Scuba Diving Hand Signals (PADI)

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Have you ever wondered, "Can you talk underwater while scuba diving?" or "How do scuba divers communicate underwater?" In this video on scuba diving hand signals, I provide the answers! Communication is crucial while scuba diving and this video aims to help new and curious divers learn this silent language of the sea.

Dive in now to learn more about scuba hand signals, PADI hand signals numbers, and PADI hand signals for air. Become a part of the silent conversation happening below the waves!

This video is NOT sponsored. Some product links are affiliate links which means if you buy something we'll receive a small commission.

⏰ Timecodes ⏰
00:00 How Do Scuba Divers Communicate Underwater?
00:21 Why Hand Signals?
00:50 Okay
01:42 Boat
02:10 Breathe / Calm Down
02:48 Come Here
03:08 Go Up/Down | Ascend/Descend
03:56 Something's Wrong
05:03 Buddy Up
05:45 How Much Air?
06:08 Air Pressure Numbers
07:51 Half Tank
08:33 Low Air
08:44 Out of Air
09:02 Share Air
09:36 I'm Cold
10:34 Stop / Wait
11:24 Turn the Dive
11:41 Watch / Look
12:27 Which Way? I Don't Know
13:19 Swim
13:45 You Lead / I Follow
14:29 Deco? NDL?
15:16 Abort / End the Dive
16:00 3-Minute Safety Stop
16:32 Example Sentences
18:14 Caribbean Fish ID Hand Signals

At Circle H Scuba, we share education and experiences you'll love to plan your next adventure. As a PADI Professional Scuba Instructor, I want to make you a better-informed scuba diver!

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#scubadiving #circlehscuba #thomashughes

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*Disclaimer:* Circle H Scuba and Thomas Hughes believe you can not teach someone how to dive, nor certify them for diving, through the internet. Ensure you seek proper training through an instructor who is active and certified through a recognized agency and always dive within the limits of your certification.

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

[MetallicReg]

We used completely other hand signals for gas all over Europe.
We always use the turn-pressure sign (defined as 100bar, "T" timeout) and then count in 50bar increments (✊) and after that in 10bar increments (☝).
So in the case of a freshly filled tank with 220bar : "T"+✊+✊+✌
In case of 160bar: "T"+✊+☝
In case of 70bar: ✊+✌
And so on.

Really fast and easy to see under bad conditions.

[LisaM-KTXFoodie]

Watching a 3rd video from you. Had to make sure I hadn't forgotten any signals for this Belize trip - I think I'm good. Thank you for well spoken and clear to understand videos.

[hidehide-dg]

I always confused about the hand signal every dive season. Because there is seldom time that live on the ground. But as you, it builds in your muscle memories.! for me, unbelievable!

[secondarymetabolite]

Thanks! Going on my first dive in a while tomorrow and though I hadn't forgotten the signs this was a great refresher.

[bornaluckyman]

Really clear video.. enjoyed this thank you

[testdasi]

For countries that use bar instead of psi, the half tank (T) sign can be used interchangeably with 100 and a close fist means 50. So to signal 170, I would do T and then a close fist on 1 hand + 2 fingers on the other. Nobody cares about the last digit (and therefore we never have to signal zero, which is why close fist can mean 50).
We were taught that a 1-finger can be hard to see from far away so unless we can only signal with one hand, otherwise do a T for 100.
Also 50 bar of air is low so a close fist around the chest is conveniently has the same meaning as "50 around here" i.e. low on air. But for that same reason, I prefer to use a 5-finger for 50 instead of close fist to reserve the close fist for real issues but that's just me.

[finnvantrot]

Hey man, I just wanted to thank you for your content! Just found you a few days ago. It's been a while since I've been diving because auf Covid and other things. In two weeks I'm gonna go back into the water. I'll be doing a skills update course, of course, but your videos help me a lot to refresh my memory and prepare for going back in. I still have the
learning materials of both of my courses, but this is much more fun. Thanks for the effort, that's very much appreciated!!!

[WordizbonDon]

Had to watch this for my dive this weekend in Cancun!!

[heatherwood]

Thank you for giving air pressure with the numbers simply held in front of you (like a 2 and a 1 for 2100) instead of doing the two on your arm and then the 1 out in front of you. I've never understood this as it seems harder to see.

[icupid]

The "T" sign for "half a tank" you say is used for number 100 here in Italy. Also closed fist with palm towards observer is 50. Then raising fingers from that closed fist raises the number to 60, 70, 80, 90. A yes this mean you show 60 with your index finger pointing up the same way it does in "Attention!" .

[mellamodiego]

i recently did a ndl dive in Rangiroa Tahiti actually quite a few and i had to go over with the dm what the hand signals would be....its important to know how to communicate how long till you reach ndl....so maybe im at 3 minutes till i reach ndl...or if you have reached ndl how much ndl you have and what depths you must do them at. it was also fun because i didnt speak a lick of french but we sorted it out.

[souswes]

Which way is a super useful one. Too many time you’ll both just look at eachother with blank stares waiting for the other to take lead. I’m a fan of knife handing my wrist and then rotating it like a compass may do to indicate I’m asking for a heading.

Another useful and easy one is “have you completed your stop?” Just pointing at the computer and dusting it off….. ahhh you’re good. Next video segment was exactly the clear stop signal. Good stuff buddy

[JackPatrick-ehdn]

Thank you! I truly appreciate your videos. You show a lot of empathy for those of us who are less informed. You have a clear voice, and I truly appreciate the photographs and video clips you use to illustrate every single point you make.

Many presenters do not illustrate their messages in this fashion because it requires a great deal of extra time. I truly appreciate your extra efforts in this regard.

Do you have a video on long hose and necklace (Hogarth) set up and how to donate your primary?

[whynottalklikeapirat]

Funny thing about some divers is that whenever there is a sign from the guide or instructor they’re not quite sure of - they default to checking their gauges and reporting back, because it’s a common demand, which means that for the next 5 to 20 seconds you have no contact with them and they turn mostly unaware of anything in their surroundings which the communication might have been about … a classic sign from the course that more or less everyone seem to forget and quite often mistake for a question about their air supply is the sign for “current”, which, unfortunately is usually not used at a moment when it benefits everyone to be obliviously buried in their gauges … understandable perhaps seeing as many people have not been trained or have experience with environments with much or any current, but that only puts them more at risk when it’s there and being brought to their attention and they don’t get it ….

[besearchingforwisdom]

While I'm a bit of a maverick, I do have an interest in what is going on in the industry, primarily equipment, but communication skills are important too, though I prefer to limit our dialogue to whatever's needed to get the job done. You have some good ideas including the ASL one, keep it up, that's why I'm here

[Yggdrasil]

You're almost correct about the technical signals, like deco. It's the pinky straight up, palm facing buddy (so don't bend the finger). Followed by the one-handed number of minutes. If the deco stop needs to be performed at a different depth, then first signal the depth (one-handed), then the pinky to signify time, then the time in minutes. The pinky can be used as a general sign for time, so the context makes it clear when it's for deco. If you need to ask your buddy how much deco they have left, prefix it with the question sign. So, a bent index finger (looks like a question mark), then the pinky.
All signals need to be performed one-handed, because your other hand is likely needed for something else such as aiming a light at the signing hand or working a scooter. So we have variations of most of the two handed signals you showed.
Also important in tech diving is to repeat whatever your buddy signs, to show you understand it. After all, narcosis and task loading are real. So, repeat unless you disagree.

[omaryasser]

Hi Im a commercial diver and I'm 19 . Can i take your advice 😊

[DF-clbm]

It's so unfortunate that Americans persist with the imperial system. I find communicating pressure in Bar so much simpler than using psi, mainly because the 10 bar units can be communicated much more easily with the fingers than the 1000, 100 and 10 psi intervals of the Imperial system. Why make things more complex?

[nysch]

Something off topic: how can you dive with the beard? I have to shave my moustache because when I dive or snorkel with it, water always comes in very slowly. I can also drain the water well again, that is no problem, but It also always tingles so unpleasantly with does hairs 😅

[kurbashy]

Thanks from Russia
Cool
Just like diving now.