Are you new to scuba diving? Do you want to avoid making a misstep in front of potential new dive buddies?
Mastering scuba lingo and diver etiquette can be an important part of learning to dive.
Most scuba-culture “dos and don’ts” are covered in your Open Water course, which means you’ll be expected to know what to do. Since putting your best fin forward can’t be overstated, we’ve made a quick list of common scuba faux pas and few tips on how to avoid them.
Spreading your gear all over the boat: Keeping your equipment in your designated area not only makes it easier for you to find what you need, but it also keeps others from tripping over your gear. Think of yourself as if you were a guest in someone’s home. Arrive on time, be tidy, and say thank you.
Kicking up the bottom so that it ruins the visibility for everyone behind you: Nobody wants to be behind the diver who does this. It ruins the visibility for other people and highlights your poor buoyancy skills. If this is you, the PADI Peak Performance Buoyancy class can help you set your weighting so that you keep your fins up while you swim horizontally.
Disturbing marine life: Touching the coral, picking up animals, and poking puffer fish are considered no-nos. This behavior can damage or even kill the creatures we’ve come to visit. Respect the environment you’re visiting, and keep your hands to yourself.
Using these terms incorrectly — goggles, flippers, and oxygen tank: One sure way to be identified as a newbie is to call your air cylinder an oxygen tank. Certified divers know that only highly trained technical divers take oxygen tanks underwater. Typically, most divers call them masks and fins. People tend to use the term goggles when talking about swimmers, and flippers are typically reffered to for kids.
Want to make sure your scuba knowledge is up to date? Check out the PADI ReActivate program.
