Controlling buoyancy when diving tips

Controlling buoyancy when diving tips

Controlling buoyancy when diving tips

Scuba diving is becoming more and more popular, with more people now joining clubs and gaining certificates enabling them to attend dives, but sensible precautions must be taken when diving and safety is essential to the diver. Here are a few tips to help you remain safe and get the most out of your scuba diving experience by controlling buoyancy.




Tips for controlling buoyancy

There are many factors which can have an effect on the diver's buoyancy, divers have to know how to control their buoyancy and the principal means of controlling it are the amount of weight you wear, the amount of air in your BC and the amount of air in your lungs.

You should always make sure you begin your dive properly weighted, buoyancy control should start at the surface and your BC should be completely deflated, you should take a deep breath in and hold it while being in an upright position. If you are weighted correctly then you should be able to float at eye level in the water.

If you aren't then it will be necessary to adjust the weight in your weight belt to get the correct buoyancy. Bear in mind that any additional weight you pick up from the ocean floor will cause the buoyancy to be altered and therefore you will have to make compensations.

When you are at deep depths, you might notice that your suit or BC expands during your ascent; this is because as you ascend the air inside will decompress and expand. Therefore, as you ascend it might be necessary for you to dump air from your BC, the amount of air that may have to be dumped will depend on the depth you are at and the situation you are in but remember that you don't want to ascend too fast.

Buoyancy during your ascent should be gauged by your progress and your swimming efforts. Should you find that you are rising through the water then you should exhale while upright and dump some air.

Your breathing pattern can also be used, as an aid to control your buoyancy until you can make adjustments to your BC, when you inhale you will notice that your body will rise, as you exhale your body will descend.

You can learn how to use the subtle movements to your advantage to help you control your buoyancy in the water. Other small subtle movements can also help you to control your buoyancy such as the correct form of kicking.

Controlling buoyancy when diving tips

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