HOW DO WE SCUBA DIVE?

The question of "How do we Scuba Dive?" is the core to what we enjoy the most.  Every Scuba Diver would have had some training at one point (well I hope so…), which has taught them the basics about their safety and diving safely with other divers.

I won’t go into a debate of PADI vs. SSI, or BASC vs. CMAS, or RAID vs.TDI, or a mix of all the others against each other. Each course organisation should have professional Instructors who are passionate about teaching people to scuba dive. What comes from these professional instructors should not be only enjoyment but also safety, regardless of what course was taught to the student.

What is diving in a safe way and how is this accomplished?

The student should have learnt from the start that the most import aspect of diving is to breath normally even in a stressful situation. It allows clear headed thinking to offer solutions to any problem that may occur.

Through the proper training under guidance from an Instructor, the student should have the basics to understand and read a situation that could create stress. Reading such situations should allow the diver to intervene and prevent any further escalation of a situation which could affect the safety of themselves or any of the other divers.

I think that every diver is always willing to help others to enjoy the dive. If someone is inexperienced on a boat dive, for example, you will see that other more experienced divers will be talking and making that person at ease. You will notice as well that this continues underwater, with them keeping a watchful eye on that person. Again each dive boat should have a duty of care based around safety.

Everyone wants to enjoy their dive no matter what the location, the conditions or regardless of with whom and most importantly, want to finish the dive safely.

Another part of this is common courtesy for your fellow divers.  I will touch on etiquette in the next blog.