Practice Safe Diving By Following These Tips

There are those who would say that scuba diving as a sport is dangerous. This is not true. Diving accidents happen a lot less than most people think, the problem being that the media sensationalizes them quite a bit. To keep the risk of injury and accident at a minimum, you need to know how to stay safe diving. Here are some tips to help you along:

• Plan well – Make sure that you have a dive plan before you get into the water and then dive according to the plan. This will help keep you out of trouble.
• Equipment check – 1 week prior to the dive, be sure to check your equipment and ensure that everything is well maintained and serviced. Ensure all batteries are working and before kitting up check again and confirm everything is working well. You and your diving buddy should also check each other’s equipment.
• New Equipment Check – Make sure that all new equipment is checked in an environment that is controlled, such as a swimming pool or on a shallow dive first before attempting deeper waters.
• Be in tip top condition – If you are feeling sickly or are not prepared well for the dive, listen to what your body is telling you. Make sure your body is in great condition for the dive.
• Know the currents – You need to know the conditions of the ocean before diving. Find out about the currents and the temperature of the water. Surface conditions may interfere with your boat, while temperature will let you know the kind of wetsuit you need to have on. Problematic conditions include extremely strong currents and poor visibility.
• Stay within the limits – Dive within the limits of your qualifications. If you are not certified to go beyond a certain depth or for a particular type of depth, don’t do it.
• Stay alert – Don’t dive if you are overly tired or hang over. Additionally, make sure that you have not had any alcohol for 24hrs prior to the dive. Being focused and alert is key for safe diving.
• Keep an eye on the gauges – This is a critical factor. Let your buddy know when your air is halfway gone and when you get to the reserve.
• Understand dive signals – Know your safety hand signals so you can quickly and accurately pass on messages and understand what is being communicated with ease.
• Marker Buoy – Carry one and ensure that you do not collide with a passing boat
• Be responsible – Your safety is your responsibility so take responsibility for it.

By following safe diving rules, you can relax and have some fun during your dive, as you’ll know what to do if anything were to go wrong, and you’ll know how to prevent problems before they occur. Feel free to contact us. We have multiple partners that offer dive packages with accomodation and scuba lessons