The Editor says: In recent years, diving has grown tremendously in popularity. Beyond the established world of scuba diving, freediving has also surged — thanks in large part to social media — attracting more and more young people into this community. That said, diving still carries real risks. Knowing how to have fun while staying safe is a far more fundamental concern than looking cool for photos or planning your next overseas dive holiday. We'd like to thank Islander instructor Su Huai for sharing on his Facebook page the insights he has gathered from years of dive instruction. We hope you'll take a moment to read and reflect on what he has to say.
【On Dive Safety — Here's What I Want to Share......】
If you've ever taken a diving course — whether scuba or freediving — your instructor has almost certainly emphasized safety from every angle: dive physiology, psychology, theory, equipment, and more. Beyond all that professional knowledge, I'd like to share a few personal thoughts on the human side of things — local customs, community dynamics, and some things you won't find in any textbook.
- Respect the Locals
We all know we should be polite when visiting someone else's home, and that when travelling to a new place we should respect local customs and play by local rules. But how many of us actually do?
Having money doesn't make you the boss, and having professional knowledge doesn't put you above anyone else. The old fisherman who has lived by the sea for generations, may not have had much formal education, and makes his living with a fishing rod or spear gun — he has far more right to speak about the ocean than any of us.
Some people dive, take their photos, check in on social media, and leave without a second thought — staying if they like a place, moving on if they don't. But do you realize? Some people in that community will always be there, no matter what happens, no matter what hardships life throws at them — and leaving isn't really an option for them. Because this place is everything they have. It is their home.
Respecting the locals also means respecting the local environment, the ocean, and its marine life.
2. Let Locals Lead the Way
If you genuinely respect the locals, then you'll naturally understand that letting them guide you is always the best approach.
In the context of diving, this means asking a local dive guide or instructor to take you into the water. These people are not only the most familiar with local underwater conditions — they are the ones who best understand the current sea conditions. Why emphasize current conditions? Because wind, waves, and currents change constantly. A local dive guide may have been in the water just yesterday or even moments ago, and they're always keeping a close eye on how conditions at a site are evolving. Only their judgment can be truly reliable and precise.
Without these guides, it's very hard for us to assess which site suits our own ability or our buddy's, and once we're in the water we won't know where to go — and we'll easily end up running afoul of local customs and regulations. Over the past year or so, for example, Xiaoliuqiu has occasionally seen divers stray into boat traffic lanes, putting themselves at extreme risk while also causing trouble and inconvenience for the local community.
The Editor chimes in: In 2019, there was also a case at Bitou Harbor on the Northeast Coast where divers accidentally entered a boat channel and were fined. On weekends, freedivers frequently drift into the shipping lane near Chao Jing as well.
3. Be Someone Who Values Their Life
If you're not familiar with local waters, aren't a strong swimmer, or aren't even entirely confident swimming in the ocean — would you really be comfortable jumping in with a group of strangers you met online?
Someone like me, who values their life, absolutely would not. I used to be terrified of water — a true landlubber. The first time I went snorkeling in Kenting, I wore a life jacket the entire time and clung desperately to the instructor's rescue ring.
Take Xiaoliuqiu as an example. If you're not the strongest swimmer, joining a snorkeling activity there is actually quite safe. The instructors leading these outings are, by and large, extremely familiar with the local waters and highly experienced. They'll walk everyone through the equipment and help them get comfortable in the water step by step before heading out. If you observe carefully, the snorkeling routes they take are always the most conservative ones — because if anything goes wrong in the water, you need to be able to get people back to shore in the shortest time possible.
Of course, different routes are available depending on your skill level — but the guiding principle is that the most conservative, most cautious route is the one that brings you safely home.
4. Stay Alert
We live in the age of social media, and it's completely understandable that getting great underwater shots has become a major priority for many divers.
Whether you're a scuba diver who loves hunting for tiny critters to photograph, or a freediver chasing that perfect, stunning shot — remember that "respecting the locals," "letting locals lead," and "valuing your life" must always come first. And on top of that, you need to stay alert at all times. Don't let your mind become so consumed by the viewfinder or your selfie stick that you forget everything else — because the moment you throw caution to the wind just to get the shot, you've also thrown your most important asset — your safety — overboard along with it.
And the next time you're scrolling through your feed, marveling at those stunning underwater photos and thinking, "I want to go take shots like that!" — please pause for just a few extra seconds and ask yourself: "Beyond the photos, what else matters more?"
Finally, if you're someone who loves being in the ocean, never forget: getting back to shore safely is the only reason to get in the water in the first place, and coming home is the one value you should never compromise on.
Because if the day ever comes when someone doesn't make it back, the ones left heartbroken, grieving, and picking up the pieces will be the people waiting on shore, waiting at home — the ones who care about you most, who love you most deeply.
Cover photo credit: Photo by Marek Okon on Unsplash
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