A good scuba diving light is what you need when you are preparing yourself to enjoy a night dive. That’s obvious. What is not so obvious is the correct way to use the scuba diving light. The goal is not only to get the most out of the experience, but also to enjoy it safely. For this reason, in this article we have collected a series of tips that we are sure they be of interest to you.
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April 9, 2020The Importance Of A Scuba Diving Light During A Night Dive
We could compare a night dive to Vegas, Nevada City would not be the same without the lights that illuminate it during the night. Scuba diving light will have the same effect as the neon lights have there. At night, your scuba diving light will transform the underwater world and let you discover the marine animals that come out to play dressed in vibrant colors.
Although you can watch rays and sharks during the day, they prefer to hunt at night, parrotfish lock themselves in a bubble, coral opens their polyps to feed, lobsters come out of hiding in search of food, octopuses swim freely, and plankton is bioluminescent. But you will not be able to see any of this without your scuba diving light.
At this colorful party, the first thing you think about is your Go Pro, don’t you? However, if this is the first time you are going to do a night dive, our advice is: relax. The most important thing is to acquire the necessary skills to use the scuba diving light while controlling your buoyancy.
How To Use Your Scuba Diving Light Properly?
If the ambiance is dark while you are preparing yourself to dive, and you cannot see well, use an ordinary flashlight. You will leave it on the surface before dive. Remember that your scuba diving light battery has a limited life span, and you don’t want to waste it prematurely.
Turn on your scuba diving light just before you jump and remember to protect it if you are going to make your entrance with a giant stride or by dropping back from the boat. Don’t forget to check that it is still lighting before you descend.
During the dive, avoid aiming at animals and people directly. You can blind your buddies or scare animals. Not use the center of the beam. It would be better if you could light with the dimmest part.
In low water and clear nights, it is often possible to enjoy the bioluminescence of plankton. To be able to do this, it is interesting to cover your scuba diving light occasionally. In this way, your eyes will adjust to the ambient light, and you will be able to appreciate this phenomenon.
Turning your scuba diving light on and off constantly increases the chance of it going out of order, so don’t do this.
Use your scuba diving light to make signals during night dives, so focus the light beam to illuminate your hands.
If you want to draw your dive buddy‘s attention to something, then focus your scuba diving light within the area illuminated by your buddy’s lamp. Chances are he or she will be looking in that direction. A slow circle will indicate that you want to ask if everything is OK. However, if you move the flashlight quickly back and forth, it means there is a problem. Aim what you want your buddies to look at after you catch their attention in this way.
What Items To Consider About Your Scuba Diving Light And Other Lamps?
Your head scuba diving light or main lamp is an essential tool during a night diving, so choose it carefully.
– Consider the beam of light must be consistent and adequate for night diving. You have to see where you are going.
– Look for a scuba diving light whose intensity is adjustable. Bear in mind that animals can run away from too intense light beams.
– Reflectors are more recommended than spotlights. With them, you can cover a larger area with a soft and uniform light.
– Make sure that the batteries last long enough to keep your scuba diving light on for the entire duration of the dive.
– Look for a scuba diving light that you can switch on easily. It’s easier to turn on and off with a click than it is to turn the lens cover.
– Scuba diving lights have negative buoyancy, so if you don’t want to lose it, make sure it has a lanyard to attach it to your wrist.
Another important advice is: never forget to include a secondary scuba diving light in your night dive gear. If your main lamp fails, you will have to resort to it. Therefore, it is not a luxury. Remember, if it happens, it is time to finish the dive.
Look for a good quality lamp as well. A reliable and smaller scuba diving light is the best option in this case. It should be Small enough for keeping it in your BCD. For example, the scuba diving light you use to see into the cavities during daytime dives would be an excellent choice.
Warning lights are also important during night dives. Their goal is not you can see better, but the others can see you. Chemical light sticks are an excellent option though there are also warning lights with rechargeable batteries.
You know how to use a scuba diving light during a night dive. Now tell us, where do you plan to do the next one?
