10 Underwater Scuba Diving Tips

These 10 underwater scuba diving tips will help ensure a safer and pleasurable scuba diving experience. Taking into account these helpful underwater scuba diving tips will help you become more responsible and smarter scuba diver.

1. Dive with a buddy. Going underwater scuba diving is not a solo sport. Dive with a buddy and learn the basic hand signal communication for a good team work.
2. Keep handy underwater signaling device. An underwater horn device can make an audible sound up to a mile away. Use this device when you are in distress to alert your buddy. Underwater rattle can be as effective as the horn. A signaling mirror can help you get the boat’s attention that is up to 10 miles away from you.
3. Get as much information about the dive site. Navigating your way underwater where there are no roads to take and no signs to follow can be a challenge among scuba divers. It is best to obtain information beforehand especially on the type of current to expect, coral formations, wreck size, rocks, and drop off. Learn to visualize the site to take note of landmarks on the area.
4. Tighten your gears. Before getting too excited to jump off make sure there are no dangling hoses and straps from your diving gears that may get tangled on the wreck site. Double check that your gears are tightened and working perfectly before making the jump.
5. Ascend slowly to the surface. This will keep you in a no-decompression limit. Ideally, pausing for a minute every 20 feet upon ascent to the surface will help prevent decompression stops during underwater scuba diving.
6. Be smart to note where your dive boat is located.  A good way to do this is to locate any landmark such as rock or coral formation. You can also pay close attention on how your boat looks like from underwater when there are more than one boat in your underwater scuba diving expedition.
7. Do not rely on currents as indicators for your direction. They can easily twist and turn underwater and can easily mislead you. Always keep a dive compass with you as a more reliable direction instrument to use.
8. Night scuba diving is fun but it is best to plan for a shallower and shorter underwater scuba diving exploration. Night scuba divers will likely use more air during the dive which shortens the life span of the scuba tank. Do not stray too far from your dive boat and from the entry point of your dive.
9. It is fun to undertake a night dive before dawn. You will find a more fascinating view underwater as you see the corals and waterbed wake up as the sun rises. It is a view not all divers see on regular underwater scuba diving done during the day.
10. Constantly monitor your air supply. It is a basic standard procedure for every scuba diver should do. Frequently monitor your air supply and consumption throughout the diver and check your air gauge.  Ascend as soon as you see you are running out of air supply.