Underwater Skills
In basic Scuba Diving Training, you will learn different basic skills and techniques in a pool. Generally speaking, you will learn some basic underwater skills such as equalization, breathing underwater using Diving Gear and Equipment, Diving Mask clearing, Air sharing, maintaining good Buoyancy, and the different Diving Signals.
Equalization of your ears
The opening of the Eustachian tube in your ear is very sensitive to pressure change. Your ears are subjected to pressure caused by water as you descend when diving. You need to equalize your ears; otherwise, you may get ear injury.
Here's how to equalize your ears:
-Descend in the water.
-Gently squeeze your nose.
-Gently blow or swallow against your pinched nose.
Do this technique when necessary.
Underwater breathing using Diving Gear and Equipment
This is actually the first step when you undergo dive training. Under instructor supervision, put the primary second stage mouthpiece in your mouth. Put your Diving Mask, hold on to the side of the pool and go under the water by submerging your head and bending face-down into the water. You will find it uncomfortable but eventually, you will get used to it.
Finding the correct weight
After the underwater breathing exercise, you need to learn how to be properly weighted with the use and release of Diving Weights when the situation calls for it. In this exercise, make sure you have your Diving Suit, Diving Fins, your mask, BCD, and other equipment necessary in the dive. Put a small lead weight on your weight belt. Continue putting more weights until you sink slowly to the bottom of the pool. You are now correctly weighted. Keep in mind that this is for freshwater sites. Saltwater is denser than freshwater so you need more lead weights when you go diving in the sea.
Diving Mask clearing
This is one of the basic underwater skills that you need to learn. In clearing the Diving Mask, completely remove your mask. Hold the strap away and make sure that the mask is the correct way up. Clear any hair from your forehead that can be trapped when you fit your mask. Place the strap at the back of your head, and then fit the mask over your face. Clear out any water by tilting your head back, pressing the top edge of your mask, and snorting out through your nose.
Air sharing or Buddy - breathing
In Buddy - breathing, two Divers share one air supply.
You must never run low on air when underwater. It is important to monitor your pressure gauge. This will tell you if you already need to ascend. But in the event that you run out of air, or somebody else, you must share air.
Air sharing is easier when you use an alternate air supply, also called an octopus rig. When you are out of air, inform your teammate about it and take the alternate air supply. Hold on to the BCD shoulder straps of your buddy. The latter should also hold your BCD shoulder straps, and ascend slowly. Wash out the unit of water, put it in your mouth, exhale, and breathe in.
Maintaining good Buoyancy
It is important to find and maintain the right Buoyancy so you will be able to move comfortably underwater. Too much Buoyancy will make it hard for you to keep down to a certain level. On the other hand, you will tend to sink if you are not buoyant enough.
There are many factors that affect your Buoyancy. The three main means of controlling Buoyancy are your weight including the equipment, the amount of air contained in your BC, and the amount of air in your lungs.
Bear in mind that body weight is not the only thing to consider in keeping yourself neutrally buoyant. All your equipment contributes to your weight and they all affect your Buoyancy underwater.
As a guideline, remember that you are buoyant near the surface, and this decreases as you descend. Feed air into your BC so you will still keep your Buoyancy even as you descend.
Proper breathing can greatly help you in maintaining Neutral Buoyancy. Breathing in and breathing out affect your position underwater. Take a couple of deep breaths to make your chest expand, making you more buoyant. On the other hand, exhalation makes you lose Buoyancy, and then you sink. Regulate your breathing to keep your body at a certain depth.
Diving Signals
Divers are able to communicate with each other underwater through the use of Diving Signals, sometimes called Hand Signals. Knowing the status of your teammates is made easier by Diving Signals. Moreover, Scuba Divers use them to get the attention of other buddies when problems arise.
Diving Signals vary, depending on the diving school or agency. Thus, before a dive, coordinate with your teammates or buddies and make sure that all of you will only use one version of Diving Signals. Otherwise, communication underwater will be very difficult.
These are just some of the many skills and techniques that you will learn in basic Scuba Diving Training or in a Scuba Diving Certification course. Diving schools and agencies may have a different method of instruction but whatever the case may be, the underwater skills and techniques that you will know will greatly help you on your dives.
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