10 Golden Rules of Scuba Diving

Scuba diving might be an exciting and fun way to see the ocean, but like every other activity, it comes with its fair share of risks. By following a few basic rules, you can minimize any risk while making the most of your time underwater.

Let’s consider 10 golden rules of scuba diving.

1. Maintain a healthy state before a dive

Many divers take this for granted. Drinking alcohol or being too tired will almost always be detrimental to your diving. Avoid alcoholic drinks and get plenty of sleep.

Note that you are at a heightened state of getting the bends if you drink alcohol or lack sufficient sleep.

2. Do a safety stop

If you plan on taking a dive deeper than 10 meters, remember to do a safety stop. This should be done when you reach the first 5 meters. Here you will wait for 3 minutes before proceeding.

The main purpose is to lower your nitrogen levels in the blood while allowing your body to adapt to the changes in pressure.

3. Practice continuous breathing

Breath as you would normally do on air. Do not hold the air in your lungs as they could rupture from too much gas especially during an ascent.

4. Bring along a buddy

The best way to stay safe is to dive with a partner. Most bad situations that can happen when you are underwater can be fixed when you are in pairs. The same cannot be said for solo divers.

5. Do not yo-yo dive

Yoyo dives are when you go down to say, 10 meters then go back up to 5 meters and then go back down to 18 meters.

If you have decided to scuba dive, go to your predetermined depths while taking 3-minute breaks when necessary then gradually come back up.

6. Never go beyond your limits

Every depth comes with certain limits. For example, for depths as far as 18 meters, divers should never stay here for more than 50 minutes or they run the risk of getting decompression sickness. Know the regulations and limits and adhere to them.

7. Respect marine life

To ensure your safety and the safety of the marine life, avoid getting too close. Your equipment can get damaged when caught in the rocks and some marine animals such as the moray eel can be dangerous when provoked.

8. Don’t ascend too fast

And fast means anything beyond 9 meters per minute. Going up faster than this may cause you to get decompression sickness also known as the bends.

9. Keep an eye on your air pressure

Make it a habit to check the air pressure on the gauge. Always know the state of your equipment to allow you to make the best choices. Running out of air at great depths may suddenly become life-threatening.

And the deeper you dive, the more frequently you should check your air pressure.

10. Don’t dive beyond your training

Going beyond your certification training will definitely put you at harm’s way. If say you are an open water diver, your maximum limit will be 18 meters. Make sure you do not dive deeper than this.