Dive Travel Tip
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Critical Pre-trip Preparations:
Make sure your passport and/or visa are up to date. Many countries require that you have at least 6 months of validity left on your passport before you enter. It takes about 6 weeks to obtain a passport and 6 months for a visa, but you should allow longer during peak travel times.
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Visit your physician for a complete physical and for all required immunizations. Check your medical insurance to determine whether your policy covers illnesses, accidents or injuries outside the U.S. Keep medications in their original packaging to avoid problems. Ask your pharmacist to make smaller travel-sized bottles for prescriptions.
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Don’t forget your scuba diving certification card! No certification card? No diving! Give a copy of your full itinerary to a trusted friend or relative at home.
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Re-confirm your ticket 24 hours before a domestic flight and 72 hours before an international trip. Check with your airport to find out how early to arrive; check-in times vary by airport and season.
Find more great tips like these in our Repair Guide
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Diving is dehydrating – especially in tropical heat. Dehydration contributes to decompression sickness, fatigue and cardiovascular stress. To make up for water lost while diving, drink a gallon of water each day.
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As a boat operator you should:
• Be able to recognize a “diver down” flag, a bright red flag with a diagonal white stripe, floating in divers’ areas.
• Stay the legal distance from a diver down flag. The law varies by state so check with your local authorities.
• Be on the lookout for bubbles breaking the water’s surface. There may be divers below who have strayed from their marked diving area.