Rachel Kerr
If this is your first-time scuba diving, you’re in for one of the best experiences of your life. In fact, after the first dive, you won’t want to go back! The clear water, the hundreds and thousands of colourful fish, the quiet…there is so much beauty under the waves and it’s exciting you’re about to experience it all for the very first time!
However, your first-time scuba diving can be a little intimidating. So, before you jump in the water, here are 7 of our top tips to help you out.
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#1 Ask Plenty of Questions
Do you know what one of the most important aspects of learning a new skill is? Asking lots of questions! As with any new skill, there is a lot to learn when scuba diving, so it is easy to become overwhelmed or unsure. If you find yourself becoming confused or struggling to keep hold of all the new information, don’t be afraid to ask questions. Whatever pops into your head is worth asking. After all, it’s better to ask than to struggle under the water having misunderstood or missed out on vital scuba diving points!
#2 Share Your Hesitations
The majority of first-time scuba divers are at least a little anxious at the thought of swimming out into open water. Whether you’re scared of open water or not, scuba diving for the first time can be a daunting thought.
Thankfully, your instructor will be available to give you specific tips and instructions. One of the most important hand signals your instructor will teach you is one that lets others know you are freaking out and need help to calm down. You instructor will be your biggest support while you’re in the water, so be sure to share your anxieties or hesitations with them.
#3 Learn to Dive in a Group
Learning to dive in a group is extremely beneficial. Not only does it surround you with other inexperienced and nervous divers, but it helps you feel more able to share your fears. Learning in a group is a great way to learn to dive and allows you to share your first-time scuba diving experience with others.
#4 Make Sure You’re in Good Health
Diving while you’re sick is never a good idea. Sneezing in a dive mask is never a great experience and throwing up in a dive mask is even worse… Diving often causes extra pressure on the sinuses, so even having something as simple as a small cold can significantly worsen when on a dive. So, if you’re going scuba diving for the first time make sure you’re healthy so that you have a good time – rather than making yourself sicker in the process.
#5 Under the Water, Swim with the Current
Once you’ve finally got into the water and put your head under, it’s time to get scuba diving! One of the best pieces of advice we can offer is to use as little energy as possible while under the water. This will help you enjoy your dive so much more as you won’t use up your oxygen supply as quickly. To help with this, prioritise swimming with the current. This will make moving through the water with minimal movements very easy and help you enjoy your first ever scuba diving experience.
#6 Don’t Forget to Breathe!
Breathing underwater for the first time is a very weird sensation, so it’s easy to hold your breath and forget to breathe altogether. If you forget to breathe, a lot can go wrong! So, remind yourself to breathe steadily in and out when you first enter the water. Take your time and stay calm.
#7 Take Your Time and Enjoy Every Second
Scuba diving is all about the experience. So, for your first-time scuba diving, take your time and enjoy every second. Go at your own pace, enjoy discovering new species of fish, taking pictures, and practising breathing under the water. Doing everything slowly while you’re scuba diving allows you to properly take in the surroundings and appreciate the beautiful underwater environment you’re in.
Have you recently been scuba diving for the first time? Tell us about your experience in the comments below.
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Always start your dive swimming into the current, not with it. Remember you generally have to make it back to your starting location and swimming into the current at the end of your dive is no fun.
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