It is one thing to master the in-water skills of diving, but we should also think about how to master and follow good diving etiquette. Diving is a social sport, and as such, there are some Do's and Don'ts that can make or break an excellent dive. Not just for diving in Nusa Penida, follow these tips to make you the best dive buddy wherever you dive!
Be the early bird!
Punctuality not only shows curtesy, but will also allow yourself to prepare without feeling rushed. This is particularly so for diving. There are many things to prepare; putting on the dreaded wetsuit, possibly equipment fitting, a lot of paperwork signing etc. Arriving in good time will allow you plenty of time to get ready in a relax manner, making you feel more relaxed for the dive. Additionally, one person being late will affect the whole schedule and therefore all other divers; you don't want to be the one everyone is waiting for!
Listen up!
Not only is this good etiquette but it is also safe diving practice. Regardless of how many logged dives you have or how many dive centers you have dived with, stop what you are doing and listen to the briefings when they are given. The boat briefing and dive briefing will inform you of the practices and procedures for where you are diving now. They will provide important information regarding safety equipment and procedures on board the boat and how the dive will run, highlighting hazards, interesting features and procedures of the dive. And of course, it is only polite when someone is talking that you listen 😉
Buddy behaviour!
There is nothing more aggravating than diving with a buddy who is discourteous! There are many aspects to good buddy behaviour:
Take the time to do a proper buddy check. Not only will it help spot mistakes before they become problems but can also make your buddy feel at ease before the dive, knowing you've taken your time. So never rush each other and always do your checks.
Stay together and don't wander off. Having listened to the dive briefing, you should know who your buddy is, who else in in your group, who is leading and where you are going. Stay with your buddy and within sight of the group and follow instructions from the guide.
Maintain a good buddy distance. There is nothing worse than a buddy who is either way too close; kicking you in the face and bumping into you or, conversely, so far away and paying no attention to you what so ever. A good buddy team should be constantly aware of where each other is in the water and be approximately an arm’s length apart (depending on visibility, diving conditions and experience level).
R-e-s-p-e-c-t!
On the boat, respect other divers equipment. Some divers prefer to set up and handle their own gear. If a diver is diving with their own equipment, always ask before moving or setting it up. Additionally, not all divers will use or want defog in their mask. You may think you are being polite by spraying some defog in your buddy's mask before the dive; but not everyone will want this, so again always ask!
In the water, we can respect others by giving divers space and sharing the experience. If there is a great photo op, allow others the shot too. If it's a beautiful creature, don't get too close or scare it away; we all want to enjoy it together.
Hands off!
The Ocean belongs to all of us and none of us. We are there, purely for spectatorship and should respect the environment we dive in.
Don't touch! This is always good etiquette to follow. Our touch can cause irreparable damage, whether to marine creatures or corals. It is also curtesy to the animals, we don't want to scare them, just enjoy their presence. We should not take anything from the ocean (other than trash!). It is not a supermarket or opportunity to get your lunch! And you never know if a shell is still occupied, or will be the future home to another creature. Simply avoid touching or taking anything: "Take only pictures, leave only bubbles"!
Maintain good buoyancy! Keep fins off corals; even a small kick can disturb and damage the ecosystem by breaking off corals and killing delicate creatures. If there is a silty/sandy bottom, improper finning or buoyancy will stir it up and ruin the dive for others. In addition, always make sure nothing is dangling and all hoses and attachments are properly secure, this will avoid knocking or dragging and leave you looking streamline.
Use reef safe! Whether its your sunscreen, mask defog, or any other substance, make sure it is reef safe and eco friendly. When we enter the water, all the creams and lotions we are wearing, enter the water with us, and some can be lethal to our reef.
Drying the dust cap!
This is a massive bugbear for many a diver! The often used approach of blasting the cap with the air from the tank is not only bad etiquette but also ridiculously over dramatic! A simple blow or dab with a towel is all that is needed. So many conversations after a dive have been interrupted and put on hold while some diver blasts his dust cap, causing an exceedingly loud and infuriating ear-piercing hiss! As explained in the video below, this not only is unnecessary, but can actually also risk damaging the regulator by allowing the blown water droplets to enter the 1st stage. For good technique watch here:
Rinsing right!
Of course, rinsing your gear is nothing to do with good etiquette, but with good maintenance. What I make note of here, is where you rinse your gear. Most dive centers will have several rinse tanks for the different pieces of equipment. You would not be pleased if while you were caringly rinsing your regs, someone comes along and throws in their boots; full of sand, foot water and maybe even a little pee! Yuk!
Most places will separate their rinse tanks with one for wetsuits and boots, one for regs and masks, maybe one just for cameras/computers/torches and one for everything else. Look for the labels and if in doubt ask!
Know your terminology!
It may not feel important, but using the correct terms will make you go from looking like a rookie to sounding like a pro!
Use FINS - -------- Not FLIPPERS
Use MASK -------- Not GOGGLES
Use COMPUTER -- Not WATCH
Use AIR or GAS --- Not OXYGEN
Use REGULATOR - Not RESPIRATOR
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