Heard a supervisor say commercial divers burn out by 40, got me thinking about my timeline

I was sitting in the break room at the yard in Houston last Thursday and overheard this old supervisor talking to a new hire. He said most guys in our field are done by 40 because of the joint wear and the schedule. I'm 32 now and I've been diving for 8 years, and I started wondering if I should be planning an exit strategy sooner. Anyone else hear similar timelines from old hands, or is he just talking about the guys who don't take care of themselves?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_blair1mo ago

Nah man, that old timer's just projecting his own burnout onto everybody else. I know guys pushing 50 still doing deep bell dives in the Gulf and they're tougher than the 20 year olds.

shane7511mo ago

Started looking into transitioning around your same age after hearing similar warnings. Got into offshore inspection work and side jobs maintaining dive equipment for other crews. The physical wear is real but you can pivot into related work that still pays well without crushing your body. Took some online certs for NDT stuff and phased out of commercial diving by 35. Still in the water sometimes for light work but mostly boots on deck now.