Three main BCD types

Buoyancy Compensation Devices, or BCDs, allow divers to offset negative buoyancy on the surface and maintain neutral buoyancy underwater. As such, the key component of a BCD is its inflatable air bladder. The three basic BCD types have bladders that differ slightly.

Jacket BCDs

If you learned to scuba dive in rental equipment, you probably used a jacket BCD. These are, as the name suggests, much like inflatable waistcoats. A single air bladder surrounds the diver’s back and the part of the diver’s sides where the BCD conforms to the body.

Jacket-style units are easy to use and manage on the surface. As such, many divers choose one for their first-ever BCD. Jackets are user-friendly underwater too. The one drawback is that until divers get a feel for where the air is sitting in the large bladder, getting into a good trim position may be harder.

Wing BCDs

Wing BCDs differ from jacket-style BCDs as they do not conform to your body in the same way. Instead, wings are doughnut or horseshoe-shaped buoyancy devices that rest on the diver’s back. They are secured in place with straps and a harness.

This style of BCD is more difficult to master at first, but most divers will argue that wings allow better trim in the water. On the surface, a wing BCD’s air placement can push you forward slightly. Choose a wing if you can confidently and competently manage yourself on the surface. Otherwise, stick to a jacket-style unit.

Hybrid BCDs (back-inflate BCDs)

Hybrid or back-inflate BCDs are growing in popularity, especially as the lines between recreational diving and technical diving blur. As the name suggests, hybrids combine features from both wings and jacket-style units. The distribution of air in a hybrid makes maintaining trim underwater easy. They’re also simple to manage on the surface.

Weight Matters: integrated BCD or weight belt?

Another key decision is whether you’d like a BCD with integrated weight pockets, or if you’ll continue to use a weight belt as you did in your course.

BCDs with integrated weight systems feature large, dedicated pockets that you slip weights into. These pockets are then slotted into place and clipped in securely. As you can imagine, having all your required weights at the front of your body can affect you on the surface when you’re new to the sport. Underwater, it’s less of a concern, as you’re horizontal.

To mitigate any issues, many new divers who use integrated weight systems place weights in their trim pockets (located on either side of the tank strap at the back of the BCD) or onto the tank strap itself. Trim weight pockets are generally small and only hold a few pounds.

When you were training, you learned to use a weight belt, whether your BCD had integrated weights or not. Many divers choose to keep using a weight belt and don’t place much value on integrated weight systems. However, it’s largely a matter of personal preference. If you can, try diving with both types of BCD to see which you prefer before you buy one.

BCD fit

If you’re buying online, do a little research on the manufacturer and their sizes. Ideally, you’ll be able to try on a new BCD before you buy it at your local dive shop and purchase it there as well. Certain brands run larger than others, but most BCDs are adaptable when it comes to the size of the divers they can accommodate.

Getting the proper fit can make a lot of difference underwater, on the surface, and to your own comfort levels. BCDs that are too large can end up floating around your ears when you’re on the surface. Too small and you risk struggling with the straps at the waist.

A good rule of thumb is that you should buy a BCD in the same size as the T-shirts you wear. That said, do a little research and make sure the model you’re considering runs true to size.

Do I need a gender-specific BCD?

Unisex BCDs dominate the market and are the norm, but you’ll see an increasing number of units marketed specifically to women. The reasoning here is that BCDs designed for women are more comfortable on the female form.

Plenty of divers will tell you that’s nonsense and that any BCD is fine for women, while other female divers swear by these models. Again, this really comes down to personal preference. As a female diver, you do not need a BCD designed for women, but you may prefer these units.

Pockets

Pockets may seem like a bit of a trivial concern but trust us — you’ll miss them if you buy a unit without any storage options. Many units come with two large pockets at the front. Divers use these to store stuff like a spare mask, a torch, an SMB, and their reel.

If you go down the pocketless route, make sure the BCD has enough D-rings so you can securely clip your extra equipment to the unit. Some divers hate having bits and pieces dangling off them while others prefer this over bulky pockets.

Standard BCD features

Across models and brands, some things remain standard. All BCDs, no matter the type or the style, have these features:

Inflation system

Your BCD inflates in one of two ways: with air from the tank using the button on your LPI (low-pressure inflator hose), or via manual inflation.

BCDs are sold with LPIs, so you don’t need to purchase one separately. The hose connecting the LPI to the tank may or may come with the regulator you buy.

Deflation and dump valves

To offset increased buoyancy as you ascend (remember that gas expands as pressure drops) you need to remove air from your BCD occasionally to remain neutrally buoyant.

You deflate your BCD using the deflate button on your LPI or through the dump valves. Most BCDs have a dump valve on the right-hand shoulder and at the rear of the BCD, again on the right-hand side.

Getting your own scuba diving gear might feel like a big plunge, but once you’re suited and booted, you’ll find that having your own equipment is wonderful. Most divers feel more comfortable in own stuff and this holds true for BCDs in particular. Do your research and try a few before you buy for the best results, and you may find yourself diving more and more once your gear fits you well.

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Fit is everything

Wetsuits, more than any other piece of scuba equipment, must fit you well. One way a properly fitted wetsuit keeps you warm is by trapping a thin layer of water between your body and the suit. Your body then heats up this water to help keep you cozy.

If a wetsuit fits poorly, water can flow in and out of the suit’s neck, wrist, and ankle seals as you dive, and the suit can’t perform the full breadth of its thermal functions.

Avoid this situation by checking the fit of a wetsuit before purchase. Or, if you’re shopping online, make sure the retailer accepts returns.

Here are a few hints when it comes to checking a wetsuit’s fit:

• The neck seal should be snug but not too tight.
• Wrist and ankle seals should lie flat against your skin and not pucker or gape as you move your limbs around.
• The suit should be tight — that’s how it keeps you warm, after all. But if it’s so tight that you’re unable to stretch both your arms above your head and press your hands together, you need to go up a size.
• The wetsuit’s crotch should be close to your own, not stuck in limbo somewhere between your nether regions and your knees.
• Make sure the suit’s arms and legs reach your wrists and ankles. If they don’t, consider going up a size or ordering the suit’s tall version.
• The wetsuit should conform to your body everywhere. If it pulls away from your body along your spine, it’s probably too small. This is more of an issue for women and it’s often the reason why rear-zip wetsuits rip at the zip’s bottom.

Choose the right level of thermal protection

It’s no good buying a state-of-the-art 7 mm double-layer suit if you intend to dive the tropics and never venture into cooler climes. Likewise, a 3 mm shorty wetsuit won’t serve you well in Northern European waters, even in the summer.

Buy the right suit for the type of diving you’re doing, and you’ll stay comfortable underwater and on the shore. Wetsuits come in fairly standard thickness ratings, measured in millimeters. The thicker the suit, the warmer it is. Here’s a guide to water temperatures and the suits best suited to the climate:

75 to 85 F (23 to 29 C): 1 to 3 mm neoprene wetsuits or, at the warmer end of the scale, Lycra skinsuits that provide protection from any marine stingers floating past you. If stingy stuff isn’t an issue, feel free to wear a short, thin wetsuit or a rash vest and board shorts.

65 to 75 F (18 to 23 C): In moderate waters, choose a 5 mm full suit. To add a little extra warmth, a hood or a chicken vest (yes you read that right) can do wonders. Chicken vests add an extra layer to your torso and are generally 1 to 3 mm thick.

50 to 65 F (10 to 18 C): Choose a 7-mm full suit and add extra neoprene layers if water temperatures are at the cool end of this bracket.

40 to 50 F (4 to 10 C): At the warmer end of the scale, a 7-mm full suit or double suit might suffice for a short dive, but when it gets this cold, you really need a drysuit.

Weights and buoyancy

 Neoprene wetsuits contain tiny bubbles of air in the suit’s material. This helps keep you warm, but it also makes you buoyant. As a result, you need more weight if you dive in a thicker suit than in a thinner suit. So, if you’re changing from a rental 5 mm to your own 7 mm, take along a few extra pounds.

New wetsuits are extra buoyant. As divers use them and they compress, they’ll lose a bit of this buoyancy. So, don’t be surprised if your brand-new suit needs more weight than you anticipated.

As you’ll remember from your training, gas compresses with depth. As you go deeper, your wetsuit will get thinner and offer less thermal protection. And, in some dive locations, thermoclines mean the water will be one temperature nearer the surface and experience much as a 10-degree drop once you pass a certain depth. Make sure your suit can keep you warm at depth.

Seals and zips

Wetsuits are like any product — the more expensive they are, the better they should perform. Seals and zips are both factors that affect a suit’s quality and its price.

Where possible, choose wetsuits with solid, sturdy zips — YKK brand zips are always reliable. Cheap, flimsy plastic lasts about as long as you’d expect.

While most wetsuits once had back zips as a rule, front zipping suits are becoming more common. Zipper placement is largely a matter of choice. Some divers don’t mind hauling rear zips up with the dedicated tag; other divers prefer an easy to manage front zip.

Some divers are using zipper-less suits too. These are often more expensive or have been designed with freediving in mind. That said, they’re perfectly fine for scuba.

Wetsuits are often marketed as having “sealed” seams. This means that all the seams have been glued together in addition to the standard sewing in place. The result is less water seeping in through the seams, which, in turn, keeps you warmer.

Brand matters

Most dive-equipment manufacturers make wetsuits. The brand doesn’t really matter; quality and fit are far more important. But choosing one of the well-known producers should guarantee a quality product.

The following brands all make popular scuba diving wetsuits:

• Fourth Element
• O’Neill
• Aqualung
• Bare
• Cressi
• Scubapro
• Hollis
• Mares

You can also look outside scuba diving to find great wetsuits. O’Neill, for example, is perhaps better known as a surf brand. Likewise, Billabong, Rip Curl and Quicksilver all make wetsuits that do double duty on a board and underwater. 

We hope this guide to choosing your first scuba wetsuit was helpful. Buying a scuba diving wetsuit is a great first step to enhancing every dive you undertake

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By becoming a dive professional, you choose to make diving your career. Most instructors and divemasters invest a large amount of money into their training — for equipment, education, and travel and living expenses wherever they train or work. Asking for a free internship means candidates are asking these professionals to share their knowledge and experience for free. This devalues the skills and knowledge that you stand to gain. So, with that said, what are the pros and cons of a free diving internship?

Pros

• This one is quite obvious: candidates gain the knowledge, experience and skills of a professional-level qualification while working for a company instead of paying for their course. It is an attractive option, since you get to dive and gain certifications in exchange for something that you already want to do.
• Candidates often also get to spend time in a beautiful location while saving money on food and accommodation (often included in the exchange).
• Pros for dive shops are similar: they get a candidate to work in the shop and in classes for free in exchange for training and can often get extra hours of work out of trainees who are working for free.

Cons

• While some dive centers provide value for your services, others tend to favor paying customers — after all, they have bills to pay. Candidates who are on free internships often have their training placed on hold in order to accommodate paying customers. This might lead to knowledge and skills sessions being rushed or squeezed in whenever the instructors have free time.
• It is not unheard of that candidates work for a company for a time only to have a disagreement with management or the owners and then leave the dive center without completing their qualification. Or, since paying customers take priority over candidates who are on free internships, the candidates might find that they have a large part of the course to still complete as their departure date draws closer, leading to rushed training.

How free internships influence the diving industry

Some dive centers see candidates on free internships as free labor to supplement their core staff. They also acknowledge the marketing benefits that these candidates have (think about pictures of living on a tropical island proudly displayed on social media).

As mentioned before, free diving internships also devalue the dive industry. If you get something for free you tend to not appreciate it as much as something that you paid your hard-earned cash for.

With thousands of dive professionals gaining certification each month the competition is growing more and more fierce. Asking for free internships or discounted diving creates a knock-on effect that eventually trickles down to instructor salaries. Consequently, imagine you make it through your free training and start looking for a job as an instructor — only to find that everyone-and-his-buddy are asking for discounts and free internships — and you, as a dive instructor, barely earn enough to afford living on your dream island. While free diving internships are likely here to stay, consider all the pros and cons before you accept, or solicit one.

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The PADI Discover Scuba Diving experience is phenomenally popular, and for good reason. It’s a win-win situation for both the participant and the dive center or resort conducting the session. What exactly is a PADI DSD session? And what is involved? What are the benefits to the participant? And why are they such a boon for dive centers and staff the world over?

While of course at the instructor or dive center’s discretion, eligibility requirements to take part in a DSD experience are minimal. The participant must be at least 10 years old, physically fit, and have the appropriately signed RSTC medical and liability releases.

So, what is a DSD session? What is involved? The DSD, in its complete form, is a three-part experience.

DSD: part one

First, the instructor briefs divers on breathing rules and equalization techniques, equipment purpose and use, hand signals, regulator and mask clearing techniques and responsible interactions with aquatic life, particularly when conducting the program outside of a pool environment. The instructor will also strongly emphasize the importance of watching and staying close to the professional diver supervising the in-water experience and the limitations of the program. They’ll also reinforce the value of further training, should the DSD participants enjoy the experience.

It is vitally important that all participants understand precisely what will happen when in the water, what to do in the event of a problem, and that the DSD is an experience program, not a training course with certification. With that in mind, each participant must complete and sign the Discover Scuba Diving Knowledge and Safety Review.

DSD: part two

The second step is to progress to the pool or shallow, confined open water. Candidates learn how their gear works and practice BCD inflation and deflation at the surface. Next, they’ll learn the correct breathing technique and practice blow some bubbles.

Once candidates are comfortable beneath the surface, the instructor will demonstrate and assess key safety skills with the candidate. The instructor must ensure that candidates are able to successfully complete the following skills prior to moving to an open-water setting with a depth of up to 40 feet (12 m):

• Breathing underwater
• Regulator clearing
• Regulator recovery
• Mask clearing
• Equalization techniques

DSD: part three

Finally, having successfully completed the skills, participants can participate in a tour of an open-water dive site under an instructor’s close supervision.

Benefits to the participant

• The DSD program is a fun way to get a taste of what it means to be a qualified scuba diver. Within an hour, you can go from a complete novice who has never worn a scuba unit to completing your first open-water dive.
• The DSD experience isn’t time-consuming and, in some circumstances, may only require a couple of hours from your vacation. So, if family or friends are on vacation with you and aren’t interested in scuba diving, the shorter session allows you to try it and still dedicate the remainder of the day to other activities.
• Taking part in a DSD experience offers participants a window into another world and, depending on the environment, their first opportunity to observe aquatic life in its natural environment.
• The program is equally fun with family and friends or as a single traveler looking to meet other people. The camaraderie of diving brings people together: you never forget your first dive.
• The DSD experience offers a taste of what a full open-water course involves. Indeed, at the instructor’s discretion, you may earn some credit toward your first confined-water and open-water dives of the full course.
  Conversely, however unlikely it sounds, this taste of diving may help you decide that scuba diving isn’t for you. You may not enjoy it, feel uncomfortable in the water, or feel you don’t currently have the physical fitness to undertake diving in a more committed way. A DSD lets you spend less time and fewer resources in a non-committal way and get a snapshot of the sport.
• Finally, if the participant doesn’t have time to complete a full open-water course but wants to do some more diving on their vacation, a successfully completed DSD can facilitate further excursion dives to 40 feet (12 m) under the close supervision of a professional.
• This allows the participants to gather some more experience, enjoy the underwater world, gain confidence and, hopefully, fall in love with the sport and choose to continue.

Benefits for the dive center and instructor

In a resort environment, the DSD experience is the bread and butter for many dive centers. Hotel pool demonstrations allow centers access to a rolling cast of potential new diving customers who, perhaps not having considered diving before, may love the experience and continue to dive more for the duration of their stay.

The DSD is a great shop window for dive centers and a well-conducted DSD will often lure bystanders in to inquire about taking part, especially if they see the smiling faces of happy customers returning to the surface for the first time.

Given the DSD’s link to the full open-water course, a well-conducted session may also lead to a conversion — someone on vacation who opts to undertake the full open-water course during their trip. All of these outcomes are good news for the revenue stream of the dive center and instructor. New divers often go on to share their experience with friends and family on social media or buy essential equipment such as a mask and snorkel from the dive shop as well.

The DSD experience is quick and inexpensive to conduct. It also allows new professional divers to gather lots of useful experience in a short period of time. Each participant is usually new to diving. Consequently, new professional divers become fluid and highly competent at dealing with student divers over just a few weeks when they may conduct dozens of DSDs.

Much like new student divers learning an essential skill, new professional divers gain proficiency through repetition. Explaining diving-related concepts, honing their coaching skills, identifying and resolving problems before they occur, and understanding how to encourage new DSD participants to convert to a full open-water course becomes second nature as they blossom with experience.

Conversely, for the experienced instructor who hasn’t taught at the grass-roots level for a long period, conducting DSDs can be refreshing — a reminder of the joy on students’ faces as they realize they can breathe underwater for the first time.

The Discover Scuba Diving program is hugely successful and, for many long-certified divers, their first diving experience. Conducted in the correct way it is a fun, safe and rewarding experience for both the participant and the instructor.

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What is task loading?

Originally summarized in 1988 by psychologist John Sweller of the University of New South Wales, Australia, cognitive load theory proposed that “as a result of higher cognitive load, a stimulus is more difficult to pay attention to.”

A ‘task load’ indicates the degree of difficulty you experience when performing a task. ‘Task loading’ describes the accumulation of tasks that are necessary to perform an operation. This loading of multiple tasks — and the subsequent distraction and stress it causes — is common when it comes to scuba diving.

Noticing incidences of task loading in diving is easier for experienced divers, technical divers and instructors. However, it’s sometimes less apparent when you’re at the beginning of your diving journey. The ‘operation’ in the context of diving is, quite simply, successfully and safely making the dive. The ‘task loading’ may increase thanks to the accumulation of any number of tasks – above or below the surface — that require a diver to divert their attention from the matter at hand. That could include anything from a newer diver trying to communicate their gas consumption to the guide while simultaneously maintaining control mid-water, to a technical diver switching stage bottles, to an instructor attempting to maintain control of a group of multiple inexperienced divers.

What problems can excessive task loading cause?

If a diver must deal with too many tasks simultaneously (or even just one task that they struggle with) stress and confusion can result. The diver may then enter a cycle of perceptual narrowing — focusing solely on trying to address one perceived problem or task — to the detriment of their overall situation in the water. This, at best, may lead to a diver giving themselves or their buddies a scare in the water. For example, a task-loaded diver may temporarily lose control of buoyancy or become separated from their buddy or group. Or, at worst, a diving accident may occur.

Almost every aspect of a dive includes some tasks from the moment you arrive on the boat or the dive shop. As a result, some task loading is inevitable. Even to gear up, buddy check and swim while simultaneously keeping tabs on your gas consumption, direction and depth requires an awareness that novice divers may struggle with. For this reason, instructors introduce task loading very gradually during initial diver training.

Task loading and new divers

At the introductory level of dive training, task loading is minimal. Instructors must ensure that divers can, for example, complete simple tasks. These can include executing a safe and controlled descent while also equalizing their ears and maintaining buddy contact. As a new diver, sometimes doing two tasks simultaneously can prove challenging.

It is not uncommon on those opening dives to see a novice struggling to control buoyancy when asked to pause, check and signal to the instructor how much remaining gas they have. The student may have reasonable buoyancy in isolation, but adding the additional task of pausing, hovering, reading and deciphering the figures on their gauge, and remembering the signal to respond with, can be enough to unsettle a diver at this stage of their learning.

Task loading and advanced divers

Moving on to an advanced open-water level or equivalent, instructors expect divers to master those initial skills. Additionally, the instructor will introduce another task to the equation, such as increased responsibility for navigation and compass use or noting the hazards and points of interest on a wreck on a dive slate while also completing the core tasks of the open-water diver, such as maintaining good buoyancy and buddy contact.

At rescue-diver level the envelope is pushed further with even more purposeful task loading. Rescue divers must deal not only with issues in their own sphere, but also with other divers’ issues as well. Someone in the water may be unresponsive, in distress, or missing from the dive, and the rescue diver must quickly and effectively undertake a search pattern.

Task loading escalates with each level of training. An instructor may be responsible for multiple tasks and the safety of multiple divers all on one dive. A technical diver must execute their plan with absolute precision while closely monitoring time and making required gas changes. A cave diver may be in a claustrophobic overhead environment using reels, lines and lights.

Planned vs. unplanned tasks

Some tasks are planned — an instructor knows she must monitor the depth and comfort of all divers in their group. Nonetheless, emergencies or unplanned tasks can occur, requiring the instructor or dive guide to perform under challenging circumstances, such as a diver experiencing distress, vertigo or separation from the dive leader.

Although he has made a detailed plan, a technical diver may have an equipment malfunction or accidentally exceed his planned depth, which may require changes to the plan on-the-fly, making gas changes or, in the event of equipment malfunctions, perform a gas shut down.

Some instructors even separate the tasks into tiers when providing training — core, foundational, critical and supplementary skills and competencies that a diver may practice and master as their training develops.

How can you avoid task loading?

• Plan the dive conservatively. Instead of deciding on multiple tasks or objectives and attempting to shoehorn them all into the dive plan, consider the overall picture. Can you conduct the dive safely, including all those tasks and considering any contingencies or potential safety/emergency issues? Visualize how you might deal with issues and how your equipment is configured. If you can’t make the dive safely, or it is borderline on safety grounds, change your objective or don’t make the dive. Sometimes it’s just your day to skip the dive.
• Know your equipment and test-dive it in less-demanding conditions before making that big dive you’ve been building up to. Using your equipment should be instinctive. A new dive circumstance, such as your first night dive, is not the place to try unfamiliar dive gear.
• Talk with the people you’ll be diving with. Understand their equipment and review it in a thorough pre-dive check. Discuss how they share air in the event of an emergency – do they ‘donate’ on the signal? Or expect you to secure it from them? How is it clipped in? How does the purge button on their regulator work? Know before entering the water — it will reduce task loading and stress in the event you actually have to use the procedure.
• Take what you need. Sometimes, less is more. It’s common to see an enthusiastic diver at the water’s edge, clipping on another torch, reel, GoPro camera with the ubiquitous selfie-stick, additional compasses, pointing sticks, strobes, shakers and maybe multiple slates and a back-up wrist mounted compass. This can leave the diver looking like the stereotypical “Christmas tree.” Bringing lots of unnecessary gear may have potentially already agitated and stressed the diver before he even enters the water for a simple recreational dive. Consider what you need for the dive, taking into account the environment and conditions described in the briefing. If the dive looks challenging, leave handheld equipment like selfie-sticks and cameras on the boat.
• If you progress to technical diving or solo diving, you must carry back-up resources. These can include computers, reels and SMBs, gas cylinders, masks and line cutters or a knife. But additional equipment also creates the opportunity for mistakes in less-than-competent hands. Be comfortable with your equipment and know where it’s located and how to use it.
• Plan the dive; dive the plan. Do your pre-dive checks thoroughly. Be in the right state of mind entering the water and stay on plan. If you have agreed to a maximum depth, route and run-time, try to maintain it as much as possible. Consider the dive like a flowchart of decision making. Don’t go off on an unplanned tangent unless there are exceptional circumstances or an emergency.

It is critical, whatever your level of diving, to honestly acknowledge your strengths and weakness. Every diver can learn something new and improve. Make honest assessments of your abilities and seek feedback from more experienced divers. Stay within your training and comfort zone to avoid excessive task loading and the potential problems that come with it.

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Bargain dive courses

Any dive-professional forum search will unearth a number of heated discussions about pricing in the dive industry. Ask any dive professional and they will tell you that the constant battle for lower prices is de-valuing the dive industry in several ways.

Dive centers that offer courses at drastically discounted prices still have the same operating costs as their higher-priced counterparts. They must make up the money that they’re losing by offering lower-priced courses somehow.

For some centers, this means that they must certify more students per month in order to attain the same income. This results in a kind of diving-factory mentality that churns out new students assembly-line style. Students are pushed through, and as long as they meet the qualifying requirements, they get certified. These centers offer little room for deviation from schedules, and extra time in the water for those who need it is not always possible. There is little focus on mastery or on certifying students comfortable enough to go diving alone with a buddy, independent of an instructor or divemaster.

Often these centers place large groups of students with one instructor, which results in a large portion of the dive spent watching and waiting for other students to perform their skills. Smaller groups enable students to spend more time mastering their skills.

Bigger groups can mean less personalization

Lower-priced dive centers also tend to take larger groups of fun divers on guided dives — again to make up for lost revenue. While certified divers don’t need a dive guide, diving in larger groups tends to become messy as the group splits up or everyone crowds around the guide to see the little nudibranch that he is pointing out. Shops that charge higher prices can employ more staff and offer smaller groups, which means you will be able to see everything the dive guide points out without worrying that your mask will be knocked off as someone elbows you out of the way.

If you do find a less-expensive dive center that only takes small groups of divers, consider that they still have the same expenses as more expensive centers — think agency fees, equipment maintenance, electricity for filling tanks, fuel for the boat, staff salaries. For them to make a profit, or just break even, they must cut expenses somewhere, which could be in the quality of their equipment or, sometimes, their staff’s salaries.

Why is diving expensive in otherwise affordable countries?

Why is diving so expensive in countries where everything else is cheap? Consider this: You live in Europe or the States and need a piece of equipment for your next dive trip. No problem — you get in your car, drive 20 minutes to your local dive shop and walk out with whatever you needed a short while later. Some of the world’s best diving, however, is on remote, tropical islands or in developing countries. These places usually don’t have equipment suppliers nearby, unless it’s more touristy or established for diving. Gear and supplies must come from either the mainland, a larger island, or even a different country. Factor in the time and effort it takes to get equipment to your paradise location, and it all adds up.

Beside the gear there is the issue of staff salaries, as mentioned above. Good instructors add value to a dive center and will offer you the best training and service. These instructors know their worth and ask for it. ‘Living the dream’ is wonderful until you realize that you only earn enough to have one decent meal a day after paying rent, replacing equipment, paying for visas and work permits, and of course the flights to get there. Dive centers that pay their staff well see them as an investment and often have their pick of the cream of the crop.

Deciding on a dive center

Although there’s nothing inherently wrong with choosing bargain dive courses, keep in mind the factors above. Don’t look only for the cheapest price, but also ask about the dive guide-to-customer ratio. Before you take a course speak to the instructor if possible to see if it is a good fit for you. And remember that while dive professionals might be living the dream, they also must pay the bills. Your contribution to the dive industry helps them offer better service, set higher standards and create a safer experience for everyone.

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What is nitrox?

As you read this, you’re breathing air, which is approximately 21 percent oxygen. The remainder, approximately 79 percent (leaving aside approximately 1 percent in trace gases), is nitrogen.

A nitrox, EANX or Enriched Air cylinder — depending on your location — has an increased oxygen percentage inside. Usually, we define nitrox as having an oxygen content of greater than 21 percent and up to a maximum of 40 percent.

As a gas, we have used nitrox for several decades. Commercial-diving companies and the Navy have used it since the 1950s. When it first appeared in a recreational environment, however, some divers viewed nitrox with skepticism. Nevertheless, its popularity has grown exponentially in tandem with the use of personal dive computers. Now, on most dive boats and at most resorts, nitrox is the gas of choice. Divers largely choose nitrox as their default gas for most dives in the 60-foot (18m) to 130-foot (40 m) range, where it’s most effective.

Why use it?

Divers primarily choose nitrox to extend their bottom time. You may recall learning during training that two factors primarily govern your bottom time; first, your gas consumption (or ‘SAC’ rate). Second, particularly as you progress beyond open-water diver (60 foot/18 m) recommendations, is your no-stop or no-decompression time. These two factors form the basis of your turn points when planning and executing a dive.

Your no-decompression limit is the maximum amount of time you may spend at a given depth before making mandatory decompression stops during ascent. The defining factor in when you reach that time is the amount of nitrogen you’ve absorbed while under pressure.

For example, using a standard PADI/DSAT dive table, a dive to 70 feet (21 m) gives a no-decompression limit as 40 minutes with no previous dives.

By replacing some of the nitrogen in your cylinder with oxygen and increasing the overall oxygen blend in your cylinder to 32 percent, you can extend your no-decompression time limit to 60 minutes.

Does that mean all my dives will be longer?

No. Your own gas consumption — your ‘SAC rate’ — will still factor into the dive, as will all the many other factors that govern duration and depth. Your buddy, water temperature, logistical constraints, tides, dive boat/site rules — all play a role.

Are there any other benefits?

Diving is statistically very safe and, therefore, using nitrox doesn’t mean that, statistically, you’re any safer. However, diving an identical profile to an air diver you will absorb less nitrogen and therefore have less DCS risk exposure. Indeed, many divers dive an air profile while using nitrox for extra conservatism.

Another benefit of reduced nitrogen exposure on each dive is that surface intervals may be shorter. This means that in some circumstances, you may be able to get back in the water while your air counterparts must spend more time on the boat.

Can I dive deeper on nitrox?

No. This is a common misconception. The increased oxygen content in a nitrox cylinder does have certain considerations though. Over-exposure to oxygen – either in terms of exceeding depth limits or long-term over-exposure — can have serious implications. In these circumstances, you can suffer from oxygen toxicity. You must obtain proper training to understand how to manage these risks and ensure nitrox diving is extremely safe.

Are there any other hazards?

Knowing exactly what is in your cylinder, personally analyzing your cylinder and planning your dive accordingly is key to nitrox diving. Each individual mix from 22 to 40 percent has a maximum-operating depth (MOD). Consequently, the mix you use will depend on the dive you’re about to do, your previous dives and the length of your surface interval. Using the wrong cylinder or an incorrect mix may have dire consequences. In some circumstances, a boat crew will prepare different a different mix of gas in different cylinders depending on diver and dive-site requirements.

How would I identify a nitrox dive cylinder?

In many territories, nitrox cylinders have green and yellow markings and are marked with EANX/nitrox decals. However, in other locations, there are no markings on the tank. As a rule, when boarding a dive boat or arriving at a dive center, wait until they’ve given you a prepared nitrox cylinder. Usually all is revealed during the boat or dive briefing.

Do I need special equipment to dive with nitrox?

Most diving equipment is compatible with an oxygen content of up to 40 percent. Beyond that, the combustibility of oxygen often necessitates more specialized equipment.

Is nitrox training intensive?

 No. Most larger diver training agencies offer a recreational nitrox course that you can complete over just a few hours. Usually it includes a combination of e-learning, classroom teaching and practical application with nitrox cylinders. It’s vital that divers using nitrox understand how to plan and execute their dives including MOD, no-stop limits and how to recognize and deal with oxygen toxicity. Understanding the benefits and the hazards of nitrox diving is key, and no reputable dive operation would supply you with nitrox cylinders without evidence of the correct training and certification.

 Who should use nitrox?

There are circumstances when you may not need nitrox, such as shorter or shallower dives. However, in general, it’s a boon to most divers. Whether you’re repetitive diving on a tropical dive holiday or want to safely spend a few extra minutes on your favorite cold-water wreck, nitrox can pay dividends. With the correct knowledge and training, nitrox diving is a huge benefit and we recommend it to all.

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Taking a Discover Scuba Diving course

Dive schools only allow students over 10 years old to take the course. Instructors typically conduct the class in a shallow, sandy area with a maximum depth of 18 feet (6 m). The instructor will offer one-on-one focus, conducting basic skills and preparing students for the ocean environment. Organizations stress that the DSD is not a qualification course. You will not be allowed to dive alone after the one- to five-hour session. In fact, many people decide to conduct the experience multiple times, gaining confidence in a one-on-one environment. Subsequent open-water dives may include other divers, however, once people have finished their first DSD. May DSD divers progress on to an open-water course after enjoying the session.

What should you bring on your DSD?

Most dive schools will supply prospective students with all necessary diving equipment, but you should consider buying your own mask. While fins, wetsuits and other accessories are somewhat interchangeable, a foggy or odd -dive school mask can ruin your entire experience, especially before you learn to clear it of water or defog it.

What will you learn?

Students in a DSD class learn plenty of facts and figures about the underwater world and scuba diving. Instructors particularly stress the fundamentals, such as equalization, breathing and hand signals underwater. While the instructor or DSD leader will constantly monitor your buoyancy, it is crucial that you understand how to equalize the pressure on your body and breathe in the right way. You’ll learn basic signals such as ‘ok,’ ‘go up,’ ‘slow down,’ and ‘I have a problem,’ to help avoid any potential miscommunication issues.

Dependent on your instructor, each person can enjoy a variety of different learning techniques. These variations can encourage them to progress through the diving courses. Because of this, prospective divers should read reviews of dive schools and particularly the DSD reviews for any dive center you wish to patronize. If possible, visit the dive center before you commit to the Discover Scuba Diving course, especially if the activity is for children. Either way, a DSD can be a great entry into what may turn into an obsession.

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They go further, though, to add “Eudaimonia” to that list. This Greek term roughly translates to “the good life,” “human flourishing” or “well-being.” It not only points to finding happiness and pleasure in life but doing so in a virtuous manner.

What diving does for us

The researchers found that divers derive long-term satisfaction and happiness as eudaimonia through participating in diving. A sense of well-being occurs when we improve our skills and virtues in activities that we are passionate about. As divers, we gain a sense of well-being through learning more about ourselves, others, diving and the underwater environment around us.

Diving offers a number of different avenues to further our education. It starts with learning to dive and continues with improving our skills after initial qualification. Diving offers access to a whole new environment and teaches us how to exist and be comfortable underwater. Most importantly, diving educates us about the wondrous and unique marine life we encounter.

Diving also offers us the opportunity to travel. This in itself is a way of expanding our knowledge and skills through new experiences and cultural emersion. Traveling often leads to positive experiences which, according to the researchers, contributes to obtaining “the good life.”

Enthusiastic divers tend to become more environmentally aware and participate in more environmentally sensitive behavior. Many divers share a sense of responsibility to advocate for and protect the environment, which extends further than just the underwater world.

Personal growth

Divers also experience personal growth through sharing experiences with other divers, strengthening bonds and something academics call “serious leisure.” This refers to leisure activities that encourage self-enrichment, self-expression, self-actualization, recreating or rediscovering yourself, creating social connections and a feeling of belonging. As in diving, these activities usually require special knowledge, skills and training in order to participate.

Individuals can even get to a stage where a serious-leisure activity can become a central point of their life. They may begin to strongly identify with that activity. And let’s be honest — how many of us choose travel destinations based on the quality or uniqueness of the diving or sneak in a quick dive on a business trip?

Creating community

Furthermore, divers grow through the friendships we create with other divers. We create shared experiences, learn from each other and become comfortable with being outside our comfort zone. We also grow as families when we enjoy the sport together.

The researchers even found that the positive experiences, like learning and socializing, are so great that they often outweigh potential negative experiences, such as bad weather conditions and poor visibility.

Ultimately, we dive because diving offers us the opportunity to engage in positive experiences. It gives us satisfaction long after we return to the surface. In short, diving makes us happy and helps us flourish. Now, let’s get back into the water and dive some more.

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A zodiac or dinghy is usually a crucial part of the main vessel’s standard equipment on most liveaboard trips. Dinghies can act as rescue vessels if divers lose their buddies, become lost or surface in the wrong area. Crew often uses them to check conditions or exchange goods with other liveaboards as well.

Those uses aside, divers love dinghies because they can usually get much closer to the optimum entry point for the dive than the larger main vessel. If you’re diving with a land-based resort, you’ll almost always dive from a smaller boat as well. Because you’ll use it so much, it’s important to perfect your back-roll entry. Here are some tips for the best way to enter the water from a smaller boat.

Be prepared

Diving from a smaller boat means that space is at a premium so take only what you need. Prepare your equipment before boarding the boat. If you have traditional fin straps, loosen them before boarding and be sure to adjust any accessories and secure them for the journey.

Make sure you have everything you need prior to boarding the smaller vessel from the main liveaboard. Often a dinghy will take passengers on journey of 5-20 minutes to the dive site, possibly more. If you travel halfway to the entry point to discover that you’ve forgotten your dive computer and the dinghy driver needs to turn around, you’ll be both unpopular with your fellow divers and possibly miss the best tide time to enter the water due to the delay.

Know what lies ahead. Listen to the local procedures during the dive briefing and understand how the dinghy driver will signal to enter the water. Buddy check thoroughly before boarding.

Getting to the entry point

Board the smaller vessel as instructed. The crew will usually help you and offer a supportive arm as you transition to the smaller boat. The crew will be considering the weight distribution of the dinghy so, as they help you to board, follow their cue as to where to sit. Once you’re seated, boat crew will typically pass fins and accessories to dinghy crew, who will pass them to you. Make sure you have some gas in your BCD in case you lose your footing and fall into the water.

Don’t begin to put your fins on until all divers are safely aboard — often less-experienced or agile divers may need assistance boarding or may bump you with their tank if you aren’t paying attention.

When everybody is on board put on your fins and mask on as soon as it’s practical. The main vessel will usually be anchored at a sheltered location and, as the dinghy travels away from that area, the conditions can become a little choppier. This can mean sea spray in your face and can make it tricky to put your fins on as the dinghy bounces along. Do your buddy check and ensure that you both have all you need, and nothing is loose, twisted or tangled. Finally, watch the horizon to avoid seasickness and scan the surface for any passing wildlife.

Entering the water

* The dinghy driver will slow down as he approaches the entry point to assess conditions and decide where to drop you. He or the divemaster will ask for final confirmation that everyone is ready to go. This means your fins are on, your mask is treated and in place and your regulator is in your mouth. Once ready, confirm with a hand signal.

* Hold your mask and regulator in place with one hand. To ensure nothing gets tangled, secure your alternate-air source and any accessories with your other hand.

* Shift backwards slightly so that you can safely clear the dinghy.

* Often there will be a countdown so be prepared to roll in on your mark. Tuck your chin to your chest and — literally — roll backwards into the water at the end of the countdown.

* As you splash into the water, relax and let your partially inflated BCD ease you back to the surface. Orient yourself and confirm you’re ok with a signal. Fin away from the boat, avoiding the dinghy’s stern.

* Meet your buddy on the surface and check all is ok. Wait for the signal from the dive leader before beginning your descent as a group.

Back-roll entries open up an exciting world of diving from RIBs, zodiacs and dinghies, allowing you to get to more varied dive sites and closer to the action. Becoming comfortable with the back-roll entry is a combination of following the correct steps, being aware of your procedures and your fellow divers and some common sense.

The post Training Fundamentals: Perfecting Your Scuba Back-Roll Entry appeared first on Scuba Diver Life.

We can define shore diving as a dive where both the entry and exit take place from a shoreline, beach, jetty or quayside. This style of diving is incredibly popular in many parts of the world and is often more accessible than boat diving. If you have your own equipment, shore diving also allows you to dive independently with your buddy.

However, it’s often not simply a case of wandering off the beach into the water as the mood suits you. Shore diving has its own hazards and precautions you might take to ensure a happy, safe and successful day’s diving.

Do your research

In addition to regular pre-dive checks, if you’re diving at a commercially run lake or quarry you must often abide by specific rules, regulations and recommendations. Find out what they are and follow them. It may be something as simple as the lake’s opening time or closing time when all divers must be out of the water. Alternatively the lake may forbid solo diving, even for those qualified.

If you’re diving in the ocean, the winds, tides and currents are critical. Get it right and you’ll have a short walk to the water and a relaxing dive. Get it wrong and you could be fighting the tide or current. You could even have a more dangerous incident, potentially getting pushed away from your exit point despite your best efforts. Check wind forecasts and tide tables. Know the best time to enter the water, and if you’re unsure, check with a local dive shop.

Orient yourself to the area before you dive. Where is the best place to enter and exit the water? What are the potential hazards? Again, speak with the local dive center or club and experienced local guides. Certain shore sites have a natural area of rocky ‘steps’ that divers to access a convenient entry point. Or, they may have discovered that another area makes for a difficult exit due to rip currents. Note other factors such as surf and surge or concealed hazards beneath the surface, such as sharp rocks and urchins. Each factor impacts the exposure protection you choose, your route and what you bring on the dive (or leave behind).

Take what you need

It should apply to every dive but make sure you (and your buddy) have a DSMB and reel and know how to deploy them. At ocean shore-dive sites, you may need to make yourself visible to boat traffic or identify yourself to dive friends on shore. Similarly, always bring a cutting tool as rogue fishing line tends to be more prevalent at sea shore-dive sites on wrecks or underneath jetties. Taking cameras and accessories may be fun but tailor what you bring to safety. It’s all weight you’ll need to carry.

Bring some friends to wait for you on shore or, at the very least, advise someone not in the water when you intend to enter and exit water and to begin emergency procedures if you’re not back within a timeframe. At some dive sites, you may also need to advise the local harbormaster of your activities.

Entering the water

With a classic beach-diving shore entry, take some time to make a final environmental assessment before entering the water. Work through your pre-dive checklist and make sure that the conditions are safe for diving. Note entry and exit points. Take compass bearings and double-check that you have everything you need. Then, it’s time to buddy check and enter the water.

• Watch the wave cycle for a few minutes and note the interval between waves. Pay attention to the rhythm and get a feel for the best moment to enter the water.

• Ensure your jacket or wing is inflated as you enter. Always have your mask on and your regulator in your mouth during the initial entry.

• Enter the water close to your buddy either backward or sideways — never forward. Usually you’ll enter with fins on, except in exceptionally calm conditions, or on stony/rocky beaches. Keep close contact with your buddy and protect your mask with your free hand.

• Begin to shuffle backward, taking care with your balance and staying near your buddy. As you edge backward, glance over your shoulder and continue to monitor the conditions.

• As you reach swimming depth at waist height, time your final entry together through the surf or surge to coincide with a lull between wave cycles. If you haven’t yet donned your fins, now is the time to do so while holding onto your buddy for support.

• If more powerful waves hit your body, lean into it. Imagine you’re leaning into a strong gust of wind. Keep your legs apart to create a stable platform.

• Choose your moment and launch yourself quickly and assertively backward into the water between waves and don’t stop kicking. Try to be a speedy as you can to clear the initial surf zone until you reach an area of relative calm.

• When clear of the initial waves, roll onto your stomach and switch from your regulator to your snorkel as you learned in your open-water diver training to conserve air, unless you are ready to descend on the site at this point.

• If you feel tired from the initial entry, pause for a moment with your buddy and regain a normal breathing pattern before moving on. Overexertion may lead to anxiety and perceptual narrowing.

• Diving is a team activity so move at the slowest diver’s pace steadily to the final descent point.

Shore diving opens another avenue of diving and consequently, more wonderful diving experiences. The keys to a successful shore dive are planning and preparation. Gather all the information you need to remain safe and remember to plan the dive and dive the plan.

The post Training Fundamentals: Top Tips for a Successful Shore Entry appeared first on Scuba Diver Life.

Much like some other physical traits, some people simply have better gas consumption. You can’t change the laws of physics and it takes more energy to propel a larger person than a smaller person. However, there is always room to improve. Essentially, you can make your air last longer in any of three broad and overlapping categories: equipment, knowledge and skills, and personal preparation.

Equipment

• Only take what you need for the dive. Every accessory attached to your BCD is additional weight and drag, making you less streamlined. As a consequence, you’re more likely to expend energy moving through the water.
• Keep your equipment well-maintained. Get your regulators serviced in accordance with manufacturer instructions by a trained technician. Be mindful of your hose lifespan and condition to help ease breathing and aid avoid losing gas through leaks. Make sure your BCD adds and releases air smoothly, allowing you to make small adjustments easily. Check your fins for splits and fraying. Any degradation in performance means you’ll expend more energy to propel yourself or achieve neutral buoyancy. Consequently, you’ll breathe more gas.
• Make sure your equipment is the right size. Ill-fitting equipment will only compromise your movement in the water. For example, a BCD that’s too large — allowing the cylinder to roll around on your back — may leave you struggling to maintain balance during the dive and expending unnecessary energy. Poorly fitting fins will compromise your finning technique and increase your gas consumption. Get professional advice and, if possible, buy your own equipment rather than trying to adapt to different rental equipment on every dive trip.
• Take what is suitable for the dive. Smaller snorkel-style full-foot fins won’t be able to cope with a moderate current at a challenging dive site. Taking the other extreme, a bulky drysuit and weighty jet-fins are unnecessary on a tropical reef. Research before you go and wear the optimum equipment.
• Stay warm. A body fatigued by cold will use more energy and more gas. Wear the proper exposure protection for that environment at the end of those dives — not the beginning — and at the deepest These are the times when your body is more vulnerable to temperature changes and you’re likely to discover that you really should have packed that thicker exposure suit or hood.

Knowledge and skills

• Improve your general diving knowledge. Take continuing education courses. Listen to more-experienced divers and seek out their advice. Put the knowledge you gather into practice in the water. That may include a formal class, such Peak Performance Buoyancy, or something informal, such as a conversation with an experienced local guide. He or she may recommend a certain route around a wreck or reef to avoid fighting current or water movement. Increasing knowledge in either way can potentially improve your gas consumption.
• Research the environment where you’re about to dive. Knowing the water temperature, techniques and procedures will help you physically prepare in terms of fitness and equipment selection. Preparation can simultaneously help you visualize your dives and be more relaxed about the upcoming dives before you get anywhere near the water. Your gas consumption will likely improve as a consequence.
• Work on your buoyancy. Neutral buoyancy is the cornerstone of good diving. Spend some time perfecting your weighting. Practice making smooth descents and ascents. Hone your skill level to the point that neutral buoyancy is your default position and — if you stop finning — you simply stop moving forward. Finning should have no bearing on your depth in the water column. The less energy you expend maintaining position, the less gas you will consume.
• Work on your trim. New divers tend to be more upright in the water, as if they’re riding an invisible unicycle. Relax to the point that you’re virtually horizontal for 99 percent of your dive, other than your initial descent and ascent.

• Slow down. While you may occasionally need to pick up the pace to turn a corner against a current or deal with an issue, most of your dive should be slow and smooth. The dive is about the journey, not the destination. Just like driving a car, if you’re easy on the throttle, you’ll consume less fuel.

• Stay shallower where possible. Think back to your initial theory training. Your gas consumption, all other things being equal, is a factor of the atmospheres of pressure you’re under. Unless there’s a specific reason to go deeper, such as a wreck or other attraction, stay a little shallower. If your planned maximum depth is 100 feet (30 m), spend only the time you need there to get that photo you’re after. Then, gently drift along the reef at a shallower depth to conserve gas.
• Breathe slowly, deeply, and easily. Do not force it. Each inhalation and exhalation should be gentle and unflustered, as if you’re following your breath in a meditation. Relaxed as if you’re in a favorite comfortable chair. Many novice divers report two sensations related to regulator use: an aching jaw from excitedly gnawing on the mouthpiece and a dry throat as they guzzle the pure, filtered air. Slow it down.

Personal preparation

• Fitness is key to diving. You needn’t be an Olympic athlete and, for most simple, tropical, reef dives, you’ll be expending minimal energy. Nevertheless, even in simple conditions, it’s common to see less-fit divers using a larger cylinder to complete the same dive as a fitter and more-efficient diver. The harder the dives, the more critical your fitness becomes. If you’re diving in challenging conditions or circumstances change during a dive — for example, the waves and current have become more severe or your buddy has an issue — you must be fit enough to handle it. Good physical fitness means your pulse and breathing rate will remain reduced even when dealing with an issue. Exercise regularly and maintain your weight at healthy levels to reduce your gas consumption.
• Rest properly for your dives. If you’re sleep-deprived, dehydrated or haven’t eaten properly, your body simply won’t perform as well. In addition, factors such as dehydration put you at higher risk for problems such as DCS. Strike a balance between enjoying your dive trip on land and being well-prepared for the dives. Get enough sleep and eat and drink sensibly. Give your body the tools it needs to be physically prepared for diving.
• Be on time for the briefing or boat departure. If you’re late or flustered before you enter the water, you’re much more likely to have a raised pulse and increased breathing. Arrive at least five minutes before a briefing or 15 minutes before a boat departure, with your gear checked and nitrox analyzed.

• Plan the dive. Dive the plan. A significant proportion of a good dive comes down to preparation and confidence before you enter the water. Sound dive planning helps you know exactly what lies ahead. Take a slate to dive briefings if you’re not a regular diver in the area; note entry, exits and dive procedures, maximum depths, no-stop times at depth, landmarks, hazards and points of interest. Visualize the dive in your mind before you enter the water and discuss your plan with your buddy. The clearer and calmer you before the dive, the more relaxed you’ll be and the more likely you’ll have reduced gas consumption.

While great gas consumption does not always correlate to being a great diver, improving your preparation and skills for each dive will more than likely help you improve your gas consumption and extend your dives.

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There are various circumstances when being able to clear your mask comfortably pays dividends. Under what circumstances might water leak into your mask — or might you want to let water into your mask — once it’s seated on your face? Here are a few of the most common.

A poorly fitting mask

If you’re diving in rental equipment, the chances are the mask is just a stock item from the dive center. Everyone’s face has a different shape. And, while a mask may be absolutely fine for someone else, it may not fit you.

Solution: A well-fitting dive mask should be one of the first things you buy as a new scuba diver. Visit your local dive shop to find one that works for you. If you are renting, try several masks for fit before committing to one for the dive.

An incorrectly seated mask

If it’s too high, low, tight or loose on your face, then your mask will leak, so ensure the mask is seated correctly on your face. Bring it to your face and — on this occasion only — inhale through your nose. If the mask sticks to your face when you inhale, slide the strap into place at the widest part of the back of your head. If not, readjust. Make sure the mask strap is neither too loose nor too tight since either extreme will cause leakage.

Solution: Take some time pre-dive to double-check your mask. Your mask should be on and correctly positioned when you confirm your readiness to enter the water.

Whisker worries

Male divers sometimes have problems with mask leakage due to facial hair — usually stubble — which leaves them with a steady dribble of water infiltrating their mask during the dive.

Solution: Maintain either a full beard or, ideally, remain clean-shaven. While some divers report vaseline on the top lip helps, a smooth face will work better.

Buddy banter

This is arguably the most common cause of mask leakage — during the dive your face shape changes, usually due to smiling or laughter. Consequently, water leaks into your mask, slowing oozing in the bottom with each chuckle.

Solution: Wear your best ‘poker face’ during the dive to maintain a smooth seal.

Bumping and banging

Objects appear larger underwater. This, combined with immersion in an unfamiliar environment, can lead to misjudgments of space or contact with other divers. Consequently, your mask can become dislodged mask. Either by self-infliction or a boisterous diver on a busy shot line, a bumped mask may temporarily break its seal and let in some water.

Solution: Be aware of your surroundings and leave a safe distance from other divers where possible.

Floppy fringe

Hair that has fallen inside your mask when initially seating it on your face will cause a leak. If hair can get inside the sealed skirt, so can water.

Solution: Sweep your hair out of the mask’s contact area. Be sure you’ve got an effective seal before entering the water.

Watch the fog

Incorrectly prepared and new masks have greater tendency to fog up, leaving you with compromised vision. You’ve got two options if this happens — either abort the dive or deliberately let a little water into your mask and clear it.

Solution: If you have a new mask, make sure you’ve properly prepared it before your trip and not straight from the box. Treat it with de-fog or spit before you jump in. Once you’ve done so, keep the mask on your face to maintain a seal from the outside world and prevent fogging before you submerge.

Clearing your mask: step by step

Many instructors immediately teach students how to clear a partially-flooded mask. However, if teaching this as a new skill or to hone the skill, it’s wise to first become comfortable with the concept that the mask is purely for the purpose of vision. Airway control and mask clearing are two processes intertwined.

Step 1: Master your airways

Airway control is the first skill to master: deliberately changing where you breathe in and out and breathing past small amounts of water. Stand in the shallow end of a swimming pool. Remove your mask and loop it over your left arm. While your head out of the water, put in your regulator and breathe in through your mouth and out through your nose. If you struggle, pinch your nostrils closed while inhaling through your mouth and release them as you exhale through the nose.

As you find a comfortable pattern, bend at the waist and put your face in the water. If you feel the urge to breathe in through your nose, hold your nostrils closed again with your right hand until you regain your natural breathing pattern, then release them and continue. Begin in small increments of five- to 10-second intervals of no-mask breathing and build up to approximately one minute without holding your nostrils.

When you’ve mastered Step 1, move unto Step 2 while beneath the surface and with the mask in place.

Step 2: Practice deliberately

Find a comfortable position underwater and begin by gently allowing water into your mask. You must do this smoothly, as a sudden rush of water can cause a reflexive urge to inhale through your nose as the water hits the face and nostrils. Breach your mask’s seal from the top. Either slowly pull the frame away very slightly and use a fingertip to break the seal, or gently pinch the top of the silicone skirt together to cause a fold. Maintain the natural breathing pattern you learned in step one, only holding your nostrils if you feel the urge to inhale through your nose.

Step 3: Press the frame of your mask

Begin with a comfortable breathing pattern. Inhale through the mouth, not the nose, as outlined in step one. Firmly press the frame at the top edge of your mask — not the skirt — using your fingertips or the heel of your palm to create a ‘hinge.’ This allows the air pressure you’re about to add to blast water out of the bottom of the mask. Don’t lift the bottom edge of the mask – it’s unnecessary and you’ll simply allow water to flood back in.

Step 4: Breathe out

Take a slow, deep inhalation through your mouth. Then, begin to firmly exhale through your nose while maintaining the pressure on the very top of the mask’s frame. The exhalation shouldn’t be a burst or a gentle blow, but rather forceful blow a lasting one or two seconds. If one breath is not sufficient, repeat the process until there is just a small amount of water at the bottom of your mask. With practice, you’ll likely learn to clear your mask in one breath.

Step 5: Look up

To get the last of the water out, look up at a 45-degree angle as you finish your exhale. This assists the hinge effect of pressing on your mask and drives what’s left of the water from the mask. Don’t begin this stage until the final stages of the process or you’ll simply tip water up your nose.

Step 6: Remove rogue water

If wearing a twin-lens mask, you may find one lens fully cleared and the other lens still has a bit of water inside. In this case, simply put pressure on the frame above the cleared lens and repeat steps four and five. When done, resume your normal diving breathing pattern.

The rest is practice. And, with practice, you’ll find that clearing your mask needn’t be stressful and doing so confidently will help you become a competent diver.

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Stage one: fin styles

At the first stage of selection, fins are essentially available in two styles: full-foot and open-heel.

• Full-foot fins

  Full-foot fins, sometimes called “snorkeling fins,” have a foot pocket that slips on like a shoe. These fins are sized like shoes and you’ll generally wear them with bare feet.

  Pros: These fins are popular for diving and snorkeling in warm water, especially from boats. Full-foot fins are generally lighter, making them ideal for travel. And, you won’t need to pack any boots in your luggage with these fins. You can also put them on quickly if something interesting is circling around the boat and you want to snorkel at the surface. Full-foot fins have improved markedly over the years, with modern full-foot fins often mimicking the more powerful, bladed design of their open-heel relatives.

  Cons: Full-foot fins often have smaller blades in comparison to their open-heel counterparts. This means you’ll have less power to make progress against currents, swim quickly, or deal with emergency situations. Trading your wetsuit boots for the full-foot option means that — unless you’re in warm, tropical waters — your feet may also get cold since they’ll have no thermal protection.

Also, a week’s diving with full-foot fins tends to cause abrasions to a diver’s feet. Fin socks can ease the problem, but even so, divers often develop blisters on their heels over 15 to 20 dives on a liveaboard vessel. Carrying your scuba unit on your back, barefoot over hot sand or rocky surfaces, makes full-foot fins usually unsuitable for shore dives.

Tips: A proper fit is key with a full-foot fin. Make sure that the foot pocket doesn’t pinch your feet. Once you’ve got the fin on, tilt your foot forward so you’re effectively in a ‘tip-toes’ position. This ensures that the fin will stay firmly on your foot, even when you’re finning hard.

Example: Try the Cressi Pluma fins, which benefit from the same design features as more powerful open-heel fins.

• Open-heel/adjustable fins
  

  Divers wear open-heel fins with wetsuit or drysuit boots. The foot pocket has a strap or bungee cord that rests over the back of the ankle close to the Achilles tendon. You can tighten or loosen open-heel fins, depending on the strap type, to suit your preference and boot style.

  Pros: There is a much broader choice of open-heel fins for scuba diving. The bladed area of the fin is generally larger, offering more power when finning. Open-heel fins are also more adaptable and easier to fit. A size “medium” fin may fit someone with size 6 to 10 (UK/US) feet in wetsuit boots due to their adjustable straps. Wearing a boot also means that your feet have some thermal protection and the agitation that may cause blisters diminishes. You can also carry open-heel fins to an entry point while wearing booties, so shore entries are generally no problem.

  Cons: Open-heel fins usually weigh more than full-foot fins, and you’ll need to wear dive boots. These fins also tend to be bulkier, so will eat into more of your baggage allowance on flights. Having to wear boots and fins makes them slower to put on as well, so you’ll be a little less flexible about jumping into the water on short notice. And finally, the larger blades offer more power but, conversely, can leave infrequent divers more prone to cramping.

  Tips: Although most open-heel fins come in common S-M-L-XL sizes, proper fit is key. Make sure your fins are suitable by trying them on in the dive center with the boots you intend to wear. Also, if you want to wear the fins with both wet- and drysuit boots, make sure the foot pocket large enough to fit both. Consider spring clips for open-heel/adjustable fins if the fins you choose don’t come with them. These will make getting the fins on and off far easier. 

Example: Try the Cressi Reaction EBS fins, which feature a flexible blade and easy, yet powerful, kicking capabilities. 

Stage two: blade types and accessories

Blade style and construction are key to making the correct selection. You can choose from bladed fins, jet fins, split fins or hinged fins.

• Bladed/paddle fins
  

  The classic bladed design has evolved over the years, representing the best choice for most divers. Now with channels, ribs, vents and rails to help channel water and offer propulsion, bladed fins are great all-around. The best bladed fins offer excellent propulsion and, when you use them correctly, their stopping, turning and reversing capabilities almost equal a jet fin. They allow you to flutter or frog kick as you wish. In addition, some bladed fins offer different sizes and stiffness to suit those with stronger or weaker legs. Drawbacks are that the blades are often quite large and long — great for propulsion but it can be difficult to fit them into your baggage.

  Suitable for: Most divers are comfortable in a traditional bladed/paddle fin. Don’t pick a blade that’s too large if you’re prone to cramping.

Example: The Mares Avanti Quattro Plus fins have been around for a while, but they’re a classic for a reason.

• Jet fins
  

  Beuchat originally marketed the pioneering jet fins in the 1960s, and they maintain enduring appeal for many divers. When Scubapro bought the rights to the iconic design in the 1970s, the fins went mainstream. Hefty and solidly constructed, jet fins suit those who want great propulsion. Technical and drysuit divers often favor these squat fins, using their weight as a ballast. Their spring-strap design makes them easier to get on and off, and they’re ideal for close-quarters positioning and turning. These fins are usually not suitable for wetsuit/tropical diving because they’re so heavy, and their weight can negatively impact the positioning and trim of inexperienced divers, who tend to drag their feet while wearing them. Jet fins can also cause leg cramps for those who are unused to them.

  Suitable for: Experienced divers in tougher conditions, but arguably not the best choice for those who wish to travel or wear them in conjunction with board shorts and a rash vest in tropical conditions.

  Example: Scubapro Jet Fins are the classics here.

  

• Split fins and hinge fins
  

  We’re all after more efficiency. Both relatively new design ideas, split fins and hinged fins offer good propulsion when flutter kicking. A vortex created between the split of the blades funnels the water and creates propulsion. Split fins may not offer the ultimate power of a jet fin or bladed fins, but they are a nice way to propel yourself around a reef with less stress on your legs and back. The downside of split fins is that they generally make turns and reverse finning much more difficult.

  Hinged fins, by contrast, have evolved with a blade pivoting around the center of the fins. This creates a springing propulsion effect, driving the diver through the water and using the fin’s flexibility to his advantage. Sometimes a good compromise between a bladed fin and a split fin, the hinged fin offers solid propulsion with less weight and strain on the legs and back.

  Suitable for: Divers who have weaker legs and dive more commonly in tropical or less-demanding conditions. Hinged or split fins also work well for those who have not yet perfected their finning or do not need to stop, turn and reverse easily.

  Example: Tusa X-Pert Z-3 Zoom fins are a good choice for a split fin.

The right dive fins should be unobtrusive and allow you to dive comfortably. Choose poorly and you may find your fins incompatible with your finning style, travel arrangements or diving conditions. Choose wisely (or choose a few different styles to suit your different needs) and your fins will have a lasting impact on your diving for years to come.

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Try and try and try again

Divers sometimes think of courses as pass/fail. They may also think that because they paid for the course, they deserve the qualification. This often happens in holiday destinations, where resort courses average about four days long and students have limited time to complete the dive course.

Dive qualifications are earned and the only way you can certify is to become proficient in the skills required for each level. Because diving puts you in a strange environment, doing things that you wouldn’t do on the surface, you must train your body and brain to adapt to the new setting. This might come quicker to some than to others, and that is perfectly okay.

Not being able to do a skill or finish a training dive does not mean you failed; it means you need more practice. Get back into the pool or book a one-on-one session with an instructor. Practice until you feel comfortable enough to perform the skill on your own.

No more fogging

You finally got your own mask — one that fits you well and feels comfortable. You’re excited to take it for a test spin, but there are a few steps you must complete before hitting the water. There is an invisible silicone film on your mask when it comes out of the box, which will cause it to fog up no matter how many times you clean it. Remove it before your first dive with an abrasive agent like white toothpaste (not gel). Add a small amount of toothpaste to each lens and get scrubbing. Use your thumbs and some elbow grease to work the toothpaste onto the lenses for a few minutes. Try to get as close to the skirt as possible to keep the edges of your mask from fogging up. Rinse your mask thoroughly afterwards.

Before the dive you can put a drop of baby shampoo on each lens. Rub it around and rinse it before you put on your mask. Many dive boats and operators also have dedicated mask defog for you to use. Make sure to choose an environmentally friendly, biodegradable product to protect the reef from harmful chemicals.

The tried-and-true method for defogging your mask will always be spit. No need to be embarrassed — we all know diving is more “wipe-snot-off-your-face” than surfacing looking like one of the models in dive magazines.

If all else fails, you can burn the protective layer off of the inside of your mask with a lighter. This is a bit controversial method as some say that the heat of the flame could compromise the strength of the tempered glass lenses so proceed with caution.

Even the most well-prepared mask can fog up if it or your face is warm when you get into cooler water. Keep your mask out of direct sunlight and splash your face with cool water before putting your mask on to minimize fogging.

You panicked…now what?

Because we are in a foreign environment with little idea, and probably experience, of how to deal with certain situations we might end up in a place of anxiety, fear or even the dreaded word — panic.

There is a split second before an uncomfortable situation turns into a panic situation. The moment where you either stop, breathe, think and act, or find yourself panicking. In that split second what you tell yourself can either help you to take control or escalate the situation.

As a new divemaster I had an experience that left me extremely anxious, especially with mask skills. I felt that students were looking up to me and I wasn’t supposed to show that I was scared — panicky even — especially when I needed to remove my mask. I faced my fear and practiced mask skill after mask skill until I felt confident and the skills became second nature to me.

Most divers experience these moments of panic during their dive careers. While some people can take control of the situation, others might have a full-blown panic episode. That is okay. Do not judge yourself and your experience. Get back in the water with someone you trust and work on overcoming the negative thoughts and feelings that the experience created. Doing so will make you a safer diver. Most important — don’t give up. There are many, many wonderful dives awaiting you.

Trouble clearing your ears

How easily you equalize could change from one day to the next. There are two primary ways to equalize: pinching your nose and blowing lightly or pushing your tongue to the roof of your mouth and swallowing. Sometimes neither of these work and this could lead to frustration. The worst thing you can do is ignore the pain and continue down or forcefully blow to try and equalize.

If your ears do not equalize while using one of the above methods, ascend a few feet and try again. If this solves the problem, slow down your descent rate and equalize more often. But if this doesn’t work, try wiggling your jaw and tilting your head from side-to-side. You can also rub the bit of skin at the opening of your ear or tug on your ear gently and try to equalize again.

Sometimes divers clench their jaws without realizing it. This tightens the muscles around your Eustachian tube, which could make it more difficult to push air into it for equalization. Focus on relaxing your jaw muscles and try again.

Finally, make sure your nasal passages are clear before going on a dive. A saltwater rinse works well, although it is a bit uncomfortable. If you’ve got a cold or are feeling congestion, it’s best to skip the dive. Most importantly, equalize early and often — before your ears feel the squeeze of increasing pressure.

What size wetsuit?

You’ve decided to buy your own wetsuit, but don’t know what size to get. Your wetsuit should fit like a glove — not too tight, nor too loose. It is normal to feel a bit uncomfortable in your wetsuit while you’re on the surface. It is, after all, a rubber suit designed to fit snugly and keep you warm. If, however, you feel too much constriction of movement or any difficulty in breathing, try a bigger size.

On the other hand, if your suit is too big and has air pockets in some places, water will circulate through. This will cool you down very quickly, making your wetsuit nearly useless.

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Most training agencies feature some common steps for ascent procedures in their initial dive training courses. What are they? And, more importantly, how might you apply them in different scenarios?

The PADI and SSI systems feature lots of overlap and few differences in the Venn diagram of ascents. Within the PADI system, for example, the pneumonic STELA is often used. But what does it mean?

Step 1: Signal to your buddy

Make a final confirmation to your buddy that the dive is ending and you’re both ready to ascend. Signal ‘up’ and wait for their confirming signal in agreement before proceeding. You should ascend together at the same rate.

A signal is also a way to confirm that you’re in the right area for an ascent. You may intend to ascend using the boat’s anchor line as a reference. On a wreck dive, you may be ascending up a shot line to a surface buoy. In a free- ascent, you might need to swim away from the reef into the blue to facilitate a safe boat pick up. And when shore diving, you’ll want to signal for that final turn toward the beach or shoreline.

Be clear with your buddy. Signal clearly where you’ll ascend, whether indicating an anchor line or a swim away from the reef. Take a compass bearing if required and wait for agreement. Be sure you’re both on the same page — it’s not uncommon for buddies to become separated during the final stages of the dive due to distraction or a lack of communication on the final ascent.

Step 2: Time and gas

If all has gone to plan, this should be a formality. First, double check with your buddy that you’re both within agreed-upon time limits for the dive. On most recreational dives, this means confirming you’re safely within your dive computer’s no-deco limits. If you’ve inadvertently gone into decompression, you’ll need to perform the required stops in accordance with your dive computer’s instructions. If you’ve stayed too long in error, follow your contingency plan with your buddy – whether that’s table or dive-computer instructions.

Check your gas. As with no-decompression limits, if you’ve planned and executed your dive correctly, you will plenty of gas for your final ascent, safety stop and surfacing. If there is a problem, implement your contingency plan. Either way, signal your buddy so you both know your situation.

Sometimes, at this stage, divers may deploy their DSMB when necessary. Others may deploy during the safety stop. Listen to the briefing for environmentally appropriate procedures. If a buddy team is going to deploy a DSMB, agree on who will be doing that with your buddy before the dive begins.

Step 3: Elevating

You and your buddy have agreed to go up and you know where you’re ascending. You’re within planned time limits and have the appropriate gas reserve. Moving shallower in the water column will mean the gas inside your BCD or drysuit will begin to expand. Elevate the appropriate area to the highest point and vent the expanding gas, which may mean holding the LPI hose of your BCD or wing in your left hand. If you’re using a drysuit, ensure that the exhaust valve is open sufficiently for the ascent. Get in the habit of stowing or clipping on any accessories you don’t need to leave hands free.

Similarly, when using a shot line or anchor line as a tactile reference, take the line in the right hand. Leave your left arm free to vent your extended LPI hose, reach over to your right shoulder dump valve toggle, or raise your drysuit exhaust valve.

Step 4: Look

Look where you’re going. Water movement, changes in visibility, light, movement of boats, and other divers can all be potential hazards above you.

Some agencies recommended that you raise your right arm to protect your head as you surface. Others suggest grasping your weight system with your right arm prior to tilting and ascending, in case it’s loosened as your exposure suit compressed under pressure. Much will depend on how and where you’re making your ascent.

If you’re leaving a reef for a boat pick-up, swim into the blue. This allows the boat more space to pick up divers without drifting close to the reef and potentially causing damage. Be aware of boat traffic above you. Sound, which travels four times quicker through water, can give the impression that boats are directly above you. Be sure to look around.

If you’re ascending up an anchor line or shot line, watch for those ascending above you, as well as any who might be descending along the same line to begin their dive. It’s common dive etiquette for ascending divers to have right of way and descending divers to make their way around, leaving the line if required. However, leave as much space as you can — it may be difficult (or impossible) for other divers to leave the line if there is a current. And expect the unexpected — not every diver is as polite as they should be and it’s not uncommon to receive the odd nudge or kick from divers who lack spatial awareness.

Step 5: Ascend

Monitor your speed as you go up. Guidelines vary from 60 feet (18 m) per minute to a more conservative 30 feet (9 m) per minute, with many recreational dive computers favoring the latter. Understand your computer’s display and how to decipher the information. Mount your computer somewhere you can read it during your ascent to monitor the rate. If you’re struggling, link closely with your buddy and ascend no quicker than they do. When diving with a guide, stay slightly behind them on the ascent and ascend no quicker than they do. And finally, if you’re diving independently with a buddy, stay close and ascend at the slowest member’s pace.

Adjust your buoyancy at regular intervals during ascent. Let the equipment do the bulk of the work though — you shouldn’t have to kick hard to ascend. Level off at 15 feet (5 m) for your safety stop. Stay neutrally buoyant and be aware of other divers. Confirm your gas supply again and confirm to your buddies all is ‘ok.’ If you’ve made a free ascent in open water, there may be water movement, so be mindful of your surroundings.

During the safety stop communicate how many minutes you have left: three, two, one. Finally, when all divers have confirmed that they’ve completed their stops, together you’ll make the final ascent to the surface.

The last 15 feet (5 m) of the ascent is arguably the most important as there is the biggest proportionate pressure change. Stay close to your buddy. Ascend at the same rate. Monitor your ascent rate. If your team has one DSMB displayed at the surface, stay close to the person with the buoy. That’s what boat traffic is looking for, not necessarily your bubbles. Surfacing several feet or meters away will leave you vulnerable.

Finally, as you breach the surface, establish positive buoyancy and signal to the dive leader that you’re ok. Where possible, retain your mask and air source, ready for your exit.

There are numerous variations and individual preferences on safe ascent procedures. However, listening to the briefing, agreeing on protocol with your buddy, having a plan in place, and being aware of your surroundings will help you ascend safely with no unnecessary drama.

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Keep diving

This one is possibly the most important — if you take the OW class and then don’t dive again, the certification isn’t worth much. You’ve got to put all that learning into practice because there’s no substitute for experience. Find a similarly qualified dive buddy you know and trust and go diving. Or, introduce yourself around your local dive shop and let them know you’d like to stay active underwater as a new diver.

Apply the knowledge you’ve gathered during the course by planning the dive and diving the plan. Work on your buddy contact above and below the surface and practice your buoyancy, finning and other skills regularly.

Continue learning

We’re all still learning as divers. Even at the same dive site, the environment changes hour by hour, day by day and season to season. If you’re diving with a divemaster, instructor or guide, take their advice on how you might improve. Some dive instructors, divemasters and guides won’t offer technical advice to certified divers unless they seek it out for fear of compromising their relationship with their guests, so seek it out. These are experienced professionals who’ve seen you in the water and can offer helpful advice.

When you feel ready, move on to your advanced course. These intermediate level courses offer a taste of diving in different focus areas, such as wrecks, deep, night or underwater navigation. While not full specialty training, they broaden your knowledge base and help pique your interest under supervision. There is no need to rush from course to course to collect certification cards; gather training and experience at your pace.

Stay within your training limits

That rush of confidence you feel as a newly qualified diver may, in some circumstances, lead to unwanted Dunning-Kruger effect. The course structure and recommended limits are there for good reasons. Years of educational research and analysis by training bodies, such as the WRSTC, help to set safe boundaries. Want to dive inside that wreck? Go a little deeper? Use a mixed-gas? Dive in a drysuit? More advanced dives require more advanced training, so invest in the proper courses before you progress beyond your capabilities.

Buy as much of your own gear as possible

Buying your own equipment makes a huge difference to diving in rental equipment. Over time you’ll get to know its fit, features and functionality. Using it will become instinctive, with the corresponding positive boost to your skill level and confidence in the water. Instructors often encourage even the newest students to buy their own mask, snorkel and fins for good reason — the confidence and comfort of your own mask and fins will help ease you through the course. After that, a dive computer and remaining core equipment is a great place to start.

Avoid hand-me-downs and web/auction site specials for the sake of small financial savings. Go to your local dive shop, take advice, try on gear and buy directly from them. Get what you need for your level of diving. And don’t rush to buy that underwater video camera before you have the key safety equipment and some experience under your belt. 

Dive in different environments

Not all dive sites are created equal. An OW qualification stipulates that your qualification is valid under conditions that are equal to or better than the conditions where you were trained. If you achieved your qualification in a warm, clear, tropical environment, making the move to a challenging environment requiring drysuits or one with current requires additional training and supervision. The same depth of 60 feet (18 m) in two disparate environments. Conversely, if you qualified in the calm (if colder) confines of a lake in central Europe, you’re equally ill-prepared to deal with a ripping current off the coast of Thailand or Indonesia. Gently ease yourself into each different environment and get the right advice, training and equipment to make those dives.

Log your dives

Most new divers are primarily interested in getting interesting log stamps from their guides to decorate their log pages or writing what fish they saw to tell their friends. But what exposure protection were you wearing? What weight did you use? What equipment were you using? How did you enter and exit? What route did you take? What was your gas consumption? All this information will provide you with a valuable reference. As you move beyond open-water diver level, you’ll be tracking your progress so that you reach divemaster level, for example, you have a wealth of information to draw on.

Get fit

We often overlook fitness for diving, but makes a huge difference. If you intend to continue diving regularly, work on it. At the OW level, a swim of 200 m (approximately 650 feet) and a survival float for 10 minutes is the only requirement. However, as you progress in your diving, you’ll need to be fitter, especially in more challenging environments. Calm, warm, tropical waters are usually much less demanding than colder water. Similarly, if you’re always on a luxury liveaboard vessel, you’ll face limited demands. But if you intend to dive in locations with currents, do a lot of shore diving, or other advanced dives, you’ll want to stay as fit as possible. Fitness offers additional benefits when it comes to your confidence, calmness and gas consumption too. 

Mind your manners

Diving is generally a communal activity. Diving often takes you to different parts of the world and exposes you to different cultures and ways of life, so be mindful when entering new diving environments and sensitive to local culture. We’re usually guests in someone else’s world. Something minor to you — such as boarding a boat in some areas with your shoes still on — may cause offense. Pay attention to local procedures and be sensitive.

Additionally, at a dive resort or on a dive boat you’re often part of a larger group of divers. It’s usually a fantastic experience and can lead to friendships with divers from around the world. Each area has different dive procedures and etiquette as well, so don’t be that diver who inadvertently upsets your fellow divers or the local guide.

As you progress through your diving there is always something to learn, see and enjoy. The tips for new scuba divers above will hopefully help allow you to have a more enriching dive experience and avoid a few of the potential pitfalls.

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Stress is natural

Feeling stressed is our body’s natural response to unusual or challenging situations. We produce adrenaline, among other hormones, which prepares our mind and body to deal with a challenge, either by working through it or by “running away” to avoid the confrontation.

We can’t avoid stress, but it’s not all bad either. Initially, what’s commonly called an adrenaline rush makes us feel alert. This can actually help us deal with the problem at hand. But as divers, we must learn to manage this stress and keep it from progressing to panic.

What causes stress?

Knowing what causes stress is the first step toward developing coping mechanisms. Here we’ll look at dive-specific situations and how to deal with them.

On technical-diving courses, instructors deliberately task-load their students to help them develop a controlled response to stressful situations. While they may face simple equipment failures initially, i.e., one thing ‘breaking’ at a time, these malfunctions often develop into multi-failure scenarios as the course continues. The goal is to avoid a so-called flight response — an uncontrolled ascent to the surface. On a technical dive that uncontrolled ascent would lead to omitted decompression stops and almost certainly decompression sickness or worse.

Consequently, many students will feel stress while getting ready for these skills dives. One way to prepare is via dry runs: practicing and repeating skills on land to ensure familiarity with specific procedures. Practicing team-based drills also helps students support each other underwater and builds confidence.

Stress during the dive

Sometimes, it’s the (decompression) dive itself that causes pre-dive stress. Decompression diving carries higher risks than recreational diving and tech-diving students must understand this as they progress. Covering this reality during theory sessions and helping students understand how their dive plan aims to keep their dive within the best possible safety margins is key to eliminating any stress. Most tech students will first encounter detailed dive-planning procedures and the requirement to run a dive during their initial course. Ensuring that students can understand complex underwater communications and successfully plan a dive helps eliminate pre-dive stress.

Equipment stress

Obviously, an equipment-related problem right before a dive will cause pre-dive stress. Once you deal with the problem, however, it’s important to break the stress cycle, return to a normal breathing rate and continue dive preparations calmly. One way to reset the ‘stress barometer’ is to start equipment checks all over again from the beginning. This also helps ensure that you haven’t overlooked something in the confusion caused by the failure.

Many new tech divers or tech trainees feel apprehensive about the sheer amount of equipment they are going to carry underwater. This, in turn, can lead to mistakes the diver wouldn’t normally make, buoyancy problems and much more. Spending time setting up new equipment and possibly conducting a pool session before heading into open water are great ways to keep unfamiliar equipment from turning into a stressor. On a dive, making mental notes of what’s working and what could stand improvement also helps with equipment adjustments later. Finally, videoing students to show them their setup, trim, propulsion and more goes a long way toward achieving a more-comfortable configuration early on and reduces the potential for stress to build up.

So, how do we deal with stress?

Preventing stress is not always possible, but there are ways that divers can better handle it.

First, develop a routine for dive preparation, especially for more complex, technical dives. This includes dive planning, equipment setup and checks, as well as logistics during the dive. Do we have all the gas we need? Who is in charge of blending gas? Has the gas been analyzed? Is each diver happy with the planned dive? Is it within everyone’s range of training and experience? Make sure you’ve adequately answered all questions before beginning.

This routine extends as far as gearing up on a boat or on the shore. If you’ve ever seen tech divers get ready, most of them have a routine they do not like to break, and they don’t like to be interrupted either lest they miss a step. What they like least, however, is someone else touching their gear. Not every seemingly-helpful crew member is a trained technical diver, and well-meant adjustments might cause problems later on. Developing your own routine is therefore key to stress-free dive preparation.

Just as important is developing ways to break a stress cycle once it’s begun. Divers must find ways to reduce stress levels, independent of their source. Assuming you’ve dealt with the equipment problem, reducing stress might be as simple as taking a few deep breaths. If the dive involves training, preparation and dry practice go a long way toward avoiding stress.

‘Snapping out of it’ will be a different process for most divers, but it starts with recognizing stressors, eliminating them wherever possible and proceeding calmly. If doing so becomes impossible or pre-dive stressors prove too much, it’s time to call the dive.

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