Spearfishing Safety Tips
Spearfishing is an exciting & extreme hobby and sport. It enables you to experience the world like no other sport. However, it can be dangerous if you aren’t careful. Diving with a buddy is the cornerstone of spearfishing safety. It minimizes your risks and increases the chance that you’ll survive if anything unexpected happens while you’re underwater. Don’t just dive together—stay together while you’re submerged. Your dive buddy can’t help you if you’re not together.
For maximum safety and enjoyment of your time beneath the waves, follow these simple tips:
• Don’t go spearfishing by yourself. Always have a dive buddy with you. Stay within sight of your dive buddy.
• Estimate the sea conditions, and make a dive plan with your buddy before you dive.
• Know your limits.
• You should always be correctly weighted with a quick release weight belt.
• Don’t dive without proper flags, rigging and float lines.
• Don’t dive if you’re cold or tired.
• Don’t dive if you have a cold or are congested.
• Ask a local about the location if you’re diving somewhere new.
• Don’t dive drunk or under the influence of any other substances.
• Don’t go spearfishing after a scuba dive.
• Don’t carry fish on your body in order to avoid the potential for shark attacks.
• Don’t load your speargun outside the water.
• Don’t point your speargun at anyone - EVER.
• Always check your gear for wear and tear before diving.
• If you see your dive buddy start to sink, unexpectedly stop or start blowing bubbles, help them to the surface right away.
• If your dive buddy has blacked out, revive them by blowing on their face and tapping their cheeks. Stay calm, so your buddy doesn’t panic and hyperventilate. Perform CPR if necessary.
• It is always a good idea to have a first aid kit on the boat or in your gear back at the shore in case of emergencies.
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