Recreational Scuba Diving in NJ: How Deep Can You Scuba Dive?
There are roughly 2.7 million Americans scuba diving every year. With so many people enjoying scuba diving in NJ, it’s important to know the safest and best practices when hitting the water.
But how deep can you scuba dive before safety becomes a threat? Deep diving is an entrancing form of recreational scuba diving, but even experienced scuba divers can hit some difficulties with these depths.
If you’re curious about visiting local New Jersey dive sites, we’re here to help. Read on for a brief overview of the depth markers you should expect to hit while scuba diving.
Deepest Safe Depth
Generally speaking, dive limits are usually set at 40 meters, or 130 feet. But why?
130 feet is about the deepest you can go without having to make mandatory decompression stops. Any deeper and your body will begin to have other adverse effects.
Diving deeper isn’t impossible, and the human body – plus high-quality equipment – can take much deeper depths. But for recreational scuba diving, these dive limits help to maximize safety.
So, how deep can you scuba dive? It’s best to stick to 130 feet even as a practiced diver. But if you have the right equipment and you aren’t diving alone, you can dive deeper.
Other Notable Diving Depths
Other than 40 meters, one of the most common dive limits is 18 meters. 18 meters is equivalent to about 60 feet.
For beginners, it’s best to stick to shallower depths until you feel comfortable. One of the threats of deeper depths is that the deeper you go, the less light can come in.
Why’s that a threat? Darker depths make it harder to keep tabs on some of your gear, your diving buddies, and your surroundings. These issues can quickly lead to vertigo or disorientation, which is sometimes life-threatening during a dive.
Furthermore, the darker it gets, the more common claustrophobia symptoms become. Thalassaphobia can also become a threat.
How Deep Can You Scuba Dive?
Deep diving takes training. You won’t be diving to the deepest safe depths on your first visit to one of the local New Jersey dive sites.
Instead, you should work up to it while practicing your recreational scuba diving. There’s no single set depth, but the 130-foot depth is a good rule of thumb.
For beginners, sticking to 60 feet is the safest bet, at maximum. You should set a much shallower maximum depth until you feel comfortable pushing deeper depths.
Furthermore, while starting out, you should always have a diving instructor or diving buddy with you. Diving alone can swiftly become dangerous or even life-threatening.
Scuba Diving in NJ
Scuba diving in NJ is a wonderful experience due to the state’s natural beauty, but how deep can you scuba dive? Beginners should stick to a maximum of 60 feet and practice in shallower depths. Experienced divers shouldn’t exceed 130 feet.
At Scuba Guru, we’re experts in providing you with the best diving instruction and certification. Our classes ensure that you’ll be able to hit the waters of New Jersey without fear. Contact us today to discuss our class schedule and how we can help you conquer the ocean.
