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5 Scuba Skills Every Diver Should Master

5 Scuba Skills Every Diver Should Master

Written by Leisure Pro Staff
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Published on September 20, 2019
three scuba divers resting on a dive boat

If you’ve just finished your training and certification to become an open water scuba diver, congratulations! You’ve entered a whole new world that the majority of the people on this planet will never experience. But your progress shouldn’t stop there. As a diver, it is ideal to constantly hone your scuba basics and improve your diving game to ensure safer and more enjoyable dives. 

The best way to become a better diver is to constantly practice and improve on the scuba diving basics that you learned in your training. This provides you with a better foundation to work with when you start learning more complex skills. A basketball player who wants to learn how to dunk, for example, needs to perfect his layup. The same principle applies to scuba diving.

Basic Scuba Diving Skills to Master

scuba diver giving the OK signal

Buoyancy

Perhaps the number one scuba skill for every diver to master is controlling buoyancy. While mastering buoyancy is not necessarily a difficult task, it requires a calm, focused mind and steady actions. Divers do this with the help of a buoyancy control device (BCD). Buoyancy control is determined by multiple factors, namely BC inflation, ballast weight, trim, exposure suit buoyancy, depth, and breath control. You will consume less air when your buoyancy is on point. By managing your buoyancy, you’ll avoid damaging corals, artifacts, and marine habitats by dragging your instruments or limbs near the seafloor.

Controlled Descents

The descent in scuba diving should always be performed slowly and calmly. After making sure your gear is set and the current is safe for diving, you will need to constantly equalize the pressure in your ears as you descend; for some divers, that could mean every 12-18 inches. Descending too quickly can cause your eardrums to rupture, which could lead to more serious complications. 

Clearing Your Mask

It’s inevitable that water will get into your mask since no mask seal is impenetrable underwater. You may smile and cause your skin to buckle (which breaks the seal) or your mask may get bumped out of position. To do proper scuba mask clearing, inhale deeply through your mouth then press the top ridge of your mask to your forehead while opening the bottom seal and blowing hard through your nose. Tilt your head back to help the air blow out easier. If you need to stop momentarily to do so, alert your scuba buddy so you do not get separated. You should be able to master this basic scuba technique without having to stop in a short amount of time if you keep practicing.

Emergency Ascents

It’s rare that you’ll find yourself in a situation where you’ll need to use an emergency ascent technique since divers always check their equipment thoroughly before going diving. Running low on air is already enough to warrant an emergency ascent. In the case of an unforeseen case of equipment failure, though, you should absolutely know what to do when the need for one arises.

Practice PADI’s four emergency ascent techniques (normal ascent, alternate air source ascent, emergency swimming ascent, and buoyant emergency ascent) whenever possible so you don’t panic when a real emergency occurs. The buddy breathing ascent is no longer on PADI’s list of emergency ascent procedures due to the risk and complicated nature of the procedure. 

Scuba Hand Signals

Underwater communication equipment is expensive and not always reliable, so don’t spend your time daydreaming about talking to your dive buddy underwater—learn appropriate hand signals instead. Some hand signals will vary depending on your location and the person giving the briefing, but the major signals, like “out of air” and “okay,” are universal.

Pay careful attention to the hand signals discussed at the dive briefing so you know how to signal to your buddy your tank pressure, if your ears are not equalizing, or if there are certain marine animals in the vicinity. 

A Skilled Diver is a Safe Diver

scuba divers enjoying the reef

Exploring the depths of the ocean can be an eye-opening and fun experience. By mastering the basic diving skills, risks can be minimized. With enough practice, you too can become a diver who is ready and capable of handling all kinds of diving situations.

Leisure Pro Staff

Leisure Pro Staff

Marketing Director for LeisurePro