According to travel blogger Vinh Gấu, there are currently three popular forms of scuba diving: snorkeling, scuba diving, and freediving. For a safe diving trip, you can refer to the following advice from Vinh Gấu, who has extensive experience in scuba diving.
1. Snorkeling to see coral reefs
Snorkeling is the easiest and safest type of diving for everyone, regardless of whether you know how to swim or not – of course, knowing how to swim is an advantage. All you have to do is lie face down in the water and admire the schools of small fish and colorful coral reefs without much effort.
When snorkeling, you are always required to wear a life vest and a face mask with a snorkel. The life vest will keep you afloat, the face mask will prevent seawater from entering your nose, and the snorkel will allow you to breathe through your mouth, making snorkeling more comfortable. In some places, you may also be provided with fins to help you move through the water more easily, quickly, and with less effort.
To snorkel safely, please pay attention to the following:
Carefully check your equipment: Does the mask fit your face properly, and are the fins the right size for your feet? Is the snorkel working correctly? If not, seawater could leak into your goggles or into your mouth through the snorkel, preventing you from comfortably enjoying your trip.
Don't dive alone: Although snorkeling is generally safe, it's very dangerous to go diving alone as there's no one to assist you in emergencies such as seasickness, sunstroke, or fainting at sea.
Swimming near the shore or boat: Do not swim too far out of sight of lifeguards or boat crew. Always swim within the designated area as instructed by professionals; this area is usually announced before you jump into the sea.
2. Scuba Diving
Scuba diving requires you to carry more equipment such as: air tanks, breathing apparatus, a life vest, a wetsuit, etc.
In addition, there are many other pieces of equipment that diving team leaders must carry to ensure the safety of the entire group, including: a diving compass to orient themselves during the dive, surface marker buoys to indicate to passing ships that a diving team is underwater and to let ships know the pick-up point for the diving team... Before participating in scuba diving, you need to study the theory and practice at sea with the above equipment to know how to handle situations during the dive, and you must also take skill tests to ensure you have sufficient scuba diving proficiency. Once you have a diving certificate, you can use it to register for scuba diving trips anywhere in the world.
Before participating in scuba diving, please keep the following points in mind:
Thoroughly check your equipment and cross-check: Don't be lazy and skip this step because when underwater, your life depends entirely on the equipment you're wearing. Always make sure the air tank valve is open, you can breathe easily through the breathing apparatus, the life vest can be easily inflated and deflated, the gauge on the tank is working properly, the goggles fit your face, the fins fit your feet... After checking your own equipment, cross-check it again with your dive buddy. When everything is in good condition, signal the dive leader to begin the dive.
Only dive when you're truly well: Scuba diving is a relaxing activity in the underwater environment, so don't strain yourself or push yourself. Only when you feel healthy and mentally relaxed should you "grab your tank and plunge into the sea." This way, you can regulate your breathing to stay underwater longer and perform underwater maneuvers more easily.
Follow the diving leader's instructions 100%: You can't be as familiar with the underwater terrain, currents, or venomous marine life as someone who dives every day. Given the skill and experience of the diving leaders, you should follow their instructions and the diving plan they provide 100%.
3. Freediving
Freediving is the gentlest form of diving because… you don’t need to carry a bulky life vest or a heavy 9kg air tank. You only need fins, a diving mask, snorkel, wetsuit, and lead weights, then relax, take a breath, hold your breath, and dive underwater. Unlike scuba diving, with freediving, the amount of time you can relax underwater depends on your ability to hold your breath.
Some things to keep in mind when freediving:
Thoroughly research the area where you plan to dive: Freediving enthusiasts enjoy discovering new and unfamiliar diving spots because they don't have to bother transporting bulky equipment like scuba diving gear. When arriving at a new diving spot, you can ask locals about the terrain, currents, depth, etc., to gather enough information and create a suitable diving plan.
Do not free dive immediately after scuba diving: Air bubbles remain in your body for up to 12 hours after scuba diving. Therefore, if you free dive during that time, the water pressure can compress these bubbles, causing them to burst upon as you ascend, potentially damaging your blood vessels.
Remember to balance your ears: Under water pressure, your ears will start to ache – usually after a depth of 3 meters. This is when you need to balance your ears to avoid damage. You need to balance your ears regularly to make your dive as comfortable as possible; don't wait until your ears are too sore before balancing them.
In conclusion
Those who love the sea and enjoy diving all want to explore and enjoy the colorful and vibrant underwater world. However, choose a diving activity that suits your abilities. No matter what you do, understanding safety procedures, practicing, and honing your skills will always give you the experience to have a fun and safe diving trip.
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