3 Tips on Planning a Scuba Diving Trip for Beginners
Ready to get out of town and hit some clear blue water?
Unless you’re lucky enough to live near white-sand beaches and crystal-clear water, odds are you have to get out of town to enjoy your sport to the fullest. That said, planning a scuba diving trip isn’t as easy as throwing your mask in a suitcase and hitting the road.
Are you dreaming of coral reefs, wrecks, and sun and sand but aren’t sure where to start when it comes to planning? We’re here to help! Here are three must-have tips that will help you plan the ultimate scuba diving trip.
1. Study Up on Dive Conditions
There’s nothing worse than taking your dream dive trip, only to realize visibility is zero after you hit the water.
If you’re thinking about planning a dive trip, odds are you already have a scuba diving destination in mind. Before you start booking your ticket and planning out your dives, you need to make sure you take the time to check the dive conditions in the area you plan on visiting.
Checking dive conditions ahead of time will help you determine everything from the type of wetsuit you’ll need to whether or not you’ll be able to hit the water at all. When in doubt, hit up local dive shops around where you’re planning on going for a first-hand account on whether or not the water is suitable for scuba diving.
2. Planning Your Rentals
If you’re traveling to a relatively popular diving location, odds are you won’t have to pack any scuba diving equipment yourself. There will be plenty of dive shops around where you can pick up everything you need, from your fins to your mask. That said, there are plenty of divers that find the concept of renting a regulator pretty nasty.
There are a few two pieces of dive gear you should always plan on renting rather than packing: your tank and your weights. But no matter if you choose to rent out the bare minimum or your entire kit, remember to reserve your rentals ahead of time or risk getting stuck on the beach.
3. Flying and Diving Don’t Mix!
Every certified scuba diver has heard dozens of horror stories about the invisible scourge of the sport: the bends — and for a good reason! Decompression sickness is no joke, but when you’re out diving with friends, it can be easy to get sucked into that one last dive for the road. But, depending on when you plan on flying back home, that final dive really could be your last.
If you’ve spent the weekend beach diving or doing any other sort of shallow water no-decompression dives, according to DAN, you may only have to wait 12-18 hours before boarding your flight. It all depends on whether or not you went diving more than once.
However, if you dove deep enough to require decompression stops, you should wait for a full 24-hours before boarding a flight. Remember to plan your dive and travel times accordingly, and avoid any tempting last-minute or unplanned dives to be safe.
How to Plan Your First Scuba Diving Trip
Planning a scuba diving trip is a lot like planning any other vacation, just with a few extra steps. By following these tips, you’ll be able to put together a dive trip you and your dive buddies won’t soon forget.
Want to take a dive trip but don’t want to have to worry about planning it all yourself or thinking about finally taking the plunge and getting certified? We’ve got you covered! Contact us for more information about our upcoming dive trips and certification classes today! We are also here if you want to do some local diving.
