06 Apr 2021
No CommentsWhen we received our open water diving course we had the opportunity to learn and apply the valuable diving basics. Thanks to that, today we can enjoy the sea bottom safely.
After diving for a while, we start to notice our desire to explore more and acquire new knowledge. This is when we begin to analyze the possibility of taking the advanced diving course.
This diving course is very dynamic, it teaches us tips for new dives that are not contemplated in the Open Water diving course. One of them is precisely Night Diving.
Night diving is a dive that takes place without natural light. It can be done from dusk until daylight returns. It encloses a percentage of mystery, since we only see what our lantern lights up.
Many divers prefer night diving as they feel more peace and stillness than during daytime. They can contemplate creatures that cannot be seen during daytime, as they go out to feed only at night. In fact, in this dive you get to see a lot of creepy animals that most likely, you do not even know existed until, suddenly, you managed to admire them in all their beauty.
For this type of diving, it is a good idea to choose a shallow place with small caves where many animals hide during their sleep and go out hunting at night. Their habits are completely different from those they have during the day.
Despite the beauty of this type of immersion, there are some considerations that we must take before doing so.
You must arrive at the spot while there is still daylight to prepare the diving equipment. Preferably the place should have been dived during the day to help us with the orientation. Personal flotation must also have been checked prior to diving. A non-diver, apart from the captain of the boat, should always be kept inside the boat in case he is needed.
Apart from the regular diving equipment, which must be in excellent condition, you must wear a diving flashlight. Ideally you will also take a secondary one. The diving flashlight have rechargeable batteries and currently the most used light is the Led.
To increase safety, we also recommend placing a chemical light on the first stage of the regulator. This will give a strong luminosity for as long as you are diving and help everyone know the exact location of the rest of the companions. Chemical light is for a single use only.
The main lamp must be lit on the surface and the diver must not turn it off during the dive.
When he is back on the surface, he will not turn it off either, but will deliver it to whoever is in the boat. This person will turn it off.
In addition, there is the strobe flashing light. This is placed on the anchor line for return.
We also recommend putting a whistle in the BCD in case the diver comes out to the surface away from the anchor line and is not as visible as it is during the day, so that the boat can move towards the diver.
Daytime communication is done by means of signals that we can all see. For night diving this tactic is not so efficient. Basically, night communication consists of 2 signals:
The rest of the signals are made with the flashlight illuminating one hand while the signal is being made. The person should not be illuminated to the face as it will easily be channeled. Communication is more effective between the two teammates than with the entire team.
It is difficult to lose your partner while diving at night because, although it seems amazing, in the dark the flashlight or chemical light is very well visible. However, in case you lose your partner, you should apply the rules that were explained during the pre diving talk.
Finally, we must insist on one topic: No one should do night diving unless it is certified as an advanced diver because, although this type of dive is highly rewarding, its implications must be fully known. The best way to avoid an unpleasant event is to have the right knowledge.
Now that you are ready for this new adventure, we have one question that can only be answered after you have done a night dive…
Did you like bioluminescence?
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