Scuba diving has its own rules, which should be followed by both beginners and experienced divers. If this is your first scuba dive, you need to be especially careful and careful. Diving is a unique activity that attracts many people, because it allows you to examine in detail the underwater world, which hides a lot of mysterious and mysterious objects. This sport is extreme, so you must always adhere to certain rules in order to avoid injuries and other unpleasant consequences for your health.

What rules should be followed when scuba diving?

Firstly, you must take care of purchasing all the necessary accessories for scuba diving. This should include a wetsuit, mask, fins, cylinders, and regulator. A wetsuit will protect the diver from hypothermia only if it is selected strictly in size. The fins allow you to move faster underwater, and the regulator controls the supply of air from the cylinders. In some cases, divers also purchase to determine the depth of the bottom of the water area and find a variety of objects.

Secondly, beginners should dive at the surface of the water. If, out of habit, you dive straight to 30m, you may encounter nitrogen narcosis - it leads to euphoria and inappropriate behavior, which can threaten the life of the diver. You should dive vertically. It is better not to make sudden movements.

Under no circumstances should you save air in the cylinders or deliberately hold your breath. This may cause weakness and dizziness. During a dive you should breathe at a fairly fast pace.

Beginner divers often experience hypothermia if they are in very cold water for more than 20 minutes. To dive comfortably, the water temperature should be about 25 degrees. The first dive is usually practiced in a pool, and divers go to open water after gaining some experience.

Diving has some contraindications. If you have heart problems, scuba diving will be contraindicated for you. Also, people with diseases of the respiratory tract, skin, or musculoskeletal system should not engage in diving.

Dive sign language

Beginners will benefit from learning the sign language used during diving. These gestures were developed by the special Federation of Underwater Sports (CMAS):

• If everything is in order, then the diver shows the “Ok” gesture
• To gain depth, the diver shows a clenched fist with the thumb pointing down.
• If it's too cold, the diver hugs himself and pats his shoulders.
• If a wait is required, the diver shows an open palm to his partner
• If there is not enough air, the diver brings his palm to his neck with an edge
• If the pressure in the cylinder is 100 bar, the diver shows the instructor an open palm with protruding fingers
• If the tank is at 50 bar, the diver clenches his palm into a fist and raises his arm up. This gesture also means surfacing.
• If it is necessary to surface, the diver shows a fist with the thumb pointing upward

Having learned these gestures, a novice diver will be able to perform a comfortable dive without unnecessary problems for his health.

What else to do? Of course, scuba diving! One of my friends described this action as something magical. According to him, he liked diving almost more than parachute jumping. Especially after such a statement, I couldn’t help but try it. So my first dive.

My first dive was again in Abkhazia in the Black Sea. Looking ahead, I will say that then there was a dive in Hurghada in Egypt on the Red Sea and this cannot even be compared, but first things first. Then in Abkhazia I had little time left before departure, and the weather left much to be desired. As a result, as soon as the long-awaited sun shone, I called those who organize the dives and forward to the unknown!

Beautiful beaches of Gagra

How it all began

As with everything else, diving for beginners is not possible without an instructor. As I found out after the dive, sometimes the instructor can hold you by the hand, sometimes take you by the elbow, but for the lucky ones, not touch you at all. This apparently depends on the policy of the diving center itself. This needs to be clarified in advance, because I tried swimming without an instructor holding you, and it’s much more enjoyable!

For my first time, they held me by the hand and led me from the shore; usually the dive is done from a boat, but apparently I didn’t guess correctly with the “office”. They picked me up in Gagra and brought me to the beach. I put on my gear, listened to 5 minutes of instruction (safety rules and a little sign language) and the instructor led me into the water.

First dive site, where people are on the beach

A friend who praised diving tried diving with another friend. And that other guy couldn't dive. When he was equipped and thrown overboard, he began to panic. The panic was strong and he could not do anything. “How so?” I was perplexed, this isn’t a parachute jump, what’s so scary about that?

When I inserted the mouthpiece and tried to breathe just in the air, everything was fine. Then the instructor took me to a place where the depth was up to my neck, and then I understand this guy! I started to panic! This was due to the fact that the wave was hitting me hard and washing me over my head. Therefore, I was either in the air or in the water, I couldn’t stand on my feet, I was using a mouthpiece for the first time. My brain couldn’t understand how I could breathe underwater and refused to breathe at all.

My confusion probably lasted a few seconds, but at the time they seemed incredibly long. Then, from somewhere in the subconscious, my rational “I” emerged and told me that everything was fine, that I had air in any case, and that’s all I needed. In the end, I showed the instructor that everything was ok and he dragged me into the depths.

When the wave stopped dousing me and throwing me around, everything turned out to be not so scary, but on the contrary, amazingly attractive. I immediately calmed down and tried to enjoy the moment. In calm water, I think it wouldn’t have started out so bad.

A few technical points

Advice for those who haven't dived yet. I was in a hurry and did this on the day after a small storm - this should not be done, because nothing would be visible under water. Visibility was 3-4 meters, but it should have been 10-15. Since at that time I had nothing to compare with, I already had enough impressions. If you have ever dived with a mask or goggles, don’t even compare, scuba diving is truly something epic. I wouldn’t say it’s better than a parachute jump, no, it’s a completely different feeling, but no less exciting.

I didn’t take the dive footage then. When they offered it to me, I first refused, and then I found out how much it cost (300 rubles). It would still be of little use due to poor visibility. The scuba diving itself cost then (late 2014) 1,500 rubles.

A few words about my feelings

The dive lasted about 15 minutes. During this time, I got used to swimming with fins and realized that breathing was actually very easy. I mastered an action called “blowing through.” This needs to be done quite often, I had to do it approximately every 1.5-2 meters deep, otherwise my ears would start to hurt like crazy. We dived to 10 meters. For those who haven’t tried it (like me before), it may seem like, well, it’s nonsense that there are these 10 meters, but in fact everything is more complicated than it seems at first glance. Overall, the diving experience was really enjoyable. It's like you're in another world.

If you are interested in any points, do not hesitate to ask in the comments. All the best.

The first time I learned that you can swim underwater like a fish was when I saw a program by Jacques Yves Cousteau. Who knew that 15 years later I would be performing equally interesting tricks underwater, exploring the depths of the sea. Now I have already completed more than 30 dives in different parts of the world. And I have to admit, I have moments when I’m standing in the kitchen, chopping onions or cooking lasagna and realizing that I’m missing a couple of puffs of oxygen from the cylinder through the regulator.

Diving is an addiction. Diving is risky. Diving is the best hobby in the world. Why? Because when you’re not diving, you want to do it, and when you’re underwater, there’s no better feeling in the world.

I am 27 years old. I made my first dive when I was a 19-year-old girl. I came to Egypt alone during my student holidays. Since there were few activities at the inexpensive hotel, the only interesting entertainment was fishing or diving.

To be honest, I am very afraid of water. Once I almost drowned in the sea, and any swim beyond the possibility of standing firmly on my feet brought me to a fit of hysterics.

And then, lying on the beach and thinking about the futility of existence, I realized that I desperately wanted to do something crazy.
It was diving. Of course, I didn’t rent scuba gear and rush off in a daze to scare the local fish - I turned to a certified diving school, where I was given instructions, required to pass an exam, and only after training in shallow water was given the opportunity to dive into the depths.

How and where is the best place to start diving?

When I talk about my hobby in a group, my friends always ask the same question: “What should I do to start diving?” In order to get started, you only need two things: the desire to do it and a computer with Internet access.

With desire, everything is clear: only people who do not like anything new and are terribly afraid of water can refuse the pleasure of seeing the world that Disney so heavily advertised to us in the cartoon “The Little Mermaid.” And almost every Russian family has a computer with the Internet. So, we type “where to start diving” into a search engine, and lo and behold, hundreds of thousands of links advertise different resorts to us.

Of course, you can dive in any place where there is a body of water more than two meters deep, but it is important to remember that diving is still not a very cheap pleasure. And during a dive there is a certain risk.

Egypt- a national Russian health resort, where it is beautiful under water, budget-friendly for the wallet, and the Red Sea is salty and quite warm. It is important to take into account that in this country there is a high risk of ending up with a dubious company, so you should always ask the guide which dive center to go to. This will keep you healthy and give you a real thrill from diving.

Thailand- a place with fewer beautiful fish, but with a large number of dive sites “sniffed” by professionals (this is the name of a special dive site). If you try, you can find specialized diving training centers for Russian tourists, where there are Russian-speaking masters. Although it doesn’t matter what language you speak, no one will force you to practice Thai or English underwater.

If we are talking about saving, my advice to you is to go to Black Sea coast or in Crimea. I’m not sure that in terms of rent it will cost less than at foreign resorts, but tickets will be cheaper, and there will be no problems with communication “here and now.” It is worth considering that there are no super beautiful fish in the Black Sea, and the water is colder than in Egypt and Thailand. But for amateurs, shallow-sea excursions are thought out, where fun is organized. For example, not far from Anapa there is a dive site called Bolshoy Utrish, where busts of Stalin and Lenin, a motorcycle and a sewing machine are drowned - you can not only practice diving, but also take a bunch of hilarious photos.

And those who do not think about the budget can safely pack up and fly to Australia or at Maldives, where it’s warm, stunningly beautiful and premium diving. It is important to remember that in these countries it is difficult to find a Russian-speaking instructor. Therefore, those who are not fluent in English will have a very difficult time with even the simplest diver terminology.

Based on my experience, I can give some advice to those who really want to try scuba diving. Here are five key ones:

1. The main thing is not to be afraid. The worst thing has already happened to you - you were born. Now there is only fun and new interesting hobbies.
2. Obey the instructor unquestioningly and carefully watch and remember what is said and shown during the instruction.
3. Remember what a scuba gear consists of, how and what is attached to it, when it is unscrewed or, on the contrary, screwed on, because your life depends on knowing the equipment!
4. Learn sign language. At first glance, this seems easy and funny, but in a situation close to combat, without knowing the special signs, you can simply get confused and mislead your instructor.
5. Always keep an eye on your instructor or diving partner (the diver with whom you are diving) so that you can provide or receive assistance if necessary.

Why is training important for beginners?

As I noted earlier, it is mandatory to undergo instructions before diving! Diving is a very pleasant pastime; one of the international diving schools once even had the slogan Diving is fun. But! Any fun has a certain risk, scuba diving is no exception. Therefore, passing the first briefing for future divers is very important: it will not only let you know whether you want to continue diving (you need to learn a bunch of things that you need to do on your own before/during/after the dive), but it will also save your life if necessary.

What to remember

• Under no circumstances should you dive if you are feeling unwell.
  Any cold prohibits even attempts to dive into water: the ears must be blown out (more on this below) when diving to depth. A cold affects this ability, which means it can harm your ears, nasopharynx and the thrill of diving.
• Take care of your heart!
  And not even your mother’s main organ, but your own. During the day you should forget about alcohol: even a small dose of “that delicious cocktail” can provoke an active heartbeat and affect the normal functioning of the heart under water. And at best, this will end in a visit to a cardiologist, and at worst, in hospitalization.

And we didn’t even reach the water!

What to do with equipment

My instructor showed me the following stages of collecting equipment:

1. First take the BCD and attach the cylinder to it. There is a certain fastening technique: the upper strap should lie on the cylinder at a distance of one palm from the edge (approximately 10-12 centimeters). The cylinder must be fixed to the BCD as much as possible so that it does not fall off during the dive.
2. The next step is attaching the regulator: usually the valve through which the regulator is attached to the cylinder is closed with a special plug: it is important that the valve is always clean. Before screwing the regulator to the cylinder, you need to check the cleanliness of the valve and lubricate the rubber band a little with saliva, since oxygen is under pressure, the rubber deteriorates from overdrying. This way we prolong her life.
3. After attaching the regulator, we attach the lower stage to the inflator, thereby making it possible to regulate the volume of air in the BCD.
4. It's time to check: slowly and very gently open the cylinder. We heard that air was starting to flow, we pressed the octopus a couple of times: in the middle there is a soft rubberized part for forced air supply. We hear that air is coming out, we check the pressure in the cylinder on the dashboard (should be from 180 to 230 bar). Screw on the valve and bleed the air. The equipment is ready for use.
5. It is necessary to choose a belt with weights. This is done with the help of an instructor, depending on the type of wetsuit, the weight of the person and the depth of the planned dive. Usually a load of 4 to 8 kilograms is given. The stones are evenly distributed across the person’s belt so that there is no overweight.
6. The belt is selected, fins of the appropriate size are found, the wetsuit is put on. I'll add this on my own behalf. I have very sensitive skin, so when I was diving in a long wetsuit, lightning broke the skin on my ankle. It was very painful, and the wounds did not go away for several weeks. And with the fins I rubbed calluses on my fingers. Therefore, my advice to you: if you know that your skin is sensitive to external irritants, do not be lazy to stock up on a patch.

How to Communicate in the Realm of Silence

Of course, the instructor on your first dive can take a tablet with a special marker to correspond with you, but isn’t it easier to immediately learn the gestures for divers to communicate? Here are the main ones:

I hope that you have guessed that in order to always be in touch, it is important to keep your instructor or partner in sight, so that if necessary, you can always come to his aid.

About the dive

So, you put on your wetsuit, put on a weight belt, opened the cylinder valve, checked (as described above) the pressure in the cylinder, and put on the BCD. And it’s better to do this while sitting, because the heavy cylinder behind your back will pull you back. All that remains is to put on fins, a mask and carefully paddle to the edge of the boat, from which you can take a step into the unknown.

And here, I’m standing on the asphalt wearing skis... What should I do? First, let the instructor jump off the board first. It will control your movements in the water. Secondly, inflate the BCD to the maximum, so that the moment you fly into the water, the balloon does not immediately drag you down without a gesture from the instructor about diving. Third, insert the octopus into your mouth and put on the mask. Get to the very edge. Breathe through the octopus, hold it with your right hand, pressing it to your mouth, and hold the mask with your left in the same way. It is logical that they do not fall out when hitting the water - step with your right foot and... you are in the water.

There is another way to enter the water. For me, more interesting. If the boat does not have a side to take a step, then sit with your back to the abyss of the sea, raise your legs up, push off, mentally shout “Geronimo” and fall into the water.

Voila, as they say, you are in. What to do first? Come to your senses, breathe slowly, spit out the octopus - and let it sink into the water, nothing bad will happen. Take off the mask, spit inside - yes, you read that word correctly - spit. From the heart) And rub the saliva. This is why everyone recommends having your own mask. Imagine how many people have already given a damn in public?! So, rub it, wash it, put it on - now the mask will not fog up.
Second: find it through the eyes of the instructor. Because now he is a king, a guru, a master - call it what you want. Not a step away from him, not a flip of a flipper.

He shows a fist with his thumb down, we dive in: we insert the octopus into the mouth, but remember that there is water there - a sharp exhalation, and the unique breathing mechanism is cleared of unnecessary moisture. You can even spit saliva there: it will go out through special holes. It is worth noting that there are special holders inside the octopus so that the mechanism “sits” comfortably in the mouth - instructors advise not to bite them, as the rubber can be easily damaged. So, we breathe and begin the dive: we press our finger into the inflator button with the hose raised up, the BCD is deflated, the weight of the cylinder, weights and the whole body pulls down.

Oh yes, the most important thing! Ears. We noticed that the nose of the mask is covered with soft rubber - this is not at all so that fish can swim up and hit it with their fins. This is done to make it convenient for the diver to equalize the pressure in the ears.
The delicate mechanism that controls our hearing and motor coordination is not designed for the rapid changes in pressure experienced during a dive. Despite the fact that we descend under water quite slowly, it is very important to maintain a balance of pressure in the middle ear. And every meter of immersion must be accompanied by an exhalation with a pinched nose.
Pinch your nose with two fingers and exhale into your nose. The pressure has leveled off. If this does not happen, painful barotrauma to the middle ear is likely. This is the most common injury among divers. Therefore, it is not recommended to dive if you have a cold - it can be very difficult to “blow off”, which means you can easily cause barotrauma.

I have to admit that my first dive into the water was accompanied by hysterics. It’s cool to write about this while sitting on the couch, because during the dive I was stung by a jellyfish for the first time. Hellish burning pain (the burn was then covered with vinegar, and the stain lasted for several years). We sank a meter down, there were tears in our eyes and there was not enough air. We surfaced. The instructor said that such panic attacks are not uncommon. I caught my breath, we tried a second time, it seemed to go easier. And we sank to a depth of 12 meters to the reef.
By the way, it is important to note one more point. We breathe evenly and slowly, into half our lungs. Inhale slowly, exhale slowly. If you breathe very quickly, the oxygen will also run out quickly, and you will not have time to admire the beauty of the sea.

What do you think I tried to do right away? Naturally, touch “that fish over there that looks like a pebble.” Fortunately, the instructor noticed my joyful outburst in time and pulled my hand to stop me. And already on the shore he explained that if I had touched her, they would have managed to save me in the first 40 minutes. And then everything: cardiac arrest and death. I encountered a scorpion fish on my young diving journey and almost cost me my life - it all cost me a couple of gray hairs from the instructor.

Divers have a “golden rule”: never touch anything with your hands. Firstly, in order not to disturb the purity of nature and the habitat of marine animals, and secondly, simply because sometimes it can be overly dangerous. Therefore, when diving, divers usually hold their elbows so that there is no temptation to grab sea life.

And so you swim, don’t touch the sea urchins, follow the instructor, breathe slowly, but after about an hour, when the pressure in the tank approaches 50 bars, it’s time to surface. The instructor shows us the “class”, we rise. There is no such system for beginners, but for those who will dive to 25, 30 or 40 meters, there is a rule that you need to hover for several minutes before ascending at a certain depth, so that decompression does not occur. In simple words, so as not to “boil the blood” Gases dissolved in the blood and tissues of the body begin to move from a molecular to a gaseous state and are released in the form of bubbles, which can destroy the walls of cells and blood vessels and block blood flow. Sometimes this is fatal, but most often the person spends a long time undergoing rehabilitation in a pressure chamber.

One point is important: you should always indicate your presence when surfacing. One hand should always be raised up. We surfaced, thanked the instructor and made sure to inflate our BCD. If we don’t see a boat within walking distance, we turn over on our back when the waves are large and cover our heads, put the octopus in our mouth and swim, helping ourselves with our fins. But we periodically check the coordinates so as not to fit our heads into the side of the waiting ship.

Usually, when we climb out onto the boat, no one helps from below, so it is recommended to first take off our fins (yes, this usually happens in the shrimp position), throw them on board, and then climb onto the boat. If this is a rubber motorboat, then you will have to make every effort of the press to slide into it. It’s good to have comrades who are always ready to help. You can unfasten the BCD, the vest will not sink, because it is fully inflated, and first give it away, and then slide into the boat yourself, in general, act according to the circumstances.

We must remember: if we dived in salt water, all equipment must be desalinated. Usually boats have special containers with fresh water. We closed the cylinder, bleed the air, disconnected the BCD and went to wash the vest, regulator, fins, and mask. A belt and a balloon are not necessary, but sometimes it won’t hurt either.

Finally

After reading this entire set of important rules, you will think: why do I need all this? After all, I can watch fish in the aquarium, and learn about dolphins on some educational channel. Believe me, the feeling is fantastic when you can swim in the depths with a turtle (what happened to me in the Maldives) or explore up and down a barge that sank during shelling near Anapa.

After the second dive you want more. This is a kind of dependence, a necessity and a need to be there, under the thickness of the water, where an amazing underwater silent world opens up, inaccessible to us for so many centuries.

I’ll end with a little story: last year on my birthday, I and my friends were vacationing in the Anapa area, we came to the famous dive site Bolshoi Utrish. My diver card has my date of birth on it. The instructor said that we would “fall” to 26 meters in honor of the round anniversary, and I asked him to get me some fresh oysters that grew on the site where we dived.

We swam for almost an hour, and I learned what a thermocline (a sharp flow of icy water) is, fortunately I was wearing a thick wetsuit. The instructor caught seven kilograms of oysters. How we prepared them is a different story. But in one I came across a pearl. I still have it in my jewelry box as a Black Sea souvenir.

P.S. If you are afraid to dive, hesitate and doubt, just remember that there is only one life, and when, if not in it, try everything. Well, if you have already dived, I would like to dive on the Great Barrier Reef someday. I'm sure you'll like it.

Anything to add?

When, no matter how winter, you want a warm and sunny summer: soak up the golden beach, swim in the clear sea and recharge your batteries. What about the beauties of the underwater world? Want to see them? Then it’s time to get ready for summer and at the same time get new experiences through diving.

Leonardo da Vinci also looked for the possibility of human penetration into the depths of the sea, and proposed using wine skins as a reservoir for air. But the development of diving and mass passion for it are associated with the name of Jacques-Yves Cousteau. Today, anyone can find themselves in the place of a great scuba diver. And the first experience is best obtained in “greenhouse” conditions: in fresh and clear water of the pool.

Swimming among corals and exotic fish is an unforgettable experience. However, on vacation no one will just let you go into the water. You will have to undergo instructions and, together with the instructor, dive and swim for about five minutes. And this pleasure costs a lot. Another option is to come on vacation prepared: with international certificates that give you the right to dive under water in any country in the world for a long time and at sufficient depth, or at least spend your first dive in the Minsk pool for confidence and new impressions.

There are several diving clubs in Minsk. One of them is "Captain Morgan". Here you can try diving once, and also undergo a month-long training: learn the basic intricacies of diving (learn how to assemble equipment, behave in extreme situations under water, etc.) and receive that same international certificate.

Captain Morgan club instructors Alexander and Valery conducted a diving master class especially for relax.by, which will introduce you to the main stages of the first dive and help you understand important issues.

Let's start with the basic rules:
1. In order to scuba dive, you do not need to be a good swimmer. In the process of diving comes swimming skills. Equipment such as fins helps with this.

- There are divers who are very good scuba swimmers, but swimming a significant distance in the pool without fins is a problem for them

2. Equipment required for diving: mask, fins, wetsuit(it saves you from the cold: the colder the water, the thicker the suit), a weight belt and, of course, scuba gear or SCUBA (air cylinder and breathing system).

3. You cannot dive alone; you must have a partner. Dive pairing is a basic safety principle. Underwater, someone should always be nearby. This is both first aid in case of unforeseen circumstances and an additional supply of air.

4. Beginners should learn a few things before their first dive. rules of safety and behavior under water, and also master basic breathing and movement skills, which, however, is not at all difficult:

You need to breathe through your mouth, because... the nose is under the mask.

You can’t hold your breath under water - it’s harmful, but there’s already enough air.

Underwater, you need to relax and move slowly, like a whale, enjoying contemplation and the feeling of weightlessness.

The vast majority of problems can be solved underwater without going to the surface.

Underwater, divers communicate using conventional hand signals. The main sign is “Ok”, indicating that everything is fine.

The main ones are also the signs “Let’s dive”

And “Rising” - the thumb is raised up.

- Often, newbies underwater show a thumbs up - for them it means class, everything is cool. And we understand how to rise up: we lift him, and he asks why we lifted him, it was so good in the water, says instructor Valery.

Newcomers Anya and Pasha came for new impressions and first experience.

- It’s scary to try to dive for the first time in the sea or body of water. That's why they came. I'm a little worried. I don't know what it will feel like, says Anya. - But the instructors give you confidence.

The first introductory dive takes place under the supervision of an instructor, and they dive with him.

Since Anya and Pasha do not know how to assemble equipment, the instructor does it for them.

- We teach those who study with us for a month how to properly assemble equipment, says instructor Valery. - In the case of the first and trial lesson, we do it all ourselves so as not to waste time.

After assembling the equipment, the guys put on a belt with weights, which helps to dive. Valery

- It’s easier for girls to put it on, because... there is a waist. But for guys it can move out if it’s not secured well., says instructor Valery.


The next stage is fins. It is also important to wear them correctly. To do this, first the feet are dipped into the water and then put on the fins.


The fins are followed by a mask, which tends to fog up in the water if it is not pre-treated. There are many processing methods. The simplest “old-fashioned” method: spit into the mask, rinse it in water and put it on. Other options: clean the glass with an eraser and even fill it with Coca-Cola. Today there are also special anti-fogging drops for masks.


A vest connected to the cylinder is put on.

Because in water they breathe only through the mouth, then for this purpose a mouthpiece is put on, through which air flows from the cylinder. By the way, in water they breathe ordinary air, and not oxygen, as many people think.




They put on the mask and the beginners are almost ready to dive. And to check the operation of the equipment, they simply plunge into the water and swim a little. If all is well, then the next stage is diving to the bottom of the pool.

There are no special features for entering the water. You are simply swimming to the bottom. The depth of the pool is 4 meters. The maximum diving depth for amateur diving in reservoirs and seas is 40 meters.

- The most difficult thing about diving for beginners is blowing out the ears, because... the pressure rises. But with experience it all goes away automatically., - shares instructor Valery.

While Anya and Pasha are swimming underwater, instructor Valery tells that before diving you should not drink alcohol, be under the influence of prohibited substances, or be in a state of malaise, especially with a cold, when it is impossible to breathe. And just before diving, don’t eat too much. It's important to feel good. If you don’t want to, then it’s better not to dive. The dive should be enjoyed.

- The sensations of diving vary. But usually, even if before the dive people were somewhat tense and worried, they already come out of the water relaxed, happy, with a smile... Some people hear music. It's not so scary!- says instructor Valery.


And here are our newcomers. Anya and Pasha share their first impressions:

- It was super. The most important thing is the feeling of silence. It's very calm there. We really enjoyed it and will continue.

In addition to amateur diving, there is also sport diving, with competitions taking place all over the world. There is also wrestling with fins underwater (aquathlon), spearfishing and many specializations of diving: diving on sunken ships, diving on currents, night diving, diving under ice, underwater archeology, video and photography... You can’t list it all. It's a whole different world.

Well, take a look into this world - spend your summer with a new activity. By the way, you can also dive in Belarusian reservoirs and lakes. Although, of course, corals, exotic fish and sunken ships are rare here, there is still something to see. Happy diving!

Before diving into the mysterious, amazing and beautiful underwater world, a world full of secrets and adventures, let's first define the basic concepts and rules of diving. This must be done, if only because it becomes clear what diving is in general, and as a beginner in this field, you can try your hand and experience indelible emotions from exciting underwater adventures, while experiencing minimal difficulties.

What is diving?

Let's start with the fact that the word diving “diving” comes from the English word “dive” “to dive”. In the modern world, this concept means scuba diving with special equipment. It is now known that almost 80 percent of the Earth's surface is occupied by water. How sometimes you want to touch the secrets of these alluring and little-explored depths yourself! The craving for adventure is especially strong when you are on vacation, somewhere on the sea coast, far from a noisy city and confined office space.

Moreover, diving is much more accessible than, for example, flying into space, but no less attractive and exciting. How often do many people, looking at TV and watching programs about wildlife, dream of being on a scientific expedition in the place of travelers. Well, in our time this has become a reality, you just have to want, master the simple rules of diving, and go ahead for new adventure experiences!

Diving (diving with scuba gear and other equipment) can be considered a sport, and an extreme one, which means it is unsafe for health, and sometimes even for life. Thus, in order to avoid adverse consequences in advance, it is necessary to follow certain simple but very important diving rules, which our task is to introduce you to.

Knowing and observing them is necessary and obligatory for both professionals and beginners (and first of all). Knowledge of diving rules often saved lives under water.

By following the simple rules of diving, you can not only enjoy the beauty of the mysterious underwater world, but also be sure that you will preserve your health and life.

So, once you decide to go diving and acquire the necessary equipment, you turn into a diver, that is, into a “diver”, solely for pleasure, as opposed to a diver or scuba diver.

As a sport, diving in general is divided into four categories:

• professional;
• technical;
• sports;
• amateur (recreational).

In this case, we will look at the last category - recreational diving, that is, diving for beginners.

Diving training

It is believed that the founder of diving as an amateur sport was Jacques Cousteau, a famous scientist and traveler. Recently, there are more and more fans of this sport every year. However, this sport is an extreme one, and therefore, in order to dive into water to a significant depth and for a long time without harm to your health and life, you must undergo preliminary training in a reputable center with an experienced instructor and learn the basic rules of diving .

Diving equipment

The set of necessary equipment for scuba diving should include:

• special wetsuit;
• mask with snorkel for scuba diving;
• flippers;
• cylinders containing compressed air;
• diving regulator;
• and ideally a dive computer.

Wetsuit

A wetsuit is a type of clothing for a diver that is necessary to protect the body from damage and hypothermia. Wetsuits vary greatly in strength, length and degree of thermal insulation. First of all, they are divided depending on the environment in which they will be used.

The length of the wetsuit and the degree of its thermal insulation depend on the place and time of the dive, i.e. on water temperature. The lower the diving water temperature, the correspondingly thicker the wetsuit.

Wetsuits

Mask and snorkel

The main function of a diving mask is to protect the eyes from sea water and foreign bodies. A properly selected mask should fit very tightly to the skin of the face. It is best if it has mirrored glass. All diving masks are divided into several types.

The division of scuba diving masks into different types depends on how they will be used by the diver. Snorkels for scuba diving, like masks, are very diverse not only in appearance, but also in the presence of various additional elements that perform their specific functions. The most important thing that you should pay special attention to when choosing a snorkel for yourself is the reliable fastening of its bracket to the strap of the mask itself.

Diving mask and snorkel

Flippers

Now let's briefly talk about fins. Any fins, first of all, are necessary for a swimmer to move quickly. For diving, it is better to use fins with an open heel, which should only be worn on special boots (swimming boots). Boots, like a wetsuit, help retain heat in the body and protect the feet from accidental injury.

The most important thing to pay attention to when choosing fins is their length and stiffness. The stiffer and longer the fins, the stronger the “stroke” in the water, which means the higher the diver’s speed. Shorter and more flexible (elastic) fins allow precise underwater maneuvers (turns and stops). For a beginner, we recommend choosing fins of medium hardness and length.

Diving fins

Diving air tank

A diving cylinder is a special device that allows an underwater diver to breathe underwater with compressed air or a certain mixture of gases. Despite its small volume (up to 18 liters), such a cylinder allows a diver to breathe underwater for more than 1 hour

The choice of cylinder for diving, first of all, depends on the body weight of the diver himself, the depth of the dive and the time he spends under water. Diving cylinders are made from different metal alloys and are selected individually. For beginner divers, we recommend using cylinders with average pressure and weight.

Diving air cylinders

Diving regulator

A diving regulator is one of the most important pieces of equipment for any diver, regardless of skill level. The regulator is of great importance for the safety and life of the diver. This is a very important and important part of an underwater diver’s equipment.

It is the regulator that allows the diver to breathe compressed air or a mixture of gases contained in the cylinder. The safety of divers diving to any depth depends on the reliability of the regulator. Currently, regulators are divided into two types: membrane and piston.

The main function of the regulator is to supply the diver with an air mixture that comes under pressure equal to ambient pressure. The principle of operation of any regulator is to reduce the level of high pressure air that is gradually released from the cylinder to the level of ambient pressure, as well as to ensure the correct uniform supply of air to the diver's lungs.

Diving regulator

Diving computer (dive computer or otherwise decompression meter)

A dive computer is a small device that resembles a wristwatch and is a very important part of a diver's equipment. This device allows you to monitor water temperature, depth and dive time, time spent at a specific depth, ascent speed, etc.

A diving computer is necessary for absolutely any diver for his safety, for the safety of his health and life. Even for an experienced diver it will never be superfluous, not to mention a beginner.

Dive computer

Contraindications for diving from a medical point of view

Since we are talking about the rules of diving, we cannot help but touch upon the topic of medical contraindications that prevent this sport from being practiced.

There are a number of medical contraindications for diving. These include almost all acute diseases, as well as chronic diseases during exacerbation. Temporary contraindications include such common diseases as tonsillitis, bronchitis, flu, acute respiratory infections and others. It must be remembered that classes are permissible a couple of weeks after suffering infectious and acute respiratory diseases.

In some chronic diseases, diving is strictly prohibited to avoid complications. After all, the most important rule of sport, as well as medicine itself, is “do no harm.” It is contraindicated for people with chronic diseases of internal organs, primarily the cardiovascular and respiratory systems, as well as chronic infections, chronic diseases of the genitourinary, hematopoietic and musculoskeletal systems.

In addition, diving is contraindicated for people with chronic diseases of the eyes, ear, throat, nose and jaws. In addition to the above diseases, it should not be practiced by people suffering from chronic diseases of the nervous system. And also a number of surgical diseases do not allow you to engage in extreme sports, including diving.

In addition to the above diseases that prevent participation in this sport, I would like to note one more reason why it is forbidden to engage in the sport under discussion - pregnancy at any stage!

When following the rules of diving, first of all you need to think about your health and your own safety, which means consulting an experienced doctor is simply necessary!

And this video will help you master the science called “diving”:

To summarize, I would like to briefly list the basic diving rules that we discussed in this article:

• proper training from an experienced instructor;
• individual approach in choosing suitable diving equipment;
• assessment of the health status of a novice diver, taking into account medical contraindications.

I wish you good luck and wonderful, unforgettable experiences that the depths of the sea give! And I suggest you get acquainted with other interesting articles on this topic: