How to control buoyancy correctly - the basics.

Correctly maintaining buoyancy underwater is probably the one thing we learn throughout our diving career. The reason is simple: it is not easy. Let’s see what to look out for when taking your first steps.

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When we sink we add air, when we surface we drop it. Not the other way round. The thing to remember about buoyancy control is the reaction time of our equipment. In order to notice the effect of the change in buoyancy caused by adding or releasing gas, we must wait a while. Because of this delay we should add gas in small portions. If we do not do it, it may turn out that we have let in too much gas and we will start to ascend uncontrollably. Unnecessary struggle with the inflators is a very common sight among the beginner divers.

Another very common problem for beginner divers is the difficulty in deflating the jacket. In nature all bubbles flow vertically upwards and the same happens with the air in our jackets. Taking advantage of this “law”, if we want to let the excess of accumulated air out, we simply have to clear the way for it. For this purpose, we should remember to hold the inflator high above our head each time when releasing air during ascent. If it does not help, it means that either we pull the inflator ahead of us and it only seems to be up, or that we have a wrong position underwater. In the latter case, we should bend slightly.

Adam Sieczkowski
PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer
SSI Advanced Open Water Instructor
DAN Adv. Oxygen Provider Instructor
TDI Normoxic Trimix Diver