Dive Planning 101: Why Every Dive Needs a Plan
Dive planning saves lives. Learn how to prepare for your next scuba adventure with our complete beginner-friendly guide.
SAFETY WHILE DIVING
Dive Planning 101: Why Every Dive Needs a Plan
Scuba diving opens the door to breathtaking underwater worlds—but without proper planning, even the most beautiful dive can turn dangerous. Whether you’re new to diving or have dozens of dives under your belt, dive planning is one of the most essential skills for ensuring a safe and enjoyable experience.
Why Dive Planning Matters
Every dive is unique—currents, depths, visibility, and weather conditions can all change from one location to another. Planning allows you to account for these variables, minimizing the risk of decompression sickness, equipment failure, or disorientation.
Dive planning also ensures that your gear setup, gas supply, and dive profile match the environment. It’s more than just writing numbers on a slate; it's about preparing your mind, body, and equipment to work as a seamless unit underwater.
Key Components of a Dive Plan
Dive Objective: Know what you want to accomplish—whether it’s a photography session, a wreck exploration, or a shallow reef tour. This sets the tone for the rest of your plan.
Depth and Bottom Time: Use dive tables or a dive computer to calculate your No-Decompression Limit (NDL). Avoid exceeding it to prevent decompression sickness.
Air Management: Determine how much gas you’ll need based on your Surface Air Consumption (SAC) rate, tank size, and depth. Always include a reserve for emergencies.
Buddy System: Review hand signals, emergency procedures, and roles. Agree on a turn pressure and maximum depth.
Navigation: Study the site map, note any hazards, and agree on an underwater navigation route with your buddy. If diving from a boat, confirm entry/exit points and surface marker buoy (SMB) use.
Emergency Planning: Know where the nearest recompression chamber is, who to contact in case of emergency, and ensure your dive shop or boat has first aid and oxygen available.
Weather and Conditions: Check tides, currents, wind, and visibility. Postpone your dive if any factor seems unsafe.
Tools to Help You Plan
Modern dive computers can automatically log your dive and help you calculate limits and nitrogen loading, but you should still understand traditional dive tables, especially in areas with limited tech access. Tools like the PADI Recreational Dive Planner and apps like Subsurface offer great digital alternatives.
For more adventurous dive trips, consider booking through platforms like Divebooker.com or All Star Liveaboards where planning assistance, briefings, and safety protocols are provided as part of the package.
Happy and safe diving,
The ScubaBlast Team
U.S. Navy Diving Manual, Rev. 7. (2016). https://www.navsea.navy.mil/
Divers Alert Network (DAN). (n.d.). Dive planning basics. https://dan.org/safety-prevention/
PADI. (n.d.). Recreational dive planner. https://www.padi.com/padi-courses/recreational-dive-planner-table
NOAA. (n.d.). Diving safety manual. https://www.omao.noaa.gov/learn/diving-program/diving-safety/manual