Diving Refresher
Maybe it’s been a while. Maybe this is literally your first time (small PSA - highly recommend actually getting legit PADI certified if you’re about to book a dive trip and you’ve never been before).
Here are some tips and tricks from a semi-seasoned diver:
Scuba diving with some nbd nurse sharks in the San Pedro Canyons off Ambergris Caye, Belize with Belize Pro Dive Center
HYDRATE.
Sorry for yelling. But seriously, never underestimate how garbage the feeling is to be dizzy and lightheaded and feel like you’re going to vomit or pass out or both all because you’re dehydrated. Diving in general takes a lot out of you, so it’s important to hydrate. Diving in salt water, even more important to hydrate. Diving after hanging out in a tropical humid environment… you get the point.
Don’t get fucked up before a dive.
That means watching your alcohol consumption the day of or the night before a dive. First off, the absolute last thing you should do is go diving while under the influence of anything - your life is literally in your own hands down there, and oxygen levels at certain depths can already fuck with your processing skills. So just do so it the day of. As for why you shouldn’t go on a bender the day before - see the entire paragraph about the importance of being hydrated when you dive. If you’re going to have a beer, or a tropical cocktail, or whatever, enjoy it post-dive - just remember you will get extra lit off of a drink or two.
Do mental checks while you’re diving.
Muscle memory, especially in a panic situation, is everything. Keep remembering to check your air gauge hanging on the bottom left of your jacket, feel for your spare BCD that should be affixed to the right of your mid section, clear your mask even if there’s only a little water inside, and most importantly, take mental note of yourself. Notice if you start to feel a little loopy at a depth of 100+ feet, so you probably need to be extra vigilant about making sure you are paying attention to your surroundings. Or if it’s starting to feel a little harder to breathe, which probably means you’re consuming more oxygen, which means you’re not going to be able to spend as much time underwater.
The same general rules apply to a depth of 20 feet and a depth of 120 feet if you’re doing open water diving.
Just know that you’ll consume more oxygen the further down you go and are likely to get a bit of a head high or mild confusion - dive buddies and diving calculators are suggested for reasons like this. Also, minor detail, but at a depth of about 200 feet the “regular” oxygen in your tank is actually toxic, aka you will die, so keep that in mind too and don’t push your depth to chase a colorful looking fish or catch that flashlight you dropped.
Dry bags are your best friend.
Seriously… Best. Purchase. Ever. I always get cold while diving, so nothing really beats wrapping yourself in a dry towel or having a dry change of clothes for the long boat ride home. Dry bags are absolutely always a stupid price, but the amount of times you will use it once you have one is innumerable. I have the REI SealLine Skylake Dry Pack and it has not let me down yet.
Night diving is not as scary as it seems.
Just make sure you have a solid legitimately bright flashlight with some sort of easy access clip so that you can detach it from your jacket after you leave the boat. It’s also not a bad idea to let your eyes adjust to the dark by starting the dive at twilight, but that’s diver’s preference really. Overall, just don’t panic and you’ll be fine.
Enjoy the view.
Besides the health and safety considerations, this might be the most important point. Take it all in while you are down there. After all, how often do you get to look up and see the surface of the water 60 plus feet above your head just rippling away?! Or have hundreds of fish encircling your entire body because they’re overly interested in the leftover cooked rice you’ve released in close proximity to their hangout? Or get to see whole ecosystems at work when you spot a Grouper that has spotted a Lion Fish and is trying to make it his next meal before your eyes? Not often! So enjoy the privilege of being below the surface in their home while you can.
