16 Things Pros Do Before Every Dive

 

1. Check the checklist. Experienced divers develop strong habits, including detailed routines they follow every time they dive. The routine starts with packing for a dive trip, and is exemplified by a checklist of every item of dive gear, large and small. The checklist ensures you remember to bring everything you need. Going down the list is a chance to examine each item for wear and tear. Carl Roessler, a photographer with 7,000 dives in over 50 years, has been using the same checklist so long the paper has turned yellow. "I check it a couple of weeks before departure to see what has to be purchased or replaced. For example, Q-tips? Shampoo?"   2. Pack the same way every time. Your checklist should tell you not only to bring O-ring lubricant, for example, but to put it in the end pocket of the small green bag. Roessler even goes so far as to pack everything in the same order each time--the O-ring lube after the Q-tips. Gary Clark, director of SSI, agrees: "Always doing things the same way--packing, dressing, equipment assembly, undressing and repacking--leads to less forgotten and misplaced equipment, and fewer mistakes." A sense of order builds confidence, while the last-minute "I know it's somewhere" search builds stress and anxiety, which you then take with you into the water.

Pros use a checklist of every item of dive gear, large and small, and then pack the same way every time. Strong habits and detailed routines are developed over time and minimize the risk of forgetting gear or not preparing properly to dive.

3. Dress warmly. When deciding how much thermal protection they need, experienced divers consider not only the water temperature but also factors like how much they've already been chilled by previous dives and by the surface interval. They err, if at all, on the side of too much warmth because they know that even in warm water, so-called "silent" hypothermia can cause fatigue, mental dullness and increased susceptibility to decompression sickness long before a diver feels cold. And they know they can always open a zipper to cool off. Pros practice layering for more versatility: they choose dry suit undergarments that can be alternated or combined, and with wetsuits they include add-ons like hooded vests and gloves of different thicknesses. Says Stephen Frink, a photographer with more than 6,000 dives, "I'll research the destination and be generally prepared with the right suit, then I pack in layers to handle a several-degree variation in local conditions."

4. Ask without fear. When diving a new site, the most experienced divers are the least afraid to admit it. Because they've moved beyond the need to prove themselves to others, they face risks with cool calculation, not bravado. They ask divers with local knowledge about unexpected dangers, and they ask their buddies how aggressively they plan to dive the site. Then they ask themselves whether they really feel comfortable doing this dive, this day. As Gary Clark points out, "No one has dived in every single place, and you don't always feel like pushing yourself, so there's no shame in saying, 'I don't feel up to this today,' or, 'I'd like to do an easy dive here first so I can get comfortable with the conditions.' "

5. Check their buddy. Pros start checking their buddies the moment they make contact on the day of the dive. They take every opportunity to make conversation and watch body language so they can judge their buddy's health and state of mind. And the more pre-dive communication there is, the more likely the buddy is to open up with fears and problems.   6. Check their pulse. YMCA Scuba Program Director Tec Clark monitors his heart rate starting well before the dive, to gauge his readiness to dive. "From my heart rate I can determine if I am overheating, approaching dehydration, nervous or overexerted. If I notice that my pulse is out of normal I can cool down, drink water, sit down, or utilize relaxation breathing techniques."

Pros start checking their buddies the moment they make contact on the day of the dive and don't stop until the dive day is over. They also make sure instruments work before they get them wet, and know how to read their buddy's gauges.

7. Check the current. Experienced divers know that achieving 1 mph against a one-half-mph current takes three times as much energy as when the same current is at your back. They start the dive swimming into the current so they can ride it home when they're tired.

8. Check instruments before getting them wet. Pros turn on their computers and check that they are working properly before entering the water. Those using a submersible pressure gauge watch the gauge while taking a few breaths from the regulator. The needle should not drop or flutter. Obviously, any problems that are discovered are much easier to correct on the boat than in the water.

9. Check their BC. Does the power inflator actually work? Does the BC hold air? Although experienced divers check these things when they pack their gear before the trip, they know stuff does happen unexpectedly. They check again before they hit the water strapped to 50 pounds of lead and steel.

10. Double-check that weights are clear. Divers so seldom need to drop their weights that they often forget to be sure that they can drop freely. Highly experienced divers, however, are likely to have encountered the need to drop weights, and remember how important it is.   11. Defog their mask. So obvious it almost sounds silly, defogging is something experts (unlike new divers) rarely forget to do. They know that seeing under water is second in importance only to breathing.   12. Detune their regulators. ScubaLab's Jon Hardy adjusts his second-stage so it will not free-flow when he hits the water. Then, he readjusts before submerging.

Unlike less experienced divers, pros rarely forget to defog their mask before a dive. RSD tests have shown that commercial defog solutions are more effective than spit at keeping masks clear.

13. Begin equalizing ears before submerging. Experienced divers blow their noses gently to over-pressure their ears and to be sure their eustachian tubes are open before leaving the surface. They continue equalizing with every breath as they descend so they can stay ahead of ear squeeze.   14. Orient the site to the compass. After you've been lost under water enough times, you learn that the secret to successful navigation is to orient yourself to the compass before you enter the water. What's the compass bearing to the headland, to the sun, to the general slope of the bottom, to your first underwater goal? Then, once under water but before you leave the descent line, check the compass again.   15. Make another checklist. Between dives, experienced divers keep another checklist, this one a "to do" list of straps that break, gadgets that irritate, and gear that will need to be overhauled when the trip is over. They know that the most aggravating memories and the most solemn oaths often fade on the trip home unless recorded.

Pros know that one of the keys to equalizing ears effectively is starting early and equalizing often. By gently blowing your nose to over-pressure your ears, you can open your eustachian tubes before you even leave the surface.

16. Make the repairs. When they get home, experienced divers repair whatever needs repairing before their gear is put away, when memory is fresh, intention is strong and the offending gear is at hand.