What To Expect During Your First Scuba Diving Experience
First-time diver? Feeling nervous about your first scuba diving experience and unsure what to expect? Not to worry, as most people are in the same boat! Learn all you need to know with this simple guide on what to expect during your first scuba diving experience.
Take Your Time
Be rest assured that you won’t be rushing into the process. Your first dive is likely to take place in waters shallow enough to stand in, such as a pool or a bay. Before you enter into the pool, your diving instructor will introduce you to each item of equipment and demonstrate how to use it. They will also go through diving techniques and safety points with you.
Learning to Breathe
The first time breathing underwater with a scuba regulator may be a strange experience for some. Your brain is trying to adjust to breathing air, whilst being surrounded by water. To help with this adjustment, first-timers can practice breathing with the regulator above the water, before lowering their faces slowly underneath. It is important to exhale deeply to prevent you from hyperventilating. This step can be difficult to adjust to, so try to be patient with yourself when learning this.
Adjusting to the Noise
Despite assumptions made about the serene underwater world, breathing underwater is noisy and alarming and will take some adjusting to. The loudness is due to the fact that water is denser than air. Because of this, a sound is able to travel at faster speeds, and the sounds made by the regulator will reach your ears all at once. Eventually, divers will become comfortable with the noise level and will be able to tune out the rushing sounds of the air and bubbles as they breathe.
Adjusting to Vision
When we look underwater, the objects that we see are actually closer than they appear. For this reason, you will need to adjust your depth perception. A simple way to do this is to touch the pool floor or the wall, or a diving buddy’s arm. Doing this will help your brain to understand how close you are to your surroundings. Also, scuba masks can also obscure your peripheral vision and being aware of your surroundings is crucial. Practice turning your head in different directions to see past your blind spots.
Feeling Weightless
New divers often feel the need to move or tread water in order to stay in one position. This isn’t necessary. The secret is to allow your body to relax and let the buoyancy compensator to do the work. Fighting the water won’t help you. Enjoy the feeling of weightlessness by being as still as you can.
Feeling the Need to Pee
A common sensation. Submerging your body under cold water creates a physiological effect called cold water immersion diuresis. This basically means that the passage of urine through the body is accelerated, giving you the urge to pee.
Final Thoughts on Your Scuba Diving Experience
Scuba diving is fun and enjoyable, but the key to mastering your dive can be found in patience and perseverance.We hope you feel more prepared after reading these tips and that you fully embrace the scuba diving experience.
