Scuba diving is bound to be one of the most thrilling experiences of your life. It is an adventure sport that involves advanced safety protocols and complex technical knowledge that you either learn in your diving course or your dive instructor covers for you on your introductory dive to make your experience easy, enjoyable and safe. Therefore we want to help you plan your first scuba trip well, so that you can make the most out of it and be safe at the same time. Here are some things you must consider before going on your first ever scuba dive.
#1 Select a reliable operator
Diving is considered to be a very safe sport but only because of standard safety measures that have to ideally be followed by all. That includes good equipment, good air and most of all reliable dive staff. You must not compromise on these things when you decide to go diving and therefore do your research beforehand and not leave it up to the last minute. Many travelers follow the instructions of agents on the island, who get huge commissions from dive shops they bring people to. This does not necessarily mean that they are looking at quality and a cheaper deal does not necessarily mean a better experience. Large discounts mostly imply a larger compromise on your safety as those costs are cut from equipment maintenance.
#2 Read the medical form
This is one of the most important prerequisites for diving. There are some medical conditions that could pose a risk to you due to diving under pressure. It is always better to go through the medical form which is also available on our website (link to PADI MEDICAL STATEMENT) . Make sure to discuss it as soon as possible with us so that we can provide you insight and advice on your options. In some cases a doctor’s certificate might clear you for diving. Remember to be honest as there is a lot of health related science behind diving that you might not know of and it is your life we are talking about.
#3 It is okay to be scared
Remember your first time on stage, your first job, that math exam always? It is only human to be scared of going into the unknown or doing something new. You need to know that you are not alone and all of us have been there at some point. About 400-500 people dive on Havelock for the first time every day and even though they go in with sweaty palms, they always come out asking for more. Diving is easy and as long as you have the will to dive, nothing can stop you. Fear is good, it makes you feel more alive and is part of the thrill of scuba diving.
#4 Ask Questions!
We absolutely love it when you ask us more about diving! We are there to help you and sincerely want this to be the best experience of your life. If there is anything you don’t understand in your briefing, training or dive, please, please (we are begging) fire away those questions and don’t worry about sounding stupid, we’ve all been there believe me. We would love to share our knowledge on scuba and aquatic life with you. This way you make it a little interesting for us too.
#5 Respect aquatic life
Last but not the least, it is very important that you go diving with the right mindset. You must remember that a reef is not a zoo, it is more like a city. When we dive, we are visiting aquatic life in their homes. You must behave just like you would want guests in your home to behave. That means no touching, no harassing and no asking us to bring fish to pose with you in your photo.
