Why Use Socks For Scuba Diving?
As a new or novice diver, you probably don’t have your diving fins yet. If you are diving in tropical water like here in Pattaya Thailand, cold water isn’t an issue so neoprene diving boots and open fins are not required (although many certified divers opt for these for comfort regardless).
In anycase, wherever you go, you will be likely using what is referred to as a full-foot dive fin.Â
When using these fins for the first time, they can sometimes create a little friction on your foot for some people since every person’s feet are slightly different and no two brands dive fins are the same in terms of exact size and fit. This may cause rubbing discomfort or even blisters in some case from the fin rubbing whilst you are kicking. Blisters crop up due to the skin on your feet being soft from the water and not used to friction in certain places which occurs as you swim around.
TIP #1 – Bring some padded sports socks with you to wear under your fins. To prevent rubbing when using a full-foot fin, you can buy neoprene underwater socks before you travel and create a buffer between your feet and the fin rubber.
Alternatively, or If you forget, you can always just wear normal sports socks if you have remembered to pack them for your travels. In my experience, this affects around 1 in 10 new scuba divers.
Why is it so important to Stay Hydrated when scuba diving?
You should be drinking plenty of water during any type of scuba diving experience. In fact, fully hydrating before the dive day using electrolytes is even better! This is especially true in a hot and humid place like Thailand.  Sometimes people tend to forget Scuba diving is an active sport and they don’t drink enough water.Â
TIP #2 – Fully Hydrate yourself before Scuba Diving
New divers sometime don’t learn that the air you will breathe on scuba diving is very dry air. When a scuba tank is filled by the compressor it removes moisture form the air so to prevent water from getting inside the scuba cylinder. This in combination with heat and affects your hydration. If you are taking a beginner dive course in Asia or the tropics you should be looking to drink at around 2-3L of water a day.
And no, Coca-Cola and Chang beer doesn’t count..!!
Why is it so important to use a dive computer?
Ok, if you are simply taking a discovery try dive program, you probably won’t use a dive computer yourself. But your time underwater will be managed along with your depth.
As a newly certified diver or someone taking your first diver qualification, you will be using a dive computer. Dive computers cannot be shared and each diver has their own to track their own person’s dive profile in terms of how long and how deep you are diving.
Using dive computers is standard nowadays as it makes dive planning easier, more accurate and safer (if used correctly of course). As a result, your dive profile – as long as you follow it – is your own and you control your safe nitrogen exposure.
Traditional dive tables are an excellent backup tool – as dive computers have been known to fail usually due to an old battery but as the world moves forward with technology, scuba diving is no exception, and dive computers are now a part of our daily lives as scuba divers.
TIP #3 – Make a Dive Computer one of the first things you purchase for your own dive equipment.
You will quickly become a better diver with a computer as it not only keeps you safe as a depth and time limit monitor but its also helps you to control your depth, navigate in some cases and help you to perform a safety stop when you end the dive. The dive computer is the most essential part of your scuba equipment besides perhaps your own scuba mask..
Why DO We Use a Snorkel When Scuba Diving?
Many divers feel that snorkels are optional and can “get in the way”. Whilst this can be partly true (for boat diving at least), it should never be overlooked that when you are on the surface, swimming to/from your decent line/point using your snorkel instead of your regulator is a very good discsion.
TIP #3 – Use Your Snorkel To Save Air and Breathe Easy At The Surface.
Having a snorkel on standby to use when on the surface will enable you to protect your airways from water – if the sea is a little choppy – as well as save air from your cylinder which you will need for your dive.
Using a snorkel at the surface is a good skill to have for these reasons plus as you swim to your decent line you can pop your head into the water and have a look underneath the water easily.
Why Do Divers Swim using their Legs only, with moving their Arms?
One of the first instructions a Dive Instructor will teach you is to fold your arms and kick with your legs. Other divers can spot a noive when you use your arms too much. When we swim normally we use both our legs and arms in combination but when scuba diving we wear fins.
Scuba fins are designed to move a lot more water with kicks alone meaning the most efficient way of “swimming” underwater is just to simply kick. Using your hands will cause you to expel alot more energy, create drag and resistance all of which results in you becoming tired, perhaps exhursted and your breathing rate increased. This of course means your air supply runs out faster and your dive times are much shorter.
TIP #4 – Tuck Your Arms away and focus on streamlining only kicking with your feet!
Try to tuck your arms away or hold them by your side to create a more streamlined figure. Have a look at how your instructors position themselves during a dive and copy.
Relax. Scuba Diving is about fun, discovery, and enjoyment. Immerse yourself into the underwater world and you will never look back!
Do You Speak Scuba?
As you will have understood after your first dive, we talk with our hands more than anything when scuba diving. But understanding and using diver hand singles and signs is not always as easy to remember as people think.
