I could never say that scuba diving is not hazardous. There are risks, as in plenty of sports, and the surroundings in which scuba diving takes place is far from friendly. But, that is why we are trained and have a diversity of safety procedures and gear in place.
A lot of people fear sharks will attack them when scuba diving. Again, I cannot say this never happens, but most shark attacks are mistaken identity attacks of swimmers on the surface. A diver swimming underwater is a clearer object for the shark to see and might also see the sharks in the water. Sharks are not always as brave as they seem to be. If they know their likely prey has seen them, and is impending to attack back, they are more potential to leave alone. They do not want to get injured and not be able to feed another day.
The bends is a serious danger risk when diving. But, follow the rules and this is minimized. Always take care of your buoyancy and keep to a steady level as much as prospective. Invest in a dive computer that could double check your decompression time, ascend slowly and do the required decompression / safety stops and you should be safe. But, just in case, be certain that you know the signs and what to do if you suspect the bends.
Pulmonary embolisms are also a danger. But again, there are some easy rules. By no means hold your breath under water - if you do and you swiftly ascend, this might cause problems. Ascend little by little when you do and be attentive of the first aid requirements.
A big threat is, of course, running out of air. This can be just pure carelessness or possibly an equipment failure has suddenly released a load of your air into the water. Prevention is better than cure, so keep an eye on your gauges and end your dive in loads of time. Know how much air you use on a typical dive and be certain you carry a sufficiently sized tank. Also, look after your equipment to avoid the chance of failure.
If the worst does happen, keep going from the air supply as long as you can and ensure that that your buddy, and dive leader, is aware of the problem. If you do run out of air, make certain you know the air sharing methods and start to ascend with your buddy.
Poisoned air is also a hazard. Prevent this by tasting (yes tasting, not testing) the air before you dive. Make sure it tastes clean. If you feel ill on the dive or you show other symptoms of air problems, for instance cherry red fingernails, immediately share air with your buddy and ascend. On the surface bag up your cylinder for a full inspection.
Yes, there are lots of dangers to scuba diving, but knowing what to do to prevent them helps stacks. As long as you take care, get the right training and keep a level head, it is not actually all that dangerous. It just sounds it!
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Written by Keith Lunt. If you want to know more about diving equipment then call into our site or diving blog.
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