Whether you’re new to scuba diving or have already logged multiple dives, avoiding mistakes can make the difference between a good dive and a potentially dangerous one. Even experienced divers can fall into bad habits, which might not seem like a big deal until they lead to issues like gear failure or panic underwater.
In this article, we’ll cover common mistakes that scuba divers make and how you can avoid them to ensure that your dives are safe and enjoyable. Whether you’re still getting comfortable in the water or you’re an advanced diver looking to fine-tune your performance, this guide will help you get the most out of every dive.
1. Skipping Pre-Dive Equipment Checks
Skipping the pre-dive equipment check is one of the most common mistakes divers make. It’s easy to assume that your gear is fine if it worked during the last dive, but equipment issues can arise unexpectedly, leading to dangerous situations underwater.
How to Avoid It:
- Do a pre-dive buddy check: Before each dive, go through the steps of the pre-dive safety check with your buddy. This includes checking your buoyancy control device (BCD), weights, releases, air, and a final check.
- Check your air: Make sure your air supply is turned on, check your BCD inflates and deflates properly, and check your weight system is secure.
- Check your regulators: Take a few deep breaths from your regulator (and alternate) while watching your pressure gauge to ensure they are functioning correctly.
If you’ve invested in your own dive gear, consider taking the SSI Equipment Techniques specialty course. This course will teach you how to properly maintain your equipment, identify issues before they become serious, and develop confidence in your gear.
2. Poor Buoyancy Control
Many divers struggle with buoyancy control; it’s a skill that takes time and practice to master. Poor buoyancy can result in fatigue, wasted air, and damage to marine life.
How to Avoid It:
- Master your weighting: The first step to good buoyancy is being properly weighted. If you’re too heavy, you’ll need to inflate your BCD too much, which can cause you to constantly rise and sink. If you’re too light, you’ll have trouble staying down.
- Use your breathing: Breathing control is one of the most powerful tools you have for adjusting your buoyancy. A deep breath will make you float up slightly, while exhaling will help you sink. Practice using small adjustments in breathing to maintain your position in the water.
- Practice hovering: During your dives, practice hovering mid-water without finning. This will help you become more aware of your body position and learn to control your buoyancy with minimal effort.
If you really want to hone your buoyancy skills, join a perfect buoyancy course. It is the best way to fine-tune your buoyancy; you get real-time feedback from a dive professional focused on your buoyancy, position, and trim in the water.
3. Not Equalizing Properly
Failing to equalize pressure in your ears during descent can lead to ear pain, or worse, an ear injury. Many divers forget to equalize or wait too long before attempting it, leading to discomfort or the need to end a dive.
How to Avoid It:
- Equalize early and often: Start equalizing before you feel any pressure, ideally as soon as you begin your descent. Equalize by pinching your nose and gently blowing or by swallowing. Continue equalizing frequently as you descend.
- Ascend if necessary: If you’re unable to equalize, ascend slightly until the pressure decreases, then try again before continuing your descent.
- End your dive: If you still can’t equalize after ascending slightly and trying again, end your dive. It’s better to miss a dive than to injure your ears.
4. Poor Buddy Communication
Failing to communicate effectively with your dive buddy can lead to confusion or even dangerous situations. Poor communication increases the chances of becoming separated, running out of air, or missing critical dive signals.
How to Avoid It:
- Establish hand signals before the dive: Review common hand signals with your buddy before entering the water and check you use the same signals. This ensures you both understand how to signal important messages like low air, needing to ascend, or pointing out marine life.
- Stay close to your buddy: You should be able to reach your buddy within 2 seconds throughout the dive, so stay close. If separated, look for them for no more than one minute before ascending safely.
5. Rapid Ascents
A rapid ascent is one of the most dangerous mistakes a diver can make. Ascending too quickly can lead to decompression sickness (DCS) or lung over-expansion injuries, both of which can be life-threatening.
How to Avoid It:
- Monitor your ascent rate: Always watch your dive computer or depth gauge during your ascent. A safe ascent rate is generally no faster than 18 meters (60 feet) per minute when ascending from more than 18 meters deep.
- Practice controlled ascents: Regularly practice your ascent skills, especially after deep dives. Make sure you incorporate a safety stop at 5 meters (15 feet) for 3-5 minutes to allow your body to off-gas any remaining nitrogen.
- Use your BCD correctly: Don’t inflate your BCD while ascending. Instead, use gentle fin kicks to ascend and release air from your BCD during the ascent.
A deep diving course will help improve your ascent techniques, especially when diving at greater depths. You’ll learn how to manage nitrogen absorption, control your ascents, and execute proper safety stops.
6. Neglecting Air Management
Running low on air or not managing your air consumption properly is a critical mistake that can lead to panic or emergency ascents. This is particularly risky during deep dives or in currents.
How to Avoid It:
- Monitor your air supply frequently: Check your pressure gauge regularly throughout the dive, especially at deeper depths or if exerting yourself. Get into the habit of signaling your air level to your buddy.
- Always surface with air: Plan your dive so that you surface with at least 500 psi (50 bar) of air left.
- Work on your breathing: Slow, controlled breathing will not only conserve air but also help you stay calm and improve your buoyancy control.
7. Overexertion
Diving should be a relaxed activity, but many divers, particularly newer ones, overexert themselves by finning too hard, fighting currents, or carrying too much weight. Overexertion leads to rapid air consumption and can result in fatigue, stress, or even panic underwater.
How to Avoid It:
- Stay relaxed and use efficient finning techniques: Avoid fast or choppy fin strokes. Use long, slow kicks to move through the water efficiently. The frog kick or modified flutter kick are great options for minimizing exertion.
- Dive according to the conditions: If currents are strong, plan to drift with them rather than fight against them. Diving in conditions that are beyond your skill level increases the likelihood of overexertion, so don’t be afraid to end or skip a dive if the conditions are not right for you.
- Use proper weighting: Carrying too much weight can cause you to overexert yourself, as you’ll have to kick harder to stay buoyant. Always do a weight check at the surface before you start your dive.
If you want to learn how to avoid overexertion and recognize the signs of stress in yourself and others join a Rescue Diver course. This is one of the best dive courses available, many divers say it is their favorite! It teaches techniques for self-rescue and assisting a tired or stressed buddy and is one of the best ways to gain confidence as a diver.
8. Rushing the Descent or Ascent
Divers often rush the descent or ascent, leading to discomfort or serious health risks. Rapid descents can cause equalization issues, while fast ascents increase the risk of decompression sickness.
How to Avoid It:
- Control your descent: Descend slowly and give yourself time to equalize frequently. Avoid plummeting to the bottom, as this can cause ear barotrauma.
- Maintain a safe ascent rate: When ascending, do so slowly. A safe ascent rate is generally no faster than 18 meters (60 feet) per minute when ascending from more than 18 meters deep.
- Complete a safety stop: Always perform a safety stop at 5 meters (15 feet) for 3-5 minutes to help your body safely off-gas.
9. Overconfidence
Many divers, especially those with a few successful dives under their belt, may push themselves into conditions that are beyond their skill level, such as strong currents, deep wrecks, or low-visibility environments. Overconfidence can quickly lead to stress, panic, or accidents.
How to Avoid It:
- Know Your Limits: Stay within your certification and experience levels, especially when dealing with unfamiliar environments. Don’t dive in conditions that make you uncomfortable.
- Seek professional guidance: If you want to challenge yourself with new dive conditions or experiences, such as wreck diving or diving in strong currents, consider taking a specialty course to develop the necessary skills.
There are numerous advanced diver courses to boost your dive confidence but drift diving, wreck diving, and underwater navigation are three of the best. These courses will expand your skills and confidence to handle more challenging dive environments, and they are great fun.
