Post-Dive Checklist — What to do after you SCUBA dive

Post-Dive Checklist — What to do after you SCUBA dive

Many times, we stress what you should do to prepare for a SCUBA diving trip. There are many checklists out there to help prep you for your first, second or even hundredth dive. However, once you get out of the water and back to the boat, there are still a few key things you should do to make sure you finish just as strong as you started. This list helps ensure your SCUBA diving gear stays in good condition, and that you take good care of your body. We’ve compiled a checklist of things you must do after you SCUBA dive in Hawaii. Check out our post-dive checklist here:

Monitor your dive buddy

After you’ve gotten back on the boat, stick close with your dive buddy for about half an hour. Monitor your own health as well as your dive buddy’s, and if something doesn’t look or feel right, say something.

Clean and store your gear

If you’re diving with a SCUBA guide like the team at Surf N Sea (LINK: ), we’ll take care of the cleanup. However, if you’ve rented gear from a local surf and SCUBA shop (LINK: ), you need to ensure you return everything you rented, preferably rinsed so the salt water doesn’t damage the equipment. Store everything the way it came, including putting fins back in bags, turning wet suits right-side out or putting caps back on regulators or tank valves.

Drink water!

It may seem silly — you’ve just been in the water, right? — but hydrating after a SCUBA dive is extremely important. You’ve just worked out in a way your body may not be used to, and the salt from ocean water can dehydrate you even more.

Eat a snack

Again, you’ve just worked out! Give your body some fuel to continue to run on before you get back to the mainland for that big luau later that night. 

Host a post-dive debriefing

One way to get better and continually improve is to talk about what went wrong. Did your signal to “Go over here” get misinterpreted under water by your dive buddy? Or maybe you swam too fast for your group’s liking. Talk about what you can do next time to make the whole experience more enjoyable.

DON’T: Get on a plane

Flying is a well known risk to divers, but it’s worth repeating — don’t fly or got to extremely elevated areas (ie: zip lining or mountain climbing) for 24 hours after your dive. You need time to decompress and allow nitrogen bubbles to leave your blood stream.

Are you ready to schedule your dive on Hawaii’s North Shore? Contact the team at Surf N Sea to schedule your dive today!