Is Sidemount Diving Right for You? Pros, Cons, and Getting Started

By Ben Lair
Blog Training

You’ve probably seen them on the dive boat or at the lake: divers standing perfectly upright with no tank on their back, only to clip two cylinders to their sides the moment they hit the water. Sidemount diving used to be a highly specialized configuration reserved exclusively for hardcore cave divers squeezing through tiny rock restrictions. Today, it has completely exploded into the mainstream recreational scuba world. But is sidemount just a cool-looking, gear-heavy trend, or is it actually a better way to dive? Here is the honest truth about taking the tanks off your back.

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Dive Hand Signals: The Complete Visual Guide Every Diver Should Know

By Ben Lair
Blog Training

We have all been there: your dive buddy is frantically waving their arms, tapping their head, and doing a weird little dance, and you have absolutely no idea what they are trying to say. Underwater charades can be hilarious, but when it comes to air management and safety, clear communication is critical. Don’t wait until you are 60 feet down to realize you and your buddy speak different languages. Here is your complete guide to the universal scuba hand signals every diver needs to know before they giant-stride off the boat.

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The Mental Game: How to Stay Calm When a Dive Goes Sideways

By JonRowe
Blog Training

Scuba diving is an incredibly safe sport, but we are still humans exploring an alien environment. Sometimes, things go wrong. A mask strap snaps, a regulator starts to free-flow, or you temporarily lose sight of your buddy. In these moments, the actual problem is rarely what hurts a diver—it is the mental reaction to the problem. Panic is the ultimate underwater enemy. Here is how dive professionals train their brains to override the fight-or-flight response and stay completely calm when a dive goes sideways.

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5 Rescue Diver Skills That Make You the Ultimate Dive Buddy

By Ben Lair
Training

In your Open Water course, you learned how to take care of yourself. But what happens when the diver next to you has a problem? The SSI Diver Stress & Rescue course is widely considered the most challenging, rewarding, and transformative class you will ever take. It shifts your focus outward, teaching you how to anticipate, prevent, and manage emergencies. Here are five game-changing skills you’ll learn that will officially make you the ultimate dive buddy.

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