Just like New York City, the ocean never sleeps. It’s not only a great place to scuba dive during the daylight hours but transforms into a whole new world once the sun goes down. Night diving is an incredible experience that all scuba divers should try at least once. However, chances are once you do, it will become a new diving habit. Rediscover all the popular Perth diving locations during a night scuba dive with new marine life making an appearance, and the underwater world transforming into a completely different landscape. Here are some tips you should know before going out on your first night time scuba dive.
1. Dive in a known location
Diving in a location during the daylight is an essential part of the night diving process. Firstly, because it allows you to familiarise yourself with the underwater landscape, and secondly being comfortable in your surroundings will help reduce some of the stress associated with those first-time night dive jitters. Starting your dive just before sunset is good way to introduce yourself to night diving as you can watch the light slowly change whilst underwater.
2. Get yourself a dive torch
During a night dive, scuba divers should have not one, but two torches in their dive gear. Why? One dive torch is used as a primary torch and is typically larger and more powerful. The secondary, smaller dive torch is used as a backup in case the primary torch fails. If you are going out on a boat dive at night, get the boat crew to attach a strobe light to the anchor or one hang off the side to make it easier to locate the boat in the darkness.
3. Properly using your dive torch
Remember you are visiting the marine world at night, and the night time marine life isn’t used to a bright light disturbing their evening activities. Try not to shine your dive torch directly at marine life, instead aim the edge of light at things you want to examine more closely. Using the edge of the light beam, or using your less powerful, backup torch instead will cause less disturbance to the marine life.
4. Take to time to look outside the light
A big part of night diving isn’t relying solely on what you can see inside the torch light. Many novice night divers become too focused on what they can see directly with their light, take the time to look around or even shine your torch upwards to see what sea creatures are attracted towards the light (e.g. squid and sharks).
5. Don’t forget about the natural ocean lights
Have you ever watched the night swim scene on the popular movie, The Beach? Like the plankton in the film, there are many sea creatures that are bioluminescent such as squid, jellyfish and algae. Whilst you should never turn your dive torch off completely, try suppressing the light by holding the torch light against your chest.
Start your night diving experience by booking your PADI Night Diver Specialty Course with Dolphin Scuba. Get certified in just three dives, all you need is a current PADI Open Water Diver or Junior Open Water Diver certification. For more information on course times, or join in on Dolphin Scuba’s free monthly night dive and BBQ, get in touch on 08 9353 2488 as our Welshpool dive shop is open every day of the week.
