Know Your Limits When Scuba Diving

Experienced or not it s very easy to lose focus and place yourself out on a limb as far as diving past your comfort zone.

ScubaDiverLife examines four common  scenarios where divers frequently compromise their comfort level and end up in situations without the proper level of experience.  An essential step in planning your dive should include a reassessment  and reevaluation of your abilities and experience as they relate to various dive sites, environments and tasks. The key is to recognize your limits and dive sites that fit within your training, experience and comfort level.

The four highlighted scenarios include:

Diving deeper than your training or experience allows

Most resorts, guides and instructors are quite conscious of safety in popular scuba destinations, as tourism is an important part of the local economy. Ultimately, though, it is each diver’s own responsibility to know their depth/training limits and stay within them. If you’ve signed on for a dive that exceeds your training, sit it out or sign up instead for more advanced depth training.
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Diving in overhead environments

Local guides may sometimes take untrained divers into overhead environments such as caverns or wrecks, which can result in tragedy. There is nothing inside a cave or wreck worth dying for. If you are untrained, do not participate in these dives. Period.
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Task loading 

In short, divers should not carry cameras or other unnecessary equipment until they’ve dialed in basic skills. Wait until you are comfortable with your buoyancy and trim, and have good air consumption and situational awareness. Don’t let taking photos underwater distract you from checking your air supply or with your buddy. It’s also smart for photographers to carry a pony bottle as a redundant air supply.
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Diving in strong currents

Some of the world’s best dive spots are subject to strong currents. The Galapagos, Indonesia and Cozumel in Mexico are good examples. Currents are a challenge even for experienced divers. In these situations, it’s vitally important to dive with a reputable dive center and boat captain. Good operators and locally knowledgeable captains can read currents and know the local patterns.
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The gist of the story is to dive only within your comfort and skill levels. Only challenge these levels when accompanied by trained professional supervision.

Read the full article here on ScuberDiverLife.com