As you can guess, you will need to increase the equipment you use during daytime dive with two light sources which will be a main and a reserve, a chemical light, flashing lights to indicate the starting position and also a compass. It will be important to use gloves to avoid possible cuts from rocks and warm clothing.
The lights
- The main light will be the one you will use during the course of the dive. It has to be the most powerful, in order to enjoy the experience more. To do this, choose spotlights rather than flashlights, which have 20 watts and have duration greater than 45 minutes. You can choose two types of lights: on the one hand, the rechargeable ones, although more expensive, have a higher cost that will be amortized in a short time if you frequently do night dives. , although you can always opt for battery-powered lights.
- The backup light is used when the batteries of the main light have run out and although it does not need to be very powerful, it is advisable that it gives enough light to find the way back strong>.
- The chemical light is used so that our colleagues can locate us in case our lights run out. If you are going to dive in a group, it is advisable to choose different colors to be able to differentiate to the diver guide who closes the group. You cannot use this type of lights as a lighting source, as they are only positional. Its duration is usually twelve hoursapproximately.
- The flashing position lights will help us find our way back, place them at high points and make them visible from the area where you plan to dive. For example, on the anchor line of the boat, on a large rock on the exit wall of the reef, or at the point where you are going to exit the water.
It will always be convenient to carry an additional terrestrial flashlight to equip ourselves and avoid wasting the ones we will use during the dive.
The compass
The compass is essential for this type of diving if you plan to make long trips. Consider that your vision is reduced to a couple of meters and the elements that you normally use in natural orientation practically become invisible at night.
Most appropriate places
During your first night dives it is important to choose protected areas from waves, currents, with changes. strong>tide unimportant. It is better to dive from land (coves with easy access by car to unload the material) than from a boat, and in places where you have previously done daytime dives and it is easy to orient yourself.
It is not necessary to have a great depth to enjoy night diving. You must always try to dive within the safety curve and avoid going into decompression.
Once you have become accustomed to the darkness, you will be more demanding in choosing the place. So that you choose well, we are going to give you a series of tips:
Wait two hours from sunset to dive, this way the underwater nightlife will be at its peak.
- Choose rocky areas with many "holes", during the day many animals are hidden in them and they take advantage of the night to come out to feed.
- On the contrary, avoid rocky cliff walls devoid of cracks and small cavities, although during the day they are full of life, it disappears during the night, and you will be disappointed .
- The caves and wrecks are where there is more life and day-night contrast, although it is not advisable to dive in them, as becoming disoriented could have serious consequences.
- You will be pleasantly surprised diving on sandy beaches: during the day they seem deserted and at night they are an orchard of life. Many inhabitants hide during the day under the sand and at night they abandon their natural refuge.
Enjoy the phosphorescence that occurs when you stir the water with your hands or fins. This phenomenon happens by setting in motion many microscopic organisms (Dinoflagellates of the genus Noctiluca) with luminescent properties that are part of plankton. The first time you see it is... magic.
Plan the dive
If during daytime diving the dive planning, this specialty has a series of peculiarities that make more detailed planning essential, let's review them:
The first is to preferably choose, for your night dives, nights with a full moon. It makes equipment and collection tasks much easier, and at shallow depths a significant amount of light enters, allowing a certain orientation.
- Check all your material, bring spare parts and tools, you will not find any dive shop next to the rocks where they will rent you a regulator at 22 hours because you realize "in situ" that it is broken.
- Check that the lighting sources have fully charged batteries, it is unpleasant to do night diving while searching completely "in the dark."
- Bring at least twice as much light in relation to the time you plan the dive to last.
- Install your marker lights properly, as they will help you find your way back. If you dive from a boat, make sure it has the corresponding position lights, that the crew is watching you and, for added safety, install lights. to help you find your way back. For example, at the base of the anchor line and in a hypothetical decompression stop at three meters.
- Review all the signs with your buddies before you start diving. Remember that there are some specific ones for night diving, and check that everyone knows them.
- Groups must be reduced More than four divers is a crowd.
- Find out about the state of the sea and the tides and currents prevailing in the area, mainly if you dive on the Atlantic slope or in tropical seas that are under the influence of the tides. /li>
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Notify that you are going to do a night dive to the competent authority. They will inform you if it is allowed. If they are areas where this type of activity is not usually carried out, you will avoid problems. Keep in mind that there are areas where, due to their href="https://www.yumping.com/en/adventure-sports-news/how-to-start-diving--c65" title="How to start diving">dive planning, this specialty has a series of peculiarities that make more detailed planning essential, let's review them:
The first is to preferably choose, for your night dives, nights with a full moon. It makes equipment and collection tasks much easier, and at shallow depths a significant amount of light enters, allowing a certain orientation.- Check all your material, bring spare parts and tools, you will not find any dive shop next to the rocks where they will rent you a regulator at 22 hours because you realize "in situ" that it is broken.
- Check that the lighting sources have fully charged batteries, it is unpleasant to do night diving while searching completely "in the dark."
- Bring at least twice as much light in relation to the time you plan the dive to last.
- Install your marker lights properly, as they will help you find your way back. If you dive from a boat, make sure it has the corresponding position lights, that the crew is watching you and, for added safety, install lights. to help you find your way back. For example, at the base of the anchor line and in a hypothetical decompression stop at three meters.
- Review all the signs with your buddies before you start diving. Remember that there are some specific ones for night diving, and check that everyone knows them.
- Groups must be reduced More than four divers is a crowd.
- Find out about the state of the sea and the tides and currents prevailing in the area, mainly if you dive on the Atlantic slope or in tropical seas that are under the influence of the tides. /li>
- Notify that you are going to do a night dive to the competent authority. They will inform you if it is allowed. If they are areas where this type of activity is not usually carried out, you will avoid problems. Keep in mind that there are areas where, due to their
