SCUBA diving is one of the most incredible activities humans can experience on Earth. With proper education and training, diving is very safe and provides the unique opportunity to explore the lesser-visited places on our planet. However, because it takes place in an environment that humans are not naturally equipped for, not adhering to basic principles can quickly turn a routine dive into a life-threatening situation. If you are not comfortable in the water for any reason, you can and should consider calling the dive. There are a variety of reasons that people call a dive, but these are our top 3 reasons to consider diving another day.
Severe Weather
Weather conditions can change quickly, and a storm at sea is not a place one wants to be in any boat, much less a small dive boat. Stormy weather can cause a number of problems for both boats and divers. Rough seas with high waves can make boat travel treacherous and can obscure a diver’s vision, making it difficult for a diver to find the boat when surfacing. Cold fronts can cause water temperatures to drop. Because a wetsuit keeps a diver warm by trapping an insulating layer of water between the suit and the diver’s skin, sudden drops in water temperature can cause rapid onset of hypothermia. For safety, call off a dive whenever bad weather is forecasted.
Shark Activity
Even through shark attacks on humans are rare and attacks on SCUBA divers even more so, reports of shark attacks in or around the target diving area is a very good reason to cancel a dive. Sharks tend to travel over large regions of the ocean, but can also become territorial, and at such times divers put their safety at risk by entering the water. As an example, four shark attacks took place during a 15-day period in in 1984, in the same area of the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California. The attacks resulted in the death of one diver and serious injury of another, with two of the attacks taking place within 15 feet of each other. While the shark experience is one that many divers yearn for, do not complete the dive if it is not something that appeals to you.
Equipment Malfunction
Aside from good judgement and a strong handle on their skills, a SCUBA diver’s safety depends almost entirely on their equipment. Air tanks, regulators, and hoses are obviously the diver’s lifeline, but checking to be sure their watch and compass, as well as all ancillary gear, are functioning properly is critical. All gear should be checked thoroughly before leaving the dock, but divers should also perform a secondary equipment check before heading into the water. Remember that in addition to the dive master or your buddy checking your equipment, you need to test it for yourself as well. If any piece of equipment is not working properly, the dive should be called off.
Images via Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT), Capt’ Gorgeous, StormyDog, Official U.S. Navy Imagery
Best thing about calling a dive is that you live another day to write about calling dives.
I haven’t, but others have called dives I was gonna go on with them.
Did it several times while I was stationed in Okinawa during typhoon season.
Yes I have. Had to call a third dive on a 3 dive day. It was because the first dive I had almost forgot to equalize my ears and by the time the third dive rolled around I had some minor ear pain. Called it to be safe. Within 24hrs the pain is completely gone. I can still go diving. Remember to always equalize the pressure in your ears and always be safe to call a dive even if it may be something minor. Better to keep it a minor thing than to turn it into a major thing and have serious consequences.
Just did it in Key Largo 2 weeks ago, traveled 60 minutes got to the site and a storm got out of control, pissed off half the boat but made up for it with a double night dive the next day, safety first! Death last a lot longer than people think!!!!
No, but I knew of two that would not make the dive, so I hung back to retrieve them, and we went on a dive of our own.
Severe lightening has called dives for me…
Had to call a dive this past week in Key Largo because the dive shop rented me an almost empty tank. Was not happy.
I just didn’t feel right on the surface.. too much current.. called it.. got over my ego issues.. and was glad I was smart by doing so.
Many times…..
Called 1 while diving Santa Barbara Island, someone said they a great white, seals and sharks and divers don’t mix well. I never saw it, I guess better safe than not………..
Yesterday Sunday went out to uss whiskey rum runner 150 yards off beach 5 foot waves visibility maybe 12 ft forgot dive flag and jet skis were abroad wasn’t sure of actual wreck was due south had to search me and buddy got geared up got waist deep and called it didn’t have good feeling didn’t wanna make the news in a bad way good thing I did shortly after rip. currents started dive safe or not at all m/
My first wreck dive super excited but went with choice to abort try again another day loxley Alabama behind Bahamas bobs perdido key fl
Buddy couldn’t clear her ears so we thumb it.
I got sea sick on a dive boat in the sea of Cortez. Half the other divers called their dive. I didn’t call it, dove anyway and wound up puking through my regulator. After that I felt better and had one of the most memorable dives in my life. Was near Los Islotes, Baja. I spent nearly an hour playing with sea lion pups, scratching their bellies, getting flipper hugs and having my gloves and snorkel chewed on gently.
Called a dive in May because of an aggravated barracuda in Belize.
Yep, wet suit was too snug and I couldn’t breath well enough.
I have called dived from being tired, after making several dives as a dive master.
Yes, called one 2 weeks ago because it was too boring. The current had pulled us off course and all there was to see was sand and more sand. Still had 1100 psi left when we came. up. Once we came up our boat was nowhere in sight. No safety sausage just a whistle. Boat found us after about 10 minutes.
Sadly, yes. Called a dive when I realized that my shoulder injury was resulted in seriously limited mobility that could end up being dangerous to those I was diving with and make me a liability.
yep. both of us were freezing/shivering after the first dive and neither of us was prepared for the water temps in the low 60s which a few days before the dive boat reported in the 80s. We would not of done well on the second dive. will do it anytime and won’t be ashamed to do so. Want to live to dive another day. I don’t want to miss anything down there.
Called a trip last Aug. due to 10 foot waves. Never went down that day.
Yup I have had to call 2 of them..one was because viz was shot..had the computer on my face mask and couldn’t read it.. Second time was trouble with a dry suit.
YES so many times: weather or sea conditions not right. Self or dive buddy not right.
Just get a really bad vibe before you get in.
If it does feel right, just don’t do it.
Best thing is I’m still healthy and can dive what and when I want, it alway my call, if I want to dive.
p.s. I also been lucky enough to get away with too many dives I should have pull out of and didn’t!
You do get wiser with experience.
My girlfriend called a dive last year because of ear trouble. Months later I had to call one because of a sinus block. I couldn’t go down 5ft without the pain in my sinuses. I have paid the price for not calling a dive before though. It was my first cenote dive and I had ear pain. I went ahead and did the dive. With all the up and down I ruptured my eardrum. I was out of diving for three months. Better safe than sorry, remember dive safe.