Sometimes people have some idea of the scuba diving basics, but it rarely ever goes beyond that. Some don’t even know the basics, and only think of it as the ‘thing you do underwater.’
Scuba diving is not as easy as it looks – it requires specific skills and training. Here are some scuba diving basics that anyone should know if they’re ever planning on heading underwater.
Don’t Hold Your Breath
As tempting as it may be, since you’re surrounded by water, holding your breath is actually very dangerous when you’re scuba diving and can result in serious injury – even death!
When you’re ascending and descending, the air in your lungs expands and holding your breath can be very dangerous as a result.
Safe Ascents & Descents
Breathing continuously is important, but making sure your ascents and descents are slow, steady and safe is also important. If you’re not careful, air bubbles can get into your bloodstream and cause severe sickness. Your ascents and descents are a necessary part of scuba diving, so be very careful when doing so!
Check Your Gear
Your equipment is basically your lifeline when you’re underwater, so you definitely want to make sure you have everything you need, where it needs to be and working properly. Diving isn’t just a one man show either, so make sure everyone – especially your diving buddy – has what they need for a safe dive.
Staying Within Your Limits
As you gain more experience (and oxygen in your tank), the limit to how far you can go grows. But you should always know your limits and make sure you aren’t pushing yourself too hard or too far. Stay within the limits so you don’t hurt yourself or the people around you! Don’t attempt anything that’s beyond your qualifications – especially without supervision!
Proper Planning
You always want to make sure you have a plan ready for when you go diving. Don’t just go with the flow – not even the flow of the water. You always need to know exactly where you’re going and how long you’ll take. Ideally, you’d also let someone know before you go so that in the worst case scenario, they know where to look for you.
Scuba diving isn’t easy, but it can be! Deep Blue Dive Center has a number of PADI dive courses that you can take to learn how to scuba dive like a professional and explore those deep blue waters!
