5 Things to remember when going on a wreck dive

Wreck diving is a challenging form of scuba diving but rewarding in so many ways. Descending into the deep to explore a wreck opens doors to many wonderful opportunities like discovering marine life, culture, history, and archaeology. Every wreck site is certainly a unique adventure unlike no other.  

Keeping it nostalgic, fun and safe

You can have an exhilarating experience unraveling the mysteries of the wreck while keeping yourself out of harm’s way.  Here are some tips and reminders to consider if you’re planning to go wreck diving.

1. Keep equipment in top condition – Safety is paramount so before going on a diving trip, make sure that your dive equipment is in very good condition. A lot of wreck diving sites are located at a good distance offshore.  You wouldn’t want to waste precious time and money postponing a dive due to equipment malfunctions. Furthermore, encountering equipment problems during an actual dive can put your life at risk.
2. Pay attention to dive briefing – Listening to the dive briefing is crucial to the safety and success of your dive. You can use a slate and pencil to jot down key information during the briefing. Pay attention to important details like basic layout, style of dive, proper water entry, time limit, depth limit, potential hazards, narrow places that may require one at a time passage, gear recommendations, hand signals, and more. You should never neglect the significance of a dive briefing regardless if you’re a new or skilled scuba diver.
3. Dive within your level of training – Whether diving in familiar or new territories, it is always important to recognize and stay within your level of training and experience. Going beyond what you know and capable of doing underwater can compromise your safety.  Wreck diving below 18 meters/60 feet often requires completion of Deep Dive Course. As a certified diver, it is your own responsibility to know your depth limits and stay within that.  If you lack the training to explore wrecks, you may consider enrolling in advanced depth training or pro diving courses.
4. Master buoyancy skills – It is vital to be in control of your buoyancy in wreck diving to ensure your well-being and protect marine natural resources.  When you master your buoyancy skills, you will be able to avoid accidental contact with sharp wreck structure which may lead to injury.  It can also help you prevent unplanned contact with the reef that may cause potential damage. Good buoyancy control allows you to observe natural underwater scenes without startling or disturbing marine life. It’s also a big advantage if you want to capture quality underwater photos. If you need further training, Pro diving courses give divers plenty of opportunities to elevate diving skills which includes building excellent buoyancy control.
5. Stay alert at all times – Whether it’s a wreck that you’ve explored many times or a new and unfamiliar wreck site, it is important to stay alert during the whole dive.  Remember your training and apply the skills that you have learned to the dive. Never wander off away from your group and always stick to your dive plan. Do not panic if there is an emergency situation in the water.  Try your best to keep calm in order to recall emergency/contingency plans discussed during the briefing.

Wreck diving can give you an interesting flashback of culture and history.  Connecting the story behind a wreck with actual sightings and encountering different types of artifacts and relics can be gratifying, especially for adventure seekers. It also gives you the privilege of getting up close and personal with inhabitants of an artificial reef.

As time passes, a wreck becomes an artificial reef for marine life but the structures are often very fragile and may break when accidentally touched or bumped into.  Wreck diving requires excellent diving skills as well as responsibility to avoid damaging artificial reefs that help replenish the marine ecosystem.

If you are interested in wreck diving in Fujairah, you may want to check out Inchcape 1, Inchcape 2, and Inchcape 10.  These ships were purposely sunk to form artificial reefs and help build a richer marine ecosystem.