Before you consider diving as a hobby, it’s essential for your own safety to get trained and certified by an accredited scuba diving school. The right school will prepare you for most of the situations you’ll encounter underwater. Although there are many more things to remember from your dive training, the following tips are essential to any successful dive.
Know When to Return
You will always have a guide and a dive buddy, but you’re still responsible for knowing when it’s time to end your dive. When the gauge on your oxygen tank reaches the halfway mark, you should plan your ascent. At the very latest, you should be on your way back up by the time your gauge tells you that you only have one-quarter of a tank left.
Watch Your Depth
You’ll be risking your safety if you dive beyond 40 meters. As long as you follow your guide, you should be safe, but you should still keep an eye on your depth. Many divers now use a dive computer to help them track their depth. If this is an option for you, it may be a worthwhile tool to have with you.
Watch Your Hands
While your dive area in scuba diving school will have been well scouted in advance, you should still get in the practice of keeping your hands to yourself. Other than rock, touching things underwater can lead to problems. Coral may be damaged, underwater plant life may be poisonous, and sea creatures won’t understand your curiosity. It’s best to avoid touching anything in the water.