Certified Scuba Diver FAQ
what is an LDS?
It's your local Dive Shop. The best place to see, try on and purchase gear. Most also have a tank inspection & filling station. Local dive communities simply can't exist without a LDS with a good reputation.
My mask keeps fogging
If you are properly using your defog solution and it's still fogging up on a dive, it's generally because the mask wasn't initially prepared thoroughly. Any new mask should be scrubbed using a "mask scrub" solution OR a very fine grit toothpaste. During manufacturing, the glass gets a very thin coating that must be scrubbed off before use. If it hasn't, no amount of defog will work. Alternatively, you can also look at getting a full face mask (certification required) which is designed to automatically defog on each inhale.
My mask keeps leaking
Having a properly fitting mask from the beginning is vital. Your local LDS staff is trained to properly fit a mask to your face type. If your mask just started to leak (after it was fine), there are a couple of things that can be happening. Your mask may be too loose, too tight (yes, that will make it leak!). Your strap may be too low/too high. You may have a tear in your skirt material.
What's a technical diver?
A technical diver is a catch all title for divers who have undergone extensive training and obtained certifications which allow them to go beyond the recreational dive limits or no stop time limits. It's important to note these divers acknowledge the safety factors in doing so and have developed a precise skill set which maximize their safety in doing so.
Is night diving scary?
For some people, it may certainly be unnerving, at least at the beginning. Night diving has a lot to offer that daytime diving does not. You are much more likely to see nocturnal creatures like octopus, lobsters, and crabs as well as see completely different behavior from creatures you know well.
It's been a year since my last dive, what should I do?
Go diving of course! We highly recommend taking a refresher course with an instructor if it's been a while since your last dive. Diving skills are perishable and we offer refresher courses which get you back into the water with an instructor to run you through skills, dive around some and essentially get you comfortable in the water again.
How do i properly kick?
There's a few different kick types that are widely used in Scuba diving. The "flutter" kick is what you've most likely seen. The downside with this kick is if you are close to the bottom (or inside a wreck), it can stir up a massive amount of silt. The "frog" kick is used by experienced divers as it keeps the water from being forced down into the silt. We recommend this video from SDI on proper finning techniques.
What makeup works while diving?
None of it works. If it says "waterproof", that means you'll be a waterproofed raccoon when you come out of the water. We've never seen, heard of or experienced anything that works underwater for that long. Just be your beautiful, natural self!
Should I use my hands while diving?
Absolutely, for signalling your buddy. For swimming? Absolutely not. Using your hands while diving is a sure way to burn up your gas supply more quickly while going nowhere. Typically, if you feel you need to use your hands on a dive, there's an issue elsewhere. It could be as simple as having a tank too high/too low, overweighting or other gear issues. If you find you cannot dive without hand swimming, reach out to us and we can schedule time with an instructor to help you sort out why.
I use a LOT of gas on my initial descent. What am I doing wrong?
I experienced this myself as a newly certified diver and KNOW i'm not alone. As a newly certified diver you tend to be very observant of your gas level (as you should be). However, there is typically NOT voodoo making you burn a lot of gas when you first go under* (There are factors like anxiety, working against current, temperature that WILL impact your gas usage). What we find, more often than not, is it has nothing to do with you and everything to do with water temperature which interacts with your tank that's been sitting in the sun. As your tank warms up, pressure increases. So when you check it before going in you may have 3500 psi. Once you hit the cooler water, it will cool the tank quickly and can drop your pressure 200-300 psi, or more.
What the most comon certifications to get after open water?
There's no real "right" answer for this question as it depends totally on the type of diving you want to do. However, for diving in North Carolina, we highly recommend the following classes:
- Nitrox (allows for longer dives)
- Advanced (gets you additional experience & increases your depth rating.
- Deep (Off of our coast we have some great diving below 100')
- Wreck (We have some of the best wreck diving in the world
- Navigation (While we love aimlessly wandering underwater, sometimes you wanna know where you are going).
What if I already purchased my e-learning?
We have instructors certified to teach thru PADI, SDI, TDI & NAUI. If you purchased your e-learning/classroom material online (through a valid agency), no worries. Contact us to get you pricing for the in-person training portion of the course.
Do I tell my buddy they have snot on their face?
Yes, you should.. diving is a great way to clear out the sinuses and no one wants that epic dive photo to be marred by a snot glob.