November 8, 2026 · November Newsletter
Scuba is better together
Earning your scuba certification is a major accomplishment. You’ve learned new skills, taken your first breaths underwater, and opened the door to a whole new world.
But certification is a starting point. The next step is getting back in the water—with a buddy, a plan, and enough confidence to enjoy the dive.
That can be harder than it sounds. A new diver may finish a course excited to explore, then realize they don’t know where to go, who to dive with, or whether they’re ready to plan a dive on their own. If too much time passes, familiar skills can feel rusty and the next dive can seem even more intimidating.
The numbers tell part of the story
A 2015 PADI survey asked lapsed divers why they had stopped diving. One in four respondents (25%) said they had no dive buddies to dive with. The survey also found that 97.6% of respondents said they expected to return to diving at some point.
A separate survey published in 2025 looked at divers’ readiness after completing an open-water course. Among its 407 diver and dive-professional respondents, 37.1% said they did not feel ready to dive independently with a buddy at the end of their course. When asked what would have helped them feel more prepared, 70.7% selected “more dives.”
These figures are not a precise measure of how many new divers leave the sport, and the surveys are not representative of every diver. They do highlight two real challenges: people can feel unsure about diving after certification, and some divers struggle to find a buddy.
Community helps turn certification into a habit
A dive community gives you people to ask questions, plan dives with, and learn alongside. It can make that first post-certification dive easier to arrange and give you a reason to keep practicing. Over time, regular dives help skills feel familiar, confidence build, and the underwater world feel less intimidating.
Community doesn’t mean you have to be an expert or own every piece of equipment. It means having welcoming people around you as you keep learning. You might join a local dive, come to a refresher, try a new site with an instructor, or meet other divers and start planning together.
If you’ve been out of the water for a while, you’re still part of the diving community. You don’t have to feel embarrassed about being rusty or wait until you feel completely ready to reach out. The right next step can be a conversation, a refresher, or a comfortable dive with support.
Keep your next dive on the calendar
At It Rains Scuba, we encourage our students to come dive with us whenever we’re doing checkout dives or spending time at the pool. You’re welcome to keep practicing, stay connected, and be part of what’s happening—even after your course is over.
Take the next course. Go on that trip. Plan your next dive so you have something to look forward to. Build your network and your community one dive at a time.
We keep our classes small so each student has more opportunity to learn, practice, and grow into a confident diver. Small classes also give us time to build a personal, professional relationship with each student—one grounded in trust, encouragement, and excitement for what comes next.
Whether you’re newly certified, returning after time away, or looking for new dive buddies, there’s a place for you here.
Keep diving. Keep learning. Bring a buddy—or come meet one.
Follow us on Facebook or reach out to It Rains Scuba to find your next opportunity to dive with us.
Learn Small. Dive Big. Travel Far.
Sources
PADI Pros, “Why divers stop diving – and how to get them back in the water” (17 April 2015): https://pros-blog.padi.com/why-divers-stop-diving-and-how-to-get-them-back-in-the-water/
Business of Diving Institute and InDepth Magazine, “Are Scuba Divers Ready To Dive After Their Open-Water Diver Course?” (2025; survey of 407 respondents): https://www.businessofdiving.com/scuba-divers-ready-after-open-water-diver-course