When you’re underwater, behind a mask, and loaded with equipment, nobody diving with you will be able to tell how you are feeling or what you need. To indicate that you want to level off once you’ve reached a certain depth, put your hand out in front of you, palm down, and wave it back and forth. Wave your hand up and down to indicate that you need everyone to slow down a bit. Place your hand in front of you with your palm facing down. To let everyone know it’s time to turn around, put your index finger up and rotate in a circle. Just like with up and down, point your thumb to indicate which direction you’re heading.

To let others know that you are moving, use a thumbs-up signal to indicate that you are going up, or a thumbs down to indicate the opposite. Signal your buddy or fellow divers to stop by holding up one hand the same as you would in any other instance. These basic signals should get you through most any dive. It’s important to be able to communicate where you want to go while underwater as well as other things such as needing the group to slow down. While there are a number of different hand signals, there are a few basics that you should be sure you have down before your first dive here is a look at what you will need for basic communication while diving. That’s why it helps to have a set method of communication that everyone is familiar with and understands.īecause safety is a major concern while diving, lines of communication must be clear so that everyone can help ensure that everyone else has a safe and fun dive. When you are underwater, talking is not an option and your dive buddy may not understand what your frantic flailing and waving means. Contrary to popular belief, there are a lot more hand signals than only those involving the thumb or the middle finger.

Scuba hand signals