Author: arturowongxc

Tips for deep diving

Deep dives allow us to experience more excitement, see other marine species and explore unknown areas, but it requires greater precautions. Here are some tips that will make your deep dives safer:

Perform head-down descent

It is the most natural and comfortable way to descend. Also in this way the risk of losing orientation is avoided, and in turn, it is easier to compensate the ears and the mask. On the other hand, if you dive in places where the bottom is fragile, care should be taken when the fins touch the bottom.

Perform the descent and ascent at a slow speed in deep dives

A slow descent prevents decompensation of ears and masks, thus preventing pain and injury. On the other hand, a slow ascent is essential for safe diving. A quick ascent in a deep dive can lead to decompression sickness.

To make a slow and safe ascent you must have been well ballasted, you must use a dive computer. Preferably you should ascend through a reference line. If you don’t have it, the diver has to be very attentive to his buoyancy and his computer.

Slow and deep breathing

While slow and deep controlled breathing is ideal for all types of diving, when deep diving is especially important. This is due to the fact that at greater depth, the air consumption is accelerated and a controlled breathing makes a longer background time possible. In addition, at greater depth, the air becomes denser, so the turbulence of the air passing through the regulator increases. When you take a slow breath, these turbulences decrease. Deep breathing, meanwhile, causes us not to inhale again the dead air containing CO2 accumulated in the regulator.

deep dives

Be aware of nitrogen narcosis in deep dives

At depths greater than 30 meters, the air we inhale (especially nitrogen) becomes narcotic. This occurs because at high pressures the nitrogen in the air penetrates the lipid structure of the nerve cells. While this effect is harmless and dissipates as soon as we begin to ascend, the results of poor decision making by the drugged diver can be fatal.

Therefore, we must be alert to any symptoms of nitrogen narcosis when we dive more than 3 meters deep. Among the most common symptoms are: Loss of good judgment, feeling of unjustified joy, lack of concern for safety, drowsiness and desire to sleep, anxiety. If we feel any of these symptoms, the ideal is to start the ascent slowly.

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Risks and precautions in a wreck dive

Common hazards in a wreck dive

Wreck dive. While each wreck is different, there are circumstances and characteristics that many share. Thus there are also similar risks and complications in each shipwreck. The main ones are the following:

Sharp objects

Due to rust, split surfaces and coral marine life that grows in them, there are sharp and sharp surfaces that can do a lot of damage to the diver. Therefore, the diver must have his tetanus shots up to date. You must also wear gloves and appropriate protective equipment. It is worth mentioning that these risks are present, either shipwrecks made of metal or wood.

Tangles with networks

As shipwrecks eventually become artificial reefs and marine life proliferates there, many fishermen throw nylon lines and fishing nets. Many times the networks and lines get stuck in the wreck. For them the diver has to be very careful not to get entangled. It is essential to dive with a diving knife. It is even recommended to dive with a knife of normal size and a smaller one to be used in confined places.

Aquatic life

Because there is a lot of life in a shipwreck, it is also frequented by large marine predators such as sharks, barracudas, brunettes, etc. Usually these species are not a danger to man. However, we must know in advance what potentially dangerous animals live in the wrecks we are going to visit and what precautions to take.

Unstable structure of wreck diving

As it is to be supposed, a shipwreck consists of corroded, broken and fragile parts that can collapse upon contact with a physicist with a diver or by a sea current. Before such an event, the diver can be trapped or even a single exit could be blocked, if the diver opted to penetrate the wreck. Therefore, care must be taken not to touch the wreck structures and not to touch the surfaces when diving into it.

Wreck dive

Dangers in wreck dive penetration

In addition to the risks related to diving near a shipwreck, there are also elements to consider if you choose to penetrate the shipwreck. It is worth mentioning that to enter a shipwreck, adequate training must have been carried out to do so. Otherwise this activity could become very dangerous. Some of the common risks in wreck penetration are:

Loss of direction: Due to the poor visibility and the three-dimensional environment of the interior of a shipwreck whose position may be on its side or even completely inverted, the diver could quickly become disoriented.

There is no direct access to the surface: Once inside a shipwreck before any problem or lack of air the diver will not be able to go directly to the surface, so first he will have to leave the shipwreck, perhaps sharing air with the partner

Restricted passages: Sometimes leaving a wreck cavity becomes more difficult than entering, due to very narrow areas for equipment or sharp surfaces.

Falling of objects: If the diver is not careful, it could cause the fall of heavy objects that could harm him or close the wreck exit areas

Mud: Within a shipwreck a lot of mud can accumulate on the ground, which due to the movement of the diver’s fins can be suspended. This causes visibility to become unfavorable or even zero.

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Wreck diving

Wreck diving . It is considered a wreck dive not only to dive in sunken ships, but also to dive in archaeological remains, sunken airplanes, war vehicles such as cars and tanks and also artifacts intentionally sunk by man as sculptures and works of art.

Wreck diving

Main attractions of wreck diving

Wake up curiosity: It is not necessary to be a diver to experience curiosity about the wreck. Questions about how and when the ship sank, what does a plane do there or who put those sculptures always arise when we learn of a shipwreck. The advantage of being a diver is that we can not only investigate it in books or on the Internet, but we can see it with our own eyes. A shipwreck is like a living being and it changes over the years, so we can witness how a piece of history is changing. For example, who would not like to discover a sunken pre-Inca ruin on Lake Titicaca?

Historical, cultural and archeological relevance: As mentioned before, each shipwreck has a historical value. These are like time capsules sunk in the sea and many of them are well preserved by the low temperature and low oxygen. It is possible that in Peru there are pre-Inca and Inca archaeological remains sunk in the sea and in the lakes of the Andes.

Marine life sanctuary: Shipwrecks eventually become artificial reefs, sheltering thousands of animals. They are the oasis of life in areas that may be empty of animal life. For example, in the wreck of the Ferror, a ship sunk in Ancon, you can find thousands of crabs that live on the entire surface of the ship.


Wreck diving in Lima

The best known and most visited shipwreck in Lima is the Ferrol, a supply ship sunk very close to the Big Island) located a few kilometers from the Ancón Spa). The Ancón Spa is located 40 km north of Lima. It is easily reached by going through the Panamericana Norte. However, the journey can be long, because the traffic to the north of Lima is extremely intense.

To get to this wreck it is necessary to hire the guide of a diver who knows the area well. It is also necessary to arrive by boat. The boat ride from Ancon to the wreck takes about 40 minutes.

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What is a deep dive?

A deep diving is considered one that is done at a depth of more than 18 meters and less than 40 meters. The absolute maximum limit for recreational dives is 40 meters deep. This is because the safety parameters, procedures and recreational diving equipment are not made or tested for greater depths. To dive to greater depths of 40 meters it is necessary to have a certification in technical diving.

Although 40 meters is the absolute maximum, in practice 30 meters deep is the recommended maximum. The reasons for not diving more than 30 meters are as follows: Sunlight is dimmer, so visibility is very poor; the diver may have effects of nitrogen narcosis; background times become very short; and finally, the tank air runs out much faster.

Deep Diving

Reasons for deep diving

  • Different marine life: At greater depths inhabit animals and vegetation that are not visible on the surface.
  • Different topography: Many times it is only possible to see large rock formations, high cliffs, caverns and other strange formations at depths of more than 20 meters.
  • Diving in currents: At certain depths you can find currents that allow you to effortlessly dive great distances.
  • Rare or better preserved shipwrecks: Many of the shipwrecks are close to the surface, but there are also very interesting and rare shipwrecks that can be found deep inside. In addition, being deeper where there is less oxygen, these wrecks are in a better state of conservation. There are sunken vessels that still have their original painting.
  • Adventure and beat your personal record: While deep diving involves greater risks, this can be what motivates and excites the diver. In addition one always wants to beat his personal depth record. As long as the knowledge and training required, the proper procedures are carried out and done professionally, deep diving is a safe activity.

Deep diving areas in Lima

In Pucusana there are two deep diving areas that can be easily reached by boat: “La Lobera” where you can go down to 30 meters and “Baja Huaman” where you can descend to 33 meters. In Pucusana, boats are available every day that can transport divers to these areas. From the small port to these dive spots, it only takes about 20 minutes by boat.

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Night diving

Night diving is a modality or specialty of diving. A PADI diver can easily obtain night diving specialization, taking a 3 or 4 day course. In Lima it is possible to dive at night. This can be done in Pucusana and Naplo. However, diving conditions are often not the most comfortable to do so. The main problem we have in the Lima coast is the low visibility at night. In addition the cold also makes this type of diving more complex.

Night Diving

In other areas, such as the Caribbean, for example, diving at night is much easier. In areas where the water and the weather is warm even at night it is especially nice to dive at night.

Despite the difficulties that night diving can pose, the experience may be worth it. You can see marine species that cannot be seen during the day. You can also practice the use of flashlights and night underwater procedures.

Requirements for night diving

The main requirement for night diving is to have taken the PADI Open Water diving course. This is the basic diving course that takes between 3 to 4 days. Once you have taken this course, you can do a night fun dive, a specialty night diving course or the Advance Open Water course, in which one of the five diving adventures can be night diving.

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Importance of pool lessons in the diving course

To obtain the first PADI “Open Water” certification, it is necessary to do the theoretical classes, 4 dives at sea and the confined water classes. Normally, confined water classes are held in a pool. However, it is also possible to make them at sea, as long as its name says, the space is confined, without current and shallow.

We believe that doing confined diving classes is not recommended at sea, since visibility is not always good. Also, no matter how much the sea is calm, there is always some current. In the psychological aspect, the sea can create more anxiety in a student who has no aquatic experience.

On the other hand, the classes in swimming pools are perfect to start diving and become familiar with the water. The main advantages of making the classes confined in the pool are:

  • Pleasant temperature: You can have a heated pool or that is at a pleasant temperature. On the other hand, the sea in Lima is always below 18 degrees Celsius.
  • Controlled depth: With nervous students you can start with a depth of just 1.2 meters, in which with just standing you are with your head out of the water. Then you can gradually gain more depth.
  • Excellent clarity: If the pool is properly maintained, the clarity is unmatched. Even more so when compared to the sea in Lima, which does not enjoy the best clarity.
  • There are no currents: Without currents you can learn and practice much more easily all the techniques, which will then be used at sea.

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