The Common Scuba Diving Myths And The Truth Behind Them

Don’t let these myths keep you from diving.

Scuba diving is one of the most thrilling and enjoyable activities that you can do. It allows you to see the magic realm of the ocean. However, it is still surrounded by numerous misconceptions and even plain-old myths.

If you are a diver, we all have family or friends that are non-divers, and whenever you tell them about your diving adventures, they seem uninterested, fearful, or kept asking about the bloodthirsty sharks. 

And if you don’t dive yet, we don’t want you to let the disinformation keep you from experiencing the beauty of diving. In this article, we’ve debunked some of these strange myths and perceptions people have about scuba diving.

Myth #1: You Must Be An Expert Swimmer

The Truth: This myth could be one of many reasons why most people are hesitant to add scuba diving to their bucket list. It most likely started from the fact that there is a basic swim test at the start of scuba training. The reason for the test is for the instructor to check if you know the basic water skills and if you can swim yourself to safety in case of any emergency. That’s it. 

Scuba diving just requires basic water skills. As long as you know how to float or tread water for 10 minutes and swim 200 meters/yards non-stop, you are welcome to start your diving journey!

Myth #2: Diving Is Very Dangerous

The Truth: Sure, diving can entail risks like any other sport. If we are talking statistically, according to the "Diver's Alert Network (DAN) 2010 Diving Fatalities Workshop Report", a diving fatality occurs in 1 out of every 211,864 dives.

As with any other activity, scuba diving can be dangerous if you are reckless. This activity also has guidelines you should follow (You'll learn about them in your open water certification course!). The most effective way to ensure safety on any dive is good dive planning, proper equipment, and following the standard practices of safe diving.

Myth #3: Divers Use Oxygen Tanks When Diving

The Truth: If we earn $1 whenever someone says this, we are probably rich by now. This myth is probably fueled by the movies with divers saying, “I’ll just grab my oxygen tank.” 

Unfortunately, that dialogue is way off base! 

Certified divers breathe the same surface air that we breathe. The air is filtered with 21% oxygen and 78% nitrogen and compressed into a scuba cylinder for use by the diver. Why does it have nitrogen, you ask? At about 8-10 meters, pure oxygen becomes toxic. So if you dive with just 100% oxygen, make sure that it is a very shallow dive, or you’ll risk your own safety. 

Myth #4: You Can Only Dive In The Tropics

The Truth: Scuba diving has been popular for years because of how the media showcased the beauty of diving in tropical countries. This myth is somehow true because there is an undoubtedly appeal to diving in warm, tropical waters and how it makes diving more refreshing. 

But you don’t need to go to these tropics just to dive. Regardless of your location, there’s a local dive site nearby. You can visit a dive shop near you or get in touch with the local diving community to learn more about the best dive spots in your area. But you must take note that diving in different diving spots means you need to adjust to its temperatures.