You must familiarize yourself with all the information it requires. You may have doubts about what to do and what not to do when preparing for the dive. Here we show you the 10 basic tips for your first contact with diving:
10 tips for your first diving course
1. Choose the diving center well
Once you have decided on the destination where you are going to take the course, you should investigate and look for the best schools and the best instructors. Look for references! A more expensive course does not have to be better. The diving forums and user comments will be your best ally to decide on one or the other.
But, not only that. It is also important that you choose the diving certification that best suits your tastes. If you don't know the differences between PADI and SSI, here we tell you everything you need to know. It is a very useful way to decide which course you are finally going to take.
2. Don't hold your breath
When we immerse ourselves in water, we tend to hold our breath. It is a reflex act and, for those of you who have practiced snorkeling, it can even be natural. Remember that you carry an air bottle on your back so breathe calmly.
Holding your breath when it is not necessary can cause lung overexpansion, that is, a diving accident. But don't worry, the instructor will be in charge of teaching you and helping you stay calm underwater.
3. Don't fly on a plane after diving
When you dive, your body accumulates nitrogen which gradually disappears from the body. When flying in an airplane, the atmospheric pressure It decreases compared to sea level and affects the nitrogen in our body.
This can cause small residual gas bubbles to expand and cause decompression problems. Therefore, it is better to wait a certain amount of time from when the dive was made until getting on a plane.
Although there are different opinions about the waiting time before flying after a scuba dive, the studies carried out by DAN (Divers Alert Network) are the ones with the most followers: after single dives without decompression, the minimum recommended time before flying is 12 hours.
4. Ascend with caution
When you dive, your body accumulates nitrogen which gradually disappears from the body. When flying in an airplane, the atmospheric pressure It decreases compared to sea level and affects the nitrogen in our body.
This can cause small residual gas bubbles to expand and cause decompression problems. Therefore, it is better to wait a certain amount of time from when the dive was made until getting on a plane.
Although there are different opinions about the waiting time before flying after a scuba dive, the studies carried out by DAN (Divers Alert Network) are the ones with the most followers: after single dives without decompression, the minimum recommended time before flying is 12 hours.
4. Ascend with caution
Don't be in a hurry to return to the surface, our body is not used to such sudden pressure changes. There is a common rule that says to rise more slowly than the column of bubbles that are created with each exhalation of air.
5. Equalize your ears
The change in pressure that occurs when submerged is very noticeable in the ears and can be a very annoying sensation. Prevent this from happening by equalizing your ears, making the pressure equal to that of the water. To do this, cover your nostrils with your fingers and blow through your nose.
It is important that you use this technique from the moment you start descending, not when your ears are already bothering you.Equalize approximately every half meter and you will prevent your ears from suffering during the dive.
6.Stay hydrated and avoid alcohol
Hydration is always very important, but when diving it is vital. Make sure you have drunk plenty of water before and after a scuba dive.
And, we're sorry to tell you, if you were thinking of having a beer at the end of the dive, you'd better think twice and order a refreshing bottle of water instead. You should not drink alcohol after diving (not before either!), since alcohol is an anticoagulant and can affect your body's decompression.
7. Don't move too much
If you move very hurry, water is about 800 times denser than air, you will get tired too soon and consume more air. Try to maintain a calm pace, you will avoid missing the beauty of the seabed!
Move slowly, you will save energy and air, and you will be able to enjoy the experience more without shortening your immersion time. You can always do a gentle flap or let the instructor guide you.
8. Listen to the instructor
It seems like common sense that we shouldn't even say, but it never hurts to make it very clear. The instructor is the most important person underwater. Follow all the instructions he gives you and everything will be fine.
Do not go more than 10 feet away. It is also very important to communicate with the monitorand make a sign to indicate that you are okay. Complying with the rules is the most important thing when taking a diving course.
9. Don't stress
Diving is very relaxing and you don't have to stress yourself out with the thought of going underwater. It is normal to lose your cool, but don't worry, the instructor will help you calm down and teach you how to use all the equipment and the process you are going to carry out.
10. Never take anything from the seabed
We know that it is very tempting to take a souvenir of the experience, but the seabed must be preserved as much as possible, and it is our task to respect the ecosystem in which we have immersed ourselves. Save the diving dive and the wonders you have seen during the activity in your memory, without having to alter the environment. For sustainable diving!
Last but not least: enjoy! It is a unique experience that you will always remember. Diving is for having fun and not for suffering. Relax and go for it!
The change in pressure that occurs when submerged is very noticeable in the ears and can be a very annoying sensation. Prevent this from happening by equalizing your ears, making the pressure equal to that of the water. To do this, cover your nostrils with your fingers and blow through your nose.
It is important that you use this technique from the moment you start descending, not when your ears are already bothering you.Equalize approximately every half meter and you will prevent your ears from suffering during the dive.
6.Stay hydrated and avoid alcohol
Hydration is always very important, but when diving it is vital. Make sure you have drunk plenty of water before and after a scuba dive.
And, we're sorry to tell you, if you were thinking of having a beer at the end of the dive, you'd better think twice and order a refreshing bottle of water instead. You should not drink alcohol after diving (not before either!), since alcohol is an anticoagulant and can affect your body's decompression.
7. Don't move too much
If you move very hurry, water is about 800 times denser than air, you will get tired too soon and consume more air. Try to maintain a calm pace, you will avoid missing the beauty of the seabed!
Move slowly, you will save energy and air, and you will be able to enjoy the experience more without shortening your immersion time. You can always do a gentle flap or let the instructor guide you.
8. Listen to the instructor
It seems like common sense that we shouldn't even say, but it never hurts to make it very clear. The instructor is the most important person underwater. Follow all the instructions he gives you and everything will be fine.
Do not go more than 10 feet away. It is also very important to communicate with the monitorand make a sign to indicate that you are okay. Complying with the rules is the most important thing when taking a diving course.
9. Don't stress
Diving is very relaxing and you don't have to stress yourself out with the thought of going underwater. It is normal to lose your cool, but don't worry, the instructor will help you calm down and teach you how to use all the equipment and the process you are going to carry out.
10. Never take anything from the seabed
We know that it is very tempting to take a souvenir of the experience, but the seabed must be preserved as much as possible, and it is our task to respect the ecosystem in which we have immersed ourselves. Save the diving dive and the wonders you have seen during the activity in your memory, without having to alter the environment. For sustainable diving!
Last but not least: enjoy! It is a unique experience that you will always remember. Diving is for having fun and not for suffering. Relax and go for it!
