With the exception of the lovely aquatic flora and fauna, scuba divers have the rare opportunity to fully immerse themselves in the tranquil underwater environment. Of course, scuba diving carries some risk, but this can be reduced by picking up some basic skills and following the suggested safety measures.
It’s a good idea to enrol in a course with the Professional Association of Diving Instructors if you’re new to scuba diving to learn the fundamentals. When you finish a PADI entry-level course, you will have acquired all the knowledge and abilities required for safe scuba diving.
Here are some top scuba diving water safety recommendations to assist you stay safe while enjoying your underwater journey once you’ve mastered the skill of breathing underwater.
Never Hold Your Breath
This is the most important diving rule, and any scuba instructor will tell you that it has the potential to save your life. Underwater breath holding can result in harm and even death. This occurs as a result of the air in the lungs expanding during ascent and contracting during descent into the water.
This is not a concern as long as the diver breathes constantly because any extra air is expelled. However, when a diver holds their breath, the expanding air cannot escape. Pneumobarotrauma, a severe injury caused by a lung wall rupture, may result from this.
Air bubbles can escape into the chest cavity and enter the bloodstream in really dangerous situations. A deadly arterial gas embolism may result from this. If the diver holds their breath, even dives of only a few feet can result in severe damage. This is why when scuba diving, maintaining normal breathing is vitally essential.
Don’t Drink Alcohol
Alcohol use can make it more difficult for us to dive underwater, including while we’re hungover. Heavy drinking the night before a dive can imply that you’ll probably still have alcohol in your system when you go diving, which will make it harder for you to respond quickly and coordinate your movements. Underwater, this can be quite dangerous.
It might be tricky to perform many jobs at once, making it more difficult to clear your mask while maintaining buoyancy. Additionally, drinking alcohol raises the danger of hypothermia and dehydration as well as increased heat loss.
Headache, nausea, and lack of coordination are signs of alcohol intake and are also signs of decompression sickness. Being buzzed could delay diagnosis if you do contract this potentially fatal condition while scuba diving.
Illnesses & Medication
Similar to this, you shouldn’t dive if your health is compromised due to an illness, especially if you’re using prescription medication. If you’re taking medication to treat cold symptoms, you can feel fine. It is possible to develop a condition called as a “reverse block” if you begin to feel congested when submerged, which is brought on by mucus that prevents air bubbles in the middle ear, tissues, or sinuses from leaving the body. The eardrums may suffer significant harm as a result of this severe illness.
It is safer to speak with your doctor before going scuba diving if you are currently on medication for a health condition or illness. Pregnancy and postoperative recuperation are included here. Little research has been done regarding the danger that the pressure underwater poses to an unborn baby, even if you are still very early in your pregnancy. The Divers’ Alert Network and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists both advise against diving while pregnant.
Use the Buddy System
Even if you are experienced, diving alone is not recommended. The presence of a diving partner is essential in most emergency circumstances if something goes wrong underwater. There aren’t many options, for instance, if your air source breaks and you don’t have a backup. Most of the time, you would need to climb quickly, which would have a negative impact on your health.
According to a Divers’ Alert Network and British Sub-Aqua Club survey, 86% of scuba diver fatalities have happened when the diver is on their own. Making the decision to dive alone might be quite expensive. Your underwater support system and lifeline are actually your diving buddy.
If you’re on a guided dive and your partner is a stranger, get to know that person before the dive. Ask about their background and education. If you’re unsure about the pairing, always err on the side of caution. Your survival might be at stake.
Plan Your Dive in Advance
Regardless of your level of experience, plan your dive in advance and follow it exactly. One of the fundamental guidelines for safe scuba diving is this. Prior to every excursion, decide with your diving partner where you’re going, how deep you’ll go, and how long you’ll stay there.
Choose the altitude at which you’ll start your ascent or return to your starting location. In case of an emergency where one of you runs out of air, prepare for a safety stop and an ascent with enough air for both of you.
Always give someone else advance notice of your whereabouts and return time so they can call for help if you fail to show up. Find the location of the closest emergency room and hyperbaric chamber before you leave, just in case.
Wear the Correct Equipment
Your equipment needs to come first. It should go without saying that you should dress appropriately. Always perform a pre-dive gear check, and make sure it is properly maintained. Your scuba gear is practically your lifeblood, therefore it needs to be in excellent operating order at all times.
Before your dive, you and your diving partner should carefully inspect all of the equipment. Check your rental equipment just like you would your own if you don’t have your own. Most importantly, make sure your regulators and buoyancy compensator are in perfect operating order.
Learn where important components, such as your integrated weight releases and dump valves, are located. In case you need them, bring extras like mask straps and O-rings with you. If drift diving, bring an extra surface marker buoy, and if night diving, a backup torch.
If you own your own equipment, maintaining it should be a regular practise. Learn where the first aid kit and emergency oxygen are before you dive, whether you’re diving from a boat or from the shore, on your own, with a buddy, or with a trained guide.
Understand Your Gear
100% of safe scuba diving depends on your gear. Never skimp on learning everything there is to know about your equipment. Even if you’re a beginner and you’re diving with a partner who is more experienced and you can trust, you still need to get to know everything.
It can be a life-threatening situation for both of you if your friend’s equipment breaks down. If no one else is around to inquire, having a good understanding of the equipment could be essential for your aquatic safety. According to statistics, rather than genuine equipment failure, the majority of equipment-related accidents are caused by the diver’s ignorance about how it functions.
Learn how to securely deploy your integrated weights release and deploy your delayed surface marking buoy. Learn the locations of each dump valve on your buoyancy control equipment. It is advisable to bring a chemical light for night diving in case your primary torch fails. Seriously, we cannot emphasise enough how crucial it is to have a complete understanding of how everything operates.
Be Prepared
The secret to safe scuba diving, whether you’re a pro or a beginner, is being adequately prepared. Take no chances at all! You are more likely to know how to respond in an emergency situation the more experience you have. Stay cautious at all times and learn as you go.
One of the best investments divers have ever made, according to many, is the PADI Rescue Diver course. It’s perfect for scuba divers who are concerned with both their own and other people’s safety. Once you’ve been familiar with all the scuba diving safety advice, go have fun—what that’s it’s all about!