PRE-DIVE PRECAUTIONS AND PLANS:

• Ensure you are physically and mentally fit to dive. Make sure you are well rested and hydrated by drinking plenty of water. Also drink water between dives

• Avoid drinking alcohol at least eight hours before diving

• Do not dive with a cold or congestion

• Plan to dive conservatively and stick to the plan. For example, a dive to 100 ft should be longer than 20 minutes

• Accessories such as depth and pressure gauges, watches and diver computers are essential and a combination of these should always be carried on every diver to determine time and depth limit.

• Do not use a compressor (hookah) to dive. The use of air compressors is illegal and only permitted for industrial-based commercial activities. This unlimited air supply means more nitrogen loading into one’s body.

PRECAUTIONS DURING THE DIVE:

• Monitor/check your depth and pressure gauges and time

• Never make a repetitive dive that is deeper than your previous dive. Always do the deepest dive first

• Never hold your breath while ascending. If you need to surface quickly, exhale on your way up.

• Perhaps regarded as the one of the most important rules of scuba diving, is to ascend slowly. Maintain a rate no faster than 30 ft per minute. A rule of thumb, if you are without a dive computer or watch, is to ascend no faster than your last or smallest exhaled bubble.

• Always carry out a ‘safety stop’ by spending 3-5 minutes from the surface during descent.

AFTER THE DIVE:

• Do not fly immediately after diving. The recommended timing is 12 hours of a single dive or 18 hours after repetitive dives or multiple days of diving, waiting 24 hours before flying is ideal.

• Avoid heavy lifting, strenuous activity and alcohol/substance abuse

• Following three consecutive days of diving, take a day of rest.