Your questions

The most common method is to simply pinch your nose and blow gently to force air up into your sinuses and Eustachian tubes.

To dive like a pro in ideal conditions (i.e. no current or swell, good visibility), begin by fully deflating your BCD, then slowly adding air back in to it. Also, make sure to equalize your ears at regular intervals.

1. Look down.

2. Put two fingers on the top of the mask (normally on the lens itself)

3. Breathe in through your mouth.

4. Finally, breathe out slowly but firmly through your nose, while tilting your head up towards the surface.

While underwater, you’ll only be able to breathe through a regulator, the mouthpiece of which must be kept in your mouth throughout your dive. The regulator uses two stages to reduce the pressure of the air in the scuba tank to a suitable level for the diver.

The most effective way to reduce how much oxygen you use is to make sure that you are properly weighted. When properly weighted, you have greater control over your buoyancy and waste less air by not constantly inflating and deflating your BCD. You should also try to relax. Moving slowly and calmly reduces fatigue and unnecessary oxygen consumption. Finally, you should take the time to plan and familiarise yourself with the dive beforehand to reduce any potential stress factors (currents, navigating underwater, etc.).

Diving can be a relatively low-risk sport if you respect the safety protocols set out by your diving association, diving club, and driving instructor/divemaster. If you do not regularly equalize your ears, diving can put pressure on your eardrums, causing discomfort, pain or even vertigo. As for post-dive headaches, several factors might be at play, including using a mask that fits poorly or is too tight, or equalizing your ears too often during a descent.

Diving should only be done while in good health. Divers can experience ear pain if they cannot equalize their ears during their descent because of a sinus infection or a cold.

Once again, diving should only be done while in good health and good physical condition. By following the safety instructions given by the club on transporting equipment and entering and exiting the watercraft, by the dive guide/divemaster on entering and exiting the water and finally by the diving association, that forbid you from touching any objects (fish, coral, rocks, etc.) underwater, you should be able to avoid any of the above injuries or ailments.

Once again, diving should only be done while in good health. At the first sign of any illness, it’s best to postpone your dive. In the case of a sinus infection or pneumonia, it’s recommended to postpone your diving trip until you’re in better physical condition. Also try to avoid using nasal decongestant, which often does not fully clear out congested sinuses.

There’s no problem with travelling by plane before a dive, but if you’re planning on flying after one, then the following rule applies: no flying for 12 hours after one dive, and for 18 if you’ve dived multiple times.

For a long time, physicians discouraged any individual with asthma from scuba diving. Now, under certain conditions and after consulting your lung doctor (who will provide you with a medical certificate), some individuals with asthma can go diving.

It all depends on a diver’s weight and the material of their wetsuit. The thicker the wetsuit, the more buoyant you’ll be, so in this case you might need to weight yourself more.

Having alcohol in your system while diving increases the risk of nitrogen narcosis, where an excess of nitrogen can impair your judgement, focus and co-ordination. Therefore, it is not recommended to consume alcohol or any other illegal substances before diving.

The increase in water pressure while diving increases the partial pressures of oxygen, nitrogen and carbon dioxide, as well as the pressure on your organs. As a result, even though research is still ongoing, diving while pregnant is considered by most to present a significant amount of risk.

Recent developments in treatment have now made diving possible for some individuals with diabetes, on a case-by-case basis. In any event, you’ll have to provide a medical certificate from your endocrinologist, as well as instructions for your diving partner or guide in the case of an emergency.

Before even thinking about buying a mask, you should try it on first. No two faces are the same, so a mask that fits one person perfectly might fit yours very differently.

A diving regulator consists of two main elements: The “first stage” is connected to the scuba tank and is used to reduce the pressure of its air to between eight and 11 bar. The “second stage” then lowers the pressure of the air from the first stage to ambient pressure.

When buying or renting a regulator, pick one specifically designed for the type of diving that you have planned.

A diving knife is essential for scuba diving. It is, above all, a safety tool that can get you out of potentially dangerous situations, such as getting tangled in a net or a rope. To be suitable for use underwater, the blade must: have a sharp edge and a serrated edge, be made of stainless steel or titanium, and have a sheath suitable for diving.

·   A sturdy  housing that is waterproof and pressure-resistant

·   A reliable switch that is easy to turn on and off, even while wearing gloves

·   One (or more) waterproof O-ring(s) to protect the batteries and the bulb

·   Many come with a wrist strap or clip so that even if you accidentally let go of the torch, you won’t lose it.

Of course! It’s even recommended that you come with your own dive computer. But if you don’t have one, you should be able to rent one from the dive center. You can also dive with your GoPro, provided that the dive you’re on is not for a course and that you show respect for marine wildlife, by not, for example, chasing down a shark just to get a good picture. Do keep in mind though that each diver is responsible for their own equipment, diving watch and GoPro included.