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[Entry] [Descent] [Neutral Buoyancy] [Swimming] [Ascent] [Exit]
The descent is the first most important skill when diving. In order to dive safely and enjoyably, it will be important to stay calm at the surface and breathe. Please make sure you acquire the necessary skills while checking and understanding what you must be aware of during the descent.
If your breathing is not steady when diving, all other skills will not go well. If you are worried or nervous when you enter the water you are likely to breathe more quickly so please make sure you breathe deeply before starting your descent. If there are no waves you can take your regulator out of your mouth to breathe.
Check point!
Please descend when you are fully confident that your breathing is under control. If you try to descend at the same speed as the others, your breathing won't be steady and it will be difficult to sink, which means that your descent will not be smooth.
When your breathing is under control, give the OK sign to your guide and buddy. When your guide gives the descent sign, use your right hand to get ready to clear your ears and your left hand to dump air from your BCD by pressing the deflator button on your inflator hose.
Keeping your body straight in the water will allow you to dump air from your BCD more smoothly. Please make sure that you are not at an angle and that your inflator hose is pointing straight up.
As you dump air from your BCD you will start to sink, but the first 2 - 3m are hard to clear ears. Focus on breathing out instead of in and decrease your buoyancy by getting rid of the air in your lungs. When doing this, focus on your ear clearing as well as your breathing and try to clear your ears regularly before they start to feel painful.
When descending, if you press the deflator button on your inflator hose, almost all the air will be released. You will become less buoyant and find it easier to sink. Control your buoyancy by fin kicking until you reach the bottom.
■ A Word of Advice At some sites off the Similan Islands, we may sometimes have to immediately descend upon entry due to currents so please make sure your breathing is stable so you can stay calm at any time. It can sometimes be hard to clear your ears for reasons such as lack of sleep, so please pay good attention to looking after yourself.
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