Here we are in the middle of one of the coldest winters we have had in a long time. As the birds have figured out that it is warmer the farther south they go, scuba diving fanatics have learned to follow suit. Florida and warm coastal states like it become popular destinations. Especially for the water warriors.
As much fun as scuba diving can be added to the adventure one day underwater can deliver, as much as some may not want to recognize it, can equal a recipe for disaster if certain precautions aren’t taken. Below are some tips from the experts that are can make your scuba trip a memory worth looking back on.
Equipment Check
Have you ever taken your honey on a picnic and realized, about halfway there, that you forgot the food? How about spilling coffee on your flash drive before a major meeting at work? Those can be stressful situations, to say the least.
However, waiting until you are 80 ft. below the surface of the ocean to remember you forgot to fill the O2 tanks or that your new mask fogs are more serious matters. Make sure that your equipment is well prepared and tested well before your dive.
Everyone’s equipment should be in good condition. This goes for your biological equipment, as well. You should not make the dive if you are sick, have heart issues, or are just not feeling strong. With this in mind, it will be the buddy with the least experience and the lowest quality equipment that will determine the parameters of the dive.
Determine the Stress Level
Ok. We are not necessarily talking about how much nagging your wife is going to do because you were gone all day again. When we address the stress of a dive, there are a few things to consider. The depth is just one factor. Where are you going to take the plunge?
If you choose a colder setting such as diving off the coast of New Jersey, the icy temperature of the water will add work for your body as it tries to stay warm. The strength of the current, surge, equipment load, and visibility can quickly add to the difficulty of the dive.
How you are feeling will make another addition to your stress load. If you are exhausted or nervous, you run a good chance at making simple errors that could cost you more than you want to pay.
A Buddy is Better
As a man, you are probably well acquainted with the pressure to be a “real” man. The majority of the people who share a rather worldly view of manhood believe that there are some instances where you just need to man up and the independence of a man is viewed as a key to success.
Be that as it may (and really isn’t,) when you decide to take a journey to the vast underwater wonderland, it’s best to do it with a partner. Remember when your teacher would invoke the buddy system on class field trips. It was for your protection.
The same is true here. You and your buddy need to have a good level of trust in each other and each should take the time to build up experience at lower depths and practice what to do in shaky situations.
Before any dive, you and your buddy should make sure to check each others scuba equipment and make one last check of each others motivation and how “good” the dive feels. Either buddy should be allowed to call off the dive for any reason.
Scuba diving is an amazing way to spend some time with friends, expand your comfort zone, or relax in the weightlessness of the open sea. Make sure to follow these tips to ensure a safe time is had by all.
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