The New Year is here and it’s time to think about ways to set intentions for the coming year. If you’re a diver looking to experience more, or learn more about scuba and the underwater world, diving-related New Year’s resolutions could be a good choice for you this year.
There’s a resolution for everyone, regardless of experience or diving level.
New Year’s Resolutions for Scuba Divers:
1. Take another course
More knowledge and greater experience is probably the best gift you can give to yourself in the new year. There’s always more to learn and practice. How about a Peak Performance Buoyancy speciality course to master buoyancy while diving? Or a Rescue Diver course, to learn how to act in a scuba emergency. You could even go all out and become a Divemaster if you have the time.
2. Be a better dive buddy
Being a good dive buddy is a quality you should strive for, and there’s always ways you can improve. A good dive buddy provides safety for fellow divers, has well maintained equipment, and is a role model to less experienced scuba divers. You can improve in many ways. Here’s a few ideas to make you a better buddy:
- Get to know the divers in your group before the dive
- Master hand signals and go over them before the dive
- Have a good plan for the dive and make sure everyone knows what it is
- Stay nice and close to your buddy and buddies while scuba diving
- Respect marine life by keeping a safe distance away
- Handle problems in the group diplomatically and calmly
- Think about how to exit from the dive; does your buddy need help?
- Keep up-to-date with dive practices and gain more knowledge and experience
3. Go local
In the new year, consider supporting your local dive spot and book diving excursions. You may not live near warm, clear, tropical waters, but you’d be surprised at what can be found in lakes or even in murky conditions. Research your local area and you’re bound to find some cool dive spots that hold things you’ve never seen before.
4. Try something new
Do you tend to stick to your comfort zone while diving? How about booking a dive trip for this year that will give you a whole new scuba experience. Here are some scuba experiences you might consider:
- Diving with sharks
- Learning some technical diving with mixed gasses
- Drysuit diving in cold water
- Ice diving
- Wreck diving
- Underwater photography
- Drift diving
- Night diving
5. Watch more movies and documentaries
Maybe you can’t get away for a dive trip this year, or you need inspiration for your next one. Movies and documentaries are a great way to inspire you as a diver, and learn more about the underwater world… from the comfort of your couch!
6. Give the ocean a helping hand
This is an important resolution for ocean lovers. It’s estimated that around 80% of waste in the ocean is plastic, and 1 million seabirds and 100,000 marine mammals are dying every year from ocean plastic pollution. Here are some ways that you can help keep the oceans clean and healthy as a diver:
- Ditch single-use plastics
- Use reusable containers and straws
- Take part in beach and ocean cleanups
- Eat only ethically-sourced fish
- Eat less fish
- Conserve water at home
- Create less household pollution that makes its way to the sea
- Reuse and recycle
7. Recruit new divers
Spread the diving love! Scuba diving is a wonderful sport that should be experienced by as many people as possible. It’s a way of exploring everything the underwater world has to offer. Introducing someone to diving is a great gift you can give to them in the new year. Why not sign up a loved one for a Discover Scuba Diving course so they can have a taste of what diving’s all about? Or share your photos from a dive trip that will inspire them to go see for themselves.
Which New Year’s resolutions will you choose? Or do you have a diving resolution of your own? Let us know below!
Written by: Charlotte Stringer
Feature photo by Uber Scuba Gili on Unsplash