How do dive into the water? Well, there are many methods, and it mostly depends on where you intend to jump into the water from. Whether it will be diving from a boat, or from the shore, or perhaps from a large ship. Also depending on the equipment you use, the method of diving into the water will be different.
Today we’re going to talk about just that – how to jump into the water like a diver. You will also see why such a apparently insignificant thing is actually quite important. Believe me, the ability to dive in the water is very important for your safety while diving.
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How do dive into the water?
How do divers get into the water? This is one of the most common questions in the early stages of a diving adventure. In fact, we can distinguish two basic methods of entering the water: forward entry and backward entry. Of course, which method we choose depends largely on the place and conditions in which we dive. And as is usually the case in life, you may have your favorite method.
Just jump in as soon as possible
So, how to dive into the water? I would say as soon as possible…. The truth is that frolicking on the boat for too long, only causes more fatigue and stress. Just put on your gear and jump in the water, because there’s nothing to wait for. And how you do it is really up to you. However…
Entering the water with a back flip
In my opinion, the best way to jump into the water is to do a back flip. You simply put on all your diving gear, add some air to your bcd, sit down at the boat’s edge and when you make sure there is no other diver or obstacle behind you, you simply lie on your back. And gravity will do the rest.
Here a small point that I always repeat to my students. In the water, don’t do a flip like you’ve seen in James Bond movies. Just lie on your back and let your BCD carry you back to the surface after the jump. It’s that simple.
Oh.. one more piece of advice. Make sure your fins are securely fastened before you jump. You wouldn’t believe how many times I’ve seen fins flying around as a result of being shot out of a diver’s legs during that jump, because he didn’t fasten them properly.
Entering the water using a giant stride
This is a very popular method of entering the water, especially from a large boat that has some sort of platform or comfy exit point. You first put on all your diving gear and when you have checked everything and are ready to jump in, you walk up to the exit point. Add some air to your BCD, but don’t pump it full. You don’t want to bounce off the water surface like a beach ball.
Then make sure no one is in the water and you are ready to jump. Place one of your hands on the mask and regulator, thus securing both items from falling out during the jump. Place your other hand on your belly and simply take a big step forward on straight legs. Just after happily landing in the water, pump up the BCD to full.
How to dive into the water from the shore?
We will use this method practically every time we dive from the shore. During this type of diving, we are very often faced with a gently sloping bottom, along which we can slowly submerge. With fins on our feet, we generally move backwards. Believe it, this is the easiest way.
If you have not yet put on fins, you can walk normally forward, according to your habit. When doing this, take small steps carefully, so as to minimize the risk of slipping or getting your foot stuck in the reef. Simple, right? It may seem so. However, when entering the water in this way, it is very common to fall, especially in large waves.
Keep your back safe
If you will be entering the water this way, try to walk close to your partner, as he may need your help if he stumbles, or you may need his help. Remember, too, that diving equipment can weigh a lot and walking long distances with it is not the best idea.
I remember when I was diving in Bali, it was something normal to have an extra paid service to transport your equipment with your scuba tank all the way to the beach where you could put it on. This small fee was more than a great idea and my back has thanked me for it many times.
Consequences of jumping into the water the wrong way
Maybe you think there’s no wrong way to jump into the water, because you’ll end up in it anyway. And that, after all, is exactly the point. Unfortunately, this is not as easy as it may seem, and here too you have to be very careful. What can go wrong? Let me share my own experiences, as well as what I saw with my own eyes.
Loss of equipment
As I mentioned earlier, flying fins are not at all an uncommon scene on diving trips. Poor preparation and too vigorous a jump, often ends in the loss of equipment. You don’t even realize how much diving equipment lies beneath the surface of the most popular dive sites. I assure you that you could equip yourself with almost everything.
Poor execution of the jump is also often the cause of losing a diving mask. When you hit the water, the mask falls off your face and quietly begins to wander into the depths, to its resting place. And you realize that something is missing when it’s already too late.
Skipping the dive site
This is another aspect of the poor execution of jumping into the water. Sometimes there is a strong current at the dive sites and you have to leave the boat quickly, and as soon as you get the green light from the captain. Same with jumping from an airplane. Here and now. Otherwise, you may miss a dive site, and the current may carry you to places you didn’t plan to be.
This, in turn, will cause problems for the whole team, which will either have to wait for you in unfavorable conditions, or simply dive without you, and you will return to the boat. And all this because you didn’t know how to jump into the water….
Direct threat to health and life
Ok let’s get something clear. Diving is a high-risk activity, and when jumping into the water you have to accept that. And while diving accidents are relatively rare, your behavior and skill level can obviously affect this.
Sometimes, as a result of irrational fear of falling, divers try to grab onto something in the last phase of the jump. Then it is very easy to injure your fingers or even hit your head on the boat.
I don’t want to scare anyone here, but life writes different scenarios. Fortunately, I have not personally witnessed such events, but they are well documented, so we can learn from this for the future.
This type of exit tends to be used by very experienced divers, but there are times when you need to jump out of the boat very quickly and with the propulsion gear on. You can imagine what will happen if you make such a dive into the water incorrectly….
How to dive into the water? Let’s recap
I repeat it in almost every text and will continue to repeat it – diving is great and relatively safe, as long as you do everything according to the rules. The problem is often the level of training, which happens not to provide answers to a seemingly so simple question – how to dive into the water? But hopefully, at least in a small part, through our blog, we can expand this knowledge and promote safe diving.
