Just certified? Start here.

Dive again soon

Skills fade fast. Try to get a few easy dives in within a couple of months of your course, ideally with the shop where you trained. Fun dives, club trips and local quarry days all count.

If it's been a while, take a refresher. Many shops suggest one if you haven't dived in about six months and have fewer than 20 dives. PADI calls theirs ReActivate; other agencies have their own.

Make your first trip an easy one

• Pick warm, calm, clear water with short boat rides. A group trip with your own dive shop is a great first choice.
• Tell the dive operator you're newly certified. They'll pair you well and pick suitable sites.
• Bring your certification card (or app) and your logbook. Operators may ask how many dives you have and when your last one was.
• See our trip reports for places other divers recommend.

Buy gear in the right order

You don't need to buy everything at once. A common order:

• Mask, snorkel, fins and boots. Fit matters most here, and they're the cheapest to own.
• A dive computer. It goes everywhere with you, keeps your log and is the gear most divers buy next. See Technology Explained.
• An exposure suit that fits you, if you dive often in the same conditions.
• BCD and regulator last, once you know what kind of diving you'll do. Rent them until then, and have your own serviced on schedule once you buy.

Log every dive

Your logbook is your proof of experience for trips and courses, and a record you'll enjoy later. Write down the site, your buddy, conditions, weight and what you saw. The DiveFolk Logbook keeps your dive computer data and paper notes together in one file you own.

Stay safe between dives and flights

• Flying after diving. DAN recommends waiting at least 12 hours after a single no-decompression dive and at least 18 hours after several dives a day or several days of diving.
• Have a plan for emergencies. DAN membership includes a 24/7 emergency hotline and travel assistance. Dive accident insurance is a separate plan; check what you're covered for before you travel.
• Know your limits. Stay within your training and your computer's limits, and call a dive if something doesn't feel right. Anyone can call any dive.

Keep learning

Most divers take an advanced course next, which adds a deeper dive, navigation and a few specialties you choose. Practicing buoyancy on every dive pays off more than any gadget. And use AI to help you prepare: our DiveFolk AI prompts help you plan trips, check gear and review skills.