Scuba Diving 101: The Basic Diving Skills Every Diver Should Know

Be the diver who is ready to handle any diving situation.

Congratulations, you’ve already finished the entry-level certification course for scuba-diving, which means that you’ve passed the theoretical validation that says, “Wow! You know the basic skills!”

But here’s a little advice: your progress shouldn’t stop there. 

Scuba-diving is more than being able to swim underwater. You should continue practicing and improving your basic diving skills to ensure your safety and minimize the possible risks.

We’ve listed three basic divings skills that every diver should master. 

Control Your Buoyancy

Achieving good buoyancy is one of the most important things to learn when diving. But what is buoyancy, you ask? It means the tendency to float, sink, or remain neutral in the simplest terms. It allows you to smoothly glide over the reefs without knobbing over the fragile corals. Mastering buoyancy means you can stay underwater for a long time and have a more enjoyable diving experience while protecting marine life at the same time. 

Regulator Recovery

You’re probably wondering why retrieving a regulator is one of the basic diving skills you should master. Does the regulator always come off? Chill, diver. The regulator is responsible for bringing the air pressure back to normal to breathe through it. We are all aware that scuba diving requires you to keep your breath in constant flow. In rare diving cases, regulators sometimes get dislodged, and it takes less than one breath of air to recover it. 

When this happens, make sure to align yourself upright in the water. Place your right hand on your right thigh and circle your arms backward. The regulator hose will be caught on your arm, allowing you to replace the second stage properly in your mouth. While doing these steps, make sure that you are not holding your breath and blow small bubbles to avoid breathing the water. 

Communicating Underwater Through Hand Signals 

Communication is the key when it comes to scuba-diving. From asking your buddy if they are okay or communicating the direction, divers use hand signals to convey their message.  But you should keep in mind that some hand signals can vary across the globe, but the major signals such as “out of air” and “okay” are universal. That’s why taking a moment to study these hand signals. 

As you explore the ocean's depth, knowing these basic diving skills will reduce the possible risks. Make sure to master these skills to ensure your safety and be the diver who can handle any underwater situation.