Never stop developing your diving abilities. There is always more to learn—how to dive new environments, how to refine your skills or even how to use new types of equipment. No matter where your diving adventures take you, make sure you are equipped with the proper training.
Remember:
- Your certification only qualifies you for the same diving conditions and the environment in which you were trained.
- As you continue your training, slowly extend your diving experiences. California shore diving presents different challenges than Caribbean boat diving—make sure you’re prepared for each new diving environment.
- Take it easy, and if you’re not having fun or if you don’t feel good about the dive, don’t do it. This is especially important when diving in new conditions such as cold water or limited visibility or when using new equipment.
- If you feel uncomfortable about a dive, it may because you feel that you’re not ready. Remember, dive your experience, not your “C” card.
- If you want to begin exploring new environments, seek the proper training that will prepare you to explore them safely. For instance, if you want to explore the interiors of shipwrecks or enter a cave, enroll in a Wreck Diving or Cave Diving course. These unique overhead environments present specific challenges that can be deadly if you are not trained to manage them.
Don’t neglect first aid training. In the case of an emergency, you will not regret taking a course that requires a few hours of your time.
There are all kinds of specialty dive courses that can prepare you to explore safely. If you want to expand your diving experiences, sign up for a course to get the training you need…
- wreck
- deep
- cavern
- drysuit
- cave
- ice
- drift
- altitude
- night