Whenever we gear up for a deep dive, we take on risks and responsibilities beyond that of regular scuba diving. While deep sea diving is a thrilling and awe-inspiring experience, it is also highly dangerous if done improperly. To help minimize those dangers, our experts put together a list of the top 10 things every deep sea<\/a> diver absolutely must know.<\/p>\n Every diver needs to protect themselves against the risk of decompression sickness. Simply put, there is no diver in the world that is immune from the hazards presented by \u201cthe bends,\u201d otherwise known as decompression illness. This condition is caused by rapid changes in air pressure during a diver\u2019s descent and ascent in the water.<\/p>\n If ignored, the threat of decompression sickness can cause tragedy to strike. In the worst cases, it can induce a loss of consciousness and even death. To prevent this, there are concrete steps that every diver must take being descending to the deep.<\/p>\n For one, always carry a dive computer on your person. This way, you will have a device that will read the pressure in the environment and tell you precisely when to stop to decompress during your ascent. Also, remember to fully hydrate before embarking on a deep sea dive as this helps offset the effects of decompression<\/a> in your body\u2019s tissues.<\/p>\n We are asked nearly every day: \u201cHow deep can you dive while still staying safe?\u201d It is critically important that divers understand how deep they can dive before they run into trouble. Most diving schools will teach you that you should never descend further than 130 feet. And while this is true, even this number is beyond what many experienced divers are capable of.<\/p>\n The answer to \u201chow deep can you scuba dive\u201d ultimately depends on many individual factors that are unique to the diver. For example, it depends on the method of diving being practiced, the equipment being used, and the level of nitrogen their body can safely absorb. However, as a rule, never swim deeper than 130 feet, especially if you are not wearing saturation equipment.<\/p>\n The no-decompression limit (NDL) is a time limit that every diver\u2019s body naturally imposes on them. The NDL spells out exactly how much time a diver can spend at a certain depth level without having to decompress. By ignoring your NDL, you have a likely chance of developing decompression sickness. Or, in other words, you might \u201cget bent.\u201d<\/p>\n If you have elapsed your NDL, you need to carefully ascend. At regular intervals, be sure to pause so that your body has time to decompress. Ascending too fast can cause you to lose consciousness<\/a>.<\/p>\n Diving school is not reserved for rookie divers only. In fact, many veteran divers can benefit from enrolling in a continuing education program at your local diving certification center. When it comes to deep sea diving, you can never be too safe. By regularly training in a controlled and supervised environment, you can protect you and your team against hazards.<\/p>\n For deep sea divers, we recommend enrolling in specialty courses dedicated to navigating deep waters. We find that the PADI Deep Diver<\/a><\/u>\u00a0continuing education program is an excellent choice for divers from intermediate to advanced skill levels. This is because PADI specifically teaches their students about diving safety at depths as low as 130 feet.<\/p>\n Many experienced divers dreams of one day being able to work as a commercial diver. While it is true that many skilled divers can enjoy lucrative careers as undersea welders or saturation workers, these jobs are not for everyone.<\/p>\n Usually, divers are sucked into these careers because they notice that the pay is attractive (some can even make several hundreds of thousands of dollars a year). However, the job is extremely isolating on a social level and it can require months away from friends and family. For deep sea diving jobs, you need to live and work in a hyper-confined saturation chamber. Doesn\u2019t sound like fun, does it?<\/p>\n One of the first things we learn in diving school is to never physically touch or threaten aquatic life. Even if they are predatory fish, chances are they are far more afraid of you than you are of them. However, every year we encounter hot-headed divers who think they can swat at a fish or abuse aquatic life one way or another.<\/p>\n This is unacceptable. Not only is it unethical to touch the marine life in this way, but you can endanger yourself and the environment. For example, a coral reef is threatened around the world. Even by touching it with your gear can cause its natural state to become disrupted and, in so doing, cause further damage to the entire ecosystem. Don\u2019t be that guy.<\/p>\n When we are starting out as divers, we often fall victim to the influence of our peers. And while sometimes this can be a good time, we should never feel pressured to do anything we are uncomfortable with doing. Don\u2019t get us wrong, it is healthy to be encouraged to get out in the water and test your limits, but not when it comes at the cost of your health and safety.<\/p>\n Even highly experienced deep sea divers find themselves in awkward situations where their team wants to do something a little too out of their league. Sometimes, team members even want to veer off plan when under water. Always refuse to play along, as this will only encourage such behavior. Instead, firmly signal that you are sticking to the original dive plan.<\/p>\n As we become more experienced with deep sea diving<\/a>, we get bored by the same old routine. As beginners, we are always eager to check our gear and make sure that everything is in perfect working order. However, many old-timers simply check their equipment once before heading out. And even then, most equipment checks just involve a cursory glance.<\/p>\n This is not okay, as it can endanger yourself and the safety of your team. Instead, always remind yourself to check, check, and re-check your gear. That\u2019s right: three complete gear checks before you start the day\u2019s dive. This way, you will never have to worry about loose valves or forgotten gear when you are busy in the deep.<\/p>\n Underwater diving is meant to be fun, exciting, and passionate. By doing the same dives over and over, we find that our enthusiasm for the sport can quickly fade. To prevent this from happening, encourage yourself to branch out and experiment with new diving styles or new diving locations.<\/p>\n1. Busting the Bends<\/strong><\/h2>\n
![\"Busting](\"https:\/\/travelexperta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/Scuba-Diving-1.jpg\")
<\/a>2. Know Your (Depth) Limits<\/strong><\/h2>\n
3. Know Your No-Decompression Limit<\/strong><\/h2>\n
![\"Know](\"http:\/\/www.deepbluediving.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/No-Decompression-Limit.jpg\")
<\/a>4. Training is Essential, Even for Veterans<\/strong><\/h2>\n
5. Commercial Work Isn\u2019t All It\u2019s Cut Out to Be<\/strong><\/h2>\n
6. Hands Off the Marine Life<\/strong><\/h2>\n
![\"Social](\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/c\/c6\/US_Navy_080710-N-8968M-124_Construction_Mechanic_2nd_Class_Aaron_Heldreth_checks_bottle_pressures_with_his_buddy_diver%2C_Constable_Gaveline_Brouet%2C_a_Region_Security_Service_diver_from_St._Lucia.jpg\/1200px-thumbnail.jpg\")
<\/a>7. Don\u2019t Buy into Social Pressure<\/strong><\/h2>\n
8. Check, Check, and Re-Check Your Gear<\/strong><\/h2>\n
![\"Check,](\"https:\/\/blog.nationalgeographic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/first-dive-4-small.jpg\")
<\/a>9. Don\u2019t Be Afraid to Get Creative<\/strong><\/h2>\n