4 Easiest Methods of Water Entry in Scuba Diving

Look like a pro when you enter the water on your next dive trip – these are the four easiest methods of water entry while scuba diving.

This article details four different water entries required for successful scuba diving. Each one serves a unique purpose in various dive settings – every diver should know each one!

How to Enter the Water While Scuba Diving

Whether you’re trying scuba diving for the first time or looking for a quick reminder before your scuba diving trip, these methods of entry are the easiest and should make you look like a pro while doing it.

Four Easiest Methods of Water Entry

1. Giant Stride

The giant stride is used while diving off of dive boats with a dive platform – where you can enter the water from standing.

How to Giant Stride While Scuba Diving

1. Fully equip yourself with all your gear. Be sure to do your BWRAF!
2. Put a few puffs of air into your BCD using your power inflator hose.
3. Shuffle to the edge of the boat where you’ll be entering the water. Usually the bow or stern, depending on the boat.
4. Put your real toes on the edge of the boat. Not your fins, but your real toes. The ends of your fins should be dangling off the edge entirely.
5. Give your face a high five, holding your mask and regulator (so they don’t fall off after entering the water).
6. Look towards the horizon and take a GIANT step off the boat.
7. Once you’re in the water and you know you’re fine, give the captain and mate on the boat the big okay.
8. Buddy up, descend and enjoy your dive!

2. Back Roll

The back roll is used when diving on smaller boats – whether it be a six pack charter or a friend’s private vessel. This is because these smaller boats don’t have a dive platform to giant stride from.

How to Back Roll While Scuba Diving

1. Fully gear up and sit yourself on the gunwale (the side of the boat).
2. Scoot your butt to the very edge – the backs of your knees should almost be the only thing holding you onto the boat.
3. Hold your mask and regulator with one hand and hold the back of your mask strap with the other (back rolling into the water has a high likelihood of ripping your mask off your face. So secure that sucker).
4. Loosen your knee grip on the boat and fling your weight backwards.
5. Hit the water with a big splash and give the boat a big okay!
6. Dive, dive, dive!

3. Wade Entry

From time to time, beach dives may be riddled with waves. The key is to get through the surf as unscathed as possible (obviously). Easier said than done, right? Here’s how:

How to Wade Into the Water While Scuba Diving

1. Wade into the water fully geared up with everything on except your fins.
2. Don’t fully inflate your BCD with air. If you do, a wave may come and literally sweep your balloon-like body away. You need to split through those waves and remaining negatively buoyant is the easiest way.
3. When the waves approach and are white capping, turn your body tank first into the waves. This will put enough weight forward to pierce through the waves.
4. When you can no longer stand and the waves have ceased breaking, put your fins on and surface swim to your destination!

Of course it’s much easier if no waves are breaking. We only go shore diving on a calm day with flat seas. A few of our favorite spots are Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, Blue Heron Bridge, and Vista Park Reef in South Florida. Below is an example of one of our beach dives we frequently go on!

4. Sit In/Jump In With No Gear

I couldn’t think of any clever names for this type of entry. But to put it simply, this is when you slowly lower your gear assembly into the water, jump in, and suit up at the surface!

Why would you do it this way? A couple of reasons.

• Elderly or disabled divers may prefer this method as its easier on the body.
• You’re entering a shallow pool.
• You’re scared to bejeezus to enter any other way…so, why not?

How to Sit In and Suit Up

1. Fully assemble your dive gear but don’t suit yourself up quite yet.
2. Lower your scuba kit (BCD, tank, regulators) into the water slowly. Be mindful of the regulator and octopus – they may free flow if you toss the gear in or insert them upside down.
3. Suit yourself up with mask, fins, snorkel, and wetsuit. Either sit in or jump into the water.
4. Use your dive skills to lean back into your BCD and buckle yourself up!
5. Enjoy your dive!

Admittedly, it’s not the easiest thing to strap yourself up into your BCD in the water but it’s a necessary skill that most scuba certification agencies require.

Scuba Diving Water Entry: Which is Right for You?

During your scuba diving training and throughout your dive career, it’s important to get acquainted with each mode of entry. You never know which one will come in handy and in what situation.

Dive charters all over the world vary in their boats, dive sites, and training conditions – some may require the giant stride, some the back roll, and some the wade entry. It’s up to you to be able to perform each one for a successful dive!

Happy Diving!