Even though scuba diving can be incredibly calming, it can also be incredibly dangerous. Especially if you’re a beginner, it’s important to have a good idea of what you’re getting yourself into. Take the proper precautions, and scuba diving will become a serene experience you can enjoy without fear. David Coolidge offers the following tips.

1. David’s
Scuba
Tips
By
David
Coolidge
October
30,
2013
Even
though
scuba
diving
can
be
incredibly
calming,
it
can
also
be
incredibly
dangerous.
Especially
if
you’re
a
beginner,
it’s
important
to
have
a
good
idea
of
what
you’re
getting
yourself
into.
Take
the
proper
precautions,
and
scuba
diving
will
become
a
serene
experience
you
can
enjoy
without
fear.
Here
are
some
tips:
1. Don’t
hold
your
breath.
Beginners
often
have
a
semi-­‐involuntary
desire
to
hold
their
breath
underwater,
completely
forgetting
they
have
an
oxygen
tank
and
a
snorkel
tube.
The
equipment
is
there
to
help
you
breathe,
so
don’t
be
too
afraid
to
use
it.
2. Control
your
breathing.
Once
you’ve
remember
to
breathe
in
general,
focus
on
inhaling
in
a
slow,
relaxed
manner,
and
exhaling
fully.
You
will
eventually
learn
how
to
change
your
breathing
deliberately
to
manipulate
your
buoyancy
underwater.
3. Never
dive
alone.
Always
dive
with
a
partner,
and
never
stray
more
than
ten
feed
from
them.
Make
sure
you
have
their
back,
and
they
have
yours.
Also,
always
do
a
pre-­‐dive
equipment
check
for
each
other.
4. Keep
your
goggles
clear
of
fog.
Because
of
the
difference
between
the
temperature
of
your
body
and
the
water,
your
goggles
will
inevitably
fog
up.
A
good
trick
to
clear
them
up
is
to
take
a
finger
of
saliva
and
wipe
it
on
your
goggle
surface.
This
will
equalize
the
temperature
and
clear
up
the
fog.
5. Keep
your
goggles
clear
of
water.
Press
on
the
top
of
the
frame
with
the
heel
of
your
palm
and
exhale
out
of
your
nose.
The
water
will
drop
out
of
the
mask
while
the
air
flows
up
replacing
it.
6. Keep
your
sinuses
clear.
Periodically
pinch
your
nose
and
blow
to
help
your
sinuses
from
being
affected
by
the
water
pressure.
7. Don’t
panic.
Your
partner
and
your
equipment
are
there
to
support
you
throughout
anything
that
might
happen.
Panicking
will
only
prevent
you
from
breathing
correctly,
or
send
you
soaring
to
the
surface.
Rising
to
the
surface
too
quickly
can
be
very
painful.
Better
to
remain
calm,
and
remember
all
the
advice
in
this
post.
Dive
conservatively.
Be
wary
of
risks.
As
with
anything
else
in
life,
if
you
can
do
that,
you
will
be
safe.