Important Safety Information for New Divers
There are a few things that new divers should know. Some of this you heard in your SCUBA class, some you may not have. The tips you haven’t heard before come from experienced divers and are things they wished they had known before their first dive.
Check your equipment. You probably heard this dozens of times during your SCUBA class, but its worth repeating. Always check your equipment before you dive. Your life depends on your equipment being in top shape and you wouldn’t want to find out after you were in the water that something is wrong with your regulator.
Test your air before you dive. Before you go out on the water, make sure you taste your air. This is as easy as taking a breath in through your mask and holding it for a second. If your air tastes like anything, get a new tank! A taste means that your air has been contaminated and could possibly hurt you.
If you are renting equipment, try on the mask first. Don’t just accept anything they have. Mask skirts come in different shapes. Some shapes work better than others, depending on your face shape. To make sure the mask fits properly and doesn’t fall off, take a couple deep breaths then hold your breath. If the mask is loose or falls off, try a different one. If not, then you have a good mask to wear on this dive. These tips also work when buying your first SCUBA mask.
Something not commonly taught in SCUBA class is the best way to remove your gear. Many new divers have lost fins because they took them off first before getting in the boat. However, to prevent loosing fins, you should take off your weight belt first, then your buoyancy control device, then take off your fins last.
Something to consider is where you dive and some special gear for that. If you do a lot of shore dives, you need something to protect your feet from the stones and coral. A pair of diving booties would be good for this. Pair them with a set of open heel fins and you can dive just about anywhere. Booties will help on the boat too, you’ll be able to walk without worrying about slipping.