3 Top Tips for Perfect Buoyancy Control

Good buoyancy control is essential. Not only does it protect the environment, it will enable you to relax, enjoy your dive and improve your underwater safety. Here's 3 top tips to help you perfect your buoyancy:

Correct weighting

Making sure you're properly weighted before you dive is very important, especially if you haven't dived for a while, you are using new equipment or you are diving in a new environment such as fresh or salt water. There are several different weighting tests you can try before you dive. The most common is the eye-level float test where the diver empties the air from their BCD and if they are correctly weighted, they should float in an upright position on the surface at eye level. Once you know your correct weight, it's important to ensure it is optimally distributed. If you wear a weight belt, distribute your weights evenly and ensure your belt is tightly secured.

Remember to add extra a little extra weight if you are using an alumimium tank since these can be positively buoyant when empty. 

Top Tip 1: ensure you have the correct weight and it's evenly and securely distributed.

Correct buoyancy

Once underwater, you must control your buoyancy using your air. For major adjustments use your inflator hose to add small amounts into your BCD or drysuit, for minor adjustments, use your breathing. Remember to wait a few moments to experience each adjustment before making another adjustment. As any experienced diver will tell you, breathing is everything! The more you relax and take control of your breathing, the better your buoyancy will become.

Top Tip 2: Breathe slowly and evenly, experience each adjustment before making another one.

Underwater Positioning

The final tip for correct buoyancy is positioning. Try to be as trim as possible. You want to be flat to avoid drag with your fins slightly elevated to avoid disturbing or damaging the bottom. The flatter you are in the water, the less energy you will need to propell yourself forward and the more air you will conserve. Take some inspiration from the local marine life: barracuda for example are long and straight, the tiniest flick of their tail and they can reach speeds of over 30mph.

Top Tip 3: Streamline yourself like a barracuda -straight and flat.

Finally, relax! It takes practice to perfect neutral buoyancy and it's often the skill novice divers find the most difficult to master, and one even experienced divers tend to overlook.