How To Scuba Dive In The Ocean Part 2: Visibility Presented By Dive Rite

The second in a four-part video series aimed to help new divers cope with ocean diving conditions. If you want to support Divers Ready! (for free!) support our sponsor for this series of videos: Dive Rite

In this video, we're going to be looking at the ocean science behind ocean visibility and then I'm giving you my pro-level advice for diving in bad vis.

Thanks so much as always!

D.S.D.O

James

-----------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------
What do we dive? Our full and independently chosen gear choices are here:
------------------------------------------------
Connect with Divers Ready!:

Twitter: @diversready
------------------------------------------------
FOR MORE INFORMATION or to collaborate with Divers Ready! you can reach out to us via our website:

-----------------------------------------------
If you want to take a PERSONALIZED dive course at any level with James from Divers Ready, you can contact us here:

-----------------------------------------------
***Disclaimer: Divers Ready! firmly believes you can not teach someone to dive through the internet. We strongly urge people to ensure they receive dive instruction through an internationally recognized training agency and to dive safely and within the limits of their certification level at all times. Our channel is aimed at already-certified divers looking to further their skills.***

----------------------------------------------
In accordance with COPPA laws, please note that content on the channel Divers Ready is not specifically made for, or targeted at, children.
----------------------------------------------

Dive Safe. Dive Often.
#scubadiving #diversready #improveinspireexplore

Music used under license. Get yours here!

How To Scuba Dive In The Ocean Part 2: Visibility Presented By Dive Rite

Though we are based in Florida, Hawaii, California, and Michigan have 100 ft and 300 ft ocean and lake underwater coral reef, shipwreck, cave diving, freediving, scuba diving, and rebreather trips. To learn full face mask, beginner scuba diver, advanced scuba diver, tech scuba diver, cave diver you can reach out to a professional scuba diver. Everyone should get scuba diving insurance with Divers Alert Network.

We support all types of diving products, like a full face mask, fins, BCD, dive computer, regulators, closed circuit rebreather, underwater scooter, from many companies like Simply Scuba, Mares, Dive Rite, Cressi, Zeagle, Huish, Hollis, Scubapro, Shearwater, Garmin.

[sammoyers]

I started diving in 1973, in SW Pennsylvania. We dove strip mines and the rivers. On a good day we would have ten foot visibility. When we were searching for lost gear, we would have a total blackout. My dive buddy, Denny and I use to "feel" that we were within proximity, even though we could not see each other for periods. When we finally made it to the Florida Keys, we were in heaven. Even when we "only" had 60' visibility...
Still love diving in ANY conditions. Even under the ice, with poor visibility.

[NCLong]

I dove the Vandenberg shortly after they sank it and was with a dive guide. I was marveling over how awesome the visibility was through out the dive. After surfacing to do our SI, the guide came to me and apologized for how bad the vis was!! I told him that I normally dove in lakes and the vis was awesome!! He laughed and said that he loves diving with lake divers because we are excited to see vis more than 10 feet!!

[annmcgovern]

I'm a pacific northwest diver and usually dive in Puget Sound where the viz can range from 1' to 30' on a rare day. Normal viability is 5-10'. Having learned to dive in bad visibility and cold water I feel that my dive skills are stronger than had I learned to dive only in warm and clear water. It does make me appreciate that clear water dive conditions all the more!

[js]

Low viz + Urchin mine field + strong surge = absolutltely awesome dive

[charlieschappel]

I was in a party of 3 divers at Willow Springs near Reading PA. It is a poor vis quarry that is only around 25 feet deep. We decided on a super simple dive plan. We descend at a stand which we know indicates where the narrow gauge railroad tracks are. I was to lead. We are going to follow the rails out for a few minutes the n turn around to return. We descended and couldn’t find each other, so we met at the surface. 5 times this happened so we got out went to a picnic table and worked out this plan. If I see you but not our 3rd diver I will tap you twice. If you tap back 3 times then you can see the 3rd person and we are good to go. Then we were able ti execute our dive plan.

[jassenjackman]

90% of my dives now have been done in terrible visibility
Compared to Florida waters. Often less than 3 meters but it’s great practice and we still loose a buddy from time to time.
A bright light, compass, and bright orange fins have helped my dives. As well as a fantastic dive plan. Route. Route. Route. Several of our favourite sites have line laid, or points of interest. We always have a plan and stop to regroup at key areas often to make sure the entire team is together and safe.

[stevenprobst]

We dive 2 local quarries just out side of Nashville TN. The week before there was particularly hard rain (silt running in from above the water like chocolate milk) and a under water scavenger hunter. We figured that a week later the water would be clear. We took a group of OW students for check out dives. At the time I was just a rescue diver in support of the instructor. He called the dive within 2 minutes, I would describe the conditions to be like pea soup. Best dive conditions I've ever been in was in Roatan Honduras. Felt like you could see all the way to FL the water was so clear!

[achilles]

Recovered a stolen hearse that had been in the water since the early 90’s
As we were lifting the the car over the sea wall and fence, the engine broke lose from the rest of the car and fell in the water, dumping motor oil. Had to go back down and secure a strap to said engine, was covered in oil when I was done, but by far the worst visibility.

When diving is zero visibility and searching for something or a victim, I’ve found it best to just close my eyes and use my hands, keeps me calmer too

[girlwithgrit]

Best viz was about 40' at a shipwreck offshore in NC! Absolutely gorgeous after the weather we'd had for the last bit! Worst viz was about 3-5' and managed to stay with my buddy and our group the whole time. Always kept my hand on her arm and we were golden 👌 while she navigated and I kept track of depth, time, and any hazards. My old instructor is a 6'3" man built like a football player (so fits in pretty well with most of the men on the boat) and he dives hot pink fins and it is the best! You always know it's him because nobody else is that big and has neon hot pink fins 🙌. Bright colors are your best friend underwater!

[Biodoc]

Worst viz was training search and rescue dogs to find "bodies" underwater in a little pond. Scared myself once my hand came into view it was so bad...but that was a lower risk situation. The worst low viz scenario was 2 buddies and I did a shore dive of of Gloucester, MA. Typical viz was about 6 feet in this area. On top of that, it was a little foggy that morning. By the time the dive ended, fog was so thick above the water, it was more like a night dive almost under, and we didn't have visual references to find the beach again...Fortunately, we were proficient with our navigation at that point, and we emerged within 10 feet of our entry point.

[DrippyWaffler]

Dived in a lake with about 2m vis while doing my independent diver course and it was honestly the best way to do it. Instructor used parts of SDI, PADI, SSI and TDI training to make up the course and I came out of it feeling like a much better diver despite being an active instructor for 5 years. Most rewarding training I've done in years.

[nathanjohnson]

New OW diver here. My first dive after Cert was in a long but fairly narrow lake. I had a light, but didn't bring it because I didn't want to load down everything and figured it's a lake I can swim across fairly easily and we're diving along the shore anyway, why do I need it right? First dive was great, 30'+ vis and no problems. Second dive I got a little careless and kicked up some silt in a few spots. No problem except it was an out and back dive so we went back through my silt clouds. Thankfully my buddy was the DM and had a powerful torch so I could see where he was very well, and he was somehow able to see me well enough to touch my arm and maintain contact until we made it through the short clouds. Great training, and I'll never dive without a light again!

[russellmckinley]

I learned to dive in our local reservoir where visibility is nearly zero. I always tell people that you hit the bottom before you see it. Diving anywhere else is great!

[FoRmt]

when i did my divemaster internship we had very bad visibility for about 2 weeks <12 feet most days and it made me a better diver when you are forced to use a compass make a mental note of what you did on the dive site and when you see the boat closeby when you come up 1 hour later is very rewarding.

[fredericbadoux]

Diving in Switzerland, I'm used to bad visibility. Once we were not even able to read our computer. I lost my buddy that day even do she was 30cm away from me...

The best I had were my dives in the Cenotes. It's crystal clear there.

[zingw]

Learned diving in the beautiful waters of Papua New Guinea and did most of my dives there and in other beautiful high vis spots e.g. Bali, GBR etc. Then to Sydney ! First dive visibility so bad lost my buddies ( group of 4 ) descending I couldn't believe I wouldn't find them so stayed looking for ~5mins then I surfaced found them on surface waiting and not so happy that I stayed that long . Confidence took a hit and learnt the hard way thay sticking to lost buddy procedure and a torch is a must.

[AndrewMeyer-pq]

Thanks for the great video. I am a fully certified diver who is also totally blind. Therefore, every dive for me is a low visibility dive, actually a zero visibility dive. One technique we learn in our club is how to ascend safely without gauges or a diving computer. So if we lose our buddy for whatever reason, we can launch an SMB safely and ascend to the surface. Great tips though!

[memyname]

Being a Rescue diver from the Netherlands, I've been diving on a good day with 4-6 meters visibility. Though I've also had my share of dives at 1-2 meters visibility. Yes the first time to dive in 1-2 meter visibility is kind of frightening, though it is an experiance on it's own that I highly recommend any diver to experience as you learn to work better with your compas, computer and/or depth gage and watch. Resently I've been diving on holiday at a Dutch Caribian island and with those waters it's super easy to find your way. If your tangling around a piece of reef a bit longer, no worries as you can find the group back without too much effort. If you do that without prior comunication at the local coastal waters of the North Sea, than you've lost your buddies and after one minute you need to surface and wait for a buddy to reconize you're gone and do the same.

One extra piece of advice that I want to bring, if you're a diver used to crystal blue waters with 20+meters visibility and want to try a dive in an area with less visibility, go back to the mindset of a newly certified diver. Don't bring any equipment that can cause distractions like e.g. cameras and definately bring an compas. Learn to dive with your buddy in an poor visibility environment before you can progress to performing tasks like photography or navigation within those cloudy or even murky waters.

[leehouston]

Yep- UK diver here. The only time you don't mind being kicked by your buddys fins, let's you know they're still there :)

[DarkSideDiving]

Hi James, hope you are doing well... I will never forget my first dive in Germany during my wetsuit course. Prior that I had only dived in Egypt, Bali and Mexico. So i was used to 25 ° water and more or less unlimited viz. So my buddy and I were getting into the water in a local training lake and got ready to descend within arms length of each other... And the second my head was under water - he was gone. Like totally gone, gone.. All I saw was what we would call green pea soup. I will NEVER forget that sensation...

100 dives later - I am still not a huge fan of this type of diving but I manage a lot better...

Thanks again for your amazing content. Greetings from Munich
Stephan