New year, new you… new diving skills? What if among all these things we promise ourselves to improve every 1st of January, one was about the thing we love the most on Earth? Read on for six ideas for scuba diving New Year resolutions, plus a few tips to help you actually stick to them.
1. Master Buoyancy Like a Pro
Buoyancy is the one magical skill that makes everything easier underwater. Fancy consuming less air, longer dives or bringing back significantly better underwater pictures or videos?
Ask your favorite diving instructor honest feedback about your buoyancy. Taking the time to work on that essential skill can take you a long way. I warmly recommend the PADI Peak Performance Buoyancy Specialty course. Through specially designed exercises, you can better understand the secrets behind good buoyancy.
2. Expand your Diving Horizons
The beauty of scuba diving is the almost infinite number of experiences you can have. From wreck diving to ice diving, trying something new is another opportunity to develop a better understanding of diving by looking at things from a different angle.
Your next challenge doesn’t have to be extreme. You might try sidemount diving, learn underwater photography, get better at identifying fish, give freediving a go or simply build confidence in a skill you’ve always wanted to improve.
Something new can also be trying to dive locally between two tropical holidays. Check with your local scuba diving center what they have on offer.
And if it has been a while since your last dive, your resolution could simply be to get back underwater. A scuba refresher such as PADI ReActivate® can help you brush up on your knowledge and skills before your next dive adventure.
3. Embrace One More Ocean-Friendly Habit
Achieving a waste-free eco-responsible lifestyle is easier said than done. It can honestly feel overwhelming. Don’t beat yourself up! Making new habits fully part of our daily routine takes time. One new ocean-friendly habit every year is already a lot. Imagine what you could achieve in 10 years?
Your resolution can also go beyond your everyday habits. Consider joining a local conservation activity, taking part in a citizen-science project, volunteering in your community or supporting ocean-protection initiatives through PADI AWARE®. Divers have a unique connection to the underwater world — and plenty of opportunities to use that connection to help protect it.
4. Pamper Your Scuba Diving Gear
Winter can be the perfect time to take care of your scuba diving gear. It can also be a fun way to stay in the scuba mood when you can’t go diving. Here is a non-exhaustive check-list:
- Bring your regulator in for its annual maintenance. This often takes three weeks to complete (on average), so it is better to avoid doing this at the last minute.
- Check if the battery in your dive computer needs to be changed. Some models let users change the battery by themselves.
- Inspect your wetsuit thoroughly. Some small tears might be fixable at home with a drop of neoprene glue.
If some pieces of your equipment are too old, it may be time for an upgrade. If worn-out, uncomfortable or unreliable equipment has been giving you an excuse not to dive, make this the year you get it sorted. Visit your local scuba dive shop to compare and test gear yourself.
Unsure about which gear needs annual maintenance or how you can make small repairs yourself? Consider enrolling in the PADI Equipment Specialist course to learn more about scuba diving equipment.
5. Go Somewhere New
Let’s say you love diving in the Caribbean. Fair enough – it has gorgeous coral reefs. But what about trying a new destination with a different marine ecosystem? It can be exhilarating to discover how different the species can be from one ocean to another, even at the same latitude. You will surely learn new fascinating facts about your favorite marine animals, whether they are nudibranchs or sharks.
Play a game to decide your next destination! Throw a dice and keep rolling until you get somewhere you’ve never been (or haven’t been in a long time if you have already traveled everywhere). 1 is the Pacific, 2 is the Red Sea, 3 is the Mediterranean Sea, 4 is the Caribbean, 5 is Southeast Asia, 6 is the Indian Ocean!
You could also start a dive travel bucket list and choose one destination to work toward this year. If you’re not sure where to go, ask your local PADI Dive Center or Resort about upcoming trips — you may discover an adventure you hadn’t considered.
6. Introduce Someone to the Underwater World
One of the best ways to make more diving memories is to bring someone new along for the adventure. If you have a friend or family member who has always been curious about scuba diving, make this the year you introduce them to the underwater world.
A PADI Discover Scuba® Diving experience is an easy way for someone to experience scuba diving for the first time under the guidance of a PADI Professional. You might help create a new diver — and gain a new dive buddy in the process.
How To Make Your Scuba Diving Resolutions Stick
Choosing a resolution is easy. Making it happen takes a little planning.
Choose Just a Few Goals
Instead of creating a dive bucket list as long as your regulator hose, pick two or three things you genuinely want to accomplish. A shorter list makes it easier to focus — and much more satisfying when you can check everything off.
Connect Your Goals
Your resolutions can build on one another. For example, you might improve your buoyancy, learn a new diving skill and then plan a trip where you can put that skill into practice.
Make Them Realistic
Choose goals that match your current experience, available time and budget. There’s nothing wrong with having big diving ambitions, but some of them may be better treated as multi-year goals.
Turn Each Resolution Into a Next Step
Put the course on your calendar. Schedule your gear service. Message a dive buddy. Start saving for the trip. A specific action is much easier to follow through on than a vague promise to “dive more.”
Track Your Progress
Whether you keep a dive log, a travel wish list or a simple note on your phone, seeing how far you’ve come can help keep you motivated throughout the year.
Whatever your diving goals are this year, choose something that gets you learning, exploring, protecting the ocean or simply spending more time underwater.
Join PADI Club
Want an easy way to keep your goals on track and to stay connected to the diving community? Join PADI ClubTM! This membership offers divers everything from eLearningTM discounts (so you can dial in your buoyancy) to free PADI eCards (to prove your certification status on your travels), plus a subscription to Scuba Diving® magazine (for scuba diving inspiration), discounts on partner gear and access to Speaker Series events. PADI Club really is the best way to keep all your scuba diving resolutions.
Author Bio
Florine is a PADI Divemaster and a Dive Travel blogger at World Adventure Divers. She dives in tropical to extreme cold waters, selecting her destinations when both adventure diving and cultural discoveries are part of the journey, and showing you how to do it without breaking the bank.
