Gender of survey respondents:
- Male: 71.6%
- Female: 28.2%
- Non-binary / Other / Unsure / Prefer Not To Say: 0.6%
Have a look at more scuba diving market research, surveys, reports & statistics in Your Dive Industry Compass.
If the information in this post was valuable to you, would you consider buying me a coffee?
Either way, please help the dive industry by taking part in ongoing surveys. Results from our past scuba diving market studies are also available here.
Your Dive Industry Compass
Scuba Diving Market Research, Surveys, Reports & Statistics
Shifting Tides
Strategies for Today’s Scuba Divers
Living The Scuba Dream
Plan Your Scuba Instructor Career & Deep Dive the Plan
You may also be interested in The Immersion Zone (our podcast), Scubanomics (our newsletter for dive professionals), and our published books & reference guides.