If you are someone who enjoys scuba diving then you must have considered the thought of diving in the night. The water looks magical and totally different from what it does in the day time and transports you to another world altogether.
But night scuba diving is a lot more challenging than day diving and you must keep in mind some extra things before trying it. Your first night diving session must always be with someone who is experienced and can guide you well too. Besides this, you can follow the following given tips and suggestions for night scuba diving.
1. Leave at Sunset
The first suggestion for diving in the nighttime is to leave for your dive boat at sunset. This will enable you to make use of the last bits of light to get your gear ready and also makes you feel less intimidated. By the time you are at your position, it will be nightfall.
2. Dive at a Site you know
For your night time diving session, always try to choose a site with which you are already familiar. This will make you feel safe and you will be able to find your way easily inside the water. It will also make you feel less apprehensive and more confident.
3. Don’t Dive too Deep
If you are planning on diving in the night time, then you must know that night dives are shallow dives and you must avoid going too deep. Do not go at a depth of anything more than 60 feet because 30-40 feet is usually the norm for these types of dives.
4. Carry Dive Lights
Underwater at night time can be very dark and scary and thus you will need to carry dive lights with you. Take a primary light and also a backup light to avoid facing any problems if the primary one fails. You don’t really need to find the brightest and biggest light and small pocket lights will also do.
5. Attach the Dive Light
It is better to attach the dive light to you rather than carrying it in your hand as that can get you very uncomfortable and occupied.
6. Take it Slow
Another useful tip for diving in the nighttime is to take it as slow as possible. There is a whole world out there for you to see at night and being too fast can make you miss out on the important things. Also, going slow keeps you safe and careful of the nooks and crannies in the water.
7. Keep Close to your Dive Partner
If you are diving with a partner or partners, then it is very important to keep close to them and watch out for them. This is a basic diving rule that you must follow. Know your hand signals and communicate with them through those whenever you need to. Do not go wandering off in the water on your own, especially during your first night diving session.
