10 Scuba Diving Rules You Should Know If You Are A Beginner

Scuba diving rules are simple but very important, so if you are considering enjoying this wonderful sport for the first time, it is advisable that you know them. If, on the other hand, you have already made your first contacts with the underwater world, but you are not yet a certified diver, it is better to go over them. In this article, we have compiled the 10 essential scuba diving rules for all beginners.

Scuba Diving Rules That You Must Follow on The Surface

1) Stay healthy
This scuba diving rule makes common sense. Diving involves a low level of physical activity, but some people cannot scuba because of their health, or will need a medical certificate to practice the sport.

Therefore, keep yourself hydrated, eat in a healthy and balanced way, engage in physical exercise, avoid alcohol and tobacco and never, never, never dive if you have a fever, have a cold, or cannot breathe normally.

2) Train yourself as a diver
There are many training options as a diver, both in levels and in variety of certification agencies, such as PADI. Choose the one that suits you best, but get trained. This is one of the most valuable scuba diving rules because only with good training will you learn the principles of diving and develop the necessary skills to dive.

In addition, among the rules of diving is the fact that you should not exceed the limits that your level of diving imposes. As you advance in your training you will know the safety measures that each specific level requires. The first level of certification is the Open Water Diver, you will be able to know the rest in the article 12 Scuba Diving Certification Levels From Beginners To Professional.

 3) Plan your dive carefully and follow your plan
More than one of the scuba diving rules, planning your dive should be a habit. Depending on where you plan to dive, many variables can change, such as depth and bottom time. In addition, there are types of diving that involve special safety measures, such as drift, cave, or wreck diving.

4) Check your equipment before you dive
No matter if you are the owner or it is a rental, the first thing you have to do is learn how to use your dive gear. After that, you will have to check it before each dive. Following this scuba diving rule can save you from a disaster. Therefore, check that everything is in perfect condition, that you are wearing the proper weight, that there are no leaks, that the tank pressure is correct, that it is open, that the regulators work, etc., etc., etc.

5) Never dive alone
Diving is a team sport. Yes, we agree that every diver has to take care of himself, but four eyes see more than two, and it is always good to have an emergency regulator on hand if you need it. So, find your perfect dive buddy. We taught you how to do that in the article: “How To Find A Dive Buddy? – Everything You Need To Know“.

Scuba Diving Rules You Must Follow to Have A Safe Dive

 6)Never hold your breath
The air in your lungs is affected by pressure during descent and ascent, so holding your breath is never a good idea. On the other hand, not holding your breath is one of the rules of diving that will allow you to save air during your dive. If you wonder how this is possible? You will find the answer in the article; “10 Scuba Tech Tips to Improve Your Diving Air Consumption“.

7) Compensate your ears before you feel pain
If during the descent, the pressure in your middle ear is not the same as the pressure outside it, you will feel intense pain. You will be able to avoid it easily, just equalizing your ears before you feel it. Don’t worry if you have trouble equalizing. Just read the article: ” 10 Tips To Equalize Ear Pressure Like A Pro“.

8) Check on your gauges continuously
Check on your pressure gauge and your depth gauge, or dive computer frequently. When you are enjoying a dive, it is easy to lose track of time, but you don’t want to run out of air or make unscheduled decompression stops, do you? Monitoring your gauges is the way to avoid this.

9)That your diving experience does not affect the natural environment
If divers love the ocean, it is because of its natural richness. For that reason, we mustn’t touch anything when we are diving. In Dressel Divers, we respect to the maximum this scuba diving rule, following our environmentally friendly spirit, Go Green.

10) Wait 12 hours before flying or climbing a mountain.

After diving, there are still nitrogen bubbles in our bodies. We spend about 12 hours to eliminate them. If we fly or climb before eliminating nitrogen, the difference in pressure will affect the bubbles, causing them to expand. It can be a serious problem. If you want further info, check out our article Flying After Diving and Diving After Flying.

We have explained 10 essential scuba diving rules in this article. Would you like to add any other? Share it with us on Facebook!