Alert Diver Category: Skills in Action

When conditions took an abrupt and unexpected turn during an exotic warm-water dive, our dive leader decided to abort. In these situations, it’s important to stay calm.

Diver Jim surfaced before the rest of his group and unintentionally drifted in the water — separating him from the boat. Read more about how to play an active role in your rescue.

IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL, WARM SATURDAY IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST. We were conducting two checkout dives for an advanced open-water course at a popular dive site in Puget Sound. I […]

Modern dive computers can give us a wealth of information, but what if yours fails? Equipment redundancy, or having a backup, can help you know your true circumstances and prevent an injury or dangerous situation.

The Blue Lagoon in Texas is a great place for divers to train. In the water, two divers sprang into action to help a diver with shortness of breath. Read more about how their emergency skills paid off.

WORKING AS A MATE ON DIVE BOATS for the past 22 years has allowed me to be a part of many interesting situations. When teaching scuba classes, I use one particular situation as evidence of the importance of maintaining skills through regular practice.

Although training emphasizes the theoretical aspects of safe freediving, sometimes it takes real-world experience to really make it sink in. Freediving is risky so it is always important to have your skills sharp.

A dive photo instructor witnessed a diver perform a rapid, uncontrolled ascent to the surface. Thankfully, the dive instructor’s rescue training came in handy. Read more about the incident.

It was a sunny day at South Florida’s Blue Heron Bridge. Two years had passed since I last dived this location, and I was anticipating a simple excursion to look at the local fish. The dive plan was to make a shore entry and allow the current to take me west down the beach.

Dive safety experts now advise divers to always dive with their tank valves completely open — not turned back a half or quarter turn. Are you up to date on the rules? Read one diver’s story.