Scuba is a recreational diving activity where divers use self-contained underwater breathing apparatus to explore marine environments such as lakes, rivers, quarries, coral reefs and kelp forests. Scuba is also used by commercial and military divers for work including ocean oil drilling, bridge construction, marine biology and public safety diving.

Most scuba divers either own their equipment or rent it from local dive shops. Some even share their scuba gear with friends or other divers.

If you’re looking to get into scuba diving, there are a lot of factors that need to be taken into consideration. From the type of scuba gear to take, the certification course, to the number of dives you should do before getting certified, there is a lot that goes into planning a successful scuba diving experience.

The most important factor when planning a scuba trip is your health. If you’re feeling unwell, or not in the best condition to dive, it is better to miss a dive than risk an accident that could potentially be life threatening.

One of the most common scuba accidents is running out of air at depth. This can be avoided by always checking your air gauge and using the ‘rule of thirds’, where you use a third of your air for descending, a third to return and a final third in reserve.

It is also important to have a buddy and stick to the dive buddy protocol. Having constant communications with your buddy can prevent any confusion underwater and can help you stay conscious of your air consumption. You should make sure that both you and your buddy understand a comprehensive set of hand signals so that you can communicate at all depths.