The short answer is that before a dive you should avoid anything that dehydrates you, dulls your judgment, or stresses your body. That means no alcohol the night before or the morning of, no diving with a cold or blocked sinuses, and no heavy or greasy meals right before you gear up. You should also never dive after flying without a rest, or hold your breath at any point underwater. These simple do-nots exist to keep nitrogen management, equalization and clear thinking on your side. Follow them and you set yourself up for a safe, comfortable and genuinely enjoyable dive.
Skip the alcohol
Alcohol dehydrates you and dehydration is linked to a higher risk of decompression sickness. It also impairs judgment and reaction time, neither of which you want underwater.
Give yourself a full night without drinking before a dive day, and hydrate well with water instead. Your body will thank you at depth.
Do not dive congested
Diving with a cold, allergies or blocked sinuses makes it hard to equalize the pressure in your ears, which can cause pain or injury. If you cannot clear your ears on land, do not go down.
Avoid decongestant tricks to force a dive, since they can wear off at depth. When in doubt, sit the dive out and come back healthy.
Mind food and flying
A heavy, greasy meal right before diving can leave you sluggish or queasy on a rocking boat, so eat light and balanced instead. A small, sensible breakfast is ideal, and staying well hydrated with water matters more than most people realize.
Never dive immediately after a flight without resting and rehydrating first. Your body needs time to settle before adding the demands of a dive, so build a little buffer into your travel day.
Never hold your breath
The single most important rule in scuba is to breathe continuously and never hold your breath. Breathing steadily keeps your lungs safe as pressure changes during ascent.
This becomes second nature within your first minutes underwater. Your instructor reinforces it in every briefing for good reason.
We prep you the right way
At Nautilus we brief every diver on exactly how to arrive ready: rested, hydrated, healthy and calm. Our small groups mean we can check in with each person before entering the water.
If you feel off on the day, tell us and we will adjust. Read more guides or see our courses and dives to prepare for a smooth first dive in Isla Fuerte.
