Answers Verified 100% Correct
How does sunlight affect me as a diver? How can I avoid sunburn?
You may get sunburn - avoid this by wearing suncream and protective clothing and
staying in the shade as much as possible
What differences can I expect between diving in fresh water and in salt water?
- Fresh water is less dense and therefore less buoyant than salt water. Recheck your
weight and trim when going from fresh water to salt or vice vera
- Marine environments tend to have more aquatic life
-Very distinct thermoclines within the recreational diving depth range are more common
in fresh water
- Freshwater environments are more likely to have bottoms that you can stir up easily
- Marine environments generally have more water motion - currents and waves and
tides
How do I learn to assess conditions?
- the weather
- the season
- water motion
- water appearance
- reports online and from other divers
- dives made at similar sites in the area
What should I do if any aspect of the dive, including my assessment of the environment
causes me significant concern and/or anxiety?
Get more information about the concern and how to handle it. If you can't reasonably
address the issue and you can't go to another dive site where you are comfortable, do
not dive.
How do the different factors discussed in this section relate to the importance of getting
an orientation when diving in unfamiliar environment?
Important for both safety and for making your dives more enjoyable
,What is meant by 'diving within my limits'? Why is it important to do so?
Do not exceed the limits of your training and/or experience. Also applies to comfort -
shouldn't be worried.
How does failure to dive within my limits raise my risk while diving?
Failure to do so contributes to incidents or accidents. Can also take the fun out of diving.
1. Risks that might not be obvious
2. Exceeding limits can cause false security
3. Become distracted
What should I do if someone subjects me to peer pressure to make a dive that is
beyond my limits or that makes me uncomfortable?
Say no
Suggest a dive more suited to your limits
What are the two basic types of interactions I can have with aquatic life? Which
interaction should I generally have?
Passive - leaving aquatic life undisturbed e.g. watching, taking photographs etc.
Active - directly touching aquatic life
You should use passive interaction
What are different types of potentially hazardous aquatic organisms?
Those that sting and/or puncture make up the largest group, which includes:
- Jellyfish
- Portuguese man-o-war
- Lionfish or scorpion fish
- Stingrays
- Sea urchins
- Cone shells
- Fire coral and other hydroids
- Sea nettles
Aquatic organisms that bite include, but not limited to:
, - Moray eels
- Trigger fish
- Crocodilians
- Some sharks (not all)
- Barracuda and other fish
- Snakes (venomous bite)
- Octopuses (a few species have venomous bite)
- Clawed lobster/crab
What causes nearly all injuries from aquatic life?
human carelessness
What nine steps should I follow to prevent and/or handle aquatic injuries caused by
aquatic animals?
1. Be familiar with potentially hazardous organisms that may be in the local
environment, where you can find them and how they could cause harm
2. Treat all organisms with respect
3. Avoid wearing shiny, dangling jewellery, which may look like baitfish/small prey to
some predators
4. Watch where you put your feet, knees and hands
5. Maintain neutral buoyancy, stay well above the bottom and move slowly and carefully
6. Be cautious in murky water
7. You should generally avoid contact with all organisms, but especially avoid contact
with unfamiliar ones
8. Be cautious with apparently dead organisms or detached bod parts. Jellyfish still sting
when dead.