If you’re thinking of getting qualified to dive or have just got your certification, there are some things to keep in mind. Diving is an amazing hobby, but there is also a very serious side to it. As a beginner it’s very important to focus and learn. As you gain more experience everything will start to become second nature.
This is number 1 on the list because it truly is the most important. As a beginner, your instructor’s word is law and you should never assume that you know better. Your instrucor is a well-trained professional and will be able to safely guide you through your course.
When you are studying to get your dive certification, you will be learning a lot of new things. Scuba skills aren’t necessarily things you need to know in any other situation. This means you will need to really concentrate and take in the material. You will complete a number of quizzes and exams to prove your knowledge before you are able to get into the water.
It is imperative that you ask questions during your course whenever they come up, even if you think they are silly. There are situations you may face whilst diving where you may not know exactly what to do. However, with the right training, you will know the safest course of action. This means that you should be asking questions whenever you aren’t sure of something so you can fill in any gaps in your diving knowledge.
Some new divers want to get straight in the water and think they’ll know just what to do right away. In reality, this is never the case. Scuba diving is something you have to learn both out of the water and in it. It takes time and practice. It can be a long process, but the more time you take to learn correct procedures, the safer your diving experience will be. So, be patient with yourself and others.
One of the most important rules of diving at any stage is staying with a buddy. This is so important because, in certain situations, you are each other’s lifeline. Whilst learning to dive, it is especially important that you don’t stray from your instructor or dive buddy. You might get distracted by all the underwater beauty but, remember, your safety and the safety of the group is much more important than following a beautiful fish somewhere away from safety.
It is very common to feel nervous or ‘wound up’ before dives. This is the adrenaline in your body getting ready to do something unfamiliar, challenging, and exciting. Learning to relax and use this feeling to motivate your dives rather than fuel worry is very important. Take deep breaths, think of all the wonderful things you are going to see, and enjoy all the new sensations in the water. You will soon feel weightless, gliding through spectacular seascapes.
This may seem like a silly tip, as many people assume being in water is intrinsically hydrating. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth. You can become very dehydrated while diving, especially in a warm, tropical climates. Most people don’t drink enough water on a normal day, so drinking enough while diving can be tough. Keep sipping water throughout the day starting when you wake up in the morning, directly before and after dives, and after returning home post-dive. You should be drinking at least 2 litres a day if not more.